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Auto Racing Legend Juan Montoya Leaves Formula One For NASCAR by David Maillie

2006-11-14T12:00:00.000-08:00

Famous Formula One racer Juan Pablo Montoya has officially turned in his keys and has embarked on a new career in NASCAR. As of Tuesday July 11, Montoya announced that he will be driving on Chip Ganassi's Nextel Cup team. Being that there are 4 Nextel Cup races left it is a sure thing that Montoya will make his debut some time this year before the season ends. Rumor has it that this was purely a financial move as the potential growth and current earnings of NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers have far outweighed that of their Formula One counterparts.

As announced in his latest press release, "Juan Pablo is an exciting driver and immensely likeable character who will undoubtedly make a successful transition to the NASCAR scene," said Ron Dennis, CEO and Chairman of the McLaren Group. "We have agreed that with so many things happening in Juan Pablo's life right now, he should take some time out of the car and prepare professionally and personally for the future." His decision to join NASCAR has been well taken to by both NASCAR and Formula One. "We believe that Juan Pablo's decision to move to NASCAR is very important for him professionally and we will give him every support to ensure that it is a successful transition," said Norbert Haug, Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport.

Formula One will miss a very talented and adored driver, and NASCAR will gain a great driver with a hugely diverse and international following. NASCAR officials have been looking to add diversity to their Nextel Cup races as announced earlier in the year and Juan Pablo will be a very welcome addition. This will be a boon to NASCAR as it tries to maintain the remarkable growth it has seen in the past decade. By adding diversity they are looking to add to their fan base and change the misconception that it is a southern or redneck sport. With racetracks being built in Chicago, Las Vegas and California and races being held in new countries like Canada this will only help to further diversify the sport.

Yes, NASCAR still has a huge southern following and should be very thankful for it as this is the most intensely loyal fan base of any sport. Montoya will definitely add character, charm, and ability to the NASCAR crowd. He will also, undoubtedly, keep the other NASCAR drivers on their toes with his immense experience and superior open road skills. Montoya’s debut will definitely be a much anticipated and welcome event for NASCAR fans everywhere.

Nascar Flags and What They Mean by Jake Tyler

2006-11-14T11:59:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed all the flags used on the track at Nascar races? Those different colors each have a different meaning. NASCAR Flags have been around as long as the sport of auto racing itself. Before there were two-way radios in NASCAR race cars, the only method of communicating with drivers during the extremely loud racing action was with the use of colored flags. These large, colorful flags gain the attention of drivers and are easy to see.

Almost every auto racing series uses the same combination of flag colors to keep things consistent. NASCAR drivers can see the status of the race by looking at the flag. Just as traffic signal lights at a street intersection let drivers know exactly what to do, these Nascar flags communicate different racing conditions to the Nascar drivers. The NASCAR flags are usually waved by a flagman on a platform at the start/finish line. Here is what the different colored Nascar flags mean:

Green Nascar Flag: The green flag is used to signal the beginning of the race or a race restart. Green means that the track is clear and the race cars may continue.

Yellow Nascar Flag: This Nascar flag is used to signal an accident, debris on the track, a mechanical failure or bad weather. The yellow flag means that the track is not clear. It signals drivers to slow down and hold their position. Drivers are allowed to group up behind the leader. A yellow flag during a practice race means the race cars should go to their pit stop immediately.

Red Nascar Flag: The red flag means that the track is unsafe and there is a situation that requires the immediate attention of Nascar officials. All race cars must stop. The red flag is usually waved in cases of heavy rain or an accident that requires medical assistance. A red flag can also mean that the race track is blocked by debris or a crashed car. A red flag during the closing laps of a race can also be waved to ensure the race ends under good conditions.

White Nascar Flag: The white Nascar flag means that there is one lap remaining in the race.

Checkered Nascar Flag: The familiar black and white checkered flag means the race is complete.

So there you have it, now you know what the different colored Nascar flags mean and why they are used.

How To Find Great NASCAR Collectibles And Memorabilia Online by Gregg Hall

2006-11-14T11:58:00.000-08:00

NASCAR is a fast paced sport to enjoy, it is the National Association for Stock Car Racing. Racing has gotten more popular in recent years and NASCAR is at the top of racing news. So it should be no surprise that collecting NASCAR memorabilia is a favorite pastime of many.

Whether shopping for a loved one or for you there are plenty of the popular merchandise to choose from. If you are trying to find the perfect gift for someone else that loves the sport, you can begin a search on the Internet.

Online you can find almost anything. If you want to order tickets to game or even set up a complete vacation revolving around NASCAR, researching prices online at least will save you some money.

If you are looking for NASCAR clothing you will find plenty online. You can also find books about the sport, personalized gifts for fans and replica cars. Getting an autographed picture or shirt is one way to let that special fan in your life know you care.

If you are looking for collectibles for yourself, you may find an array of ideas online. NASCAR pictures are a great search and find item on the Internet. There are so many different ones posted on a variety of sites. With little effort you can find some pictures that not everyone has right now. They may not be quite originals but it is fun to find pictures that are different than the ones in all the stores.
When you do find those uncommon pictures you can use your computer to make calendars, mouse pads, iron on for shirts and hats. You can customize your own clothes and gear.

Looking online you can also get ready for all the races with all the racing schedules. You can also find plenty of history about how the sport began and where it is going now.

Most fans have at least one favorite racecar driver and online you can read the bibliographies of all the drivers. You can also get stats and information on up and coming drivers before the races. Finding out about the latest changes and updates to NASCAR is easy since it is readily available online.

Most websites are free or the charge is minimal to print pictures and read about favorite drivers and races. If you happen to miss a race on television a lot of sites will allow you to watch clips and some even allow complete video segments for viewing online.
If you are looking for a biography about a particular driver, looking online is the best play to start your search. Some of the sport's drivers are into writing their own books and they are readily available online also.

Rare collectible NASCAR items are also worth searching online for. As more and more people connect to the Internet you will be able to buy sell or trade with other fans easily no matter where they are located.

NASCAR Race Day Reports

2006-10-25T11:03:00.000-07:00

By Heather Pohlabel

One of the most wonderful things about NASCAR racing coverage is that coverage begins on Friday when the trucks are run, continues through Saturday when the Busch series run, and then goes all day Sunday, the day of the race. This is just a typical week. Of course, there are variations when the Nextel Cup race in on a Saturday night, there is no race that week at all, or it is the off season. But usually without fail, you can get your fill of NASCAR throughout the weekend.

SPEED channel starts covering the pre race activity hours before line up and usually covers full qualifying events as well. Any true NASCAR fan has this channel tuned in early on Sunday mornings or afternoons to get a feel for how the cars are running, to hear the latest rumors, and to see all the pre race interviews.

Interviews are a very important part of publicity for racers and their teams, but how much is too much?

I like to hear what the racers have to say before and after races and about important events in their organizations or lives. One of the best racers to listen to is Mikey Wallace, who also often is doing the interviewing. He's entertaining and can go on and on about any topic. They even have a Mikey clock that is used mockingly to show how long he has been talking during an interview. On a rain delayed race, they will head straight to Mikey to pass the time.

Racers have microphones in their face seemingly all the time, even in their cars. Conversations between drivers and their spotters, crews, crew chiefs, and owners are no longer kept secret or private. A driver must watch his language and be careful of what he says for fear of NASCAR handing down a punishment or in case he gives away a team secret.

While I like to hear from the drivers after the race, it has just been utterly disturbing to me to see how quickly and forcefully the station broadcasters get these interviews from these guys. Using last week's Martinsville as an example, as soon as interviewers could get down to talk to Kenny Schrader after he had been wrecked and very obviously shaken and upset, they were in there trying to shove a microphone in his face. Somehow he was able to avoid talking to them until he cooled off, but not every racer is so lucky.

Time and time again, Dale Earnhardt Junior's failures are dangled in front of his face by a reporter as he is asked to justify his racing or face his mistake or "tell us how you feel" about what happened. He can not even get his gear off before there is a microphone in his face with a reporter asking an obviously stinging question, "so how does it feel to be slipping in points". "How did that wreck affect your chances?" "What do you think about so and s..." It's never-ending.

Jimmie Johnson couldn't celebrate his emotional win last week before a reporter was in his face reminding him of the tragedy two years ago. Brian Vickers was reminded immediately how HE won his first Nextel Cup race, "so how mad is your teammate that you spun him out on the last lap for the win? How bad do you feel?"

Some drivers have started to get back at some reporters by light heartedly pouring their beverages on them, telling a joke, or being wise or short with their answers. It's not really the reporters' faults, and that is one job that I wouldn't want to have. They have to be some of the most hated people on the track. So why is it happening?

The networks use NASCAR as a platform for drama. They know it is an intense sport with a lot of personal feelings involved, after all, every driver's life is at stake the moment he starts the car and heads off of pit road onto the track. With emotions this high and risks this big and money this grand, someone has to keep the drama rolling.

Back off reporters, and let the guys celebrate. There's plenty of air time on SPEED or ESPN to keep the drama rolling.

Martinsville

2006-10-24T08:41:00.000-07:00

By Heather Pohlabel

Sunday's Martinsville 500 NASCAR Nextel Chase for the Cup race was one of the best short track races that Jimmie Johnson has run this year. Not only was he battling his teammate Jeff Gordon for most of the race and they managed to keep it clean, he had other Chase contenders who were out to get him! There was no Brian Vickers pushing him to victory, and while he did get one favor from future teammate Casey Mears, for the most part, Johnson had to rely on good pit strategy, good driving by the folks around him, and good handling and speed on his part. His car was set up to work very well, and he clocked many fastest car laps during this race.
Johnson's supreme handling of his car shocked rookie Cup contender Denny Hamlin, who put Johnson in a compromising position with six laps to go. Hamlin, with fresher tires and the desire to win in his home state, badly wanted to pass Johnson. He stated over his radio at the last caution, "He's mine", referring to Johnson, who was running first, right ahead of Hamlin who was running second. On a turn, Hamlin tried to slide under Johnson, nudging his bumper, where, sadly, anyone can lose control. But Johnson maintained control even though it looked like he was going to lose it, and went on to take the checkered flag.

