Motorsports FanHouse

Keselowski Snags Nationwide Win as Sparks Fly Between Busch and Vickers

FanHouse Newswire — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 20:28:00 EST

Filed under: Brian Vickers, Kyle Busch, NASCAR Fights, Nationwide Series

BROOKLYN, Mich. (AP) -- Brian Vickers didn't see it coming. Brad Keselowski sure did.

With Vickers and Kyle Busch fighting it out on the final lap, Keselowski swooped in to grab the lead in the final turn and hold on to the Nationwide Series race Saturday at Michigan International Speedway.

"I knew they'd do what they did and that's why I was sitting there lurking,'' said Keselowski, a Michigan native. "The two of them together are a recipe for what you saw -- that's just putting it the way it is.''

Vickers finished second and Busch third, and they exchanged some heated words on pit road afterward.

More Coverage: See Race Results | Nationwide Series Standings

Busch said in a television interview that Vickers' tactics were "just stupid,'' and Vickers responded by saying that Busch came over to his car on pit road "crying like a little baby'' but ran off when Vickers offered to get out and "talk about it like men.''

It also was a rough afternoon for Carl Edwards, whose hopes of a championship in NASCAR's second-tier series took a hit when he crashed early.

"Man, just early in the race,'' he said, "and I probably should have been more cautious.''

After trading the lead for much of the race, Busch and Vickers pitted with most of the lead-lap cars after a caution with 20 laps to go. They lined up in the second row for the restart behind Justin Allgaier, who didn't pit, and Keselowski, who took only two tires, for a 12-lap dash to the finish.

Busch immediately took the lead when Vickers got hung up behind Allgaier, but Vickers came back to challenge and the two were side-by-side when another caution came out with 10 laps left.

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Brad Keselowski (88) does a burnout after winning the CARFAX 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., Saturday, Aug. 15, 2009. (AP Photo/Bob Brodbeck)

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ERIE, CO - AUGUST 15: Paulie Harraka, driver of the #12 NAPA Auto Care/Adaptive One Brakes Toyota, looks on in the garage during practice for the Toyota/NAPA 150 NASCAR Camping World Series West at the Colorado National Speedway on August 15, 2009 in Erie, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Paulie Harraka

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ERIE, CO - AUGUST 15: Blake Koch, driver of the #21 GodSpeaks.com Chevrolet, laps the track during practice for the Toyota/NAPA 150 NASCAR Camping World Series West at the Colorado National Speedway on August 15, 2009 in Erie, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Blake Koch

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ERIE, CO - AUGUST 15: Jason Bowles, driver of the #6 Sunrise Ford.com Ford, laps the track during practice for the Toyota/NAPA 150 NASCAR Camping World Series West at the Colorado National Speedway on August 15, 2009 in Erie, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Jason Bowles

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ERIE, CO - AUGUST 15: Jason Bowles, driver of the #6 Sunrise Ford.com Ford, looks on from behind the wheel in the garage during practice for the Toyota/NAPA 150 NASCAR Camping World Series West at the Colorado National Speedway on August 15, 2009 in Erie, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Jason Bowles

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ERIE, CO - AUGUST 15: Brett Thompson, driver of the #61 Rich Thompson Trucking Chevrolet, gets behind the wheel during practice for the Toyota/NAPA 150 NASCAR Camping World Series West at the Colorado National Speedway on August 15, 2009 in Erie, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Greg Pursley

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ERIE, CO - AUGUST 15: Eric Holmes, driver of the #20 NAPA Toyota, walks to his car for qualifying as he went on to win the pole position for the Toyota/NAPA 150 NASCAR Camping World Series West at the Colorado National Speedway on August 15, 2009 in Erie, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Eric Holmes

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ERIE, CO - AUGUST 15: Greg Pursley, driver of the #26 Gene Price Motorsports/Star Nursery Chevrolet, laps the track during practice for the Toyota/NAPA 150 NASCAR Camping World Series West at the Colorado National Speedway on August 15, 2009 in Erie, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Greg Pursley

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Vickers chose the outside lane on the final restart with seven laps to go and was poised to run away with the race. Busch caught back up and the two appeared ready to fight it out on the final lap when Keselowski came seemingly out of nowhere and passed them both.

Busch apparently bumped Vickers' car pulling onto pit road and the two exchanged words, but the confrontation didn't escalate. Then came a delightfully awkward news conference where they sat together and talked about one another while staring straight ahead.

"Ever since Richmond, I've had a trouble racing with (Vickers) so it's just another escalation of that,'' Busch said.

Busch criticized Vickers for not giving him enough room or paying attention to Keselowski.

"I knew (Keselowski) was coming and man, I was stuck,'' Busch said. "I didn't have anywhere to go.''

Vickers admitted he didn't know Keselowski was coming so quickly, but wasn't willing to entertain Busch's second-guessing.

"I race everybody the way they race me,'' Vickers said. "We were racing for the win. Kyle, if you want to be upset with that, I'm sorry. That's my job to try and win the race. If anyone else disagrees, if anyone else thinks I should have just rolled out of it and let Kyle win, please raise your hand. I'm fine. The only thing I'm upset with is how he handled it after the race. I'm sure we can get past that.''

The confrontation is unlikely to spill over into Sunday's Sprint Cup race, when Vickers will start from the pole and Busch will start near the back.

"He'll be up front tomorrow and I'll be in back, so we won't have anything,'' Busch said.

Both drivers then sped away on separate golf carts.

Keselowski admitted he probably wouldn't have won if Vickers and Busch had stayed single-file at the end.

"They didn't, so I guess it's irrelevant,'' Keselowski said.

It was a big moment for Keselowski, and up-and-coming talent who was thrilled to win a race in his home state and put on a pretty good show in the process.

"It was just good racing,'' said Keselowski, a native of Rochester Hills, Mich. "I sure hope everybody enjoyed it -- it's not very often you get a three-wide battle for a lead with one to go.''

The third-place finish put a slight damper on what has been a remarkable streak for Busch, who hadn't finished worse than second in his previous 10 Nationwide races. With Edwards' wreck Saturday, Busch now holds a commanding 339-point lead in the standings.

Edwards was uninjured in his early crash with Trevor Bayne, who managed to continue while Edwards took his damaged car to the garage.

Bayne, an 18-year-old driving for Michael Waltrip's team, was making only his ninth career Nationwide start but was second-fastest in qualifying earlier Saturday.

"It definitely looked like I didn't give Trevor enough room,'' Edwards said.

By CHRIS JENKINS, AP Sports Writer

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Keselowski Snags Nationwide Win as Sparks Fly Between Busch and Vickers originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 15 Aug 2009 20:28:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr., Casey Mears Earn Probation for Phoenix Incidents

Holly Cain — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 22:52:00 EST

Filed under: Casey Mears, Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR Fights

NASCAR placed Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Casey Mears on probation for six weeks - effective immediately - for post-race contact Saturday night at Phoenix International Raceway, ruling the two were guilty of "actions detrimental to stock car racing - hitting another competitor's car after the race had concluded.''

