Tony Stewart finally wins his very first Nascar race at Talladega Motor Speedway after 20 attempts at the two and five-eighth mile stock car track."Smoke" hadn't won a race this season , his last coming a year ago on a road course at Watkins Glen in New York.
Travis Kvapil started the race from the pole in the # 28 Yates Ford and held onto the lead the first eight laps of the race... in the meantime Jimmy Johnsons' Hendricks owned car falls back losing the draft and a lap completely despite an attempt from teammate Ken Schrader moving backwards to help aid Johnsons car.Not exactly what one would expect from the team that is in the top position of the Chase for the Championship.
Goodyear tire problems reared it's ugly head again this season as half a dozen vehicles blew out front and rear tires through-out the day. The most serious incident caused a crash involving the leader at the time Denny Hamlin in the #11 Gibbs race car slamming into the outside retaining wall resulting in a trip to a local hospital for observation. Bump drafting and tight side by side racing was believed to be the cause and not the compound of the tire having any significant wear problems.
Stock Car Racing fans witnessed a record number of lead changes through 188 laps of the AMP Energy 500 in what could be considered the most competitive race we've seen this season.
One aspect of racing action at Talladega Alabama that fans, drivers and crew chiefs anticipate is what is called: "The Big One" meaning a wreck that involves numerous race cars .Todays race didn't disappoint . Twice , Nascar Sprint Cup stock cars came together in wrecks that took out 9 of the 12 championship contenders.The first incident occured around lap 70 when Brian Vickers #83 Red Bull car blew a right front tire from the middle lane of three wide racing at the time slamming Martin Truex Jr. and then the wall taking out 9 competitors and requiring officials to draw out the red flag to clean up all the debris .
As the laps wind down Stock Car racing fans know that the intensity builds within the minds of the drivers to head for the front of the pack and with just 14 laps remaining the #99 car of Carl Edwards who had been content to run in the back all day long to avoid trouble, hooked his teammate Greg Biffle and caused the second "Big One" taking out Dale Earnhardt Jr. ,Matt Kenseth,Kevin Harvick and six others .
The race ended with a little bit of controversy with David Regan being forced down below the yellow out of bounds line and actually jumping ahead of Tony Stewarts' # 20 Subway car at the checkered flag.
How'd you feel about the finish ? Good call by NASCAR !
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
More Bad luck for Tony Stewart
New Hampshire Motor Speedway was just the latest race in a string of unenviable finishes for Tony Stewart .The two time NASCAR racing champion has been bit more times this season than anyone in recent history that I can remember.
Tony's #20 toyota led the most laps (163 of a possible 301)at the 1 mile stock car track only to get screwed over by rainy weather and officials. Stewart and many of the race leaders decided to pit for Goodyear tires and Sunoco fuel under a caution flag for one last dash to the finish in the Lenox Tools 301 .
Then came the rain.... with about ten laps remaining in the race.
Now any racing fan knows that once the field completes one-half of the advertised number of laps, NASCAR can call the race as official if for some reason the event needs to be stopped . However under most circumstances NASCAR officials do make every attempt at completing the
entire scheduled event .
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is only a 1 mile track and could easily have been dried off once the rain had passed to allow the stockcars an opportunity to complete the race as scheduled .
The Red flag was thrown at around 5:15 EST with at least 3 hours of daylight remaining . Why didn't NASCAR officials wait a while before calling the race ?
The finishing positions of the cars at the front of the pack didn't reflect in the least the cars that had run up front for most of the day . Kurt Busch got credit for a win that surely wasn't deserved . Keep in mind under the current champion chase rules winners get extra bonus points for each race won .
Do you think this will effect the race for the chase this season ?
Did NASCAR jump the gun by calling the race official before the scheduled laps were completed ?
Tony's #20 toyota led the most laps (163 of a possible 301)at the 1 mile stock car track only to get screwed over by rainy weather and officials. Stewart and many of the race leaders decided to pit for Goodyear tires and Sunoco fuel under a caution flag for one last dash to the finish in the Lenox Tools 301 .
Then came the rain.... with about ten laps remaining in the race.
Now any racing fan knows that once the field completes one-half of the advertised number of laps, NASCAR can call the race as official if for some reason the event needs to be stopped . However under most circumstances NASCAR officials do make every attempt at completing the
entire scheduled event .
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is only a 1 mile track and could easily have been dried off once the rain had passed to allow the stockcars an opportunity to complete the race as scheduled .
The Red flag was thrown at around 5:15 EST with at least 3 hours of daylight remaining . Why didn't NASCAR officials wait a while before calling the race ?
The finishing positions of the cars at the front of the pack didn't reflect in the least the cars that had run up front for most of the day . Kurt Busch got credit for a win that surely wasn't deserved . Keep in mind under the current champion chase rules winners get extra bonus points for each race won .
Do you think this will effect the race for the chase this season ?
Did NASCAR jump the gun by calling the race official before the scheduled laps were completed ?
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Two too many laps for Tony Stewart
Two too many laps proved to be another disappointing result at Charlotte Motor Speedway for Tony Stewart ,Greg Zippedelli and Stock Car racing fans of the #20 Joe Gibbs Racing team.