In an after race interview, Hamlin admitted that the best man won, stating that had Johnson raced him that hard and gotten into him the way that he did Johnson, he was pretty sure that he could not have maintained his car to go on for the win.

In Johnson's after race interview, it was obvious that the race had taken its toll on him. He was out of breath and very emotional. This could have been the result of the hard racing at the end of the race, the tireless speeding and braking that occurs at Martinsville Speedway, or memories of losing the race at the end in Kansas. Or it could be that Johnson was recalling his last victory at Martinsville, two years ago, when members of his team died en route to the race in an airplane crash. That day, Johnson did not get to celebrate his victory, but he did this time, very emotionally. He dedicated his win to the members of Hendricks Motorsports who passed away that day.

The win was good for the entire Hendricks Motorsports team. Jeff Gordon, another of three Hendricks drivers in contention for the championship, had publicly stated prior to Martinsville that he was not really racing second place (considering that mathematically he could not possibly reach first place with his current standing and the amount of points allowed per race) for the last few races, but was ready to start gearing up for 2007. That was not obvious as he lead most of the first half of the race and continued to race Johnson hard for the lead at several points during the second half of the race. However, a win for Johnson is a win for Gordon, as he is part owner of Johnson's car.

With Gordon no longer a candidate for the championship, and Kyle Busch slipping further and further away every week, Johnson is once again Hendricks Motorsports only hope at the championship this year. If he keeps driving the way he did Sunday, he might stand a chance.
It didn't hurt his point standings, either, that other drivers had bad luck. Specifically Jeff Burton.

It will be a huge disappointment to fans to see Johnson walk away second in points again this year or to come to the last race only to have him lose it, which is surely how Jeff Burton fans must have felt on Sunday. Burton had a huge lead in points, but in typical Richard Childress style (for the last five years or so), the packages just aren't running well, and the cars are losing the races for the drivers.

Johnson's spectacular run and win brought him up from seventh in points to third, just forty seven points away from current points leader Matt Kenseth, who will be his biggest competitor during the Chase. I just don't think Kevin Harvick, currently second in points, has what it takes to take the championship.

Just when Johnson thought the championship was out of reach, Martinsville brought it back into sight for him.

I Must Be Dreaming

2006-10-17T05:17:00.000-07:00

By Heather Pohlabel

Is it just me, or is there anyone else out there in America who has seen the All State commercials featuring Kasey Kahne and cannot, simply cannot think about the man or see him and NOT sing, "I must be dreaming" or hum the little opening chords "da na na na na" from his first commercial? My husband noticed this the other night as we were watching Kahne dominate Saturday night's Bank of America 500 race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. He (my husband, of course, not Kasey) calls in from the other room, "Who's leading". I reply, very loudly and off key, in so... "I must be dreamin'! Dreamin' of youuuuuuuuuuuuuu". To which I get, "he doesn't even have a name any more does he?!" Not in our house. But in many other houses across America, others may also be thinking that "da na na na na" may have a shot at the championship. Are we crazy to think this?

I hate to say this, but I'm feelin' Kasey for a solid chance at the Cup, even though the odds are against him. He's not my number one man (that would be Jimmie Johnson), and actually not even my number two guy in the Chase (that would be Mark Martin), but I think that Kasey Kahne can honestly win this thing by some slip of fate. If he doesn't win, he's still going to be the underdog hero, and this year definitely did not hurt his career in any way. He has been portrayed as a sex symbol in the NASCAR racing world, and women, including myself, have bought it. Kasey Kahne was even, much to the chagrin of my husband, the focal point for me during my labor. My daughter will grow to love him naturally.

Kasey Kahne barely made it into the chase, and when I say barely, I mean, by a dental floss margin. However, he is the most winning driver this year. One would think that winning races proves someone to be a champion. But not with the current points system. The injustice this seems to carry has exploded in NASCAR's face this year, and they are desperately searching for a way to make it more fair for drivers both during and entering the Chase next year. That doesn't help Kasey Kahne this year unless fate has it in itself to make this guy the champ.

Kahne is certainly championship material. He is never portrayed as angry or foul-mouthing anyone, he has won more races than any other driver this year, his car is always super fast, and he's just a good looking guy! If Jeff Gordon has been the youthful face of NASCAR for the last decade, Kasey Kahne could certainly replace him.

I'm also enthralled with Mark Martin. Maybe it's just because he's in the news more and more race. The rumor mill thrives on Martin. No one can decide where he's going to go next year, what he's going to drive, and how much he's going to drive it. Jack Roush tried to keep his 19 year veteran with him for another year, but Martin finally decided that he had driven the number 6 Ford Fusion enough. It was time for a change. While Martin did decide that he would not return to the number 6 next year, deals on truck racing and part time NASCAR Busch series and Nextel Cup racing are still in the works. I guess we truly need to tune into to see what happens with this one.

Martin has indicated that he really doesn't care about leaving the Roush 6 car without a championship. He's stated over and over that he's just out there to have fun and that the overwhelming amount of pressure that he felt to make it into the Chase was just about all that he could handle, so he didn't care if he won or not, he was going to enjoy the last ten races. He even stated after being wrecked by J. J. Yeley on Saturday at Lowe's Motor Speedway that he didn't think a championship was meant to be for him, and he was OK with that.

It certainly would be nice to see Mark Martin win the championship; he is one of the most giving and forgiving racers on the track. He's driven the most races out of any current driver, he never races hard, and he's just a likeable guy. Perhaps if and when he comes back in 2008 he'll clench that title for someone other than Roush Racing. Wouldn't that be great? Or am I just dreaming?

Chase Proposals

2006-10-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

By Heather Pohlabel

It is no secret that NASCAR has been looking for a better points system both prior to and during the Chase for the Nextel Cup. Whether it be to allow more drivers in, to make it more competitive for the ones who are already there, to be more "fair", or to make it more difficult, NASCAR has had its hands full trying to come up with some solutions that will make more people happy and that will also keep the Chase the elite fight for the championship that they intended it to be.

The way the Chase is currently laid out, a driver can be in contention for the championship and not have won a single race all year (Mark Martin, for example, would be that guy this year. Before the Lowe's race on Saturday night, he had zero wins and was second in championship points.). For some reason, that doesn't seem quite right or quite fair. Then you have guys who have won multiple races, Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson, for example, who are IN the Chase, but just barely, and due to their points, they are both trailing the non winning Mark Martin in points. Last year, Jeff Gordon, one of the sports favorite all time racers, won three races, but did not make the Chase.

Currently, there is a four hundred point margin between the points leader and anyone outside of the top ten, meaning a driver has to have within four hundred points of the points leader to qualify for the Chase. If there were two drivers tied with an equal amount at the tenth spot, both of them would be allowed to race in the Chase, making eleven drivers eligible. Two tied racers above tenth would not open the field to an eleventh car. This is how it the points system currently operates.

Tony Stewart, two-time NEXTEL Cup champion, did not make the Chase this year, being passed, but just narrowly, by Kasey Kahne for the tenth spot. Stewart, being the outspoken guy that he is, is only but one of the drivers calling for a new points system, at least within the Chase, if not leading up to it. Stewart has suggested holding different races - one for the Cup chasers, say, a two hundred-lap race, and one for the non-Cup chasers, also a two hundred-lap race. This idea didn't go very far. Ten cars on the field are no way near as exciting as forty-three!

One proposal is to widen the gap between the points leader and the points allowed below that to qualify, to say, five hundred points. This could allow twelve or even fifteen drivers in on the Chase. This would have ensured Tony Stewart a spot this year. But, is twelve to fifteen racers that too many to let in? One or two drivers may not affect the Chase too much, but five extra drivers would certainly stir things up a bit. Some believe that ten is the magic number because it allows for a more "elite" driving squad battling for the Cup. Allowing less than the best of the season to participate would make it not as big of a deal as NASCAR would like for it to be.

Another proposal calls for a points system within a system. Chase drivers would be scored differently than non-chase drivers, on a points scale. The highest placing driver would get more points and the lowest placing driver would get fewer points. The points could even be set, like top driver receives ten points and lowest placing driver receives one point. There would be points available for poles, leading, and most laps led, as there currently are. Surely some racers would dominate here, but good driving would be rewarded more so than it currently is.

It just seems like a travesty that a first or second place finish, say, at Lowe's, the fourth race of the Chase, really didn't help Kasey Kahne or Jimmie Johnson much in points. They did not gain much in positions, and Johnson only gained ten points overall for his effort. It doesn't seem right.

Hopefully NASCAR will weigh all of the options carefully and come out with something better than the current system. The fans would definitely like to see the elite force running for the championship, but would also like to see deserving drivers, not points manipulators, win a championship!

Talladega Super Disappointment

2006-10-09T06:44:00.000-07:00

By Heather Pohlabel

Even for the winner of Sunday's Talladega Superspeedway race, Brian Vickers, the race was an ultimate disappointment. Although Vickers should have been enjoying his first NEXTEL Cup win with pride and joy, he was met by jeers, boos, and cries of "bullshit" from the Dale Earnhardt Jr. crowd in victory lane.

Here is a brief recap of the last lap of Sunday's Talladega UAW-Ford 500 race:
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is leading Jimmie Johnson and Brian Vickers. Vickers is behind Johnson, giving him the push he needs to stay on Earnhardt Jr. They run half of the final lap this way, just as they had the previous eight laps. Not much action is happening here or in back of them, and it seems clear that Earnhardt Jr. is going to take the checkered flag.

Johnson does what any good racer would do and what he is very good at, trying to take the lead in the last1/2 lap. He cuts down to the left to pass Jr., and as he does so, his teammate, Vickers, in the 25 car, goes with him to push him across the finish line.

Instead, Jimmie checks up just ever so slightly, and Vickers gets his rear quarter panel, which sends Johnson sliding up the track and right into Earnhardt Jr., who had no idea what was coming. He was set in to race Johnson to the checkered, but instead ends up spinning across the track and into the grass with him and Vickers flies by and takes the checkers.

Fans go crazy booing and jeering Vickers, who, instead of taking a victory lap, heads straight to Victory Lane, where he is not met happily.

