Motor Mouths

Dale Jr. Back in The Groove!!

2007-08-06T15:10:00.001-04:00

What a weekend at Pocono! If Dale Jr. hadn't had the most mishandling car this side of the Alamo he would have won hands down. His Chevy was as loose as a goose for most of the race until his crew changed the shocks and made some other handling adjustments. Turned out to be the best finish for Junior in a year!! Dale Jr. on the comeback trail. The CHASE is gonna be really interesting.....I'm not a Jeff Gordon fan, but I'm hoping he wins it all this year.....what a way to cap the year. Jimmie Johnson helped himself yesterday with his top five finish. Maybe he won't slide off the map this season. I'd love to see Jimmie win it all as well. I just love this time of year.
On to Watkins Glen!

The Rock To Be Sold!

2007-06-21T16:09:00.000-04:00

Rockingham Track to Be Sold.......
The North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham will be put up for auction later this year, Speedway Motorsports Inc. confirmed on Thursday.
Here's the story from one of the best motorsports writers in the country, David Poole at the Charlotte Observer....

For sale: Track with rich NASCAR history, no races
Speedway Motorsports decides to put Rockingham facility on the auction block
By DAVID POOLE - The Charlotte Observer
Speedway Motorsports Inc. plans to sell North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham at auction, according to the Richmond County Daily Journal.
That newspaper reported today that Lowe’s Motor Speedway president and general manager H.A. “Humpy:” Wheeler sent a letter to Rockingham mayor Gene McLaurin last week informing him of the decision.
“I wanted to make you aware ahead of time that our company has made the decision to sell North Carolina Motor Speedway via an auction,” Wheeler wrote in the letter dated June 13.
The track was built in 1965. SMI purchased it in 2004 and moved its remaining Nextel Cup race date to Texas Motor Speedway.
“We regret we have to make this decision but we really have no other choice,” Wheeler’s letter said. “We have been unable to sell it and track rentals are simply not enough to keep the facility running.”
The track has been used as a testing facility and for other special events and movies since it lost its last Cup race.
McLaurin said he hopes whoever buys the track won’t tear down the race track. Jerry Gappens, a spokesman for SMI, said despite recent rumors to the contrary, no one has contacted SMI about using the track for any other type or racing.
Wheeler’s letter said that possibility has been explored.
“As I have stated in the past, we think it is unpractical for us to attempt other types of races there such as Busch or Craftsman Trucks,” Wheeler wrote. “We believe they too, as stand alone events, will be significantly unprofitable.”
No date has been set for the auction.

Will this signal the end of another fabled NASCAR track....I cry everytime I drive by North Wilkesboro as it sits collecting tumbleweeds and dust. Will Rockingham be bought by a developer and paved over for another strip shopping center?
What do you think?

COT takes off to Sonoma!!

2007-06-20T18:05:00.000-04:00

The Car of Tomorrow makes its debut turning right this weekend at Sonoma, California.

The original design of the Car of Tomorrow has
many characteristics of the current road course car,”
said Brett Bodine, NASCAR director of cost research.
“Particularly in the fact that both are more symmetric
than the oval track current cars.”

The new car has competed in six races this season,
all on ovals smaller than 1.366 miles. In five of those
six events, the margin of victory has been less than
one second.
The car will run a total of 16 races this season,
including four in the Race to the Chase and five in the
Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup. The COT will be running fulltime in "08.
So what do you think of the season so far? I'm fairly impressed with Hendrick. They have been unstoppable. I'd still love to see Jeff Gordon win another championship. Sure would be sweet for him and the new baby and wife.

Dale Jr. and Jeff Gordon Together!!

2007-06-13T15:15:00.000-04:00

Wow.....The big press conference was this morning at 11am and the rumors are now confirmed. Rick Hendrick will be adding a $100 million dollar addition to his gift shop. What with Dale Jr. joining the team, the merchandise sales will sail thru the roof. This is a major coup for Hendrick. He now will dominate the sport more than ever. He is officially becoming the New York Yankees of NASCAR. With Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Jr. together....it's like the three muskateers, well you get the picture....chances are, there will be many top five finishes for this team.
On the outside looking in, Kyle Busch. Seems to me the behavior Busch has exhibited hasn't helped his cause. He and his brother try so hard to be loved but they need to learn how to act before they do that. I think that's the major rub with a lot of fans. I hear an awful lot of boos for those boys and the sad fact is, they are loaded with talent. Hopefully Kyle will land with somebody who will help him get with the public relations program.
Kudos to Jr. Now I wonder if Budweiser will go back to the team they were with in the 90's? I hope so. It would be a marketing faux paux if they didn't. And the eternal question.....Will Teresa let the number 8 go with Jr. to Hendrick or will he be forced to change numbers???
Time will tell.
I sense a dynasty coming on........