For the second year in a row Stewart was snake-bitten by NASCAR's longest race of the season during the annual Memorial Day 600 mile marathon event. With just two laps remaining in the 400 lap race , Tony Stewart flattened a right front tire at the head of the pack and ended up finishing in the 20th position .
Stewart and team began the race from the 32nd starting position and methodically moved the #20 Stock Car through the competitive field throughout the day with great pit stops and obviously the correct chassis adjustments to lead the nearest competition of race cars (Kasey Kahne's # 9 ) by more than six seconds only to end up with a disappointing finish again .
Last season Tony had to stop for fuel while leading with five laps remaining in the race which allowed Casey Mears to capture his first ever Nascar race win by stretching his gas mileage at the one and a half mile speedway in North Carolina .
What's it going to take to get Tony Stewart into victory lane at Charlotte ?
Will he be able to get this Memorial Day Monkey off his back ?
For the second year in a row Stewart was snake-bitten by NASCAR's longest race of the season during the annual Memorial Day 600 mile marathon event. With just two laps remaining in the 400 lap race , Tony Stewart flattened a right front tire at the head of the pack and ended up finishing in the 20th position .
Stewart and team began the race from the 32nd starting position and methodically moved the #20 Stock Car through the competitive field throughout the day with great pit stops and obviously the correct chassis adjustments to lead the nearest competition of race cars (Kasey Kahne's # 9 ) by more than six seconds only to end up with a disappointing finish again .
Last season Tony had to stop for fuel while leading with five laps remaining in the race which allowed Casey Mears to capture his first ever Nascar race win by stretching his gas mileage at the one and a half mile speedway in North Carolina .
What's it going to take to get Tony Stewart into victory lane at Charlotte ?
Will he be able to get this Memorial Day Monkey off his back ?
Monday, May 5, 2008
Kyle Busch vs Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Richmond Speedway
FOX Sports commentator Darrell Waltrip let slip a little bias saturday night as Stock Car Racing fans witnessed a turn three crash between Kyle Busch #18 Toyota and the # 88 Chevrolet of Dale Earnhardt jr. at Richmond Virginia's 3/4 mile speedway.
" He turned him" meaning Busch was the comment made by Waltrip about an incident between Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. but from my perspective Waltrip got it wrong and fellow television commentator Mike Joy got it right.
Dale Earnhardt turned down in corner number three in an attempt to pinch Kyle Buschs' race car and slow his momentum. Busch was more than half way up the door panel on the inside of Jr's car in the backstretch and Jr knew that he would have been beat on the exit of turn four if he gave Kyle the room he needed to get by.
For those Earnhardt fans who might question my comment, Watch how early Jr's race car crosses the white lane lines as the two competitors approach the third turn at the track.
Did Kyle Busch get too deep into the corner and get his stock car loose ? Sure ...but that's his job.
Go fast and win races.
What racing fans saw was the type of good hard stock car racing that we should expect to see at every NASCAR weekend event.
I look forward to your comments.
" He turned him" meaning Busch was the comment made by Waltrip about an incident between Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. but from my perspective Waltrip got it wrong and fellow television commentator Mike Joy got it right.
Dale Earnhardt turned down in corner number three in an attempt to pinch Kyle Buschs' race car and slow his momentum. Busch was more than half way up the door panel on the inside of Jr's car in the backstretch and Jr knew that he would have been beat on the exit of turn four if he gave Kyle the room he needed to get by.
For those Earnhardt fans who might question my comment, Watch how early Jr's race car crosses the white lane lines as the two competitors approach the third turn at the track.
Did Kyle Busch get too deep into the corner and get his stock car loose ? Sure ...but that's his job.
Go fast and win races.
What racing fans saw was the type of good hard stock car racing that we should expect to see at every NASCAR weekend event.
I look forward to your comments.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Talladega..the Excitement is back!
Stock car racing fans got they're monies worth this weekend as we had the opportunity to witness the thrilling and intense Talladega racing of old.
Over the last few years racing at the Talladega Motor Speedway had become rather hohum to watch; same old race leaders lap after lap, two train lines running side by side .Not a whole lot of significant passing going on for any length of time...sure the running order would get jumbled occasionally due to stock cars making routine pit stops but, after a few laps the race cars would cycle around and end up with the same leaders back out in front of the pack.
The only thing loyal NASCAR racing fans had to concern themselves with was whether or not a driver or his spotter would blunder and cause a big multi car crash ( "The Big One" ) that would eliminate their favorite stock car driver from the race.
That and the last few laps to see which drivers and racing teams would join up and make a move on the backstretch to lead to the checkered flag.
This years first of two opportunities to view stock car racing on the two and five eighths mile Talladega SuperSpeedway was different . I think the intense , edge of your seat, what's going to happen next stock car racing is back !!!
It seems as though the C.O.T. ( car of today ) with its larger overall dimensions has created a significantly different aerodynamic effect on a stock cars ability to slingshot pass another car than in the past few racing seasons.
