Motorsports FanHouse

Danica Patrick Hits Crew Member With Car Heading Into Pit

Will Brinson — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:20:00 EST

The fine folks at Sports Rubbish uncovered a little video of one Ms. Danica Patrick entering pit row (that's what they call it outside of NASCAR, right y'all?) and hitting one of her crew members. Now, I've never actually driven a race car, so I don't want to judge Patrick for her inability to a) do her job or b) steer said car at a low speed, but really? That's what the "brake pedal" and "steering wheel" are for, Danica.

Danica Patrick Hits Crew Member With Car Heading Into Pit originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shakeup at Richard Childress Racing

Holly Cain — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 13:43:00 EST

Filed under: Casey Mears, Kevin Harvick, Pit Crews, Sprint Cup, Richard Childress Racing

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Kevin Harvick and Casey Mears gave all the right answers in deferring to the boss' orders, but clearly neither driver was exactly overjoyed by Richard Childress' decision this week to swap their two crews.

"Everybody's positive about it,'' Harvick said, walking quickly to his team trailer after NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday.

"When you own the company you have to make the decisions you think are right.''

More Coverage: Montoya Wins Talladega Pole | Holly Cain Chat Wrap

Harvick didn't stop to answer reporters questions, but when he was asked if Childress consulted him before taking the extreme action, Harvick shook his head, then turned and said, "no he didn't'' over his shoulder. Mears said he was not part of the decision process either.

Childress said he had been thinking of making a major change to his four-car team since last month's race at Bristol, Tenn. He ultimately pulled the trigger on the move this week while sitting on a mountain on a trip to Montana "to clear my head.'' The entire teams -- from crew chief to tire changer -- have swapped between Harvick's No. 29 Chevy and Mears' No. 07 Chevy.

Latest NASCAR Images

TALLADEGA, AL - APRIL 25: Scott Speed, driver of the #82 Red Bull Toyota, gets out of his car during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 25, 2009 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Scott Speed

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TALLADEGA, AL - APRIL 25: Scott Speed, driver of the #82 Red Bull Toyota, looks on during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 25, 2009 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Scott Speed

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TALLADEGA, AL - APRIL 25: Bobby Labonte, driver of the #96 Ask.com Ford, signs autographs during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 25, 2009 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Bobby Labonte

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TALLADEGA, AL - APRIL 25: Clint Bowyer, driver of the #33 BB&T Chevrolet, looks on during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 25, 2009 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Clint Bowyer

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TALLADEGA, AL - APRIL 25: David Gilliland, driver of the #71 TRG Motorsports Chevrolet, looks on during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 25, 2009 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** David Gilliland

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TALLADEGA, AL - APRIL 25: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet, waits by his car during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 25, 2009 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dale Earnhardt Jr.

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TALLADEGA, AL - APRIL 25: Michael Waltrip, driver of the #55 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, looks on during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 25, 2009 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michael Waltrip

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TALLADEGA, AL - APRIL 25: Matt Kenseth, driver of the #17 Dewalt Ford, waits by his car during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 25, 2009 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Matt Kenseth

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TALLADEGA, AL - APRIL 25: Kasey Kahne (L), driver of the #9 Budweiser Dodge, and Reed Sorenson (R), driver of the #43 US Air Force Dodge, talk during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 25, 2009 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kasey Kahne;Reed Sorenson

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"We owe it to our sponsors and our fans to run better than we are and I felt these were the two teams right now that were the weakest,'' Childress said. "Sometimes a little chemistry or sometimes a little change makes a big difference.''

Childress hopes the jump start will come sooner than later. Harvick is ranked 16th in the points standings with three finishes of 30th or worse since a runner-up effort in the season-opening Daytona 500. He's 77 points out of the 12-driver cutoff to make the Chase for the Championship. Mears is 22nd in points and still looking for his first top-10 finish in his first season with RCR since moving from Hendrick Motorsports.

"With the point structure like it is, you've got to make changes to make The Chase,'' Childress said. "We have only so many races before the Chase.

"In today's environment you can't wait sometime half-way through the season.''