Mears' and Earnhardt's Chevrolets collided with 11 laps remaining in Saturday night's race in Phoenix sending Earnhardt from what looked like a strong finish to a 31st place effort instead. Earnhardt retaliated against Mears on the cool down lap after the race. And Mears responded by running into the rear of Earnhardt's car on pit road.

Initially NASCAR did not issue any penalties, but NASCAR Spokesman Ramsey Poston told the Associated Press late Tuesday officials changed their minds.

"We had a weekly competition meeting, we had a good discussion about it and we decided to put the drivers on probation so the situation did not escalate,'' Poston said.

The two drivers were teammates at Hendrick Motorsports last season. Mears now races for Richard Childress Racing, but both have struggled in the early going. The finish dropped Earnhardt three positions in the championship standings and he's now 19th - more than 100 points out of the 12th place, final Chase qualifying position. Mears finished 20th at Phoenix and actually moved up one spot to 22nd in the standings as the series moves to Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway this weekend.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., Casey Mears Earn Probation for Phoenix Incidents originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Tue, 21 Apr 2009 22:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Love, Carl' Spurs Edwards, Harvick Scuffle

Geoffrey Miller — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 23:59:00 EST

Filed under: Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, NASCAR Fights

Carl Edwards is a witty guy.

After causing a big wreck with 14 laps to go in last weekend's race at Talladega Superspeedway, Edwards took some heat from Kevin Harvick -- who told the NASCAR media that Edwards had no business racing up front after laying back the whole day.

Edwards wasn't too happy with Harvick, and apparently left a note that said "Kevin, Thanks for (expletive) me on TV - I was really trying to screw up everyone's day. Love, Carl." with Harvick's pilot after the Talladega race. We'll talk more about that in a moment.

In the meantime, things got more intense on Thursday at Lowe's Motor Speedway when Edwards approached Harvick in the Nationwide Series garage during practice. From ThatsRacin:

Witnesses said the incident started in the garage stall where Harvick's No. 33 Chevrolet was parked. Edwards had walked over from his area, two stalls down. The conversation appeared to start amicably, but soon heated words were exchanged, the witnesses said.

At one point, Harvick appeared to turn away from Edwards, who then reached for Harvick's shoulder, as if to turn him back around. Harvick responded by shoving Edwards, who landed on the No. 33 Chevrolet, denting the right-front section of the hood.

The confrontation ended quickly after Edwards had been placed in a headlock (a headlock! Awesome!) by Harvick's hauler driver and then the two were separated.
NASCAR is not taking any action on the incident, and I can't really blame them.

Combined with that, uh, little bit of controversy from the finish of Sunday's race and NASCAR's getting tons of media coverage for some stories that NASCAR has sorely liked.

Heck, what's not to like about Thursday's altercation? It's the resurgence of a once-volatile Kevin Harvick, we're getting more of a look at how aggressive Mr. Nice Guy Carl Edwards can be, and we're also seeing how sincere Edwards writes letters.

If I'm Edwards, I'm putting the words "Love, Carl" on my back bumper because you know every announcer in the world will be using that line when he makes a pass for the next year.

Oh, and there's a race this weekend, too.

'Love, Carl' Spurs Edwards, Harvick Scuffle originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 09 Oct 2008 23:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Truck Series Fist Slingin' Earns Penalties

Geoffrey Miller — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 09:56:00 EST

Filed under: NASCAR Fights, Craftsman Truck Series

I didn't get a chance to watch last weekend's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, but I certainly heard about the melee that took place after the race on pit road.

If you missed it, the tiff was a result of David Starr making contact with both Germain Racing Toyotas -- Todd Bodine and David Reutimann -- during the race. Tempers flared when Starr pulled to pit road after the event and both Germain pit crews surrounded his truck.

Bodine's crew chief Mike Hillman Sr. was apparently the ring leader of the whole brouhaha, and pulled Starr from his own truck which, naturally, got Starr -- a Texan -- pretty riled up. Starr started swinging (he appeared to connect on at least three shots) and everyone started scuffling. (Watch the video further down this post!)

In other words, it was an ending to a race that the Truck Series -- that's been somewhat struggling in 2008 due to a variety of reasons -- needed to gain some more exposure.

Unfortunately for the teams involved, it meant NASCAR penalties on Wednesday.

The biggest was a one-race suspension given to three crew members, including crew chief Hillman. A few other ticky-tacky monetary fines were handed out as well as probation for all three teams.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway -- the site of the Truck Series' next race on Saturday night -- wasn't lost on the action and decided to turn this rumble into a promo opportunity for the track by inviting the teams involved to "settle the score" with a tug-o-war in the infield prior to the race this weekend.

A little lame? Perhaps. But who knows, it might just turn into a tug-o-war gone bad and we'll end up with another controversey that spills on to the infield grass. It may be a little less than classy, but hey, hockey can do it, right?

Now for the video:

Truck Series Fist Slingin' Earns Penalties originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 18 Sep 2008 09:56:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tony Stewart: NASCAR's New One Man Show

Geoffrey Miller — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 23:32:00 EST

Filed under: Tony Stewart, NASCAR Fights, Sprint Cup

Tony Stewart finished second in Sunday's Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway, and if you believe what he says, he did it all on his own.

Yep, Tony Stewart -- by himself -- managed to get the No. 20 Home Depot car from the Joe Gibbs Racing shop in North Carolina all the way to Richmond, where he countered not only stiff competition on-track, but a Tropical Storm that blew through the area.

Sounds a little too good to be true, doesn't it?

As race fans found out thanks to ESPN picking up on Stewart's post-race in-car radio tantrum, Stewart apparently had convinced himself that he had been the sole provider for the team-'s Top-5 finish. Crew chief Greg Zipadelli, who likely is going to be quite relieved to deal with young gun Joey Logano in 2009, ripped Stewart back, as well.

The words:

Stewart: "Good job there, guys, we gave another one away today. Great job.

Zipadelli: "10-4. Great attitude there, Smoke. We stalled it a couple times on pit road there and gave up a spot. We win and lose as a team. It was a great effort, okay? Enough of that [expletive]."

Stewart: "The difference is, I got it back."

Nothing further was said after that very, very sour ending.

I get that Stewart is ready to win. I get that he's getting frustrated. I get that he's likely mad he blew the race by challenging Johnson so early and for so long on the bottom.

But man, has he really forgot about everything that the No. 20 team, Zipadelli, and the rest of the Joe Gibbs Racing organization has done for his career? Two championships aren't enough, Smoke?

Getting into the Chase and seeming to have a pretty doggone good car for the 10-race stretch doesn't work?

If this No. 20 team implodes from here on out, I won't be surprised. And when it does, there's only one person who the finger-pointing can go back to as to who really let the team down, despite promising to run full-throttle for the rest of his 2008 victory lap with JGR.

And his name is Tony Stewart.