Dover Rainout, But a Wonderful Weekend at Lowes!

2007-06-04T11:41:00.000-04:00

Well I had a pretty cool experience this past weekend. Before trying to watch what ended up as the rained out Dover race on TV in Concord....I took my sons Logan and Tyler, Ben and daughter Katie over to Lowe's Motor Speedway for a little tour. Funny thing is I've been inside that track about a million times over the past 30 years and my kids, who are avid race fans, had never seen it up close. I still haven't taken them to a race either, and need to get around to that. After covering races for decades for on radio and TV, it's kind of old hat for me and I guess I didn't realize how excited my kids would get about going to the track where Casey Mears won a week ago.
Well not only did I get pics of them standing outside turn four, but they were able to go in Victory Lane where the confetti from Mears win last week was still fresh. My son grabbed a baggie from the car and picked up a bunch of the confetti and a couple little checkered flags as souvenirs. Being a guy who's been in the media circus for years, you forget how big sports are to little kids. Makes me all the more proud that the majority of NASCAR drivers are fine examples and folks that generally can be looked up to and don't get into the kind of thug life that many other sports stars glamorize. I won't mention sports, we know which ones they are.
Kudos to NASCAR for still being the family sport it is! Another reason why I love racing so much!!
Racing at Dover on a Monday!! Whole lotta people gonna be taking the afternoon off work(or getting that mysterious Monday racing flu!!! I think I feel a couple coughs and a sore throat coming on....guess I need to go home and lie on the sofa in front of the TV for a while and see if I feel better!!

The Monster Mile is Upon Us!!

2007-05-31T15:13:00.000-04:00

The Monster Mile happens this weekend. The Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway marks the 13th race of the 36 race season. We're almost at the halfway point and Hendrick Motorsports still owns the series. An amazing year for Rick's teams.
Sunday's race will once again feature the COT (for those of you not familiar yet...that's Car of Tomorrow) This is the sixth race of the year with the COT. But drivers will have a unique challenge this week. Bad weather negated a test at Dover this year so everybody's sort of going into the weekend in the dark. Well sort of. Crew Chiefs will likely use data from the tests at Bristol, which if you'll remember was the first track to host the COT this year. And Dover has high banks just like the Bristol half-mile so set ups will probably be similar to what they were at Bristol. None the less, the lack of a test could pose some interesting questions for many crew chiefs as they prepare.
The race will be televised Sunday at 1:00pm on FOX 50 in Durham. Matt Kenseth is the defending champion and I think he could do well again. However I somehow get the feeling that Jeff Gordon is gonna groove to the front once again this week. I'm picking Tony Stewart to finish top five as well. He's due.
The Childress drivers should be strong as well.
Qualifying for the Monster Mile is slated for 3pm on Friday!
Let's go racin'!!!

Heavenly Harvick!!

2007-05-21T15:30:00.000-04:00

Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus....Kevin Harvick has never said much good about the NEXTEL CUP All Star race in the past but now he's got a million($$$)reasons to love the race after winning the race under the lights at Lowes Motor Speedway on Saturday night!!!

I'm proud of Childress Racing. The last year and a half has been incredible for this team. Crew Chief Todd Berrier and the rest of the guys at the shop in Welcome, NC have many reasons to be proud.....not the least of which is the combined efforts of every member on the team, in the shop and the drivers themselves. Kudos and may many more wins follow for the RCR Gang!!!

Winston-Salem Journal columnist and NASCAR dot com writer Joe Menzer has some other great news about Childress Racing here: http://www.nascar.com/2007/news/opinion/05/21/weekend.was.all.star/index.html

More to come...Stay tuned...and listen to Racing Today each weekday at 9:40am and 5:40pm on the NEW 99.9 Genuine Country!!!

Merchandise Mania!