Time and time again we watched Denny Hamlin's #11 Gibb's Toyota draught and push other race cars and himself to the front of the pack to lead laps. I found it absolutely astounding to see what appeared to be a one hundred horsepower gain as two stock cars would jump to the outside lane of the race track and pass other race cars with relative ease .
We got to see Tony Stewarts' #20 and Dale Earnhardt jr.s' #88 gain huge leads by restrictor plate standards over the rest of the field on numerous occasions .
Top speeds of nearly 210 miles per hour could be reached as one race car would push another
down the backstretch of the Talladega Motor Speedway. Speeds of around 192-193 mph seemed to be about the norm over the past few years for these restrictor plate races with the older car design .
It seems like NASCAR has designed a stock car that is indeed more entertaining to watch for the race fan and gives the drivers some of the gas pedal response and ability to pass other cars they were looking for.
The greatest tribute to the C.O.T.'s ability has to be the fact that Kyle Busch in the #18 Gibbs entry came back from a full lap down to go on and pass the entire racing line-up to win the event.
Personally , I can't wait to see the fall race at Talladega.
What did you think of the race ? Leave a comment.
Over the last few years racing at the Talladega Motor Speedway had become rather hohum to watch; same old race leaders lap after lap, two train lines running side by side .Not a whole lot of significant passing going on for any length of time...sure the running order would get jumbled occasionally due to stock cars making routine pit stops but, after a few laps the race cars would cycle around and end up with the same leaders back out in front of the pack.
The only thing loyal NASCAR racing fans had to concern themselves with was whether or not a driver or his spotter would blunder and cause a big multi car crash ( "The Big One" ) that would eliminate their favorite stock car driver from the race.
That and the last few laps to see which drivers and racing teams would join up and make a move on the backstretch to lead to the checkered flag.
This years first of two opportunities to view stock car racing on the two and five eighths mile Talladega SuperSpeedway was different . I think the intense , edge of your seat, what's going to happen next stock car racing is back !!!
It seems as though the C.O.T. ( car of today ) with its larger overall dimensions has created a significantly different aerodynamic effect on a stock cars ability to slingshot pass another car than in the past few racing seasons.
Time and time again we watched Denny Hamlin's #11 Gibb's Toyota draught and push other race cars and himself to the front of the pack to lead laps. I found it absolutely astounding to see what appeared to be a one hundred horsepower gain as two stock cars would jump to the outside lane of the race track and pass other race cars with relative ease .
We got to see Tony Stewarts' #20 and Dale Earnhardt jr.s' #88 gain huge leads by restrictor plate standards over the rest of the field on numerous occasions .
Top speeds of nearly 210 miles per hour could be reached as one race car would push another
down the backstretch of the Talladega Motor Speedway. Speeds of around 192-193 mph seemed to be about the norm over the past few years for these restrictor plate races with the older car design .
It seems like NASCAR has designed a stock car that is indeed more entertaining to watch for the race fan and gives the drivers some of the gas pedal response and ability to pass other cars they were looking for.
The greatest tribute to the C.O.T.'s ability has to be the fact that Kyle Busch in the #18 Gibbs entry came back from a full lap down to go on and pass the entire racing line-up to win the event.
Personally , I can't wait to see the fall race at Talladega.
What did you think of the race ? Leave a comment.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Did Mark Martin Get Snookered ?
Stock car racing fans got to witness an incredible judgement call on pit road this past weekend at
Phoenix International Raceway by crew chief Chad Knaus which led to the first win for #48 Chevrolet driver Jimmy Johnson this season.
With roughly 40 laps remaining in the Subway 500 , Crew chiefs, FOX television announcers and race car drivers alike speculated as to when and if their respective teams should get to pit road for fuel.
One by one with 10-12 laps to go in the race ,teams got to the pit lane so as not to run out of precious Sunoco fuel and two fresh Goodyear tires on the right side of their stock cars.
Why the tires I'll never understand but, that's another subject.
With all the other NASCAR racing teams electing to pit,that amazing combination of Johnson and Knaus for Hendricks Motorsports stayed on the race track and inevitably gained an insurmountable 10 second lead on the nearest competition ..Second place finisher the #11 Toyota of Denny Hamlin.
Listening to the in car broadcast you could hear the spotter for Jimmy Johnson telling him to back down on the speed of his race car to conserve fuel mileage and gave constant updates as to where the competition was relative to the race track.
Most stock car racing fans witnessing this NASCAR event must have been at the edge of their seats wondering if this could possibly be happening. Mark Martins' #8 Chevrolet which had clearly been the dominant player during the later stages of the race simply had no chance with so few laps remaining to chase down the #48 Chevrolet of Jimmy Johnson.
My question is ...If the race cars are using twenty-two gallon fuel cells and get roughly four miles to the gallon for mileage why would any of the NASCAR stock car teams feel the need to come in to the pits for fuel on a one mile Phoenix International race track when they had all come to the pit lane under a caution with 82 laps to go ?
Why not just a splash and go at most , if some teams felt they might be a bit short ?
And then to add two right side tires besides ,What in the H*ll were these crew chiefs thinking about?
Somehow I have to wonder if these crew chiefs were watching the same stock car race that I was ????