Tony Stewart: NASCAR's New One Man Show originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Mon, 08 Sep 2008 23:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Busch, Edwards Feud Earns Probation

Geoffrey Miller — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:49:00 EST

Filed under: Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, NASCAR Fights, Sprint Cup

NASCAR had to rain on its own parade, but thankfully they didn't induce a downpour.

The sanctioning body placed Sprint Cup point leader Kyle Busch and last Saturday night's winner Carl Edwards on probation Wednesday morning for their post-race antics following the Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway:

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 27, 2008) - NASCAR announced today that it has placed Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards on probation for the next six races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, as a result of their on-track incident last Saturday at the conclusion of the race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Busch, driver of the No. 18 car and Edwards, driver of the No. 99 car, both violated Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing; hitting another competitor's car after the race had concluded) of the 2008 NASCAR rule book.

The probation takes effect beginning with this weekend's event at Auto Club Speedway.

Prior to 2008, the typical penalty for such post-race encounters included a monetary fine and seemed much steeper, but this penalty falls more in line with NASCAR's pledge from the beginning of the season to let the rough side drag a little more in the sport.

And can you blame them? The biggest news from Bristol was Busch & Edwards, not anything else.

It's been a long while since NASCAR has had a quality rivalry, and as these two drivers have sparred for wins in the past few weeks, one has definitely developed. A big part of that creation was the Bristol post-race bump between the two.

Of course, you can't forget either that this rivalry is deeper than a personal thing, as it's also about each driver winning his first Sprint Cup championship. That, my friends, is exactly why this brew of intensity and verbal lashings between the two is going to make the rest of the NASCAR season fun.

And this six-week probation thing? It merely looks like a formality.

Sounds good to me.

Busch, Edwards Feud Earns Probation originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stewart Reportedly Shoves USAC Official

Geoffrey Miller — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:10:00 EST

Filed under: Tony Stewart, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, NASCAR Fights, Other Racing Series, Sprint Cup, Joe Gibbs Racing

Tony Stewart may have been announcing his new car with Stewart-Haas Racing Friday morning at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but his actions Thursday night at O'Reilly Raceway Park might become a bigger story later this weekend.

Stewart, according to many online reports and at least a handful of NASCAR beat writers Friday morning at IMS, first knocked a radio headset off the head of a USAC (United States Auto Club) official and then shoved him during a pit road confrontation at ORP.

From the Anderson (Ind.) Herald Bulletin:

Stewart, the two-time Sprint Cup champion, owns the midget cars of Tracy Hines and Levi Jones. Hines entered Thursday's race as the points leader and was running in the top four when he brushed the outside wall on a restart on the eighth circuit

Hines' crew attempted to change a right rear flat tire and get Hines back into the race before another restart. As the crew pushed the car to the front of the straightaway, a USAC official indicated they were too late.

That brought Stewart down pit lane to voice his displeasure with the decision. Stewart's actions first knocked the headset from the official's head, and he then shoved the official.

It was unknown if USAC officials would issue any penalties against Stewart.

Stewart, as the article states, was at ORP watching his two midget cars race in the Toyota Challenge Racing Classic when the confrontation occurred.

NASCARs New Bad Boys

The late Dale Earnhardt Sr. may forever be "The Intimidator," but a new generation of drivers are building a case to be named among NASCAR's bad boys. Meet 10 young guns who are making a name for themselves through a series of collisions with the media, fans and fellow drivers.

Getty Images (4)

10. Dario Franchitti: Franchitti has had limited action in NASCAR's top-tier Sprint Cup Series, but the star came in with a ton of hype thanks to his 2007 Indy 500 victory, his wife Ashley Judd, and one of the best stories of the offseason -- he chased down an intruder in only his boxers.

Rusty Jarrett, Getty Images for NASCAR

9. Kasey Kahne: Don't be fooled by Kahne's boyish good looks and
mild-mannered attitude. The No. 9 driver got into a physical confrontation with a security guard last year which ended with the guard on the pavement and left Kahne with one charge of misdemeanor battery.

8. Juan Pablo Montoya: Juan Pablo Montoya is arguably one of the best open-wheel drivers of his generation, but he's gaining a reputation in NASCAR for "lowdown, nasty, dirty driving." He spun teammate and then-race leader Scott Pruett in last year's Telcel-Motorola 200.

Todd Warshaw, Getty Images

7. Denny Hamlin: While many could look past Hamlin publicly calling out crew members, no one could look past his recent incident with one of the most respected names in NASCAR. After crashing Kyle Petty last year at Dover, Hamlin's post-race comments left many NASCAR fans with a bad taste.

Todd Warshaw, Getty Images

6. Carl Edwards: Edwards may seem composed, but a more sinister side lurks beneath the star. One of the newest bullies has drawn the ire of NASCAR officials, threatened to make Tony Stewart bleed at Pocono in 2006, and faked a punch at teammate Matt Kenseth after the Subway 500 last year.

Marc Serota, NASCAR / Getty Images

5. Kevin Harvick: Harvick is no stranger to spats with angry drivers. He's considered by many to be NASCAR's most volatile driver due to his reckless driving style and bitter criticism of competitors. He was the first driver in NASCAR history to be suspended for a race in 2002.

Rick Havner, AP

4. Kurt Busch: The elder Busch has had confrontations with drivers, his former boss and even with a sheriff's deputy. His penchant for feuds began in 2003, when he instigated a fight with Jimmy Spencer, and he recently got into a physical altercation with Tony Stewart at Daytona.

Jason Smith, Getty Images

3. Robby Gordon: Gordon has established himself as one of NASCAR's most controversial figures over the years because of incidents that range from slamming his helmet at Michael Waltrip's car in 2005 to throwing debris onto the track in 2006, which resulted in chaos for drivers and a 50-point penalty.

Todd Warshaw, NASCAR / Getty Images

2. Kyle Busch: Kyle Busch's driving style has been called reckless, yet outstanding. NASCAR's Public Enemy No. 1 tried to pull a daring three-wide move on his older brother at last year's All-Star Challenge which sent both cars into the wall. The two didn't talk to each other for four days.

Jerry Markland, NASCAR / Getty Images

This season, we've seen a different side of Stewart that has been filled with nothing but a calm demeanor, but it appears that a level of immaturity still exists within Sprint Cup's newest team member.

On Friday afternoon, Stewart admitted to having an "altercation" with the official to the NASCAR Scene:

"When you're sitting there and you've got your corporate sponsors there and you've got a car on the race track and it's sitting on pit lane and they can't get a push truck to it, you're supporting your guys and your team that worked hard on that car trying to get it back out," he said in explaining his role in the altercation.

I don't know if I buy that explanation from Ol' Smoke.

I understand being frustrated, and I understand being upset. But that should never, ever result in physical contact -- as it has multiple times with Tony.

It is what it is, I suppose, and there's nothing we can do about it now. But really, when is Tony going to learn that it's not OK to put your hands on someone else in a violent manner?