In an after crash interview, Earnhardt Jr. was compassionate, friendly, and understanding of the unbelievable event that just happened, acknowledging that it was just racing, and that is how racing is. While he acknowledged that Vickers might have been too hungry for his first win, he did not seem upset, but stated that the felt bad for his team and especially for the 48 because it looked like he was going to win.

Johnson, on the other hand, was obviously very upset with his teammate. In his after race interview, Johnson stated at least twice that he was upset he was spun out by his teammate, stressing the word teammate. He also showed America his Jeff Gordon-like greed and whininess, stressing that he was the one running for a championship. It is, after all, all about Jimmie, isn't it?

The Hendricks boys, Johnson and Gordon specifically, have been verbally isolating Vickers from their team for several months, bad mouthing him in interviews. Yet, Vickers has not spoken out against them or hindered their performances purposefully at all. Sunday's incident was an accident, but Johnson and the media already have painted Vickers.

I have been a Jimmie Johnson fan from the get-go. As soon as I was drawn to NASCAR, I was drawn to him, but I know that the man has some unfavorable characteristics, and causing wrecks and blaming other people are two of them.

Johnson has been blessed to have Brian Vickers as his teammate. He may not have won the spring Talladega race without him, especially considering his track record there. Vickers is the only team player on the Hendricks Motorsports team. He consistently drafts well with his teammates; he always takes back seat to the Chase contenders, and he never gives them any grief. He is a clean racer with a good personality and good intentions.

The overall failure of the 48 team this year (and every year prior to this) is due in part to bad strategizing on the part of crew chief Chad Knaus, who, in my opinion, should not have been granted a renewal contract with the team. It is highly unlikely that Johnson will ever win a championship with Knaus as his crew chief, yet Knaus has the audacity to publicly state that Vickers does not have enough talent to control his car.

Vickers' full intention was to help Johnson win the race on Sunday, not to hinder it in any way. His contract was not renewed with Hendricks Motorsports for next year, and his team has basically shunned him by not allowing him in team meetings, but he still remained a team player. I don't know how anyone can in good conscious say that he wrecked Johnson to be spiteful.

Contrary to Johnson's statements, Vickers was not too anxious to make his first win. Unlike other teammates Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch, Vickers plays it cool and quiet and does his best to help out. He didn't want to win this way. He didn't deserve to win this way. Put that man in a Toyota next year and let's watch him win some races!

Changes in Busch Series for 2007

2006-10-08T09:35:00.000-07:00

By Heather Pohlabel

Well, it is official; things are looking up in Busch series racing for the 2007 season, and it's about time! Although the changes are slight, they are significant enough to possibly have an impact on how Busch series drivers are perceived and come up through the ranks. Busch series racing could be getting back to what it was meant to do, get racers ready for the more elite NEXTEL Cup series.

There will be eight exclusive Busch races, meaning no full time NEXTEL Cup racers will be participating in those particular races. It will be interesting to see how attendance fluctuates at these events, but two of the races are the international races, which surely will cut down on American fans' participation. The absence of NEXTEL drivers may have an effect on ticket sales, but die-hard racing fans are die-hard racing fans, no matter who is racing. The best advantage of these eight exclusive races is that the Busch series drivers will get a chance to prove themselves and make headlines a bit more by capturing the flag.

There will be twenty-six races that will be "shared" with NEXTEL Cup racers; still enough for someone like Kevin Harvick to win the title. (Harvick will NOT be racing a full time Busch series car in 2007, however, but that does leave the window open for someone like Carl Edwards). The schedule has been mixed up a bit, however, which may make duel driving more difficult for some NEXTEL drivers, except, maybe Carl Edwards who has his own plane, or Greg Biffle who has his own helicopter to fly to and from practice, qualifying, and the races themselves!

The Busch series has also added one more international race; the previously run race at the Autodomo Hermanos Rodriguez road course in Mexico City is still on the schedule. A Canadian race two years in the making has also been slated. The race will take place on the 2.7-mile road track at the Circuit Gilles Villenueve in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. This additional international race opens the doors to foreign racers and fans even further in this dominantly American sport.

The full 2007 Busch schedule is as follows:

February 17 Daytona International Speedway
February 24 California Speedway
March 4 Mexico City
March 10 Las Vegas Motor Speedway
March 17 Atlanta Motor Speedway
March 24 Bristol Motor Speedway
April 7 Nashville Superspeedway
April 14 Texas Motor Speedway
April 20 Phoenix International Raceway
April 28 Talladega Superspeedway
May 4 Richmond International Raceway
May 11 Darlington Raceway
May 26 Lowe's Motor Speedway
June 2 Dover International Speedway
June 9 Nashville Superspeedway
June 16 Kentucky Speedway
June 26 The Milwaukee Mile
June 30 New Hampshire International Speedway
July 6 Daytona International Speedway
July 14 Chicagoland Speedway
July 21 Gateway International Raceway
July 28 Texas Motor Speedway
August 4 Montreal
August 11 Watkins Glen International
August 18 Michigan International Speedway
August 24 Bristol Motor Speedway
September 1 California Speedway
September 7 Richmond International Raceway
September 22 Dover International Speedway
September 29 Kansas Speedway
October 12 Lowe's Motor Speedway
October 27 Memphis Motorsports Park
November 3 Texas Motor Speedway
November 10 Phoenix International Raceway
November 17 Homestead-Miami Speedway

ABC and ESPN2 will be covering the Busch series races for the 2007 race schedule. In 2006, the races were covered by FOX network, FX, TNT, and NBC.

Rumor has even been circulating at the possibility of a Chase in the Busch series as well, but nothing official has been stated regarding a Chase. The only official changes are the eight exclusive Busch series races, the twenty-six shared races with NEXTEL Cup drivers, and the two international races.

Once NEXTEL teams have been decided for next year, teams for Busch will begin to become clearer. It is already known that this year's inevitable Busch series champion, Kevin Harvick, will not race full time next year, whether due to the new regulations or by choice. Richard Childress Racing has also lost its primary sponsor, The Coast Guard for the Busch series 21 car driven by Harvick. The Coast Guard cited economical issues, not team performance as its reason for not sponsoring a car next year.

Many of the NEXTEL drivers will certainly be missed by Busch series owners, but fans will get to see new emerging talent coming from the Busch series next year. That is how it should be! Look forward to an awesome 2007 in Busch series racing!

NASCAR's Popularity

2006-09-17T12:17:00.000-07:00

By Heather Pohlabel

There are three dominant factors that drive NASCAR's success year after year. Despite a recent surge in sponsorship and new viewers, fans have been flocking to races, tuning in on their sets, and gearing up for the longest season in sports for decades. What keeps people hooked and draws new fan base to NASCAR year after year are the men of NASCAR, the competition, and the danger involved in the sport.

Men of NASCAR

The men of NASCAR can be broken down into three basic categories: the very popular drivers, their hard working pit crews and crew chiefs and the multi million dollar car and team owners.

Drivers

Who doesn't love to see Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s red number 8 Budweiser Chevrolet racing its wheels off on any kind of race track? Who doesn't love to see interview after interview of NASCAR's most famous red head and most publicized driver? Is there anyone out there who doesn't like Jr? If so, I'd like to meet him. I don't think he exists.

People are drawn to Junior because of the tragedy of the death of his father. They want to see Junior overcome the grief of his loss and pay tribute to his father through his racing. When Junior wins, Senior wins. He is still with NASCAR in spirit through his son. But Junior has earned his own fan base without the help of his father. People like to see Junior because he portrays the image of an everyday, ordinary guy. Junior could be your next door neighbor, your cousin, or even your brother. The ladies like him because he's not bad to look at and he is seemingly always available. He's talented, rich, and handsome. His playful smirk makes women want to get a piece of him, and keeps his competition coming after him because he's usually smirking about something he pulled off on the racetrack, like for example, a spin out during the last lap to someone, oh, like maybe Carl Edwards.

Carl Edwards is another likeable NASCAR stud. He was recently featured bare chested on the cover of two very popular magazines. His six pack abs and cut bod are definitely an attractive sight to women. Carl also has a great personality, and seems like a good old mamma's boy. Carl's mom is track side at every race, cheering him on. When he takes the checkered flag for a win, he entertains the crowd with a backflip from the door of his winning car. Carl is enthusiastic and a talented driver. He is another reason people tune into the race every week.

Older more experienced drivers have held their fan bases for years, and established NASCAR fans as well as newcomers like to watch their racing. Kyle Petty, Bobby Labonte, and Mark Martin are all well worn drivers who command respect on and off the field by not only the fans but other drivers as well.

The new guys are nothing to shake your fist at, either. Rookies Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. have had pretty good years coming up from the Busch series, and Reed Sorenson found himself in the well sponsored number 41 Target Dodge of Evernham Motorsports. Plenty of people watch the rookies to see how well or how badly they do their first full time year as NASCAR Cup drivers. Denny Hamlin has fared better than his other rookie counterparts, making it in to the Chase for the Nextel Cup, and possibly earning Rookie of the Year.

Of course there are the ill-tempered men like Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart who people tune in to see not only in the race, but pre race and post race as well. You can find their shenanigans all over ESPN, the SPEED channel, and on XM radio specials. They usually have to tune it down for Fox and TNT interviews, but sometimes their tempers can't discern good timing from bad, and they let their frustrations get the best of them. Even Jeff Gordon was placed on probation this season for going shoving and going after Matt Kenseth after Kenseth spun him out late in a race. Just like in hockey, football, and baseball, NASCAR fans can occasionally catch a good fight during or after a race.

Pit Crews and Crew Chiefs

The pit crews and crew chiefs are also another reason to tune into NASCAR. These men are becoming as well-known as their drivers. Who doesn't know that Tony Eury Jr. is Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s cousin and crew chief. Who doesn't know Chad Knaus or Robby Reiser by now? These guys get as much air time as Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth and are often given credit for winning the race for their drivers with their pit strategies.

The pit crews are amazing to watch. These guys jump over a wall with heavy machinery and tires, hoist a car, remove the lug nuts and tires from one side of the car and replace them with new tires and lug nuts and then run to the other side of the car and do the same while two guys fill the tank up with gas and make any adjustments they can to the rear of the car while one guy in front rips off windshield plastic, clears the grill, gives the driver a drink of water, and does anything else necessary to the front of the car all in twelve to fifteen seconds. It's ruthless. I've timed myself. I can't really do much in twelve to fifteen seconds except stand there and watch that time slip by. These men are in excellent physical shape and move like lightening in their fire suits. They must get extremely hot down there on pit road. They also face getting run over or hit, as they do from time to time by a careless driver. The pit guys are some of the manliest men in the world, and therefore, amazing to watch.