And, Childress added, "I'm not above making more changes if that's what it takes.''

Shakeup at Richard Childress Racing originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 25 Apr 2009 13:43:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tire-Chasing Gas Man Regrets Decision

Geoffrey Miller — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 01:18:00 EST

Filed under: Toyota, NASCAR Videos, Pit Crews, Sprint Cup

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.

Watts -- he handles fueling for JTG Daughtery Racing's Aussie driver Marcos Ambrose -- told the NASCAR Scene's Bob Pockrass after the race that he picked the "wrong" action.

"I saw the tire going away and it was a reaction - the wrong one," Watts said.

Watts said he "certainly did not" think that the tire would roll that far across the grass and by the time he was in the middle of it, he realized he was in a bad position.

It did make for interesting television.

"It's not the kind I want to be part of," Watts said.

Certainly, by the tone of the article and Watts' words, he's one of those folks on the receiving end of a dose of 15 minutes of fame he'd rather not have.

Watts' move started innocently when Ambrose's No. 47 Toyota left the pit box to return to the track and the tire changers failed to secure the tire against the pit wall. The tire then rolled across pit lane and into a section of pavement in the AMS infield connecting the pit road and the front stretch used for various quarter-mile races held at the track.

By the time Watts tracked down the tire, he was well within striking distance of a sliding race car had it wrecked off turn four while racing at speeds of over 160 miles per hour. NASCAR wasn't pleased with the move and immediately put out a caution flag to keep both Watts and the tire from being hit.

The caution occured during a round of green flag pit stops that cause jumbles in the running order because teams pit on different laps. When the yellow came out, just 10 of the 43 cars hadn't pitted and were left on the lead lap.

Undoubtedly, the cause of the caution ticked off countless fans after the driver got caught up in the events and went a lap down of the leaders, but it's tough for me to feel their pain. Had Watts not chased the tire, it very easily could have (and should have, in my book) brought out a yellow flag either because it could have entered the racing surface or because another car could have wrecked and hit it while it lay in the infield grass.

Flying wheels and tires have long been one of the biggest dangers to spectators because of how far they can bounce and fly when hit by a speeding race car. Multiple spectators in all forms of racing have been killed and severely injured when an errant tire (weighing upwards of 80 pounds) entered the grandstand seating areas.

Knowing that, I'm pretty sure that NASCAR would have opted to throw a yellow flag to retrieve the loose tire regardless of Watts' actions, however, they might have waited for green flag pit stops to cycle through -- keeping 3/4 of the field from falling a lap back of the leaders.

Did Watts suffer from a lapse in his best judgment when he dashed out to retrieve the tire? I'd say that's a given.

But when a guy has made a living by putting himself in harm's way, it's hard to blame the instinct of fellow who's intentions were in the right place. Put yourself in his shoes -- here's a guy whose full-time job is a civic duty and on the weekends he gets to be at the race track, doing something he's got to love. Now, after trying to help out a little bit, he's been reprimanded by NASCAR and been humiliated by some negative attention.

Can you imagine the pit in his stomach when he got home Sunday night?

Apology accepted, Mr. Watts. Let's hope we see you when NASCAR returns in two weeks at Bristol.

Tire-Chasing Gas Man Regrets Decision originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 01:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pit Road to Riches (or Ruin)

Holly Cain — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Pit Crews, FanHouse Exclusive

The setting for one of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' more interesting subplots of the season hasn't been the race track, but on pit road.

Greg Biffle blamed a mistake there with costing him a win at California. Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon were guilty of miscues Sunday at Las Vegas.

And if not for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s one-lap pit penalty in the Daytona 500, he's not a lap down racing desperately to get around Brian Vickers to earn the Lucky Dog pass ... and maybe the inevitable "Big One" doesn't go down that way but with another cast of characters.

"It just takes one mistake or one circumstance or whatever the case may be, to change everything that you're doing that day,'' Kevin Harvick said this week, acknowledging a run on early season pit road issues.
"All of sudden you're trying to play catch-up instead of trying to keep your track position.''