Stewart Reportedly Shoves USAC Official originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Montoya Unleashes on Kyle Busch

Geoffrey Miller — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 18:33:00 EST

Filed under: Juan Montoya, Joe Gibbs Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing, NASCAR Crashes, NASCAR Fights, Kyle Busch, Sprint Cup

Juan Pablo Montoya's brutal honesty is so, so refreshing.

Following Sunday's Lenox 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, JPM fully admitted that he intentionally spun Sprint Cup point leader Kyle Busch late in the event under caution after the two had bumped on track. Before we go any further, watch below at 0:46:

As you can see, the discontent among the two began when Busch drove JPM up the hill in turn one. The two continued to make contact down the backstretch and when the caution came out for the crash between Clint Bowyer and Sam Hornish Jr., Busch banged into Montoya's drivers side.

That was enough to break Montoya's last straw.

He then turned his No. 42 into the right-rear of Busch's No. 18 Toyota. As Busch slammed on the brakes to avoid the wall, his car fishtailed back to the left, catching Montoya's rear wheel and spinning the No. 42.

The incident left Busch with a 25th-place finish and Montoya in 32nd.

Following the race, TNT caught up with both drivers, with Montoya offering the best comments after the wreck:

"It gets to a point where it's too much," said Montoya. "I thought we had a decent car today and I don't appreciate when people wreck me like that."

TNT's Marty Snyder then asked if he had intentionally spun Busch, to which Montoya replied "Well, yeah. The same way he did to me."

In other words, JPM might be the first NASCAR driver in a decade to actually admit to wrecking someone.

Kyle Busch wasn't too happy about it:

"I don't know what his beef is, but NASCAR should probably fix it," said Busch.

Pot calling the kettle black, anyone?

Video: Montoya Unleashes on Kyle Busch originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 29 Jun 2008 18:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Add Ron Hornaday to Kyle Busch's Enemies

Geoffrey Miller — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:15:00 EST

Filed under: NASCAR Fights, Craftsman Truck Series, Kyle Busch

Sprint Cup driver Kevin Harvick owns the Craftsman Truck Series truck raced by Ron Hornaday.

Saturday afternoon at Michigan International Speedway, they were both on the same page in doing one thing: hating on Kyle Busch.

Busch drove into the left-rear of Hornaday in turn one on the final lap of the 200-lap CTS event won by Erik Darnell, knocking the CTS point leader into a spin and out of a top-10 finish. That set both driver and owner off, as they chased Busch through the garage area and had a heated discussion. Harvick and Busch later talked to the media:

"He just drove into me because he got mad because I took us four wide and passed him cleanly," Hornaday said. "Halfway through the race, he showed me he was upset because he lifted the back of the truck up. If he is going to race that way, that is pretty chicken. He doesn't deserve to be a racer.

"He has a lot of talent, but that is just flat stupid. ... I don't knock any other driver, but I will tell you what, that kid has just about done wore me out. I don't know if I have to give up this championship to teach him a lesson. I hope I don't hurt him because, if Joe Gibbs lets him do this, I am ashamed for them."

Busch, who got started on another weekend tripleheader with a seventh-place finish, said the bump wasn't payback for an incident this year in Charlotte.

"I just got into him. Sorry about that," Busch said before Saturday night's Nationwide Series race at Kentucky Speedway. "But remarks from Harvick and Hornaday are what they're going to be, they're big mouths anyway and so we'll take it and get on with it and hopefully beat them out for this championship."

Yes, consider them both fully initiated as members of the Kyle Busch enemy list.

At what point does Harvick either do the deed himself or hire Hornaday to race in the Sprint Cup Series with the intent of knocking Busch out of the race?

Maybe, just maybe, Busch having some precious points taken away in the championship chase because of a wreck -- just like he did to Hornaday -- could open his eyes just enough to see that other people are racing for wins and championships, too.

Add Ron Hornaday to Kyle Busch's Enemies originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kyle Just Being Kyle After N'Wide Crash

Geoffrey Miller — Sat, 31 May 2008 23:59:00 EST

Filed under: NASCAR Fights, Kyle Busch, Nationwide Series

If you were able to make it through Saturday's rain-delayed coverage of the Nationwide Series Heluva Good! 200 at Dover International Raceway, I commend you.

More importantly, if you made it you were treated to another episode of "Reasons Why Fans Hate Kyle Busch".

Busch, as is usual these days in any of NASCAR's divisions, found himself out front for 68 laps of the event, and with 31 laps to go, was battling back through the pack to get back to the lead. With 30 laps to go, he was no longer battling.

Heading in to turns 1 & 2 on a restart, Busch got spun and slammed into the wall by fellow Braun Racing driver Jason Leffler, who got loose underneath Busch. Busch's day was done, but his quote-giving abilities were not.

"I just have a teammate that can't stand to be No. 2," Busch said. "I don't know what Leffler was thinking there."

ESPN's Dave Burns then asked if Leffler "shouldn't have been racing as close" to Busch.

"Duhhh," said Busch. "You get air pulled off the side of you and you wreck. It's just not responsible driving."

There seems to be an oxymoron in there somewhere for Kyle Busch to be talking about "responsible driving." For the full effect of Busch's "Duh", check the video over on Youtube.

Leffler did apologize for the accident later, but I find it tough to really place blame on a guy who was on the inside of a someone passing him on the outside. Leffler got loose and lost it, plain and simple.

Denny Hamlin won the event that had a grand total of 5 lead changes, marking the 9th-straight victory in the Nationwide Series by somebody employed by Joe Gibbs Racing. One lap wasn't led by Hamlin or Busch in the race.

Yawn.

Kyle Just Being Kyle After N'Wide Crash originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 31 May 2008 23:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Live From Lowes: Denny Hamlin, JR Motorsports Snarl As Kyle Busch Wins Again

Geoffrey Miller — Sun, 25 May 2008 07:30:00 EST

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joe Gibbs Racing, Lowes Motor Speedway, NASCAR Fights, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Nationwide Series

Geoffrey Miller is in Concord, N.C. for Sunday's Sprint Cup Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. He'll aim to eat as many elephant ears as possible while blogging away "Live from Lowe's" throughout Memorial Day weekend.

What a night it was here Saturday in Concord, N.C.

Kyle Busch scored the victory in one of the most entertaining Nationwide Series races at Lowe's Motor Speedway I've seen. Busch's ninth total NASCAR win in 2008, though, wasn't exactly the top memory.

Instead, it was Denny Hamlin taking on two-thirds of the JR Motorsports contingent present for the event.

You can read more into at the Associated Press piece, but the gist of the happenings was that Brad Keselowski gave Hamlin a little tap under the yellow from behind to let Hamlin know he was there, Hamlin slowed and swerved into Keselowski's left front fender bending it in, and then Dale Earnhardt Jr. then stood up for the car he owns (Keselowski) and bumped Hamlin in the door.