Car / Team Owners

Then there are the NASCAR team owners. They make the news all the time. Most recently, Ray Evernham was in the spotlight concerning a court case with his now former driver, Jeremy Mayfield. Mayfield contended that Evernham had let him down in some way by "not being around" in the garage or during races, and for putting too much time and effort in to a relationship with Evernham's truck series driver, Eric Crocker. The rumors started to fly, and while Evernham did not admit to having a personal relationship with Crocker, he did not deny it. He simply stated that his personal life did not affect his ability to lead a team. To prove it, he took on Elliot Sadler, who left Robert Yates Racing, and started to earn points back with the vacated 19 car. His other star, Kasey Kahne, went on to make the Chase.

Robert Yates was having a terrible year, and was about to give up . He signed Busch series new comer David Gilliand to finish out the year in Sadler's vacated 38 car, and spent the rest of his time lamenting the upcoming vacancy of the 88 car, driven by long time Yates driver Dale Jarret. People keep tuning in to see if Yates can even keep a motorsports company running.

Then there's Michael Waltrip, the fading driver turned owner. He will debut a Toyota team next year in the Nextel Cup series under the name Michael Waltrip Racing after having an unsuccessful year in 2005 with DEI (Dale Earnhardt Incorporated) and another unsuccessful year in 2006 with Bill Davis racing, who will also host a Toyota team next year. Waltrip keeps people tuning in to see his next stunt or failure. He has failed to qualify in at least two races this year, and actually bought someone out of his car to be able to run a race that he did not qualify for. Yes, it's true, people tune into NASCAR not only for the victories, but for the defeats as well.

The Competition

It just doesn't get any better than NASCAR racing when it comes to competition. Like most sports, NASCAR has teams. But these are no regular teams. Unlike most sports, where the motto is "there is no I in team", NASCAR drivers and spell team teim!

From the largest team at Roush racing to the smaller two car teams, to individually owned cars, each and every driver is out for himself and the win.

Roush racers will cooperate with each other to help earn five bonus points for leading a lap, but they expect that the next lap, they get their lead back, and if not, then all hell breaks loose. Drivers will orally spar with each other through their crew chiefs - passing messages back and forth to "get out of the way", "let me by", or "I'm going for the win, don't mess this up for me". Very rarely do they pass on messages of encouragement or satisfaction for help on the track because no one really helps each other out. In interviews, they will flat out state that they support their teammates and are proud of their success and wish them the best, and in that same breath state that they are going for the win!

The only team driver I've seen this year is Brian Vickers, who drives the 25 car of Hendrick Motorsports. He is the only driver courteous of his teammates, blocking when needed or drafting when possible. What does he get for it? Fired! Vickers is the only Hendrick's racer to NOT make the Chase, and the only one who was not renewed for a racing contract next season. Being a team player does not pay off in NASCAR racing!

Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch are notorious for getting in the way of their teammates to stifle a win. Gordon is part owner of Jimmie Johnson's number 48 car, and he would wreck his own car in a heartbeat if it meant he would get the win rather than Johnson. Hendrick's boys do not play well together.

The competition on the race track is exciting and dangerous.

The Danger

Of course there is danger involved in any sport, but in NASCAR, you have the added element of speed and steel. Together, they can make a deadly combination, as seen with the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr. at Dayton in 1999. Wrecks occur in every race, and every time each and every driver gets behind the wheel of his car, he faces the chance of severe injury or even death. Yeah, that keeps us watching.

Here Comes the Chase!

2006-09-14T13:53:00.000-07:00

Last November, when Tony Stewart won the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup, all NASCAR fans were full of excitement, it was THE championship-the final race- #36- what we had all been waiting for. Who was going to be the champion? Tony, Carl, Greg? Only time would tell. After 400 laps at Homestead, Tony Stewart won his second Cup. After the race came to an end, NASCAR fans like myself, became a little sad, depressed. The season we had waited for, for so long, had now come to an abrupt end. 36 races done, in the books.

Along came the off-season, Sundays without a race. The awards banquet, in all of its glory, came and went. Then, nothing. It was a LONG way until the Budweiser Shootout in February in Daytona. But, life does go on......

Enter the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Season. What was in store for us NASCAR fans? How was our driver going to do this year? For all #8 fans, we only hoped it would turn out better than the 2005 season. With Tony Eury, Jr. back in the saddle as crew chief, the 8 team looked to be ready for a much brighter season.

Speedweeks, Budweiser Shootout, the big Great American Race (The Daytona 500), fastly came and went. My friends and I were supposed to be there, but due to a family situation, we gladly watched the dreary looking race from the comfort of our warm house. Some friends went in our place. Next came Fontana, Vegas, that rainy Atlanta weekend, the excitement that only comes from Bristol, Martinsville, the funnest place in the world-TEXAS (our track!!), Phoenix, Talladega and the anticipation of the "big one", Richmond (Yeah, Jr won!!), Darlington, the All-Star race, the 600-it went on and on, Dover, Pocono, Michigan, Sonoma and the wine, Daytona (I was there-fun!), Chicago, New Hampshire, 2nd Pocono, the Brickyard, Watkins Glen, Michigan, Bristol night race, Fontana, and last weekends race, Richmond. After these 26 exciting, full-throttle races, the top 10 was set. The odd man out-Tony Stewart.

So, now that we know who for sure is eligible to win the Cup, the excitement really begins. The points are reset. Matt Kenseth is in first. Jimmie Johnson in 2nd. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Jeff Gordon are in this year!!! The boys are back in town!! There is a rookie in the top 10, Denny Hamlin, who has all of the potential in the world to win the Cup. Ten great drivers, ten races left to go. What will they bring to us NASCAR fans?

I, of course, am hoping to see the Budweiser Chevy win it all. If that does not happen, then I really would like to see Jeff Burton win it. He has been great all year. Matter of fact, Richard Childress Racing has lots to be proud of, with Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton both in the top ten. The only driver that I do NOT want to see win the cup, is Kyle Busch. He is my least favorite.

New Hampshire is this weekend. Last year, it was full of excitement, with temper tantrums being thrown out on the track. Robby Gordon, you can do that again if you want! It was great entertainment. It will get aggressive, you can almost bet that. With Tony Stewart not in the Chase, he will be racing for the win-not position. But, the top ten drivers have to be careful! One bad race and you are done!

Who is your favorite pick for the Cup? Which track is your favorite? I can't wait for Talladega, Texas, and of course, the final, Homestead. My friends and I are going to be at Texas, hoping the 8 car reels in a win!Fasten on your seatbelts NASCAR fans, for we have a wild ride ahead of us!!!

With all of that said, knowing there are only ten races left in the 2006 NASCAR season, I can't help but get a little sad at the fact that there are ONLY ten left. In ten weeks, no more NASCAR for a while. Man, if you aren't a NASCAR fan, you don't know what I'm talking about. For now though, I'm going to cheer on my favorite driver, and hope that he makes it to the TOP!!!

Says Who?

2006-09-13T19:58:00.000-07:00

By Heather Pohlabel

Well, the experts (talking heads) seem to have it all figured out. Either Jeff Gordon or Kevin Harvick will win the Nextel Cup championship, and Tony Stewart is locked in as the eleventh place one million dollar winner for the 2006 NASCAR season. So they say.

Who made you NASCAR geniuses? What exactly is the logic here?

Just because Harvick is ripping up the track in the Busch series does not mean he's going to win the Nextel Cup championship as well. Disregard the fact that he is the current points leader by over five hundred points; there is no chance of anyone catching him. Unless he dies, he is guaranteed that championship. He is NOT, however, guaranteed the Nextel Cup. He'll have to cheat a lot harder for that one.

I've heard it stated that Harvick is the most motivated to win. Really? What about Jimmie Johnson (my personal favorite). He chases this cup year after year only to lose it by a few points. He just can't seem to get his hands on it. Just because his car hasn't torn up the Busch series races does not mean that he's not motivated. The man has bad luck, and in my opinion, bad strategizing by his pit crew chief, Chad Knaus.

What about Mark Martin? Isn't he DUE a championship? Hasn't he been driving for like 20 years? Isn't he ready to retire? Wouldn't this championship do that for him? Martin could finally look at Jack Rousch (his team owner) and say, "there...what more could I possibly give you" and part in peace!

What about Jeff Burton? You know he's sick of being Harvick's sidekick and sick of not winning races. His popularity has soared this year, and he wants that championship just as much as anyone, if not more. He has fast cars and great commercials, and he'd like to secure more of a promising future in NASCAR. If he doesn't produce some wins and some results, he could be like Brian Vickers and shafted from his team. Then again, that's just my opinion.

Kasey Kahne. Possibly the only reason many women watch NASCAR races. This sparkling hunk has won the hearts of America, seriously. Even die-hard fans of Dale Earnhardt Jr. or Jeff Gordon wouldn't be mad if Kahne won. He just has that kind of persona that people like. If Kasey were the new face of NASCAR, not only would team owner Ray Evernham find himself in a much better position in the media than he has been recently, but NASCAR in general might receive a better response from the general public. If Kasey wins it, they will come....

Who doesn't like Dale Earnhardt Jr.? His win would be one for the good ol' guys. For the heart of America. Jr. stands for NASCAR. He is the best liked, most publicized racer. No one would turn off the set if Jr. wins the cup. Frankly, it would probably be the biggest celebration in America, bigger than even the Fourth of July!

Does anyone even care that Denny Hamlin is in the chase? Enough said.

Jeff Gordon. Can you be more greedy? If it comes down to Gordon and teammates Johnson and Kyle Busch running, Gordon will literally wreck his own teammates, and even his own car (he is part owner of Johnson's number 48 car). Gordon has no friends on the track, and will pull out Tony Stewart like moves to win. They say it is his experience in the chase that gives him an edge, but frankly, it's his ruthlessness that could lead him to the Cup, not his experience.

