Ryan Newman left Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday obviously sore and presumably irritated after flipping violently in a late-race crash near the end of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' AMP Energy 500.
Newman, who was uninjured, was trapped in the car for almost 15 minutes as safety crews cut him out from exactly the type of wreck he had warned NASCAR against after an amazing crash involving him and Carl Edwards at the same track in April. And after being checked out of the infield hospital, Newman didn't hesitate to get on NASCAR again.
"Drivers used to be about to race each other and respect each other," said Newman. "Guys like Richard Petty, David Pearson and Bobby Allison -- all those guys have always done that. I guess they [NASCAR] just don't think much of us [drivers] anymore."
If you believe a certain Sacramento sportscaster, Juan Pablo Montoya might be hearing some harsh words in a few weeks from California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger when the Sprint Cup Series visits California.
KTXL-TV's Jim Crandell -- the "Scoopmeister," if you ask the Sacramento Bee -- was scheduled to interview Montoya prior to last weekend's race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway via satellite. Montoya, however, ducked out on the interview just prior to recording the segment with Crandell.
Crandell, obviously peeved at Montoya, later took the footage of Montoya walking out to craft a segment slamming NASCAR for declining popularity and drivers that Crandell thinks are a little too full of themselves. Catch the video below.
Johnny Benson has been upgraded to fair condition following a fiery crash during a SuperModified race. The wreck looked very scary on video, but the reigning NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion is reportedly awake and alert, according to a hospital spokesperson.
David Ragan's first NASCAR victory in 196 starts was the major story of Saturday's Nationwide race, but it definitely wasn't the biggest highlight. As Holly mentioned in her recap, a wild wreck by Matt Kenseth had every spectator in awe at Talladega.
After Kenseth lost control with 12 laps left, the car skidded on its roof, flipped three times and caught fire along the grass. Thankfully he was able to make a quick escape from the car as his pregnant wife, Katie, watched with bated breath.
NASCAR drivers aren't exactly strangers to making television cameos, but they've yet to be the perfect match Michael Waltrip landed this week.
Waltrip, ever a character in the NASCAR garage, enjoyed his first off week on the NASCAR schedule by flying out to Hollywood for the taping of an episode of NBC's My Name is Earl. The cameras started rolling this week for the comedy sitcom that's scheduled to air on Thursday, April 30.
And from the looks of things, Waltrip's role won't be too much of a stretch for the Kentucky native.
Perhaps Jimmy Watts was just doing what he had always done as a firefighter for the Charlotte (N.C.) Fire Department on Sunday when he dashed across the unprotected frontstretch Atlanta Motor Speedway grass to retrieve an errant tire from his team's recently completed pit stop -- preventing a potentially harmful situation.
Regardless, the NASCAR gas man who helped bring out a caution that changed the complexion of the Kobalt Tools 500 and was suspended by NASCAR for the remainder of the event felt obligated Sunday evening to apologize for his actions.
Throughout the Las Vegas race weekend, he made several trips to the infield care center for drugs and IV's after previous medications didn't quite work and before the race, he wondered aloud if he could stay focused and on top of his game during throughout the day.
Well, on lap 66 of the 285-lap Shelby 427, McMurray got a major wake-up call.
With NASCAR's awards banquet on Friday, Dec. 5 (stop by for the live blog!), here's a look at 10 from '08 -- 10 of the NASCAR season's best moments.
As it turned out after the race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, two critical problems -- one a driving mistake at Talladega and the other an electrical problem at Lowe's -- kept a momentum-filled Carl Edwards and his No. 99 from stealing the championship from Jimmie Johnson.
But that didn't mean the driver from Columbia, Mo., didn't put up an incredible fight to secure his first title.
Sure, there were two late-season wins at Texas Motor Speedway and Homestead that took an incredible strategy of stretching fuel mileage to find victory lane, but one his near-wins made what was one of the NASCAR season's best moments.
Edwards was trailing that pesky Jimmie Johnson in the final laps of the Chase for the Sprint Cup's third race at Kansas Speedway in what looked like it was going to be another easy win for the No. 48. Edwards would close marginally for some laps, but the distance he trailed appeared to be too large for an upset victory.
That assumption, though, was thrown out the window in the final turn of the final lap.
Ryan Newman left Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday obviously sore and presumably irritated after flipping violently in a late-race crash near the end of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' AMP Energy 500.
If you believe a certain Sacramento sportscaster, 
NASCAR drivers aren't exactly strangers to making television cameos, but they've yet to be the perfect match 
Perhaps Jimmy Watts was just doing what he had always done as a firefighter for the Charlotte (N.C.) Fire Department on Sunday when he dashed across the unprotected frontstretch 
Roush Fenway Racing
As it turned out after the race at 