This weeks stock car race was a prime example of how and why the #48 race team has captured the championship for two straight racing seasons .Apparently the team and crew pay attention to all the little details that the rest of the NASCAR teams do not. Did Chad Knaus gamble with the outcome by not bringing Jimmy Johnsons' race car in for fuel ? I don't think so .
What do you think ? Leave a comment !
Phoenix International Raceway by crew chief Chad Knaus which led to the first win for #48 Chevrolet driver Jimmy Johnson this season.
With roughly 40 laps remaining in the Subway 500 , Crew chiefs, FOX television announcers and race car drivers alike speculated as to when and if their respective teams should get to pit road for fuel.
One by one with 10-12 laps to go in the race ,teams got to the pit lane so as not to run out of precious Sunoco fuel and two fresh Goodyear tires on the right side of their stock cars.
Why the tires I'll never understand but, that's another subject.
With all the other NASCAR racing teams electing to pit,that amazing combination of Johnson and Knaus for Hendricks Motorsports stayed on the race track and inevitably gained an insurmountable 10 second lead on the nearest competition ..Second place finisher the #11 Toyota of Denny Hamlin.
Listening to the in car broadcast you could hear the spotter for Jimmy Johnson telling him to back down on the speed of his race car to conserve fuel mileage and gave constant updates as to where the competition was relative to the race track.
Most stock car racing fans witnessing this NASCAR event must have been at the edge of their seats wondering if this could possibly be happening. Mark Martins' #8 Chevrolet which had clearly been the dominant player during the later stages of the race simply had no chance with so few laps remaining to chase down the #48 Chevrolet of Jimmy Johnson.
My question is ...If the race cars are using twenty-two gallon fuel cells and get roughly four miles to the gallon for mileage why would any of the NASCAR stock car teams feel the need to come in to the pits for fuel on a one mile Phoenix International race track when they had all come to the pit lane under a caution with 82 laps to go ?
Why not just a splash and go at most , if some teams felt they might be a bit short ?
And then to add two right side tires besides ,What in the H*ll were these crew chiefs thinking about?
Somehow I have to wonder if these crew chiefs were watching the same stock car race that I was ????
This weeks stock car race was a prime example of how and why the #48 race team has captured the championship for two straight racing seasons .Apparently the team and crew pay attention to all the little details that the rest of the NASCAR teams do not. Did Chad Knaus gamble with the outcome by not bringing Jimmy Johnsons' race car in for fuel ? I don't think so .
What do you think ? Leave a comment !
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Texas Tornado...huh!
This weekends NASCAR race held at what is considered by many as the newest of the really fast tracks was sorely dissappointing.Even with a caution flag thrown for debris with only 10 laps remaining the Stock car race resulted in a real snoozer.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. captured the pole position on Friday which surely had many of the 80,000 Stock car racing fans in attendance excited but, to no avail. Dale Earnhardt Jr's #88 Hendrick car took the green flag at the start but lead very few laps at Texas Motor Speedway's " Samsung 500" on this sunny and warm sunday afternoon.
The dominant drivers throughout the race were Kyle Busch #18 Joe Gibb's owned Toyota , # 99 Rouch/Fenway's Ford stock car driven by Carl Edwards and Jimmy Johnson's #48 carrying the banner for the Rick Hendrick's Chevrolet team .
Each one of the top three drivers took turns leading at various times during the race as track conditions changed throughout the day.
Jeff Gordan and Steve Letarte have work to do on the # 24 race car if they expect to compete at mile and a half race tracks like Texas Motor Speedway.On lap 109 Jeff Gordan's Hendrick owned Chevrolet brought out only the second of four caution flags decided to enter the fourth turn ass-end first and kissed the S.A.F.E.R. barrier wrecking the cars chance for a win and
relegating him to only the second last place finish in his sixteenth season career.
This all the while trying to prevent his loose handling stock car from going two laps down.
What is amazing is how this team that pounded the competition the entire NASCAR racing season last year can completely be so confused about their race car's chassis set-up this season. As good a stock car driver as Jeff Gordan is, I'd say that he simply doesn't get it when it comes to racing on the Texas track.
Teammate Jimmy Johnson ran up front all day long with the same equipment and finished second only to the dominant race car of Carl Edwards.
Carl Edwards has now finished first in three of the six NASCAR races held so far this season.
Do you think that the Rousch/Fenway Fords have figured out the C.O.T. (car of today) ? or has Toyota and Chevrolet simply not had their day in court ?
Let me hear what you think.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. captured the pole position on Friday which surely had many of the 80,000 Stock car racing fans in attendance excited but, to no avail. Dale Earnhardt Jr's #88 Hendrick car took the green flag at the start but lead very few laps at Texas Motor Speedway's " Samsung 500" on this sunny and warm sunday afternoon.
The dominant drivers throughout the race were Kyle Busch #18 Joe Gibb's owned Toyota , # 99 Rouch/Fenway's Ford stock car driven by Carl Edwards and Jimmy Johnson's #48 carrying the banner for the Rick Hendrick's Chevrolet team .
Each one of the top three drivers took turns leading at various times during the race as track conditions changed throughout the day.