Kyle Busch. I don't think anyone wants him to win except himself, his brother (former champion Kurt), and his grandmother. His cheesy, pimply grin on camera has all but appalled viewers, and his erratic driving scares seasoned drivers and more deserving champions like Mark Martin. If Kyle wins the championship, NASCAR fans will be about as thrilled as they were when his brother was the champion, which is the equivalent of cleaning a portable commode.

And who says Tony Stewart is locked in for the eleventh place million dollar prize? He has not had the best year, and could possibly have a few more did not finishes yet this season. I'm sure the fences have been sighing in relief that Tony hasn't been taking the flag much this year, and if he keeps on having the year he's had, he will not hold on to the eleventh spot through the chase.

It's too early to call the outcome of the chase or who will be the first place outsider. While it's fun to predict and guess, we've got to keep our options open. Anyone can win. That's the fun of the game.

What's Up with Tony?

2006-09-12T17:58:00.000-07:00

By Heather Pohlabel

For the past two years, Tony Stewart was the "man of the hour" in NASCAR stock car racing. If he wasn't in trouble or in the middle of it, he was winning races like it was his business. Oh yeah, it is! Or was, rather. The 2006 year has not been kind to Tony Stewart, not that it needed to be. The way I see it, it's time to give someone else a chance!

Take for example, Jimmie Johnson, who, in my eyes, would have won last year were it not for Tony Stewart and his super fast orange Home Depot car. Too many races I watched in anticipation only to see Tony blow Jimmie off the track or wreck anyone in his path. He was ruthless. He still is. But the field is not parting for him this year. No, Tony did not make the Chase. Instead, he made the news - several times - and very seldomly for a win!

Let's take a look at Tony's stats this year:

Engine problems in the second race of the season, resulting in a DNF (did not finish)
A win at Martinsville
Two back to back second place finishes - one at Phoenix (finishing behind Harvick) and the next at Talladega (finishing behind Jimmie Johnson)
An accident at the Coca Cola 600 resulting in a did not finish
An accident three races later at Michigan (Kasey Kahne won BOTH the Charolette and the Michigan race - coincidence?) resulting in a did not finish
A bad finish at Infineon (where he dominated last year)
A win at Daytona (too bad for Tony it wasn't the February Daytona race)
Back to back bad finishes at Chicagoland and New Hampshire (where he won in 2005)
Another bad finish at Bristol
A less than perfect finish at Richmond - which put him OUT of the race for the chase.
Tony has only two wins this year compared with last year's five wins. He wrecked and dislocated his shoulder blade, which inevitably affected the next few races he raced, but he stuck with it and gave it a shot. NO, 2006 was not Tony Stewart's year to shine. It seemed to be telling him to slow down. Love him or hate him, he's not going to be a contender in the Chase for the Nextel Cup championship.

The ten contenders for the championship are as follows:

former champion Matt Kenseth;
the I almost win this every year contenter Jimmie Johnson;
former champion and most all time winningest driver of the Busch series, the infamous Mark Martin;
current Busch series points leader Kevin Harvick (who, if he happens to win the Nextel Cup this year, will be the first ever driver to take the championship in both series in a single season);
the hunky female favorite - in at the last minute contender Kasey Kahne;
the equally hunky femal favorite superstar Jeff Gordon;
the most beloved Dale Earnhardt Jr.;
comeback kid Jeff Burton;
the youngest NASCAR racer Kyle Busch (brother Kurt is a former Cup champion);
and the rookie (possibly Rookie of the Year) Denny Hamlin.

The chase is going to be a wild one with so many favorites contending this year. But it will be quite unusual to not be pulling either for or against Stewart. Where will the fun be?

Nascar.com has a driver vs. driver match up where fans can go to choose the winner of each duel. Listed for the next race (Sylvania 300) are

Matt Kenseth vs. Jimmie Johnson
Kevin Harvick vs. Kyle Busch
Denny Hamlin vs. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Mark Martin vs. Jeff Burton
Jeff Gordon vs. Kasey Kahne
Fans can choose who will lead and by how many points - sort of a fantasy league. Notice Tony Stewart was not invited.

Will he mess things up intentionally? Will the Home Depot number 20 be out on the track causing oh, say, Kyle Busch's demise? Will he be supporting his Busch series car owner's husband (got that?) Kevin Harvick? Will he be enabling a draft with teammate Denny Hamlin?

Since Tony is not in contention for the Nextel Cup, he surely will be getting the spotlight in some other manner. HOW he goes about it is going to be the fun part to watch.

Updates

2006-08-30T19:38:00.000-07:00

By Heather Pohlabel

If you are a race fan, you probably already know all of this, unless you've blinked for a second. Things in the NASCAR world are changing at a rapid pace, and who can keep up? Even team owners and drivers have no idea what is going on from day to day; just watch a pre-race interview or check nascar.com to see the latest confusion.

The latest lingering question mark is over the heads of the number 6 AAA sponsored driver Mark Martin and Ford team owner Jack Roush. Martin has been a faithful driver for Roush for numerous years (19 years to be exact), but last year (2005), he decided it was going to be his last year driving in the NEXTEL Cup series. After some smooth talking and coaxing by Roush, Martin decided to go one more year. This year, that one more year, is supposed to be his last. While it is confirmed that Martin will be driving in the Craftsman truck series full time next year in a Roush Ford, there are rumors that not even Martin nor Roush can confirm that Martin will be back yet again to drive in at least some NEXTEL Cup Series races, but not full time. According to Roush, the full time option is still open, even though Roush is studying a new driver for the 6 in 2007, Busch series driver Todd Kluever. Rumors also have it the Kluever is not living up to Roush's expectations, and he may not be a good fit for the very popular and successful number 6 car.

Scott Wimmer was reported to be a fish out of water for next season, but he will remain the driver of the number 4 car for Morgan - McClure Motorsports.

Team owner Robert Yates has had a terrible year, and in an interview on Speed Channel, he stated that this year, things "suck". Yates recently lost driver Elliot Sadler to Evernham Motor Sports to drive the recently vacated 19 car of former Evernham driver Jeremy Mayfield. Mayfield, fired by Evernham, has signed with Bill Davis Racing for next year to run Toyotas with teammate Dave Blaney. Yates and independent car owner/ driver Robby Gordon had been talking about joining forces, but the deal fell through, and Gordon will continue to run his own team independently.

Speaking of Toyotas, Michael Waltrip is the big guy behind these babies. He will be hosting three drivers in the Toyota line in comparison with Red Bull and Bill Davis Racing (his 2006 NEXTEL Cup owner), each with two drivers a piece. Waltrip has signed on Yate's most successful driver in recent history (not including Allison), Dale Jarrett, to drive for him next year. Waltrip's three driver team is not complete, however, and he is still searching for another driver. Red Bull Racing will have Brian Vickers, a Hendrick's Motor Sports driver (through the end of the 2006 season) and is still searching a teammate for him as well.

Not only will Toyotas be making their debut next season, the car of tomorrow will also debut in 2007 races. Teams have been testing the cars this year, working the bugs out and getting the feel for them. According to nascar.com, teams will run the cars in approximately half of the season's scheduled races next year. Among the debut races will be Bristol, Phoenix, Martinsville, Richmond, Dover, and New Hampshire. Darlington, Talladega, Infinion and Watkins Glen are also car of tomorrow hot spots. This could offer more opportunities for victories for traditional non top ten finishers at these time tested courses. The car of tomorrow will make for interesting racing as drivers get used to new set ups and crew chiefs learn to work the cars all season.

Speaking of shaking things up, next season will unveil either a new points system or changes made in the "chase". These changes have not yet been announced by NASCAR.

Stock car racing is not predictable, and neither are the moves that teams will make from year to year or even, as we have been witness to this season, mid-season. NASCAR never seem to run out of new teams or willing drivers, however, so when it needs to shake things up a bit, it just mandates a new car or changes a rule or two. When people say there is drama in NASCAR, they aren't kidding. Stay tuned, or you will miss the latest story line.

Biggest Loser

2006-08-28T19:52:00.000-07:00

By Heather Pohlabel

For the past four years, NASCAR Nextel Cup driver Jimmie Johnson could literally be labeled at the "biggest loser". For four years in a row, the championship title was within reach. In 2002, Jimmie finished 5th in points, in 2003 and in 2004, Johnson finished second in points, and in 2005, the last race of the season knocked him down to finishing 5th in points. He was on the brink of the championship both years, but could not grab it. Is Jimmie Johnson going to let the championship title slip away yet again this year?

This year alone, Johnson has remained the top in points for all but two races, has four first place finishes, twelve top ten finishes (not including his first place finishes, and no did not finishes. These stats are more impressive than his 2005 stats, when Tony Stewart took the lead and would not give it back. Will the same thing happen again this year with former champion Matt Kenseth or even former Busch series champion Kevin Harvick? It is completely possible, and if history repeats itself, will Johnson be walking away without the championship title once again?

This year has been significantly wonderful for Johnson and the Lowes 48 team, winning Daytona, the All-Star race, and the Brickyard. Surprisingly, the number 48 car did not win at Charlotte, a race that Johnson had dominated, winning four out of the last five races there. Could the tides be turning and could Jimmie Johnson finally bring home his first Nextel Cup championship? Statistically, it is possible. However, in 2003, he was in the top ten in points for all thirty six weeks, but only walked away with the first losers spot, number two. In 2004, he had eight wins (in comparison to four this season), twenty top five finishes, twenty three top ten finishes, and one pole. Again, he walked away second for the season.

So what is the problem here? Why can't Hendrick's Motorsports and crew chief Chad Knauss get Jimmie Johnson his Nextel Cup championship?

What's lacking:

Team Effort

Jimmie Johnson and teammate Jeff Gordon love to challenge each other for the higher spot. Very rarely will one of them buckle for the other to take the checkered flag. Every now and again they will draft with each other, but rarely will they block or allow the other to pass without a fight. The same can be said for the number 5 car of Kyle Busch. Busch wants to win so badly that he often times makes very careless mistakes that take out other drivers, including his own teammates. Busch does not yet have the team dedication that the least successful teammate Brian Vickers has. Unfortunately for Vickers, this has cost him his job with Hendrick's Motor Sports. Vickers is a talented drivers, but spends much time helping his more famous teammates and not winning races. Dedication and team spirit do not pay for Hendrick's Motor Sports car drivers.