Johnson agreed, saying it could be in part because track position means more than ever with the new cars. He thinks people are being more aggressive on pit road trying to make up positions they're finding tougher to take on track with the new cars.

"Daytona is always so tough as the first one out of the gate,'' Johnson said Tuesday. "At the other tracks, I think it's just people being aggressive and I'm guilty of that as well.

"We had a little bit of confusion on the radio when I slipped through my stall this weekend. ... I was just going too fast and slipped through.

"So some of it could be just early in the season and guys are making mistakes. I'm guilty of that.''

"I know there were a lot of mistakes on pit road. I think you'll see everybody spending more time practicing their pit-ins next time we're back in Vegas.''

According to NASCAR's race reports there has actually been one less pit road penalty assessed this year in the first three Cup races compared to 2008.

There were 16 penalties handed out at Daytona in February, compared to seven a year ago. Six were issued at California, compared to 20 a year ago.

Of the three tracks, Las Vegas easily leads this category with 28 pit road violations last Sunday and 22 accessed in 2008.

Of course these numbers don't take into account mistakes like missing the pit box and having to drive around again, or simply having a slow stop -- but it is an interesting statistic. And it was certainly a hot topic in driver interviews this week.

What it tells us, however, is that there aren't necessarily any more problems on pit road, but maybe it's just higher profile drivers making the mistakes and getting the penalties.

Last weekend, the three-time champ Johnson, his four-time champion teammate Gordon and two-time champion Tony Stewart committed pit road violations, as did Earnhardt.

"I just keep giving everybody ammunition,'' Earnhardt joked with reporters afterward.

"The problem with speeding on pit road is just trying too hard and that can hurt you just as bad as not trying enough. We've just got to be smart.''

Pit Road to Riches (or Ruin) originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 05 Mar 2009 19:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Drug Policy Snares First Offender

Geoffrey Miller — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:24:00 EST

Filed under: Pit Crews, Sprint Cup

That didn't take long.

NASCAR's newly-revised drug abuse policy -- instituted with a heavier hand and heavier rules for 2009 -- picked up its first positive test following the sport's season opening events last weekend in Daytona Beach, Fla.

That test belonged to Paul Chodora, an over-the-wall crew member for Jeremy Mayfield's No. 41 upstart race team.
Mayfield's team, of course, was one of the four to earn a spot in the Daytona 500 after racing his way into the field during the Gatorade Duels qualifying races. The No. 41 wound up 40th in Sunday's race.

According to the release from NASCAR, "On Feb. 11, Chodora was found to have violated Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 7-5 (violation of the NASCAR substance abuse policy) of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rule book."

I would assume that the "On Feb. 11" means that he submitted a test that day to NASCAR to allow him to participate in the weekend activities, and NASCAR got the the results back after the event had occured. Such a delay, however, exposes a loophole of sorts in the process of screening for the illegal substances that might not be fixable.

In other words, any team member that must submit a test could knowingly or unknowingly submit a false one but would know that the results wouldn't be available until the next week -- guaranteeing them the chance to compete in that weekend's activities.

Obviously, Chodora's test wasn't a huge issue for the sport because of the hundreds of people NASCAR had submit tests that came back clean, and for that, the tiny and temporary loophole isn't exactly something to be up in arms about.

Worrisome? Probably. Rampant? Doubtful.

Chodora has been suspended indefinitely for his actions.

Drug Policy Snares First Offender originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASCAR Team Layoffs Start to Pile On

Geoffrey Miller — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:23:00 EST

Filed under: NASCAR Silly Season, Pit Crews, Sprint Cup

Joe Nemechek and the Furniture Row Racing team were the latest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team to see some significant cutbacks as the sport heads into what could be the most anxious and interesting off-season it has ever seen.

Nemecheck, driver of the No. 78 Chevrolet who won the April pole at Talladega Superspeedway, was notified that his team is looking at the high-probability chance of not competing in 2009 -- just days after the team owner indicated the team would compete but with a reduced schedule.