Jeff Gordan and Steve Letarte have work to do on the # 24 race car if they expect to compete at mile and a half race tracks like Texas Motor Speedway.On lap 109 Jeff Gordan's Hendrick owned Chevrolet brought out only the second of four caution flags decided to enter the fourth turn ass-end first and kissed the S.A.F.E.R. barrier wrecking the cars chance for a win and
relegating him to only the second last place finish in his sixteenth season career.
This all the while trying to prevent his loose handling stock car from going two laps down.
What is amazing is how this team that pounded the competition the entire NASCAR racing season last year can completely be so confused about their race car's chassis set-up this season. As good a stock car driver as Jeff Gordan is, I'd say that he simply doesn't get it when it comes to racing on the Texas track.
Teammate Jimmy Johnson ran up front all day long with the same equipment and finished second only to the dominant race car of Carl Edwards.
Carl Edwards has now finished first in three of the six NASCAR races held so far this season.
Do you think that the Rousch/Fenway Fords have figured out the C.O.T. (car of today) ? or has Toyota and Chevrolet simply not had their day in court ?
Let me hear what you think.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Give me a Brake !
It was interesting to note that stock car drivers and teams didn't scream about needing brakes at Martinsville's "Goody's Cool Orange 500" this past weekend as so often was the case in previous events held at the distinct little half-mile speedway.
I think that after years of testing ,newer brake pads, added brake ducting and of course race drivers experience has finally curbed the problem that plagued NASCAR races at the track.
But, now it seems a new problem has popped up.
No less than a half dozen stock cars had mechanical failure with either the transmission or rear-end gears of the race car giving up before the conclusion of the 500 lap mark.
Speculation says that wheel hop going into the corners is the cause for the parts to break.
I'd like to add that concrete in the corners may also be creating additional stopping power and added stresses to the rear and transmission parts.
Do you think that the ability of the race car drivers to apply more brake pressure without burning them up has given us NASCAR racing fans something new to expect at the track?
As with anything in life... balance to a stock cars parts and pieces are the key to a successful run at MARTINSVILLE"s unique race track with it's long straight-away's and extremely tight corners.
I think that after years of testing ,newer brake pads, added brake ducting and of course race drivers experience has finally curbed the problem that plagued NASCAR races at the track.
But, now it seems a new problem has popped up.
No less than a half dozen stock cars had mechanical failure with either the transmission or rear-end gears of the race car giving up before the conclusion of the 500 lap mark.
Speculation says that wheel hop going into the corners is the cause for the parts to break.
I'd like to add that concrete in the corners may also be creating additional stopping power and added stresses to the rear and transmission parts.
Do you think that the ability of the race car drivers to apply more brake pressure without burning them up has given us NASCAR racing fans something new to expect at the track?
As with anything in life... balance to a stock cars parts and pieces are the key to a successful run at MARTINSVILLE"s unique race track with it's long straight-away's and extremely tight corners.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Week-Ends without?
As an avid stock car racing fan I find it difficult to get through those weekends without NASCAR cup coverage on the television.Once spring is in the air and the racing season begins I get all pumped up over who's going to be dominant during the season and what drivers' ego may get rattled that week... or what bonehead's going to wreck the leaders race car and a chance at a win.
A lot like a soap opera isn't it? Can't wait to see if one of our favorite racer like Tony Stewart , Jeff Gordon or Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be sitting at the top of the points chart that week.
I hate it when NASCAR takes the weekends off to celebrate Easter and Mother's day...no offense please, and we don't get to watch the best in the stock car (or any other form of racing for that matter) business battle it out at the race track.
Even though I watch the stock car race live each week, I do like to plug in the VCR and tape the sports event at the same time and save them for those Holiday weekends without a scheduled race. I save the most memorable ones.
Does anyone else do that?
One of the most memorable races for me was when Dale Earnhardt finally won that elusive Daytona 500.It's a moment in NASCAR history to watch over and over again.
Just seeing all those pit crew members line pit road and victory lane patting , shaking hands congratulating him and showing so much respect for the man we all loved to hate.
Another one for the memory books was a race I actually attended at the POCONO speedway.
Davey Allison got into one of those really scary car wrecks flipping end over end down the back stretch around the tunnel turn on the high speed flat track.
Boy,I miss those guys.
Anyway...that's how I get thru those weekends without Stock car coverage.
Any other race fanatics have a collection of memorable NASCAR races on their VCR?
How 'bout you ? .......Leave me your comments and have a HAPPY EASTER!!
A lot like a soap opera isn't it? Can't wait to see if one of our favorite racer like Tony Stewart , Jeff Gordon or Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be sitting at the top of the points chart that week.
I hate it when NASCAR takes the weekends off to celebrate Easter and Mother's day...no offense please, and we don't get to watch the best in the stock car (or any other form of racing for that matter) business battle it out at the race track.
Even though I watch the stock car race live each week, I do like to plug in the VCR and tape the sports event at the same time and save them for those Holiday weekends without a scheduled race. I save the most memorable ones.
Does anyone else do that?