An Aggressive Crew Chief

Chad Knauss is wonderful and Jimmie seems to respond well and work well with him; however, he doesn't have the authoritative push that Jimmie needs to win races. He's very laid back and often tells Jimmie to settle for a top ten instead of pushing him to make it to Victory Lane. Knauss often underestimates his team and his driver, and for this, Johnson often does not drive to his full potential or take risks to win races.

Friends on the Track

Thinking back to the 2005 season, Jimmie Johnson did not make very many friends. Even Mark Martin spoke out about his reckless driving. The problem with Johnson is that he never accepts responsibility for wrecking people and if he has a problem on the track, he immediately blames another driver, even when no blame is due. Take Michigan for example. Johnson got into the wall on his own when a tire went bad and he went on to blame a driver for getting into the back of him. After reviewing the clip several times, it was obvious that no car was near the spoiler of the 48 car. Jimmie is just a blamer, and these guys don't take too well to that.

Hopefully Johnson will not disappoint his fans this year. They deserve the win as much as he does and have been waiting for it for as long as he has. With a push from his crew chief and some more aggressive moves and less blame, Jimmie Johnson could certainly be the 2006 Nextel Cup champion and for once, not the biggest loser.

Buschwhacking

2006-08-28T14:03:00.000-07:00

By Heather Pohlabel

"Bushwhackers", (full time Nextel Cup drivers also driving a full race load in the Busch series), as they have been dubbed, are absolutely dominating the Busch series races, as if you haven't noticed. Kevin Harvick, the series leader and full time Nextel Cup racer, dominates the points with more than a five hundred point lead over the second place points holder, Carl Edwards, also a full time Nextel Cup driver.

Where in the points do we find non Nextel Cup drivers? Where are the regular Busch series racers? With only a few exceptions, the Nextel Cup drivers are, unfortunately, also the full time Busch series racers. The top eight racers in points in the Busch series are full time Nextel Cup racers: Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin (last year a Busch series driver who worked his way to Nextel Cup this year), Clint Bowyer (also a rookie who graduated from Busch to Nextel cup this past season), J. J. Yeley, Paul Menard (same as Hamlin and Bowyer), Kyle Busch, and Greg Biffle (former Busch champion in 2002). The last two racers in Busch series points, Johnny Sauter and Kenny Wallace run only limited Nextel Cup races. As a matter of fact, Sauter has only run one Nextel Cup race this season. Wallace runs a mixed schedule.

What other sport offers its competitors two full time competitive careers? None that I can name. Why should NASCAR be so different? Isn't there enough room in this sport for plenty of men? Wasn't the Busch series meant to be the minor league of stock car racing? Indeed, it was, but with the recent surge of popularity in stock car racing, NASCAR has promoted and supported running not only full time Nextel racers in the Busch series races, but former champions as well.

While I agree it is good for sales, crowds, and TV time to have some well-known and respected drivers in each race, a limited number of big name racers from Nextel Cup is all that is really necessary to complete this task. NASCAR should limit the number of times a full time Nextel Cup driver can drive in Busch series race and the number of drivers from Nextel in each race. This allows full functionality of drawing in the larger crowds and providing better entertainment, and it also gives the Busch series back what it is was originally intended for but is now lacking - a place for new drivers to start and excel.

Kevin Harvick is on fire this year and is trying to take both the Busch series title and the Nextel Cup title, where he is currently third in points behind Jimmie Johnson (who has only run one Busch series race this year) and Matt Kenseth (who also regularly runs Busch races). Isn't it enough that in 2001 Harvick won the Busch series championship and earned Rookie of the Year in the Nextel Cup? Apparently not! Now he's trying to sweep again, only now it's not just for props. It's for big cash and prestige. Harvick would be the first driver to win both series championships in the same year.

It doesn't look like NASCAR is going to change its policies when it comes to the Buschwhackers or restrict their driving time, even though Dale Earnhardt Jr., (who was the champion of the Busch series in 1998 and 1999) thinks that regulations need to be made. Jr. still drives Busch series and Nextel Cup races regularly, but recognizes the need for change.

Spotlighting a couple of different drivers in each Busch series race would still bring in the crowds and allow the less practiced or notable racers a chance to work their way up to the big leagues, the way it was intended. Can you imagine a Busch series race featuring only Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon with the regular Busch series drivers? How would attendance be at that event? Unprecedented, that's how.

NASCAR - get creative and open the doors for more drivers to make a name for themselves. With all the changes in cup drivers in the last few years, Nextel Cup teams are having a hard time finding drivers for their cars. The Busch series is a platform for aspiring Nextel Cup drivers, not a practice ring for polished professionals.

NASCAR Discipline

2006-08-24T08:58:00.000-07:00

With the recent episode between Carl Edwards and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. during the Busch race at Michigan International Speedway last weekend, I've decided to flashback and research some of the penalties and fines NASCAR has given to various drivers. Just how does the sanctioning body of NASCAR decide who gets what punishment? Who decides the severity of it? Hmmmm.

Carl Edwards, after being wrecked out by Dale Jr. in the Busch race last Saturday, proceeded to drive through Junior's pit stall and then took it upon himself to go and crash into Junior during his victory lap. Did I mention that Junior's hand was out the driver's side window at the time, waving at the crowd? Did I also mention that this was the side of the car Carl decided to crash into? If you watched the Cup race on Sunday, you got to see the in-car camera footage from Junior's car on Saturday. It showed Carl crashing into the side of the car, Junior's hand out the window, and you got to see just how close Carl got to taking his hand off. No matter who wrecked who, whose fault it was, etc., this was totally uncalled for. Then, if that wasn't enough, Carl confronted Junior in Victory Lane, grabbed his uniform and decided to say a few choice words to him. Racing is sometimes rough, well, most of the time it is. A driver hast to fight tooth and nail for a win. They can't, however, throw a temper tantrum every time they think something is not right. Be a man and accept the fact that this WILL happen at some point during your racing career Carl. You've wrecked a few people out, remember that! Did you not wreck Junior out in 2004? Did you not ruin his chance to win the Cup? For the very dangerous move Carl made after Saturday's race, he was fined $20000.00 and put on probation the rest of 2006. To me, this was not harsh enough. So, to back myself, I've researched some well-know little skirmishes, to find out what the punishment was, to see if Carl's measures up.

Take Robby Gordon for instance. Last year at New Hampshire, Michael Waltrip wrecked Robby out while they were under caution. That is a no no! Robby, highly ticked because he is the owner of his car and team and that just cost him more money, was highly ticked off. Robby walked onto the track, in oncoming traffic and tossed his helmet at Michael Waltrip as he passed by. Now, who was Robby really putting into danger? HIMSELF! Robby then said a cuss word on national TV. afterwards. What was his punishment? $25000.00 (5000 more than Carl), 25 driver points, and 25 owner's points. In my opinion, Robby is responsible for himself, and if he chose to put his own self in harms way, then that is his choice. Carl, however, took it upon himself to nearly ruin Junior's career by taking off his arm.

In 2004, during the Chase, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. won the race at Talladega. When being interviewed afterwards about the number of wins he had there, Junior said some things, basically just saying it didn't matter how many he had won there, his Dad had won more. But, he used a curse word. Boy did NASCAR like that! They fined him $10,000.00 and 25 points. If I remember correctly, Junior was in 1st place in the points until this. Losing the 25 points put him into 2nd place, putting Kurt Busch in 1st. Junior appealed the decision-he understood the money part of it, but the points? Come on now. So, NASCAR takes away points for saying a cuss word, but not for intentionally wrecking into somebody after the race is over with? I would understand if the cuss word was used in a fight or it was degrading someone, but Junior was excited and didn't hurt anyone by saying it. To me, when NASCAR starts taking points away for what Carl did last weekend, that is when the drivers will stop doing it. They work hard for the points, money is nothing to them.

On March 26, 2006, Jeff Gordon walked up to Matt Kenseth and shoved him in the chest after the race. For that move, Jeff was fined $10,000.00 and put on probation for five months. I just don't think NASCAR is consistent with their punishments...Carl should have gotten more!

Remember the infamous punching by Jimmy Spencer to Kurt Busch in the nose? How could we forget, Rubber Neck became Rubber Nose. Jimmy was fined $25,000.00 and both drivers were put on probation for the rest of the season. Also, Jimmy had to sit out a race. Why won't NASCAR set up a system where it is cut and dry-if you do this, this will happen to you. They vary so much on their punishments that a driver doesn't know the consequences.

I hope I've proven my point. NASCAR is fair to some and unfair to others. When you teach kids in a class, you have to be consistent with the discipline. You can't favor one student over another. Rules are cut and dry and so are the consequences. NASCAR shouldn't change their mind every week. I just don't understand and I'm sure I'm not the only NASCAR fan who doesn't. What will happen this weekend at Bristol? No telling! Will they decide right before the race starts what the consequences will be for the weekend? I think NASCAR needs a disciplinarian. One person or a committee that decides what the punishment will be. It needs to be consistent week to week. It needs to be understandable, meaning the drivers should know the consequences. I love the beating and banging of NASCAR, I just don't think that NASCAR is fair to all. I'll gladly be the disciplinarian if NASCAR needs me to come take over!

The Heat Is On!! Next Up-Bristol Baby!!

2006-08-22T14:25:00.000-07:00

Three races to go. Next up, Bristol!! The 1/2 mile track is always full of interesting happenings. This race is always so much fun to watch, one never knowing when "their" driver will be the one involved in a skirmish. Bristol. That one word says it all to a NASCAR fan. What will happen this weekend? With the Chase right around the corner, the heat is on!!

After a wild weekend at Michigan International Speedway, there was a major shake up in the points standings. Goes to show that nobody is safe in the top 10. Jimmie Johnson should have clenched a spot in the Chase, but, with tire troubles from the get go, that did not happen. Instead, Matt Kenseth gained points on the driver of the 48 car, leaving Jimmie only a 58 point lead over the 17.

Jeff Burton, who was soundly in 4th place, fell five spots to 9th. Now, one more bad race, and he is out! All season he has done a great job and has been very consistent. Now, with only three races till the Chase, he must stay on top of his game, allowing for not even a minor slip up. This goes to show that you are never safe in the sport of NASCAR. One tiny error could cost you an entire season.