Aside from Nemechek and Furniture Row Racing's situation that very likely saw a number of the team's employees at the shop located in Colorado get laid off this week, NASCAR teams have been letting team members go left and right in the past week.

We saw last week that Dale Earnhardt Inc., and Chip Ganassi Racing merged to a four-car operation and eliminated 116 jobs from the new Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing operation and the news continued in full force after the season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway last Sunday.

The Frontstretch has compiled a list of the team who have let workers go this season, and it's not too pretty:

Layoffs

DEI -- 116 Employees
Ganassi -- 71 (from shutdown of the No. 40 team in June)
Petty -- 23
Wood Brothers -- 22
Stewart-Haas -- 16
Hendrick -- 12
Hall of Fame -- Unknown
Yates -- Unknown Bill Davis -- Unknown, but down to bare bones staff at shop

Right there alone, without the numbers from Furniture Row factored in or the numbers from other teams who will also be laying more employees off in the near future, the NASCAR team world is looking at close to 300 job losses in 2008.

Those numbers don't apply completely to the Nationwide Series (Frontstretch says Fitz Motorsports might close entirely) or to the Camping World Truck Series where a ton of manufacturer support has already been pulled. Plus, each of these race teams has vendors and suppliers for many parts of their racing operation, and you can sure bet that those providers have felt an impact as well.

It's certainly not an easy time to be an employee in NASCAR at the moment, but hopefully, the sport can weather the poor economy in a good fashion.

NASCAR Team Layoffs Start to Pile On originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hornaday's Steroid Use Not Really An Issue

Geoffrey Miller — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 11:37:00 EST

Filed under: NASCAR Media Watch, Pit Crews, Craftsman Truck Series

ESPN put out a story Thursday afternoon about Craftsman Truck Series driver Ron Hornaday Jr. admission to steroid use a few years ago and it effectively made the rounds across the entire network -- from SportsCenter, the bottom line ticker, and the web site.

In the article, though, it specifically acknowledges a few of things including:

1) Hornaday used the steroids to attempt to get healthy after doctor's couldn't diagnose the illness that caused him to lose 38 pounds in less than a year;
2) Hornaday used the steroids -- testosterone, specifically -- with a prescription (though the clinic is under federal investigation;
3) After using them for a while, Hornaday didn't notice a difference and stopped taking them and was later diagnosed with a hyperactive thyroid.

As of now, though, Hornaday claims to have been off the supplement for quite a while and it's tough not believe the guy because of how open he was to the questions from the ESPN reporter, including showing NASCAR medical forms, prescription records, and the actual substance he used that he has left over.

And frankly, I just don't see it as a big deal.

NASCAR -- who added steroids to their banned substance list recently -- plans to talk to Hornaday about the issue this weekend at New Hampshire just for some background information on the matter, but I doubt they are going to do anything except make sure Hornaday still isn't using them and request that he's a little more open on the matter.

I do, though, agree with NASCAR's stance on making steroids a banned substance -- but not just to fall in to line with the rest of the sports world.

To the best of my uneducated medical knowledge (In other words, take my steroids assumption with a grain of salt, and maybe even some lime. Mmm, lime.), steroids wouldn't seem to have a great advantage for your run of the mill NASCAR driver other than increased stamina over the length of a race.

On pit road, though, you could bet that the jackmen and tire changers could gain a clear advantage because their manuevers are quick, physical bursts similar to a football or baseball player.

Should steroids be allowed in NASCAR? No. Should Ron Hornaday face criticism (or, have ESPN broadcast his name for a whole day with steroids across their networks) for using them to not only treat a medical condition but also when they were legal in the sport?

Definitely not.

Hornaday's Steroid Use Not Really An Issue originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 12 Sep 2008 11:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Live From Lowe's: Earnhardt, Gordon Manage Great Finishes On Mediocre Night

Geoffrey Miller — Mon, 26 May 2008 00:35:00 EST

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Hendrick Motorsports, Crew Chiefs, Pit Crews, Sprint Cup, International Speedway Corp.

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.