Busch ran first with those three behind him and appeared to be in danger of getting beat in the final two-lap green flag finish until a caution came out on the final lap before the teams could enter turn three. Instead, he held on.

When the cars came to a stop after the race on pit road, there was plenty of pushing and shoving and NASCAR officials trying to maintain order. It was as close to an all-out brawl as you can get, but tempers evantually settled, allowing for some tremendous quotes.

Said Hamlin, referring to Keselowski's actions:

"You throw a rock, I'm going to throw a concrete block back," Hamlin said.

Keselowski then said:

"We raced hard and that's what racing is," Keselowski said. "He doesn't like when guys race him hard? Well, that's the sport and that's what I do."

And finally, the owner-minded Earnhardt Jr. wasn't too pleased.

"Brad bumped him in the back just a little bit under caution, and Denny knocked the fender off his car," Earnhardt said. "I'm not happy about that, but it hurt Brad's chances of having a good run. It just tore his fender up. I mean, it wasn't no excuse in it."

To make matters worse? Keselowski and Hamlin had to sit in the media center, one seat apart from one another to be interviewed. Tense moments, I'd say, as a NASCAR official stood guard in case anything broke out.

Both teams were called to the NASCAR hauler after completion of the media obligations, and if I were NASCAR, I'd be handing significant penalties in the form "Hey, Great Job!" and plenty of slaps on the back to both teams.

Was Hamlin an idiot for running into Keselowski? You bet. Did Keselowski have the intent of wrecking Hamlin on the restart? Probably. Do NASCAR fans love this stuff -- the characters and the controversy?

For sure.

Needless to say, if Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 can provide half the late-race drama this one did (can you imagine what happens if Hamlin and Busch can race for the win provided there was no race-ending yellow?) it's going to be a fantastic race.

Saturday night was right for fighting, and I hope Sunday is, too.

Live From Lowes: Denny Hamlin, JR Motorsports Snarl As Kyle Busch Wins Again originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 25 May 2008 07:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Grandma Brings Kurt, Kyle Busch Closer

Geoffrey Miller — Fri, 16 May 2008 23:55:00 EST

Filed under: Kurt Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing, Penske Racing, Lowes Motor Speedway, NASCAR Fights, Kyle Busch, Sprint Cup

(Note: The picture on the right is from 2004. Yes, it freaks me out too. Thank you, Getty Images.)

If you remember back to one year ago, Kurt and Kyle Busch weren't exactly the happiest set of brothers in the NASCAR garage.

That's generally what happens -- brothers or not -- when you wreck each other while racing for $1 million. I will give credit where credit is due, of course, and say that Kurt Busch easily had one of the best lines of all of 2007 when he said "I definitely won't be eating any Kellogg's any time soon."

Since then, though, the relationship in the family between the two hasn't been the greatest. For much of 2007, a quote from one or the other came out about how they weren't talking or hadn't discussed things.

In other words, they just didn't want to kiss and make up.

Then Grandma stepped in:

Kyle said the two made amends after their grandmother asked them to work out their differences for the Christmas holiday.

"It was a little edgy to begin with because that was about the first time we'd ever sat down together," Kyle said of Christmas dinner.

"The more it kind of went, the more it kind of got back to normal and friendly and whatever. By the end of the night we were playing games and everything anyway."

Well isn't that just ... precious.

I'm glad that Grandma got her wish and all in the Busch family, and that Kurt and Kyle can handle playing cards together, but that makes for zero fun on the race track.

I'm all for the brotherly love off the track, but come on guys, make sure you spice up the night a little bit this weekend for the Sprint All-Star Race XXIV. On the track should be totally different.

Grandma Brings Kurt, Kyle Busch Closer originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 16 May 2008 23:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is Jack Roush Defining Irrelevance?

Geoffrey Miller — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 02:25:00 EST

Filed under: Roush Fenway Racing, NASCAR Fights, Sprint Cup

Does anyone really care what Jack Roush has to say anymore? Or has the "irrelevant" tag finally landed squarely on his shoulders?

Honestly, at this point, if Jack Roush -- owner of Roush Fenway Racing -- were to be illustrated in a comic book, he'd be the guy with the bubble over his head saying "Toyota did this" or "I hate Toyota" or "My teams can't beat Toyota, so I bring up other issues". In other words, the guy that the good guy would destroy at the end.

But Geoffrey, why the hate towards ol' Jack?

Friday afternoon at Martinsville Speedway, Roush decided to head down that "Toyota is ending the world as we know it" path -- again -- to respond to a story that quoted him earlier this week talking about a part that Toyota either stole or mistakenly took, depending on who you talk to.

The part in question, according to Roush, was a sway bar that had proprietary designs to it made exclusively for RFR. Somehow, it disappeared during last fall's Sprint Cup event in Dover.

The culprit? A Toyota team that Roush wouldn't identify. Michael Waltrip, though, would later take responsibility, saying that it was a "mistake" and that his team called Roush and promptly returned it.

That being said, Roush tells a little bit different story -- like a person trying to drum up support against someone else would -- and has tried to persuade NASCAR to get involved in reprimanding the team (MWR) in question.
NASCAR's Robin Pemberton responded later Friday with some quotes that firmly stated NASCAR will not get involved and that its a team issue, not a sport issue.

And because of that, Roush is threatening legal action, including a restraining order, to keep MWR or other Toyota teams from using the part's design.

So let me take a step back real quick.

1) This happened in 2007.
2) NASCAR doesn't care.
3) The part was returned
4) MWR still isn't that fast
5) Jack Roush has a long, long history of hating Toyota

Does anyone else smell the sour grapes?

Was there some advantage that might have been gained by MWR and Toyota for having the part? Sure.

Is it a sign that this really isn't that big of a deal in that NASCAR isn't doing anything about? I'd like to think I'm not too far off.

Does Jack Roush have a solid case, or should he just shut up and race? I'd say both. Stealing is bad -- they taught me that a long, long time ago at Little Bear pre-school. But being a habitual tattle-tale doesn't do much for the soul either.

Until Jack Roush can prove to the NASCAR world that this part really will mean the difference between winning and losing week in and week out, I can't take this seriously, especially given the fact that it was originally brought up after one of the RFR No. 99 team got caught cheating with one of sport's oldest tricks.

The "well, he did THIS!" complex just isn't that compelling when it comes to high-level auto racing.

Get rid of the bias, tell a straight story, and lay out the exact facts and maybe Jack Roush might have something here. But until that point, I can't help but laugh at the now nearly-weekly Toyota bashing that Roush likes to throw around.

Is Jack Roush Defining Irrelevance? originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 29 Mar 2008 02:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crash Video of the Week: Pre-Martinsville

Geoffrey Miller — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 22:20:00 EST

Filed under: Tony Stewart, Joe Gibbs Racing, NASCAR Crashes, NASCAR Fights, NASCAR Videos, Yates Racing, Sprint Cup

Due to the fact that Sprint Cup Series was off last weekend for Easter, the Fanhouse is digging deep for some past highlights from Martinsville Speedway, site of this Sunday's Goody's Cool Orange 500.