2007-05-17T16:37:00.000-04:00

I've discovered the secret to selling lots of NASCAR merchandise. Tell people you're leaving your team at the end of the season. Of course it helps a whole lot if you're already the biggest name in the sport.
Dale Jr. merchandise sales have shot up 107 percent in the past week since he made the announcement about leaving DEI at the end of the season. People must be thinking resale on Ebay in about ten years. I mean ya gotta figure it'll be worth a lot. Dale drove the #8 for a long time. I imagine he'll change numbers with a new team but I'll bet the farm on the fact he keeps his main sponsors. So no worries there.
More detail on this story can be found at http://www.thatsracin.com/242/story/4295.html

The All-Star race is coming up Saturday night in Charlotte under the lights and I'm with Track President Humpy Wheeler.......Jimmie Johnson is gonna win this. I'm beginning to believe it's no coincidence that his sponsor is Lowes and the track has the same sponsor as well. Jimmie's got Lowes Motor Speedway dialed in.....and on top of that he drives for Hendrick Motorsports. They've won 8 of the 10 races so far. I don't see anybody stopping them this week.
Jeff Gordon will finish 2nd....
Kevin Harvick will rise from the ashes this weekend and do well!!
Just my two cents!!

Bombshell from Junior!!

2007-05-11T15:07:00.000-04:00

Well maybe it's not a bombshell, if you'll check the archives of this blog you'll see I predicted Dale Jr. would leave DEI....in fact it was many months ago when I said that he would either join Richard Childress Racing or form his own team. The prediction has now come true. Of course the big press conference yesterday in Mooresville, NC just confirmed what so many NASCAR fans have been able to discern for themselves. The Dale Jr./Teresa Earnhardt relationship has never been a bed of roses. Looks like Lil' E got tired of the thorns and is ready for greener pastures and more control of his future. Dale Jr. said he will wait to hear from "anybody who wants to talk" about bringing him to a differenct team. Do you think there are some salivating owners out there? Talk about a money machine. Dale Jr. single-handedly brings in more endorsement money and exposure, recognition and fan support than any other driver. Who wouldn't wanna have the sports most bankable star? You've have to have blinders on to not want this guy on your team. Details on the happenings coming up today at 5:40pm on Racing Today on 99.9 Genuine Country.
Meanwhile here's a link to a great article on fan speculation after Dale Jr.'s announcement yesterday http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?series=2&id=2866850

On to Darlington......
Predictions galore....
1.Jimmie Johnson
2. Denny Hamlin
3.Greg Biffle
4.Jeff Gordon
5. Kyle Busch....
That's my prediction for this Car of Tomorrow race....another Hendrick dominating performance....

Junior wants COT changed

2007-05-08T15:52:00.000-04:00

Well, Dale Jr. has spoken, question is, will NASCAR listen. I would think if the powers that be in NASCAR will listen to anyone, then Dale Jr., the single most marketable person in the sport would be the one.

Here's the scoop...................

CONCORD, N.C. — Dale Earnhardt Jr. has used his clout to get things changed in NASCAR before. His next target is the Car of Tomorrow. After struggling with the new-look car at Richmond International Raceway, Earnhardt Jr. called on NASCAR to make it easier to turn and handle.
"It's going to take some time to figure it out, but right now it's about the most frustrating thing I've had to deal with in this sport, and I've had to deal with some pretty frustrating things," Earnhardt said Monday.....
read the rest of the article here: http://www.wral.com/sports/nascar/story/1393109/

Congrats to Jimmie Johnson on the win at Richmond. I'm thinking before June, NASCAR officials will have to change the name of the series to Hendrick Cup Racing. Hendrick drivers have won seven of the past eight races....this is getting silly!!! Between Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, nobody else can win a race, especially in the Car of Tomorrow or as we affectionately call it now, the COT.

Darlington coming up this weekend. Coming up later this week a preview and a look at the silly season so far. Right now my bets are on Jeff Gordon to win it all. He ain't playing around anymore. I think he wants to pass Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough in victories before the year is out.

And P.S. Bobby Allison, one of the greatest drivers ever and a man who is revered at Talladega as much or more than Dale Sr.....said quote, "imbeciles" when referring to the fans who threw beer cans at Jeff Gordon last weekend when he won at Talledega and passed Dale's victory record. Cale Yarborough in a separate interview agreed. Those guys aren't afraid to speak their minds.

Richmond Primer and Weekend Preview!

2007-05-02T15:09:00.000-04:00

What a weekend for Jeff Gordon. Once again the Rainbow Warrior was a winner. This time passing Dale Earnhart Sr in victories. Way to go Jeff. The fans were a little disrespectful when they threw beer cans on the track at Talladega. I loved Dale Sr. In fact I grew up three miles from his house in Kannapolis and his cousins lived on my street(they always had the nice Chevys and houses) and I think he was a tremendous driver. But, Gordon deserves his due. He's amazing. He might not pass David Pearson, but he has moved into the upper echelon of NASCAR drivers now and for that he deserves respect and not disdain from fans...whether they like him or not.

News and Notes as we Head to Richmond....