Jeff Gordon may have had a car capable of running in the Top-10, but he simply didn't have the track position.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. had the car to beat until lap 296 when he blew a tire and slapped the wall -- while leading.

Somehow, though, the two Hendrick Motorsports teammates ended up fourth (Gordon) and fifth (Earnhardt Jr.) in the final standings of Sunday night's Coca-Cola 600.

Earnhardt Jr. truly had a car that was one of the top two or three in the entire field, and he likely had the best car as the race was set to begin its final 100 laps of the scheduled 400. Then, his right rear tire went flat as he prepared to lap Hendrick teammate Gordon while entering turn 3 on lap 296, and the No. 88 veered into the wall.

Luckily, Earnhardt had been using the high lane all evening so the impact wasn't as severe as it could have been. The team brought him to pit road many times under the subsequent caution, threw some new rubber on it, pulled out the fenders, and double-checked the suspension.

Junior rejoined the race around 20th, but the car just wasn't the same.

That's where his path aligned with that of Jeff Gordon's team and how to maximize their final finish.

Gordon struggled all night long to get track position -- as did everyone on the track. When he was the first car a lap down after a restart, Gordon fell to the third car in line and rode there for much of the run, but when the next caution came out, he was back on the lead lap but mired behind 30-40 lead lap and lapped cars.

When it became obvious late in the event that if Gordon stayed the course he'd end up 20th or worse, crew chief Steve Letarte gambled.

Letarte first tried for track position by taking gas only with over 70 laps to go, but with 62 laps left under another caution, Gordon came back in for tires and a full tank of fuel that was to last him for the rest of the race. Earnhardt Jr. followed a similar strategy.

The two then conserved fuel for much of the final run -- so much so that eventual winner Kasey Kahne nearly lapped them and then passed them again after making his stop late in the event.

When the checkered flag dropped though, Gordon scooted across the line in fourth and Earnhardt Jr. fifth.

Gordon's crew chief Letarte summed up the effort by both teams very well after the event over the No. 24 radio by saying "At the end of the year, they don't care how you get the points".

Indeed, a finish in the Top-5 for the two instead of running mid-pack is good in the standings, but also for the confidence of both teams and drivers heading into the summer season stretch.

Live From Lowe's: Earnhardt, Gordon Manage Great Finishes On Mediocre Night originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Mon, 26 May 2008 00:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Juan Is Crazy in the Pits

tallglassofmilk — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 14:35:00 EST

Filed under: Juan Montoya, Nextel Cup, Pit Crews

Seems the track is not the only place that Nextel Cup rookie Juan Pablo Montoya is aggressive ...

#00 front tire changer Dennis Terry:

"The only pit road issues that we had [at Richmond] was from ol' Juan Pablo Montoya. It seems that Juan is becoming a regular subject on this blog and along pit road as other teams deal with his pit road recklessness.

"On the third stop of the day Juan tried to drive over our pit crew "brushing" our jackman, me and my front carrier ... having that crazy Columbian [sic] drive the side of his 3,500 lb race car down the back of your ass at 45 miles per hour gets a little distracting when you are trying to earn a living changing tires."

Is JPM competing with Kurt Busch for the title of "Pit Road Kill King," or what?

Juan Is Crazy in the Pits originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 14 Sep 2007 14:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lowe's Testing Produces Good Call

Geoffrey Miller — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 15:42:00 EST

Filed under: Ryan Newman, Brian Vickers, Martin Truex Jr., Crew Chiefs, Lowes Motor Speedway, Nextel Cup, Pit Crews, David Ragan, Car of Tomorrow, NASCAR Tracks

NASCAR, Goodyear: It's about time.

Following testing earlier this week in toasty Carolina sun, Goodyear has said that a softer tire compound may make an appearance for the fall Nextel Cup race at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Ryan Newman, Martin Truex Jr., Brian Vickers, and David Ragan were the four drivers allowed for the tire test in the heat of the day.

Truex found the air temperature over 100 degrees and the cockpit temperature at over 140 degrees to be pretty difficult.