One of the most memorable races for me was when Dale Earnhardt finally won that elusive Daytona 500.It's a moment in NASCAR history to watch over and over again.
Just seeing all those pit crew members line pit road and victory lane patting , shaking hands congratulating him and showing so much respect for the man we all loved to hate.
Another one for the memory books was a race I actually attended at the POCONO speedway.
Davey Allison got into one of those really scary car wrecks flipping end over end down the back stretch around the tunnel turn on the high speed flat track.
Boy,I miss those guys.
Anyway...that's how I get thru those weekends without Stock car coverage.
Any other race fanatics have a collection of memorable NASCAR races on their VCR?
How 'bout you ? .......Leave me your comments and have a HAPPY EASTER!!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Nascar Qualifying Rules/Top 35 starters
There's been a lot of buzz circulating around the stock car racing community lately about NASCAR qualifying rules and what some of the team owners may do with regard to getting their respective drivers into the starting line-up of upcoming races for the remainder of the NASCAR cup season.
Some stock car fans speculate that racing team owners that aren't in the top-35 in owner points at this stage of the season may in fact swap points with team mates in order to get all of their cars into the starting field of 43 race cars mandated by NASCAR.
Let's look at how the qualifying rules work.
NASCAR qualifying rules state that the top-35 in car owner points are guaranteed a starting position in any given race.The next 7 race cars with the fastest times on qualifying day would then be added to the starting line-up for that race.All 42 stock cars do have to make an attempt at qualifying speed for the day in order to determine it's starting position. A guaranteed qualifying spot doesn't mean that you will start in positions 1 thru 35. There are any number of scenarios besides the qualifying speed that determines a stock cars' actual starting position on race day; mechanical failures ,crashes and various other incidentals on qualifying day will have an effect on that particular race cars starting spot.
This leaves 1 provisional starting spot available for a past champion to join in the final qualifying position to complete the 43 car starting field for that race.
How did these qualifying rules come into being?
If we look at the past ; beginning around seasons 2003-2004 , a number of car owners would pick and choose which races to enter according to the purse that was being payed out by the race track.(in large part due to rising costs associated with fielding a race car and travel expenses for the race crew).
NASCAR had trouble filling the 43 car starting field with competitive stock cars for racing events and tracks that didn't pay large purses to the bottom finishing results.
On any given sunday race fans would see cars that were ill prepared for racing,run a dozen laps around the circuit,with no intention of doing any real racing and then simply pack up and go home so as not to wreck the car .
Thus, the advent of the 35 guaranteed starter qualifying rule.I don't think the number 35 was an arbitrary number.I'm sure NASCAR looked at numerous statistics and input from car owners to come up with that number in order to satisfy it's needs to provide quality entertainment for the race fan and the needs of car owners and their respective sponsorship obligations.
So now the question is:
Will race team owners swap points from car to car in order to guarantee a starting position in upcoming races?
Race car drivers and sponsors have come to be associated with specific car numbers, Why would the car owner risk running in a race, have a chance of crashing the race car and losing additional owner points associated with that team?Why would a sponsor even allow a driver to take that leap?And if you take into account the cumulative points at the end of the year needed to make the final CHASE ,I think it would be a huge mistake by the car owners.
Just one man's opinion. :)
What's your opinion? Leave a comment.
Some stock car fans speculate that racing team owners that aren't in the top-35 in owner points at this stage of the season may in fact swap points with team mates in order to get all of their cars into the starting field of 43 race cars mandated by NASCAR.
Let's look at how the qualifying rules work.
NASCAR qualifying rules state that the top-35 in car owner points are guaranteed a starting position in any given race.The next 7 race cars with the fastest times on qualifying day would then be added to the starting line-up for that race.All 42 stock cars do have to make an attempt at qualifying speed for the day in order to determine it's starting position. A guaranteed qualifying spot doesn't mean that you will start in positions 1 thru 35. There are any number of scenarios besides the qualifying speed that determines a stock cars' actual starting position on race day; mechanical failures ,crashes and various other incidentals on qualifying day will have an effect on that particular race cars starting spot.
This leaves 1 provisional starting spot available for a past champion to join in the final qualifying position to complete the 43 car starting field for that race.
How did these qualifying rules come into being?
If we look at the past ; beginning around seasons 2003-2004 , a number of car owners would pick and choose which races to enter according to the purse that was being payed out by the race track.(in large part due to rising costs associated with fielding a race car and travel expenses for the race crew).
NASCAR had trouble filling the 43 car starting field with competitive stock cars for racing events and tracks that didn't pay large purses to the bottom finishing results.
On any given sunday race fans would see cars that were ill prepared for racing,run a dozen laps around the circuit,with no intention of doing any real racing and then simply pack up and go home so as not to wreck the car .
Thus, the advent of the 35 guaranteed starter qualifying rule.I don't think the number 35 was an arbitrary number.I'm sure NASCAR looked at numerous statistics and input from car owners to come up with that number in order to satisfy it's needs to provide quality entertainment for the race fan and the needs of car owners and their respective sponsorship obligations.
So now the question is:
Will race team owners swap points from car to car in order to guarantee a starting position in upcoming races?