Do you realize that Hendrick Motorsports cars have won six of nine races so far this season. Talk about dominance. Jimmie Johnson has three wins. Jeff Gordon, two and Kyle Busch one.

However, I think that dominance ends this weekend. Richmond is not the track for Gordon or Johnson. Both have struggled there. On the other hand, Kyle Busch has four top five finishes at Richmond in the last several years. Busch was runner-up last year and if any Hendrick driver is gonna win it, then I think it'll be him. With that said, I don't think he'll win it. Too many variables right now. I think this Saturday night belongs to Kasey Kahne. He's due. Plus, he's got one of the best records of any driver at Richmond. It's been 14 long races since a win for Kasey and I think given a bit of luck he will pull it off this weekend. Other contenders who look good at Richmond: Greg Biffle, his average running position at Richmond has been fourth. Denny Hamlin....he's currently fifth in points, a Virginia native and the home crowd could be his edge, as well as his knowledge of the track, plus Hamlin will be sporting a FedEx helmet that was designed for him by 11 year old Children's Hospital of Richmond patient Justin Griffith. It's the first helmet of the 11 that Hamlin will wear as part of the Fed Ex program, "Wear Your Heart on Your Helmet" program.
And finally could the winner be.......Ryan Newman....it's been 54 races since he's had a victory and he knows the Richmond track as well as anyone, and he's done well here.

Elliott Yamin, Richmond's own American Idol native son will perform the National Anthem prior to the Circuit City 250 presented by FUNAI NASCAR Busch Series race Friday night and will sing "God Bless America" before the Crown Royal presents the Jim Stewart 400 Saturday night!!!!

A bit of trivia....who set the standard for second year NASCAR drivers by winning the points championship in only his second year on the Winston Cup?
The answer coming tomorrow!! Think ya know....post your guess.

Right Place, Right Time for Jeff Gordon!!

2007-04-24T16:19:00.000-04:00

Congrats to Jeff Gordon on the big win at Phoenix this past Saturday night. He could do no wrong in that race. I was pulling for him because he, along with Dale Earnhardt, are two of the best drivers ever. His 76th victory surpassed Dale's total of 75 wins but Jeff gave kudos to Dale by taking a victory lap with the number three flag.
Way to go Jeff!! Quite an accomplishment!!!
Headed to Talledega this weekend! Gonna be a wild one!

Wild Weekend!!!

2007-04-18T11:42:00.000-04:00

Well once again Dale Jr. was about to win a race but once again he was wrecked!!! It's just dog-gone bad luck Dale's having. His car was far away the best this past weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.....but a Tony Stewart spinout and a Kyle Busch bumper tag and Dale was done. I feel for him. He deserves a win!! He's racing well. Just bad luck. I don't think Busch endeared himself to many fans.
How about that Jeff Burton. What a last lap pass over Matt Kenseth. I'm happy for Jeff and Childress racing. Childress has really come on strong in the past year. They are returning to the old glory days(like when Dale Sr. was driving the #3 for them)
This week it's Phoenix and another superspeedway!! I'm not a huge fan of this track but I've got a good feeling about Jeff Gordon. If he keeps his nose clean and stays away from engine trouble I believe this could be the week he finally ties Dale Sr. for victories at 76. Here's hoping the Rainbow Warrior gets over that hump and gets that win. It would put him in elite company!!
Look for Tony Stewart to pull it back together this week.
I like Carl Edwards at this track as well.
What has happened to Ryan Newman? It's like he's dropped off of the face of the earth. Just several years back he was winning poles and running really well and he's a non-factor now.
Same for Kevin Harvick this year. He's struggling!!

Is the Bump and Run Gone?

2007-04-03T09:23:00.000-04:00

Interesting development after this weekend's race at Martinsville. Another great finish. First Bristol, and then a fender to fender finish at the Mart. It was a great win for Jimmie Johnson, but I thought Jeff Gordon could have given him a bump and then passed him in the last turn. Does the Car of Tomorrow prevent the old bump and run manuever? I don't know, but maybe it does, because the front bumper is lower than the back. This is a legitimate concern , because the design of the new car won't allow Gordon(or any driver) to lift the car in front of him up and out of the way. That's the way it was done in the old days(pre-car of tomorrow) Gordon did it last summer at Chicago. Drivers are probably gonna have to change their tactics because the bumper heights are the same. Kind of makes the racing less exciting though. I think fans love the bump and run and should have the opportunity to see drivers knock a guy out the way to win it!! What do you think?

Let's Go To The Mart!!!