In this one from 1999, Tony Stewart and the late Kenny Irwin have their share of run-ins on the half-mile paper clip. Apologies in advance for the European broadcast commentary, I couldn't find the ESPN version.

The conflict got started early in the day when Stewart spun out Irwin in turn 4.

Tony would later call that a mistake, and with good reason.

Stewart then more deliberately took out Irwin after the black No. 28 scooted up in front of his No. 20, and that really got things going bad between the two former open-wheel rivals. Irwin, fed up with being wrecked twice, soon caught up to Stewart again and flat out dumped the No. 20 into the turn 1 wall.

Irwin's reward? Stewart got out of his wrecked Pontiac, gestured at Irwin, and then threw his two heat shields at the No. 28.

The No. 20, though, was done for the day after starting a fight he couldn't quite finish.

The entire incident was a continuation of the feuds that the two had racing in open-wheel cars throughout the Midwest, and showed just how well that relationship had improved.

Ahh... the yesteryears of NASCAR.

Crash Video of the Week: Pre-Martinsville originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 26 Mar 2008 22:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Did Tony Stewart Punch Kurt Busch?

Geoffrey Miller — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 20:03:00 EST

Filed under: Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing, Penske Racing, Daytona Int'l Speedway, NASCAR Fights, Sprint Cup

Check out all of the NASCAR Fanhouse Daytona Speedweeks Coverage.

Friday night's Budweiser Shootout practice at Daytona International Speedway was action-packed, but what happened off the track may be a bigger story.

Tony Stewart, according to multiple sources, punched fellow driver Kurt Busch in front of NASCAR officials in the NASCAR hauler.

The two had been involved in an on-track incident that saw Stewart send Busch's No. 2 in to the wall coming in to turn 3, and then Busch retaliated with several door slams before coming to pit road.

From The Charlotte Observer's Jim Utter:

A meeting in the NASCAR hauler Friday night after an on-track incident between driver Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch ended abruptly when Stewart allegedly struck Busch in the presence of NASCAR officials and left the hauler, four sources with knowledge of the incident told The Charlotte Observer and ThatsRacin.com.

The physical altercation was the reason NASCAR vice president Jim Hunter told a gathering of media outside the hauler Saturday evening that another conversation with the two drivers would be held Saturday morning, the sources said.

Four sources generally means that something happened, and when they call confirm the same thing, well, I think you get my point.

NASCAR has talked about letting the drivers be themselves this season, but I do think they've already made a mistake in not making Kurt Busch and the rest of the field fully realize that using a car as a weapon is not a good idea. Fines and probation don't do that.

As for Stewart, if he really did punch Busch, that is simply unacceptable and is way over the line of "showing emotion".

I have a feeling this story isn't quite finished yet.

Did Tony Stewart Punch Kurt Busch? originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 09 Feb 2008 20:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Busch, Stewart Tangle at Daytona (Again)

Geoffrey Miller — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 20:10:00 EST

Filed under: Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing, Penske Racing, Daytona Int'l Speedway, NASCAR Crashes, NASCAR Fights, Sprint Cup

Check out all of the NASCAR Fanhouse Daytona Speedweeks Coverage.

This really is going to be a crazy Daytona Speedweeks.

Hours after strapping into their cars for the first time that it mattered in 2008, Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch had already managed to get in each other's way again.

Props to Jayski (again!) for providing on-the-spot coverage of Budweiser Shootout practice:

A second incident happened midway through the session when #20-Stewart squeezed up beside #2-Busch on the backstretch. Busch caught the front of Stewart's car and was knocked up into the wall. Stewart came down the track and made minor contact with teammate #11-Hamlin. Busch then bumped Stewart's car as they were both headed back to pit road. Busch and Stewart were both called to the NASCAR trailer after the incident.

I would imagine NASCAR hasn't exactly forgotten the follies that the two drivers had in 2007, mainly in June at Dover. In case you did, here's what happened. And don't forget what happened last February when the two were dominating the field in the 49th Daytona 500 with less than 50 laps to go.

The two drivers, of course, are no strangers to the angry ire of NASCAR.

First impressions are everything, and from the looks of it, Stewart and Busch are trying to make sure they cement their status as the bad boys of NASCAR.

This truly, though, will be the first test of the new NASCAR idea announced by CEO Brian France in January that the sanctioning body wanted drivers to express themselves more to show their true character.

Will it be quieted before the season even begins?

Busch, Stewart Tangle at Daytona (Again) originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 08 Feb 2008 20:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse NASCAR FanVote Day 4:
Make Your 2008 Predictions Results

Geoffrey Miller — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: NASCAR Awards, NASCAR Fans, NASCAR Fights

2007 was a long, interesting year, but 2008? According to my clock, just 79 days to go until the green flag at Daytona.

Naturally, that means we've got to wrap up the FanVote with some of your predictions for 2008.

Before we get to the results though, remember that tonight (Friday, Nov. 30) is the annual NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Awards Banquet live from New York City's Waldorf Astoria Grand Ballroom. The show gets underway at 9pm/ET (6pm/PT) on ESPN Classic, or if your internet provider carries it -- ESPN360.

Here at the FanHouse, we'll be running a live blog/discussion to talk about the banquet starting around 8:45pm/ET. Heck, maybe we'll get off topic a few times, so if you're sitting on 'net this evening, drop by to say hello! Tallglassofmilk ran one of these during the season finale at the Ford 400 and it was a success, so tonight should be plenty exciting.

And now, back to the regularly scheduled programming:

1) Which team will win the Sprint Cup Series title in 2008?

66% -- Hendrick Motorsports (Gordon, Johnson, Mears, or Earnhardt Jr.)
14% -- Roush-Fenway Racing (Kenseth, Edwards, Biffle, Ragan, or McMurray)
10% -- Joe Gibbs Racing (Stewart, Hamlin, or Ky. Busch)
7% -- Other (DEI, GEM, Yates, etc.)
2% -- Penske Racing (Newman, Ku. Busch, or Hornish Jr.)

Analysis: The fan choice is clear in who they think will take the Sprint Cup Series championship in 2008 in Hendrick Motorsports. It's hard to pick against the winners of the last two championships especially with the more-than-stellar year exhibited by the team in 2007. However, Hendrick will need to watch closely over their shoulder for Roush-Fenway in 2008 -- keeping a firm eye especially on Matt Kenseth's No. 17. Yep, you heard it here first. Matt Kenseth will be your 2008 champ.

2) Will the Next-Generation NASCAR Race Car (aka Car of Tomorrow) Perform Well in 2008?

64% -- NASCAR folks are smart, they'll eventually figure it out
13% -- It's going to be a complete bust.
12% -- It already has! (in 2007)
10% -- I can't get over the new body styles!