Matt Kenseth, who won at Michigan, gained on number one Jimmie Johnson. Will he end up passing Jimmie up and move into number one before the Chase? He's been on Jimmie's coattails all year, right there, fighting to get passed him. What will Bristol hold for the seventeen car?

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. knew that in order to stay in the top 10, he HAD to keep Kasey Kahne in his site. Try to finish ahead of him, if not, then at least close to him. Well, Junior, after leading lots of laps, having one of the best cars of the weekend, had a minor catastrophe on pit road when it took the 8 crew a while during a crucial pit stop, causing him to fall to 19th. Junior fought back, though, and ended up finishing 6th, another great top 10 finish. Even though Kasey finished two spots ahead of Dale Jr., he only gained 5 points on him. Junior is leading Kasey by only 49 points. Junior has added a new edition to his pit crew, hoping that by adding this front tire changer that maybe their pit stops will get a little quicker. D.J. Copp has moved to DEI from Roush (Carl Edward's team), to help the 8 car. Don't you know he got picked on this past weekend! Bristol can be devestating to Dale Jr. and Kasey Kahne. They have to do their best! Great job Junior!!

Kurt Busch saw his Chase hopes completely disappear before his eyes on Sunday. After two horrible races in a row, Kurt really has no chance of getting in the Chase. Will Bristol be his race to fight back? He always is good at Bristol, so who knows.

Mark Martin, Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, and Denny Hamlin all have to be perfect this weekend. IF one of them wrecks, they will fall out of the top 10. Bristol has to be weighing on their minds this week. Yes, it is a fun track to race at, but with all the pressure, I bet these drivers are READY to get it over with and know where they stand for the final two races before the Chase. I doubt any of them are getting sleep this week!

It seems like yesterday we were watching Tony Stewart claim the Nextel Cup in Miami. We NASCAR fans moped around during the off-season, counting down the days until the Budweiser Shoot-out. Now, here we are, only three races to go before the Chase. 13 weeks left in the 2006 Season. To nonfans, it will drag by. To us NASCAR fans, it will fly and we will catch ourselves moping around again in the offseason. Can you believe it is already time for Bristol?

What on track rivals will bring trouble this weekend to the top 10? Will Carl Edwards pay back Dale Jr.? Or, will Carl make more enemies? Will old battles come back? Who will wreck who? Some drivers already have a bad case of road rage and Bristol will bring out the worst in those drivers. Bristol is a major test for all 43 drivers who make it into the race. How will it shake up the points race? Can't wait!! Go #8!

NASCAR Chemistry

2006-08-16T12:51:00.000-07:00

Since there have been some major changes as of late in the NASCAR community, I thought it necessary to write about the chemistry of NASCAR. What I'm talking about is the chemistry between driver, crew, crew chief, owner, sponsors, and teammates. To have a great, winning, successful season, a NASCAR driver just can't be the best driver out there. There has to be that perfect CHEMISTRY between all of the things listed above.

Let me give a few examples of teams that seem to have a great chemistry...Hendrick's...only the 48, 24, and 5 cars. Evernham with the 9 car. DEI with the 8. RCR seems to have all of his ducks in a row this year with Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick. Roush....the 6, 99, and 16 cars. There are a lot more I could list here that seem to have things going well this year, but, I feel that these are some great examples.

Now, there are some teams, from the same organizations listed above that aren't having a great year. If they are part of the same organization, what is happening with their team that is making them have a much stellar year? Is it the crew, crew chief, the sponsors, driver, etc? Let's take the 25 car of Hendrick's. Brian Vickers is the driver. He is currently 15th in the points standings....the only way he will make it into the Chase is if something drastic happens in the next four races. We all know that Brian Vickers will not be with Hendrick's next season. What is the missing link in his team? He has the same equipment as Jimmie or Jeff or Kyle. They all help each other out. He is a great driver. Is it that Rick Hendrick's isn't paying as much attention to this team? He has proven that he can run up front with the best, so what makes his team lack the performance of the others?

Jamie McMurray moved to Roush Racing in hopes of having a successful season. Roush was so dominate last year....not as dominate this year. In building a new team, it does take time to get the right chemistry to have a winning season. Jamie's team, unfortunately, hasn't found the spark. This is a building year for them, so maybe next year they will shine a little more. Last week's great finish gave them some hope for the rest of the season.

We've seen some teams do a complete turn around when there is one change made. For example, look at Dale Earnhardt, Jr. last season. They gave all of his cars from the 2004 season to Michael Waltrip....and all of Michael Waltrip's to him. Also, they swapped crew chiefs and crews. We all know what happened to Junior's season. For us 8 fans, it wasn't the best. But, with that said, Michael Waltrip, although he had everything that Junior had the year before, he didn't have a great season either...and eventually left DEI. So, even though the chemistry was there for Junior in 2004, that same chemistry was not there for Michael Waltrip. Now, for the 2006 season, the chemistry seems to be back. Junior has been consistent this year...okay, except for a couple of bad finishes. So, is the chemistry back for the 8 car? Hopefully!

Now, let's take a look at Kasey Kahne, driver of the #9 Dodge. He drives for Ray Evernham. He has had some great wins this season. Is close to being in the Chase. Poor Jeremy Mayfield, former driver of the #19 Dodge of Evernham Motorsports, finished in the top 10 last year, but this year fell out of the top 35. Jeremy was quoted at some point this season, claiming that he wished the owner, Ray Evernham, would be around more at the races, at the shop. Jeremy said he needed HELP! So, since the owner wasn't around very much with the 19 car, the chemistry for that team has crumbled. Elliot Sadler will be taking over this weekend at Michigan. We'll see by the end of the season whether or not Jeremy was the problem or Ray Evernham. Jeremy has proven that he can drive, but maybe he just wasn't with the right team. Gee, the chemistry....a driver never knows when the chemistry won't be there. One year it is, one year it isn't.

How many years does it take to find the chemistry needed to win races, run consistently, and finish in the top 10? I say around 3. Let's take Jimmie Johnson for example. I'm not a 48 fan, but I have to admit that he has a great team this year. His crew chief, Chad Knaus, seems to always know what to do to make the car better. He knows the strategies to use. Everything. For the past three seasons, Jimmie has been building up to win a championship. This year, chances are, it will be. Look at Kevin Harvick....he finally is having an awesome season.

Sponsors can also contribute to making a difference in a winning season and a disappointing season as well. Of course, if a team is doing well, their sponsors will stick by them. It is when things get a little rocky that sponsors tend to bail out. But, since NASCAR is such a huge sport, sponsors are getting advertising constantly. A lot of NASCAR fans buy things because of their driver.

Just like a relationship between a man and a woman, to make something work, there has to be a good chemistry between all involved. If there is a minor problem, it could cause tremendous damage. So, who will be next on the chopping block? We've seen the past few weeks that it is very easy to get axed from a team. Look at Jeremy Mayfield and Elliott Sadler. Drivers, especially since the Chase came into play, are always on the edge of their seat. The pressure.....the thrill......chemistry in NASCAR is like a soap opera! You never know what will happen next.

Big Decision for Little E

2006-08-08T12:09:00.000-07:00

Although Dale Earnhardt Junior did not win the Brickyard 400, his big decision earned him a little victory. Coming off two straight last-place finishes, which saw Dale Junior fall from third in the Nextel Cup points standings to 11th, Junior appeared to be heading for another near last place finish again on Sunday. Thoughts of repeating last year's missing out on the Chase for the Nextel Cup were beginning to look more prominent.

All day long Dale Earnhardt Junior had a below average car. He could barely crack the top 20 and hovered around 30th place for most of the race. After the race Earnhardt Junior expressed his disappointment in the car. ``We need to do better and get better cars. We can't make the Chase with 30th-place race cars." said Junior. This thinking is what propelled Dale Earnhardt Junior's crew chief, Tony Eury Jr., to leave Dale Junior out on a lap 142 caution. It was a gamble that paid off in more ways than one.

Only one of the drivers ahead of Dale Junior stayed out. For the first time in the race, the Chevy Bud # 8 was up front. The fans were excited, as I was, to finally see Dale Junior looking like a competitor and not just a Sunday driver. Within a few laps, Junior passed Kyle Bush for the lead and the crowd erupted. But the jubilee would only last for half a lap. With 4 new tires, race winner Jimmie Johnson passed Junior and took the lead for good. The question then became, where Dale Earnhardt Junior would finish.

As each lap went by, another car with fresh tires passed Junior. Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, and Mark Martin all passed Dale Earnhardt Junior in the final laps. Shuffling backwards, all of Junior's fans collectively held their breath and hoped that the race would end before Junior fell too far back. On the last lap of the race there was a crash bringing out the 8th caution and cementing Earnhardt Junior in 6th place; a finish that excited his fans but did not bring much joy for Junior. ``We took a chance and we got lucky, but I'd like to have a better car so we don't have to make those kinds of calls,'' Junior said. ``I just had to drive really hard at the end with old tires, harder than I normally drive. We didn't have a good car all day. But, after the last two weeks, we'll take what we can get.'' What they got was a jump back into the Chase for the Nextel Cup. What Junior's fans got was renewed hope.

Earnhardt Junior now sits in 10th place only 7 points behind Tony Stewart who is in 9th place and only 15 points behind Jeff Gordon who is in 8th place. In fact, one hundred points separate 6th place Mark Martin and 10th place Dale Earnhardt Junior. It's clear that NASCAR will go down to the last lap in Richmond before we learn who will make the Nextel Cup Chase.
I find it exciting to watch a major battle play out between NASCAR's top stars. Gordon, Stewart and Earnhardt Junior are all fighting to make the Chase and are within 15 points of each other. Each driver has their own story yet they all intertwine to make one big story. This is what sports is all about. For the next 5 races we will be treated to lap by lap dog fight. And it's not just NASCAR's biggest stars fighting it out; there is a slew of supporting cast trying to make the Chase. Except for Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth, 3rd place through 15th place is up for grabs.