2007-03-30T16:27:00.000-04:00

Well the car of tomorrow sure got an ugly reception by drivers last weekend at Bristol didn't it? Winner Kyle Busch did not hesitate to voice his displeasure.
It is a pretty generic looking car for sure. But hey, safety is much better with this one.
TV ratings were down for Bristol as well. 17.7 percent lower than last year. That's not good. In fact television ratings for the first six races of 2007 are down. What's going on? I'd love to know the thoughts of the average NASCAR fan. Are you watching less of the races? Listening less on the radio?
I can tell you my passion is as much as ever. My boys and I are glued to the races when they're on but I know plenty of people who are indifferent because of the changes NASCAR has made in the past couple years. Are you one of them?
Let me know.

Thoughts
My pick to win at Martinsville is Jeff Gordon. This track belongs to him. Barring engine trouble I think Jeff, Kevin Harvick or Jeff Burton will take this race. Look for Tony Stewart to get a top five finish as well. I like Kasey Kahne at this track as well. I'd love Mark Martin if he was racing. I don't trust his fill-in driver to do quite as well. We'll see. Drivers are qualifying at the Mart as I write this now.
Tickets are still available for Sunday's race as well. Go to www.martinsvillespeedway for details. It's only about a two hour drive from the triangle, closer if you're in Durham or over towards Orange or Alamance County. It's a beautiful drive as well. I usually go I-40 west till I get to Exit 210, Hwy 68 in Greensboro. Then you just hang a right on 68 and go north. After you cross the Virginia line the road turns into Hwy. 220 and the rolling hills will lead you to the Mart on the right. It's about a 50 minute drive from Greensboro, once you turn right on Hwy. 68.
Have a great weekend!! The weather is gonna be superb across the triangle and at Martinsville.
Let's go racin'!!!

Bangin' At Bristol!

2007-03-22T15:55:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite NASCAR tracks this weekend. Rubbin' is racin' and there's no better place than Bristol(or Martinsville) for some good old fashioned racin' the way it was meant to be. Only problem is, points leader Mark Martin is staying true to his word. He's not racin' this weekend. Sort of makes me sad. The past four weeks have been some of the best of Mark's career, yet he's sticking to his decision to only race part-time. Kudos to him for keeping his word, but wouldn't it be cool to see him keep racing?

Thoughts and Opinions on the 2007
Silly Season
What has happened to Michael Waltrip this season? I'm sure NAPA isn't happy with him not making races. You can't give your sponsor face time on TV if you're not at the dance. Is he doing too much outside work(TV etc.) to concentrate on racing?

Tell me what you think of the Car of Tomorrow? It debuts this weekend at Bristol. I hear many drivers don't like it. I think it's a big step forward for safety, but it is definitely sort of homogenized. Just no originality in the design. All the cars are the same, with the exception of the grille design or the sponsor decals on the car. I don't think it's gonna sit too well with fans.

Juan Pablo Montoya is for real. This open wheel driver is gonna be a force to be reckoned with on the NASCAR circuit in years to come. He's got the goods. That top five finish at Atlanta was no fluke.

Atlanta was a disaster for Toyota. Do they need me to come in as a consultant. I've got a Sienna Minivan and a Corolla, so I know the product well. I could rev that minivan up and put some spoilers on it. Maybe I could just give the Toyota teams the animal crackers from the back seat of my Sienna. Everytime I eat them they give me the strength to merge on I-40 faster in rush hour traffic.
Toyota needs to get up to speed this year, because I hear that come 2008, one of the big Detroit automakers is gonna dramatically cut back on NASCAR involvement. This will be tough for the sport, but Toyota could fill the gap.

Could Clint Bowyer have a top ten points finish this year? He's looked good so far. He's currently ninth in points. I like this kid.

All eyes will be on rookie Regan Smith.....He's the points leader going into Bristol.('cause he's driving for Mark Martin and Ginn Racing)
Smith will be in the Car of Tomorrow and will he be able to keep the team at the top? We'll see. He's no Mark Martin. Gosh, I wish Mark would just keep driving!!!

NASCAR did you know?

2007-03-16T16:10:00.000-04:00

Did you know that if Jeff Gordon wins at Atlanta this Sunday he'll tie Dale Earnhardt Sr on the all time wins list with 76 victories?
The King "Richard Petty" has 200 wins. Somehow I don't think anyone will ever break that record.

Did you know that the best Toyota has been able to do so far this season is one top ten finish? We're talking seven drivers who are top notch. Dale Jarrett says the cars aren't handling well and downforce is a problem. Toyota has a long way to go to victory lane.