Race car drivers and sponsors have come to be associated with specific car numbers, Why would the car owner risk running in a race, have a chance of crashing the race car and losing additional owner points associated with that team?Why would a sponsor even allow a driver to take that leap?And if you take into account the cumulative points at the end of the year needed to make the final CHASE ,I think it would be a huge mistake by the car owners.
Just one man's opinion. :)
What's your opinion? Leave a comment.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Why we're StockCar Racing Fans...Bristol !!
One of the many reasons for being a race fan is because you can never guess the outcome of a race before the checkered flag has fallen and the stockcar race is in the record books.
The Nascar race at Bristol Motor Speedway was exciting to watch as the two and three wide (?)packs of stockcars struggled to gain position in the closing laps of the race .The only disappointing part of the race for me personally were the final results.Not because Jeff Burton won the race ;I like Jeff ,but because I'll admit to being a Tony (Smoke) Stewart fan and can't believe he was robbed once again at Bristol.You know the old saying it's not over until it's over.
Stewart dominated another spring Nascar race by leading more than 250 laps of the 500 total around the Bristol Motor Speedway, sometimes by as much as a 3 second advantage over the next closest competitor.Quite a feat on a short track. Aah....but as the saying goes the fastest race car doesn't always win the race; Tony Stewart 's Number 20 HomeDepot Toyota got wrecked after a brief caution with only three laps remaining in the race by non other than his good friend Kevin Harvick .
Harvick took on new tires under the yellow flag and when racing for a final green ,white checkered flag finish resumed ,Harvick got a bit over aggressive heading through the third turn and bottomed out his race car on the apron of the race track trying to get under Tony and slid up into Stewart taking him out of contention and leaving the door wide open for Kevin Hamlin's number 11 car thus allowing Tony's (Joe Gibbs Racing) teammate to duck under and take the led briefly just as he found himself having a fuel starvation problem with his stockcar and falling into the clutches of eventual winner Jeff Burton in the number 31 race car.
Is there some black cloud that looms over the Joe Gibbs teams at Bristol Tennessee?Tony Stewart has led the most laps at the track three years in a row and Kevin Hamlin has inherited the lead two years in a row only to experience a mechanical failure with the checkered flag within his sights with less than a lap remaining.Kind of reminds this race fan of the numerous times Dale Earnhardt Sr. struggled at the Daytona 500 after what seemed like a million times only to see that elusive prize stolen away.
What's your take on the Bristol race event? Leave me a comment.
The Nascar race at Bristol Motor Speedway was exciting to watch as the two and three wide (?)packs of stockcars struggled to gain position in the closing laps of the race .The only disappointing part of the race for me personally were the final results.Not because Jeff Burton won the race ;I like Jeff ,but because I'll admit to being a Tony (Smoke) Stewart fan and can't believe he was robbed once again at Bristol.You know the old saying it's not over until it's over.
Stewart dominated another spring Nascar race by leading more than 250 laps of the 500 total around the Bristol Motor Speedway, sometimes by as much as a 3 second advantage over the next closest competitor.Quite a feat on a short track. Aah....but as the saying goes the fastest race car doesn't always win the race; Tony Stewart 's Number 20 HomeDepot Toyota got wrecked after a brief caution with only three laps remaining in the race by non other than his good friend Kevin Harvick .
Harvick took on new tires under the yellow flag and when racing for a final green ,white checkered flag finish resumed ,Harvick got a bit over aggressive heading through the third turn and bottomed out his race car on the apron of the race track trying to get under Tony and slid up into Stewart taking him out of contention and leaving the door wide open for Kevin Hamlin's number 11 car thus allowing Tony's (Joe Gibbs Racing) teammate to duck under and take the led briefly just as he found himself having a fuel starvation problem with his stockcar and falling into the clutches of eventual winner Jeff Burton in the number 31 race car.
Is there some black cloud that looms over the Joe Gibbs teams at Bristol Tennessee?Tony Stewart has led the most laps at the track three years in a row and Kevin Hamlin has inherited the lead two years in a row only to experience a mechanical failure with the checkered flag within his sights with less than a lap remaining.Kind of reminds this race fan of the numerous times Dale Earnhardt Sr. struggled at the Daytona 500 after what seemed like a million times only to see that elusive prize stolen away.
What's your take on the Bristol race event? Leave me a comment.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Sex in a Race Car ?!
So, here I am reading an article about Chrissy Wallace and have to wonder if a female Nascar driver will ever rise above the fray.We've all seen attempts by the female sex take a run at auto racing's elite class by the likes of Shawna Robinson ,Erin Crocker and Patty Moise over recent years but yet to have seen any remarkable results.
My question : Is it the brain , the body or a little bit of both ?
Men and women are different, everyone knows that. But, aside from external anatomical and sexual differences, scientists know that there are many other subtle differences in the way the brains of men and women process information.
One of the most interesting differences appear in the way men and women estimate time, judge speed of things, carry out mental mathematical calculations, orient in space and visualize objects in three dimensions, etc. In all these tasks, women and men are strikingly different, This may account, scientists say, for the fact that there are many more male mathematicians, airplane pilots, bush guides, mechanical engineers, architects and race car drivers than female ones. (attribute:Renato M.E. Sabbatini, PhD )
So now we have scientific proof that the lady drivers do not see a race track environment the same way that the men do.