Analysis: It's hard to agree with the majority on this one. Sure, the NASCAR next-gen race car is a lot different than teams are used to. There isn't a whole lot of adjustments that can be done it. And certainly, engineering work is proving to be more and more useful with the new car. Don't kid yourself into thinking big-time auto racing can always look like Saturday-night street stocks (even though that would be super cool!) and try to find a way to like this car. NASCAR has been around a while, and though I may not fully think the next-gen car is the end-all answer, it's a step in the right direction to make racing better.

3) What's the Biggest Change Needed for NASCAR in 2008?

63% -- Say Adios to Rusty Wallace and/or ESPN's Coverage
16% -- Drop the Chase for the Sprint Cup!
9% -- Nothing. Too many changes lately haven't allowed for consistency.
6% -- More points for race winners.
5% -- Full-time traveling NASCAR safety team

Analysis: While ESPN's coverage has been bad, and Rusty Wallace has been even worse, I think there are more pressing issues when it comes to NASCAR in '08. The entire format of the Chase seems convoluted, but I'd imagine before other pro sports had playoffs they felt the same way. Race winners do indeed more points for winning, otherwise Jimmie Johnson vs. Matt Kenseth at Texas will just be a drop in a bucket of races. Really though, NASCAR needs to just stay put with things affecting competition for the next year or two to help things really play out. But do note -- a full-time traveling safety team doesn't affect competition, it just keeps the drivers safer. That's not a bad thing.

4) Which Driver out of the Top-20 in 2007 will step it up in 2008?

39% -- Elliott Sadler, No. 19 Best Buy Dodge
24% -- Brian Vickers, No. 83 Red Bull Toyota
18% -- David Ragan, No. 6 Discount Tire Ford
14% -- Michael Waltrip, No. 55 NAPA Toyota
5% -- Paul Menard, No. 15 Menards Chevrolet

Analysis: Elliott Sadler does have the talent to compete and win at the Nextel Cup level, and 2007 was unfortunately a year to forget for his Gilette-Evernham Motorsports team. With a new sponsor for '08, I think the team (GEM) is due for a turnaround. I'd also slide Brian Vickers up there as well after seeing how well Toyota can run when they hit the right setup. With the Gibbs addition to the Toyota camp, all of them are bound to improve, even Waltrip.

Thank you all for participating in the 2007 FanHouse NASCAR FanVote! We really appreciate it and look forward to seeing you Friday night, Nov. 30 at 8:45pm/ET, for the live blog of the Cup Awards Banquet!

FanHouse NASCAR FanVote Day 4:
Make Your 2008 Predictions Results originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 30 Nov 2007 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse NASCAR FanVote Day 3:
The Battles, The Stories, & The Feuds Results

Geoffrey Miller — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: NASCAR Awards, NASCAR Fans, NASCAR Fights

We've heard your thoughts on driver performance in 2007 and how awesome or terrible you thought the television coverage was here at the FanHouse NASCAR FanVote.

Now, it's time to get into those juicy stories of the NASCAR season in 2007.

From Juan Pablo Montoya getting into an interesting skirmish with Kevin Harvick at Watkins Glen to Joe Gibbs Racing announcing a move to Toyota in 2008 to the best on-track battle, there was plenty to talk about in 2007 -- even though Hendrick Motorsports drivers Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon flat out destroyed the rest of the field nearly all year.

Here's your take on the battles, the stories, and the feuds of 2007:

1) Which Driver Disagreement was the Best in 2007?

39% -- Juan Pablo Montoya vs. Kevin Harvick, Watkins Glen
21% -- Carl Edwards vs. Matt Kenseth, Martinsville
19% -- Kyle Petty vs. Denny Hamlin, Dover (Fall)
12% -- Kyle Busch vs. Kurt Busch, All-Star Race
9% -- Denny Hamlin vs. Tony Stewart, Daytona (July)

Analysis: The fans went with what was decidedly one of the funnier moments of 2007 after Kevin Harvick and Juan Pablo were involved in a multi-car accident at Watkins Glen in August. You could Harvick's anger at Montoya for a year-full of aggressive driving by the rookie Colombian lash out when he jumped out of his No. 29 and approached Montoya. A few shoves, plenty of expletive I'm sure, and a raucous turn one crowd later? It ended up being a highlight of the year with NASCAR Cup Series Director John Darby calling it "cool as hell." Agreed.

2) Other than Dale Jr. to Hendrick, What the Biggest News of 2007?

66% -- Joe Gibbs Racing to Toyota for 2008
17% -- Influx of Open-Wheel Drivers (Hornish, Carpentier, Montoya, Villeneuve)
8% -- Kyle Busch to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2008
6% -- Dale Jr. wasn't a Big Deal, Gosh!
3% -- New Hampshire International Speedway Sold to SMI

Analysis: Without a doubt, there's got to be many Gibbs fans, especially Tony Stewart loyalists, who are deeply questioning the move from Chevrolet to Toyota for JGR. Toyota will have to make some leaps and bounds in 2008, but it definitely doesn't seem out of the question to me for a team of Gibbs' caliber to make a statement with the move. On the other hand, it could completely backfire, and you have to believe that's a good reason why Tony Stewart hasn't said a whole lot about the issue.

3) What's the Biggest Question in NASCAR after 2007?

47% -- Can Dale Earnhardt Jr. Perform in a Hendrick Car?
23% -- Will Brian France Ever Remember NASCAR's Original Fans?
18% -- Is Joe Gibbs Racing going to be Successful with Toyota?
10% -- Can Anyone other than Hendrick Win?
2% -- Is the Chevrolet domination here to stay?

Analysis: I think there's going to be a lot of fans in 2008 that are going to be wondering "What's Going On?" if Dale Earnhardt Jr. doesn't find victory lane in the first 5 to 7 races of the season -- though expecting a win that quick with a new team isn't necessarily fair. Push that streak later in the season, and plenty of the Dale Jr.-has-no-talent folks will come barking from all corners, but I don't see that happening. Junior will run well and a win a few in 2007, but as for Brian France being able to stop alienating core fans? That's a question that I still have.

4) What was the Best Battle of 2007?

56% -- Kevin Harvick vs. Mark Martin, Daytona 500
22% -- Jimmie Johnson vs. Jeff Gordon, Chase for the Nextel Cup
11% -- Matt Kenseth vs. Jimmie Johnson, Texas (November)
6% -- Jeff Gordon vs. Tony Stewart, Phoenix (April)
5% -- Jeff Burton vs. Matt Kenseth, Texas (April)

Analysis: While I do have to agree that Kevin Harvick vs. Mark Martin in the Daytona 500 was an impressive finish -- especially with guys like Clint Bowyer flipping across the finish line -- I'd have to agree with the 11% of fans who found the Matt Kenseth vs. Jimmie Johnson finish at Texas in November to be the season's best battle. With a championship out of sight with any contact, Johnson pressed Kenseth and Kenseth pressed Johnson in the waning laps of the Dickie's 500. Several slide jobs, more great saves, and a show of racing brilliance later, Jimmie Johnson took the crown. Man, that was fun.