Did you know?
AT&T is suing NASCAR for the rights to change the logos on Jeff Burton's Cingular Chevy to AT&T. NASCAR doesn't wanna do it because Cingular(now AT&T is a competitor of NEXTEL. Yet, NEXTEL was just bought out by Sprint and Sprint is gonna change the name of the series to the Sprint Cup.
Are these telecom companies being a little uptight? Competition is good!! Let everybody put their logos on whatever they want, if they're paying money.

Did you know?
Some of NASCAR's biggest sponsors are based in the town we're racing at this weekend, Hotlanta, GA. Names like, AT&T, Home Depot, Aaron's Sales and Lease, Arbys, Coca-Cola, Georgia-Pacific, NAPA, Newell Rubbermaid and UPS.

Did you know how much it costs those companies who have primary sponsorships of NASCAR teams?
Try 12-20 million on the Cup circuit.
On the BUSCH circuit it's four to six million annually.
On the Truck series it's two to three million.
That's a lot of dough!!!!

Did you know?
NASCAR fans are three times as likely as other consumers to purchase products and services from sponsors of race teams.

Did you know that Jeff Gordon has posted his best points start since the 1998 season. The Rainbow Warrior of old is back!!! I think he's the man to beat this weekend at Atlanta. Look for Dale Jr. and Jimmie Johnson to be hot as well. Jeff Burton could sneak in a top three finish as well. Kasey Kahne won at Hotlanta last year.

Did you know?
Daryl Worley will sing the National Anthem on Sunday before the race.
Green flag drops at 2pm!
Let's go racin'!!!!!!!

Mark Martin is the Man!!

2007-03-12T17:45:00.000-04:00

Yeah, I know Jimmie Johnson won at Vegas on Sunday, his second in a row. And I'm happy because both my sons are huge Jimmie fans. But, did you see Mark Martin once again finish in the Top Five.
I just don't think Mark should retire. He's only driving part-time this year and will have another driver take over at Bristol. I think he should keep on keepin' on...he could win the points championship!!!
Maybe it's his switch to driving Chevrolets instead of Fords. Maybe it's his new team, Ginn Racing or just maybe fate has finally found Mark Martin and for the first time in his career he will win the Gold Watch. I love watching a veteran run well. And he's about the nicest guy "ever" on the circuit.

Ruminations, thoughts and opinions:

No more NEXTEL Cup. The Charlotte Observer reported on Sunday that it's as good as a done deal that Sprint will change the name next year to The Sprint Cup. Will this mean a driver has won two Winston Cup trophies, One NEXTEL Cup trophy and a Sprint Cup? Or win it be Six time Sprint Cup winner. That's the one thing that bothers me about changing the name. Whichever name it was called at the time should be what the winner's trophy is called. I know, it's trivial but maybe it's just a heritage thing.

I'm Back!!!

2007-03-01T14:34:00.000-05:00

Well I know I haven't posted since the season began, but it's for good reason...I've been recovering from surgery...for further details check my country music and life in NC blog at http://dallasreport.blogspot.com

Now.....I'm dually impressed with Kevin Harvick in these first two races. Daytona was unbelievable...that was an impressive win. I really wanted Mark Martin to win it because he's the perennial bridesmaid but he just didn't have the juice.
Harvick got such a big push on the last turn it was amazing!!! Way to go Childress Racing. Clint Bowyer and Jeff Burton were strong as well.

Now on to California....Kevin Harvick should have won this one. He was catching Matt Kenseth until the race was red flagged with only a few laps left. I think Harvick's blown front tire was probably from debris on the track from the wreck. Otherwise Harvick would have become the first driver since Jeff Gordon in 1997 to win the first two races of the season.
All in all the past two weeks have been impressive. I've enjoyed both of the first two races of the season and it looks like it's gonna be a good one.
At this point I'm really excited about the Car of Tomorrow debuting. It's all about more safety and after the horrific crash of rookie David Reutimann at California, it can't come soon enough. Reutimann said in an article in a California newspaper this week that "everything hurts, down to my eyeballs and my teeth." In my opinion it could have been tragic if not for the Hans device Reutimann was wearing, combined with the new safer barriers on the walls at California Motor Speedway. NASCAR has done a stellar job since the death of Dale Earnhardt in making the sport safer and the Car of Tomorrow is just another step in that direction..
For that I am grateful. It's still dangerous, but hopefully it'll help more drivers stay much safer in a sport that is all about the thrills and the chills.