My money is on Dale Earnhardt Junior, Jeff Gordon, and Tony Stewart to all make the Nextel Cup Chase. I believe they all got their rough patches, bad cars, and mental mistakes out of the way. I also believe that champions rise to the occasion. Stewart and Gordon have each one a championship and know how to respond to adversity. And if adversity is a measuring stick then we all know what Dale Earnhardt Junior has had to face over the last 5 years.

Double R

Little E, Little W's

2006-07-26T12:05:00.000-07:00

Junior, please win another race. Every week I get together with my father and cheer you on. Just one victory would make my weekend complete. But lately, the wins are not coming. In fact, the only thing coming is vacation my friend. If you don't get your act together you will miss out on the Nextel Cup Chase for the second straight year.

We all know how disappointing it was last year when Little E missed the big one. No, not the "big one" at Daytona but the chase for the Nextel Cup. It was like Christmas without presents, Halloween without candy, and football without the NFL Sunday Ticket. I was so bored that I almost changed the channel to watch figure skating on ESPN 2.

Just a few weeks ago, Dale Earnhardt Junior was sitting in third place for the Nextel Cup standings. Junior was primed for a run at the top and he had all his fans salivating over thoughts of a Nextel Cup championship. But, like a FOX summer reality TV show, he fell out of the top 10 in two weeks. So as we all try to catch our breath and wait for the room to stop spinning, we are shocked to see that Junior is in eleventh place 15 points out of the chase.

Two weeks ago, at New Hampshire International Speedway, Dale Earnhardt Junior blew an engine and was forced out of the race. He finished dead last in the Lenox Industrial 300. But, his interview afterwards was upbeat and kept all of his fans still feeling good about his chances despite slipping down a few spots in the Nextel Cup standings. Junior spoke proudly of his crew and vowed to be back next week for the Pennsylvania 500. Little did he know that the bad luck would continue.

At Pocono Raceway, Junior's fans saw their hopes crushed again when Earnhardt was spun out by Dave Blaney and crashed into the wall. Blaney hit Earnhardt from behind sending millions of fans into a frenzy. Junior had another last place finish and another devastating hit to his Nextel Cup standings.

There are six races left until the chase for the Nextel Cup. Junior needs to finish in the top 15 for every race to have a shot at making the chase. Every week we see drivers go up and down the Nextel Cup standings. In fact, with every lap there is a lot of movement in the standings. But for Junior to assure a spot in the chase he needs to eliminate a few things.

First thing to eliminate is any thought of a repeat performance from last year. Junior has been more consistent this year after reuniting with Tony Eury Jr. Eury and Earnhardt hashed out their differences and got back to the basics.

The next things to eliminate are car problems. I know that this is a tough one but everyone has a job to do and if Junior can't even drive a good car then there is no chance of making the chase for the Nextel Cup. Let's make sure those engines are solid and won't break down during a race. Check those tires; we don't need any blowouts that will cost us laps or even a race.

Make sure the pit crew is on top of their game. Practice everyday if they have to, but no more screw ups. Don't' drop the fuel can, the jack, or anything else. Don't leave a tool on the car or cause any unnecessary delays that might hurt track positioning.

Lastly, Junior needs to drive smart. Don't race other drivers early on unless it is for the lead. Don't force the car to do something if it is not handling well. Avoid accidents at all costs. Don't go below the yellow line to pass anyone and don't drive like Tony Stewart.

I am sure there are a few more technical things that could be eliminated but this isn't NASCAR 101 and I don't have a degree in car mechanics, aerodynamics, and/or fuel conservation. I am a fan like everyone else. I am a fan of Dale Earnhardt Junior. Any chase for the Nextel Cup that doesn't have Junior in it, is a chase for the remote to change the station. Go Junior.

Double R

Smoke is Blowing Smoke

2006-07-26T09:19:00.000-07:00

Hey Tony Stewart quit blowing smoke. Week after week you are becoming a joke. Barely surviving these crashes, you lucky bloke. Just keep doing those Home Depot commercials so you don't go broke.

This season has seen Stewart go from a major player in the chase to barely making the chase. It seems that every race Stewart is trading paint with someone or with a wall. Then after the race we are treated to another interview where Stewart bashes all the young drivers basically saying they don't know how to drive. Hey Tony, did you ever think that you are the problem? Peer through your own smoke and you might be able to see that you are to blame.

Last week we saw Tony Stewart basically wipe out Clint Bowyer and Carl Edwards in one fit of rage. These two drivers and cars had promising weekends up until that point. Their only fault was being in the wrong place at the wrong time. NASCAR decided to black flag Tony Stewart but I am here to say that a one lap penalty is not enough. I believe a suspension and a penalty of points are needed.

Tony Stewart's weekly drama should become a reality TV show. Think about it, he already has a good name for it. We can title the show "Blowing Smoke", and I am sure Home Depot will sponsor it. There can be guest appearances by other NASCAR drivers and the Washington Redskins. Watch out if the show tanks in the ratings. We could see Tony Stewart go into a fit of rage, hop into his car, and mow down the television executives. Then afterwards, Stewart would blame the television executives for the poor ratings stating that they don't know what they are doing. Oh, how I digress.

Suspending one of NASCAR's biggest names would be a huge message sent to everyone from the fans to the pit crews. NASCAR's message would simply and bluntly say "no more". No more wrecking other drivers. No more fits of rage. No more prima donnas. No more whining and complaining. No more blowing smoke. No more irresponsibility, no more accountability, and no more immaturity. Hit these drivers where it hurts the most; take away their chance to race. Money and points might sting a little but after you rinse with a little water the sting is gone. Take away a driver's chance to race and that driver will truly feel the pain. Look on the bright side Tony Stewart fans, a suspension wouldn't be that bad. Tony could go participate in the Washington Redskins' training camp. They are always looking for a few more offensive linemen.

I know that there are other drivers like Jeff Gordon who have done about as much as Tony Stewart but none of them have been as vocal. If you recall, Stewart stepped up and said he would be NASCAR's new leader. He was going to try and fill the void that Dale Earnhardt left after his death. I don't know about you guys, but Tony Stewart is not a leader that I can follow. In fact, the only leading he has done is lead in votes for next year's ESPY award for best dramatic performance.

Tony Stewart has all the talent in the world when it comes to driving. He is quickly moving up the all time race wins list and he has a Nextel Cup championship. The cup is probably right next to his bed so that he can kiss it every night and every morning but that is a story for another article. If Stewart would concentrate more on his driving and less on his talking then I believe he would be the leader in points by a wide margin. Tony can race on any track. That is what makes him a dangerous driver. Well, that and his anger.

So let me take the checkered flag and leave you with this last point. I am allergic to smoke. It makes me gag, my eyes burn, and my skin itches. Stewart's weekly racing antics make me feel the same way. His anger, recklessness, unaccountability, and his car size ego make me want to red flag the race and change the channel. I guess there is one positive out of all of this. Every story needs an evil villain; a villain to root against and hope that our hero will overcome or at least bump draft.

Double R

Why We Like the Chase

2006-07-21T14:15:00.000-07:00

There has been lots of heated debate going on the past few years about how worthy "The Chase" is. The Chase for the Nextel Cup, or the final ten races of the season, adds a great twist to the already awesome sport we call NASCAR. For those who don't know what we are talking about, the Chase is taking the top 10 drivers at the end of 26 races, resetting the points for the final 10, and having a 10 race shootout to determine who the Cup winner will be. Only the top 10, or all of those drivers within 400 points of the leader, are eligible to win the Cup. The other 33 still race their hearts out, for themselves, their teams, and for the next season. It is very interesting needless to say, and it fuels on track rivalries with the drivers. We've read lots of people's opinions and have decided that it is time to give ours.....

Okay, being from Texas and huge high school football fans (yes, Friday Night Lights is just like our small little town), we appreciate the playoffs. Yes, it is great fun when your team is in it. No, it isn't so great when you don't have anyone to cheer for. How worthy is the Chase? We think it is great for NASCAR. We feel that it has brought in lots more fans because it makes the sport a lot more exciting, nailbiting, thrilling. We also feel there could be some changes made as far as points are concerned.....more points awarded for wins, poles, most laps led, etc., but all in all, it is a good system that keeps the racing very exciting.

Our first season to watch (2002, Tony Stewart Cup Champion), we basically knew who was going to win the Cup, WAY before it was time to crown the champion. Three races until the final race and everybody knew who was going to be crowned champion. How much fun is that for the fans, or for that matter, the drivers/teams? We want excitement!! It was the same situation the next season when Matt Kenseth won. To us, when you know weeks in advance who is going to win the final, why even bother watching? Isn't that part of the reason we watch sports, to see who will be the final champion? We have the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Stanley Cup etc. I don't think anyone wants to know before they have to who the champion will be.

The first year the chase was in place, we didn't know till the last minute who was going to win the Cup.....Kurt Busch. It was so exciting and thrilling. It boiled down to the last lap of the last race. Kurt had a tire come off in the last race and it almost made him lose the championship, but he somehow avoided crashing and stayed in the lead. Same as last year. We really didn't know who would take the Cup until the end....who was it going to be? Biffle, Edwards, Stewart? No, our favorite driver didn't make the chase last year (Junior), but we were still just as into it the same as if he would have made it. You find yourself cheering for people you might not would normally cheer for. You also find enemies that before never were.

It is important to reset the points....but maybe make the difference in points when reset, a percentage of their point difference before. That way, it isn't equal and it still represents their hard work. For example, if a person has a 100 point lead over the one below them, reset the points at 10%....so that person would be ahead by 10 points. Some might be ahead by 20, 1.5, etc. Keep it the same percentage across the board, but let those that worked hard and were consistent all season have a little advantage.

We've heard comments asking why, if the top 10 are the only ones eligible for the Cup, are the other 33 cars racing. Because. We like having everybody else still racing....they all are still there to win and work on the next season. Also, they play a HUGE part in who might wreck out, win, etc.

All in all, "The Chase" is FUN! Yes, it needs a few minor tweaks....ones we would gladly help NASCAR with, but basically, we are up for a good old, nail biting, exciting finish anyday over a boring one that we all knew way before hand!!!

Who will it be this year? Jeff Burton and the 31 team, Junior and the 8 crew, Jimmie, Tony........maybe Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin.....who knows......that is the glory of the chase and why WE like it!!!