FanHouse NASCAR FanVote Day 3:
The Battles, The Stories, & The Feuds Results originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 30 Nov 2007 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse NASCAR FanVote Day 2:
Rate the '07 Television Coverage Results

Geoffrey Miller — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: NASCAR Awards, NASCAR Fans, NASCAR Fights

With this post, we're halfway through the results of the inaugural NASCAR FanHouse FanVote.

Day 2 (Tuesday's) topic? The television coverage of NASCAR in 2007.

Here at the FanHouse, we talked plenty about problems with the ESPN coverage, and so we asked you for your opinion.

Here's what you came up with:

1) Who is the Best NASCAR Play-by-Play Announcer?

67% -- Mike Joy, FOX Sports
12% -- Jerry Punch, ABC/ESPN
11% -- Bill Weber, TNT Sports
10% -- Rick Allen, SPEED

Analysis: Not a surprising pick here at all. After all the flack ESPN has received about their 2007 coverage, it's no stretch to feel the longing NASCAR fans have for Mike Joy of FOX Sports. He is truly one of those that can tell you the story of the race without you ever noticing it is happening because his approach is that natural. It's good to see Rick Allen from SPEED picked up a few votes, too, for his work on the Craftsman Truck Series.

2) Who is the Best NASCAR Analyst Team?

75% -- Larry McReynolds & Darrell Waltrip, FOX Sports
16% -- Wally Dallenbach & Kyle Petty, TNT Sports
6% -- Michael Waltrip & Phil Parsons, SPEED
4% -- Rusty Wallace & Andy Petree, ESPN/ABC

Analysis: FOX Sports again takes the cake for NASCAR tv color personalities. McReynolds and Waltrip definitely have something going for them in that they, in addition to FanVote top play-by-play guy Mike Joy, have been able to remain a steady team since 2001 -- something that other networks can't challenge. Sometimes, change isn't so good. Unless your ESPN, of course.

3) What's the Best NASCAR Television Feature of 2007?

51% -- TNT's Wide-Open Commercial-free Coverage
42% -- Crank it Up, FOX Sports
5% -- NASCAR HotPass (pay-per-view service)
3% -- Draft Tracker, ESPN

Analysis: NASCAR fans aren't dumb and they know when they get a good deal. During this year's Pepsi 400, TNT tried a new concept to covering NASCAR racing by going to only a handful of full commercial breaks during the caution periods, and substituted more ads into the screen the make up for the lost revenue. For fans, it meant over an hour of more live race coverage on the screen -- even if the audio was a commercial. TNT has already rolled out plans for the same race in 2008.

4) What's the Best NASCAR-related TV Show?

50% -- NASCAR RaceDay, SPEED
32% -- Inside Nextel Cup, SPEED
14% -- Wind Tunnel, SPEED
3% -- NASCAR Now, ESPN2

Analysis: Most would think a daily show on the Worldwide Leader in Sports devoted to NASCAR would have plenty of happy viewers, but NASCAR Now is definitely no RPM2Nite. NASCAR fans are definitely flocking to SPEED to get their weekly dose of stories, personalities, and other NASCAR entertainment. Can you blame them though when Erik Kuselias is still on the NASCAR Now set?

FanHouse NASCAR FanVote Day 2:
Rate the '07 Television Coverage Results originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 30 Nov 2007 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse NASCAR FanVote Day 1:
Driver Performance FanVote Results

Geoffrey Miller — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: NASCAR Awards, NASCAR Fans, NASCAR Fights

The FanHouse NASCAR FanVote has officially come to a close, and the NASCAR FanHouse would truly like to thank you for your participation!

We will unveil the results of each day's vote with four separate posts today every two hours -- starting with this one at 8:00am/ET (5:00am/PT).

That leaves three more posts today for you to savor on at the 10am, 12pm, and 2pm hours (Eastern, of course!) to cover the results of each day of the FanHouse NASCAR FanVote from the remaining categories:

The 2007 NASCAR Television Package
The Stories, The Battles, and the Feuds of 2007
Predictions for 2008

But, as promised, here's the results of Day 1 -- how you felt about driver performance in 2007!

1) Which Nextel Cup Driver Improved the Most in 2007?

49% -- Clint Bowyer, No. 07 Jack Daniels Chevrolet
35% -- Martin Truex Jr., No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet
11% -- Casey Mears, No. 25 National Guard Chevrolet
5% -- Juan Pablo Montoya, No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge

Analysis: It's easy to see why the fans went with Bowyer on this one -- he was the only other driver in the Nextel Cup Series to have a legitimate shot at the Nextel Cup title with three races to go. Bowyer -- as well as the rest of the competition -- picked up his first-career win in 2007, but it was only the black Richard Childress Chevrolet hanging around at the end in a race he couldn't win against the Hendrick superstars.

2) Which Cup Driver Should Forget 2007 the Quickest?

48% -- Dale Earnhardt Jr., 16th in Cup standings
32% -- Michael Waltrip, 44th in Cup standings
18% -- Kasey Kahne, 19th in Cup Standings
3% -- Greg Biffle, 14th in Cup Standings

Analysis: As with anything, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is bound to lead the pack, but 2007 could turn out to be a year of revitalization for Junior. After signing his huge deal with Hendrick Motorsports, you've got to think 2008 looks pretty bright. You've got to believe Michael Waltrip really was happy to see 2007 end after the cheating scandal at Daytona and such a miserable time just making races. 2008 can't come fast enough for Waltrip.

3) Who is the Most Overrated Driver of 2007?

35% -- David Gililland, No. 38 M&M's Ford
29% -- Jamie McMurray, No. 26 Crown Royal Ford
20% -- J.J. Yeley, No. 18 Interstate Batteries Chevrolet
16% -- David Stremme, No. 40 Coors Light Dodge

Analysis: David Gililland has pair of restrictor-plate poles and one Busch Series win to his credit, and that's about it. His performance (driving a Ford from a two-car operation doesn't help) in 2007 definitely isn't doing a whole lot to prove his worth in Nextel Cup, but in the same breath, McMurray has one career win with Roush-Fenway Racing while Yeley and Stremme have been brief -- very brief -- flashes in the pan in Nextel Cup. Think that has to do with why those two are moving rides in 2008? You bet. Gililland and McMurray might be next.

4) Which Team Not Named Hendrick Had the Best 2007?

52% Richard-Childress Racing
25% Roush-Fenway Racing
17% Joe Gibbs Racing
5% Penske Racing
1% Dale Earnhardt Inc.

Analysis: It's pretty obvious that Hendrick Motorsports dominated in 2007 and that most people are tired of that, so we had the fans rate the best from the rest. A selection of RCR makes plenty of sense seeing the strength of Clint Bowyer in the Chase and Jeff Burton's win at Texas in April. I'd imagine DEI got the shaft because of their inability to keep the most-popular driver in the Series on their roster.

FanHouse NASCAR FanVote Day 1:
Driver Performance FanVote Results originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 30 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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