Dale Jr. Comes Clean

2007-02-09T15:12:00.000-05:00

Well I knew it would happen eventually, but not before the season even started.
By now you've heard what Dale Jr. said at a press conference in Daytona yesterday. If not here's a link to the story....
http://http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Speed/Headlines/racHEAD05NEXT020907.htm

With that said, I knew it was coming. Dale Jr. wants to run things and own the company his dad built from the ground up. Like he said, his dad's been gone for six years now and it's time for him to take over. In my heart of hearts I think Dale Jr. resents Teresa because of how she took him away from his real mother when he was a kid. I think this has been a long time coming and now he's got it out the in open, finally.
And for the record, he deserves to run the company. He is the heir apparent and the next generation.....like Kyle Petty, Dale is from a long line of competitive, highly driven professionals. His dad paved the way for DEI by building a powerhouse career with Childress racing. Granted, Teresa has good business sense and helped build DEI, but she couldn't have done it at all without Dale Jr. and I for one think he could do the work required to run one of the biggest operations in motorsports....or at least hire the proper people to do it.
Now he also has brothers and sisters and they deserve part ownership as well.
Maybe the thing to do is give 25% to Dale Jr., 25% to his sister Kerry, 25% to his half-brother Kerry and 25% to Taylor Nicole(the daughter of Dale Sr. and Teresa) Or 20% to everybody...including Teresa....until shes ready to retire. That way, all have even rights on what to do with the company. Sort of like a company board and votes would determine decisions. It's a sticky situation and certainly not about the money. Dale Jr. has plenty of that and would continue to get more, with or without DEI. I still think there's a possibility he could drive for Richard Childress. Boy, that would be a coup. Childress already had a stellar 2006 and Kevin Harvick is a big defender of Dale Jr. I think Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton and Harvick all get along very well with Dale Jr. And of course Richard has been an Earnhardt family friend and co-worker forever.
Give it some thought Teresa, or you might regret what happens. Dale Jr. propped up DEI with his celebrity alone when they didn't have competitive cars. Now that the team is starting to hum, this is not what the organization needs.
Best of luck to all in what is a very delicate and tough situation.
Let's go to Daytona!!!

Kyle Petty Goes To the TV Booth!!

2007-02-07T17:41:00.000-05:00

In what could be a preview of the future for NASCAR driver Kyle Petty an announcement was made by Turner Sports today that Kyle will take a six week driving hiatus in the summer to provide on-track analysis for TNT's coverage of NASCAR NEXTEL CUP races.
Here's a blurb from the official release from TNT:

Kyle Petty, Bill Weber, Wally Dallenbach to comprise announcers booth for 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series on TNT
Turner Network Television (TNT) announced today a multi-year contract agreement with NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver Kyle Petty to serve as an analyst for the network’s NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race coverage. Petty will take a five-week hiatus as driver of the No. 45 Wells Fargo/Marathon/Tire Kingdom Dodge car for Petty Enterprises, marking the first time a Petty will not be behind the wheel in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series for an extended period of time since his grandfather, Lee Petty, raced in NASCAR’s Elite Series in 1949. Kyle Petty will join announcers Bill Weber (play-by-play) and Wally Dallenbach (analyst) for TNT’s six consecutive NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races in 2007, beginning on Sunday, June 10 from Pocono Raceway and concluding on July 15 from the Chicagoland Speedway. On Sunday, June 24, Petty will provide analysis from behind the wheel of his No. 45 Dodge throughout TNT’s coverage of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race live from Infineon Speedway in Sonoma, CA. Petty previously served as an analyst alongside Weber and Dallenbach in 2006 for five Busch Series races on TNT.

Kyle will be covering these races:

TNT’s 2007 Summer Six-Pack of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series racing:
June 10, Pocono Raceway (Pocono, PA)
June 17, Michigan Intl Speedway (Brooklyn, MI)
June 24, Infineon Raceway (Sonoma, CA)
July 1, New Hampshire International Speedway (Loudon, NH)
July 7, Daytona International Speedway (Daytona Beach, FL)
July 15, Chicagoland Speedway (Chicago, IL)

I think it's a perfect fit. Kyle's got an incredible personality. Plus he's very informative and can pretty much take over if there's dead air. In interviews I've done with him in the past, I've discovered that he is a ball of energy and is always on......
This will be great. I look forward to some good commentary from Kyle.
Remember Daytona is only weeks away on FOX 50 in Durham!! Tune in for qualifying coming up Saturday from 8pm till 10pm!!!