There are some important physiological differences between the sexes that can't be overlooked or overcome as well.
The female heart is smaller relative to body size than that of a male and produces 10% less oxygen carrying capacity to the blood stream thus their physical stamina is less than that of a male.
Here's the rub.
I realize that these ladies are reasonably successful on the short tracks on the Nascar circuit But,those races require only a few laps to cover the distance and not much change to the race tracks characteristics over a given period of time.So, once the chassis is set-up not many changes or communication with a crew chief is required.
Once the ladies try to wrestle around a heavy and many times obstinate Stock car for five hundred miles I don't think their physical stamina is really capable nor is their brain or cognitive skills up to the challenge of making the proper chassis adjustments to remain competitive for the distances necessary for a Nascar Cup race.
Sorry Girls :) ..Just one man's opinion.
What's you thoughts on the matter?
My question : Is it the brain , the body or a little bit of both ?
Men and women are different, everyone knows that. But, aside from external anatomical and sexual differences, scientists know that there are many other subtle differences in the way the brains of men and women process information.
One of the most interesting differences appear in the way men and women estimate time, judge speed of things, carry out mental mathematical calculations, orient in space and visualize objects in three dimensions, etc. In all these tasks, women and men are strikingly different, This may account, scientists say, for the fact that there are many more male mathematicians, airplane pilots, bush guides, mechanical engineers, architects and race car drivers than female ones. (attribute:Renato M.E. Sabbatini, PhD )
So now we have scientific proof that the lady drivers do not see a race track environment the same way that the men do.
There are some important physiological differences between the sexes that can't be overlooked or overcome as well.
The female heart is smaller relative to body size than that of a male and produces 10% less oxygen carrying capacity to the blood stream thus their physical stamina is less than that of a male.
Here's the rub.
I realize that these ladies are reasonably successful on the short tracks on the Nascar circuit But,those races require only a few laps to cover the distance and not much change to the race tracks characteristics over a given period of time.So, once the chassis is set-up not many changes or communication with a crew chief is required.
Once the ladies try to wrestle around a heavy and many times obstinate Stock car for five hundred miles I don't think their physical stamina is really capable nor is their brain or cognitive skills up to the challenge of making the proper chassis adjustments to remain competitive for the distances necessary for a Nascar Cup race.
Sorry Girls :) ..Just one man's opinion.
What's you thoughts on the matter?
Monday, March 10, 2008
Tony Stewart "Fires Goodyear Tire Co."
O.k..So Goodyear brings a lousy racing tire and the fans have to suffer along with every NASCAR driver on the Atlanta Motor Speedway.
The word of the day was Loose,Loose and more loose as Crew chief and drivers alike had to figure a way to hook-up at the Kobalt Tools 500.
With the average lap speeds down at least 8 miles per hour slower than in previous years ,We stock car racing fans got to watch the"Car of Tomorrow" slip sliding away all day long.What is amazing is that only one of the 43 starters of the race ended up crashing out.Elliot Sadler spun off the corner several times until finally wrecking the race car to end his day.
Despite finishing in second place behind eventual race winner and Gibbs racing team mate Kyle Busch,Tony Stewart would like to rid Nascar of Goodyear tires.Stewart says "Goodyear should be embarrassed" for bringing the racing tire that they did.
I'd have to agree with that assessment.This is not the first time drivers and racefans have had to deal with lousy racing due to a tire compound that was either too soft or too hard for the racing surface.
Do you remember when Hoosier Tire tried to enter the Nascar racing game?Those racing tires never gave out and provided plenty of grip for the drivers.
I can understand Nascar allowing only one tire provider per season because they want to keep the competition as close and exciting for the racing fan as possible however,this weekends race was a fiasco.
What is your thoughts on the subject?
The word of the day was Loose,Loose and more loose as Crew chief and drivers alike had to figure a way to hook-up at the Kobalt Tools 500.
With the average lap speeds down at least 8 miles per hour slower than in previous years ,We stock car racing fans got to watch the"Car of Tomorrow" slip sliding away all day long.What is amazing is that only one of the 43 starters of the race ended up crashing out.Elliot Sadler spun off the corner several times until finally wrecking the race car to end his day.
Despite finishing in second place behind eventual race winner and Gibbs racing team mate Kyle Busch,Tony Stewart would like to rid Nascar of Goodyear tires.Stewart says "Goodyear should be embarrassed" for bringing the racing tire that they did.
I'd have to agree with that assessment.This is not the first time drivers and racefans have had to deal with lousy racing due to a tire compound that was either too soft or too hard for the racing surface.
Do you remember when Hoosier Tire tried to enter the Nascar racing game?Those racing tires never gave out and provided plenty of grip for the drivers.
I can understand Nascar allowing only one tire provider per season because they want to keep the competition as close and exciting for the racing fan as possible however,this weekends race was a fiasco.
What is your thoughts on the subject?
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