Fuel To The Earnhardt Fire

2007-01-24T15:55:00.000-05:00

Well leave it to ole' Kevin Harvick to throw gasoline on the DEI fire. Yesterday in the 2007 preseason media tour Harvick made the following quote about DEI head Teresa Earnhardt:

"It's hard when you have what I call a deadbeat owner that doesn't come to the racetrack," Harvick told reporters during a stop at Richard Childress Racing.
"You always see Richard Childress. You always see Chip Ganassi. All these owners, they all come to the racetrack. It's not just a money pit that somebody says, 'Well, I can make money off of Dale Jr. I can make money off of Dale Earnhardt.' " Read the rest of the article here: http://www.wral.com/sports/nascar/story/1177059/

Dale Jr. defended Teresa's actions but this does throw more speculation out there. Could Richard Childress be making a play at returning the Earnhardt name to Welcome, NC as a teammate of Kevin Harvick? Wow! What a story that would be. The place where Dale Earnhardt Sr. made his mark and Dale Jr. returning the glory. I see a possibility here if no contract can be worked out with DEI. Who knows, only time will tell. Interesting fodder for watercooler talk. Regardless, Childress Racing had a superb 2006 with all of its drivers and will continue that modus operandi in 2007.

Shocker! NASCAR changes rules again!!!

2007-01-22T17:14:00.000-05:00

Well friends they've done it again. NASCAR has changed the rules of the NEXTEL CUP points system. The top 12 drivers will get in the CHASE in 2007 and there will be more focus on winning races instead of just trying to finish in the top ten. Sounds good to me. More details can be found today at the soon to be revamped Turner South website www.nascar.com

For a quick assesment of what a difference the new system will make consider this:
Kasey Kahne started the Chase in 10th place last year but if the new system were in place Kahne would start first because he would receive additional points for his 5 victories. This is going to place much emphasis on winning races and could see drivers going a lot harder and not trying to lay back and stay out of wrecks late in races just to get the points. Could make things very interesting. It should produce harder racing and that's what it's all about.
What do you think?

Will Dale Jr. Fly the coop?

2007-01-12T16:09:00.000-05:00

A big press conference in Daytona earlier this week has the NASCAR world abuzz. With the 2007 season less than a month away, the talk is whether Dale Jr. will leave DEI or stay.
On Monday, Dale Jr. expressed what many have known for years. He and stepmom(and leader of DEI)Teresa Earnhardt don't really see eye to eye. I thought it was quite revealing when Dale Jr. said he feels the same way now as he felt about Teresa when he was six years old. You have to remember, this is not Dale's real mom and as a first grader he probably held some resentment in his mind towards her because his real mother was taken away from him when Dale Sr. divorced his first wife. The thing is, if Dale Jr. should leave DEI then the team would fall apart. Dale is the marketing muscle behind the entire organization.
No matter what Teresa thinks there's no way Dale Jr. can stop being a public personality and in my opinion a rock star..... I have seen it with my own eyes.
How do I know Dale Jr. is a rock star?

Back in 2005 my band played a corporate party for Lowes Home Improvement in Charlotte at Lowes Motor Speedway. It was a private deal for Lowes employees from across the southeast and their guests(about 5000 people were there) and many NASCAR drivers were in attendance. Even Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon did not get the cheers and crush of people that Dale Jr. got. I was amazed. The second Dale Jr. stepped on the stage the crowd pressed forward and cameras starting flashing like the Brown Mountain Lights. It was staggering to see and made me realize that Dale Jr. is a rock star. And Dale's stepmom said last month in the Wall Street Journal that he needs to decide whether he's gonna be a public personality or whether he's gonna drive a race car. Well I think from my experience he is a celebrity and nothing will change that. The question remains; Will this division between Dale Jr. and his step-mom be too great to overcome? And if Dale Jr. leaves DEI where will he go? Which team will he join? Or will he form his own team? He certainly could get the sponsors. Marketers know he is money in the bank!
Here's a link to the story on the Daytona press conference from Dale Jr.
http://www.thatsracin.com/mld/thatsracin/16412209.htm
What do you think?

The NASCAR 2007 Countdown is on!!!!

2007-01-02T15:11:00.000-05:00

The 2007 NASCAR season on FOX 50 is getting set to crank up and I'm already excited. Gonna be a blast!!
Some NASCAR drivers will be involved in the open wheel racing on January 27th with the 45th annual Rolex 24 Hour Race at Daytona. This is a grueling race and always fun to watch. The green flag drops at 12:3opm Sunday January 27 on FOX 50.
Then the granddaddy race week of them all....Daytona Speed Weeks kicks off on Saturday February 10 with the Budweiser Shootout at 8pm on FOX 50.
And the official first NEXTEL Cup points race of the 2007 season is Sunday February 18th.....the Daytona 500 at 2pm on FOX 50.....yeah baby!!!
By my count that's only 39 days away!!!
The countdown is on!!!!