When asked about the hottest he's ever been in a race car, Truex Jr. responded,

"Probably today. I guess it's because the car is not set up to race and doesn't have all the heat shields and the insulation in it. Fifteen laps feel like 800 miles to me."

Luckily, the fall race won't likely be in the same heat as the Charlotte-region can cool tremendously at nighttime in the fall.
Goodyear and NASCAR have taken quite a bit of flack in recent years for their choice of the tire to be used at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Some drivers love the durability, but others complain that the tire is very unforgiving and nearly like driving on ice when new.

Testing in the heat may be a godsend in that the tires will wear much faster on a hot, slippery race track than a cool evening in October.

Three lead changes in the Nextel All-Star Challenge proved that the compound wasn't exactly working.

Lowe's Testing Produces Good Call originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Tue, 14 Aug 2007 15:42:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MWR Denies '08 Downsizing, Retirement

Geoffrey Miller — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 08:22:00 EST

Filed under: Dale Jarrett, Michael Waltrip, NASCAR Rumors, Pit Crews, David Reutimann

Michael Waltrip Racing denied today a report from RacingOne that Dale Jarrett would be out of the ride in 2008 and that UPS was already packing up. (Heh, get it?)

The original report about DJ from International Speedway Corporation affiliate RacingOne:

Toyota is expected to pair down Michael Waltrip racing from a three-car effort to a two-car squad, shifting some of that support to JGR's three-car team of Busch, Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin. Dale Jarrett is said to be seriously considering retirement, trading in his helmet for a microphone as a television analyst, which would leave MWR with Waltrip and David Reutimann.

There must be something to the rampant rumor that Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing are forming a partnership for '08, you'd think.

Anyways, this race fan would be more than happy to have Dale Jarrett replace Rusty Wallace in the ESPN booth. MWR's words with ESPN (via Jayski) didn't sound like that was even feasible:

on Wednesday's NASCAR Now [ESPN2] Angelique Chengelis reported that Michael Waltrip Racing's Ty Norris said there was absolutely no morsel of truth to the rumor about MWR scaling back to two teams or Dale Jarrett leaving, plus Norris was at a UPS Sponsor summit and that UPS says things are going well

Other than the language use of 'morsel', you've gotta wonder what exactly happens at a "sponsor summit".

Could it potentially be the spot where the big brown truck gets to films commercials for so many pictures?

Imagine the possibilities with Dale Jarrett, a big brown truck, and an impressive advertising firm.

"Wait 'til you see his sister!"

MWR Denies '08 Downsizing, Retirement originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 10 Aug 2007 08:22:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fike Finds a Heroin Felony Detrimental

Geoffrey Miller — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 11:25:00 EST

Filed under: NASCAR Gossip, NASCAR Police Blotter, Pit Crews, Craftsman Truck Series

NASCAR announced Wednesday that Aaron Fike will be suspended indefinitely from sanctioning body activities.

Fike was arrested over the weekend at King's Island amusement park, just outside Cincinnati after officers there found a remarkable assortment of heroin-related items.

NASCAR had previously discussed waiting on drug test before deciding penalties, but instead looked at the evidence available and suspended both Fike, 24, and his significant other, Cassandra Davis, 21, on the basis of "actions detrimental to stock car racing."

I suppose anything involving a theme park and heroin would likely fall under that category for NASCAR drivers -- especially when news outlets are simply reporting headlines such as "NASCAR Driver Arrested on Heroin Charge."

It doesn't shine too much good light on the situation for anyone.

Davis was a crew member of Fike's No. 1 team.

Fike drives for the No. 1 Red Horse Racing entry in Craftsman Truck Series competition. A rookie there, Fike currently sits 8th in points.

Kind of makes you wonder why heroin became so important -- at least enough to visit a very public place with it in a suspicious vehicle, hm?

David Green will fill his seat in the next race at Kentucky.

Fike Finds a Heroin Felony Detrimental originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 12 Jul 2007 11:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Junior to Do the Dew and Other Silly Rumors

tallglassofmilk — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 03:37:00 EST

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Dale Earnhardt Inc., Crew Chiefs, NASCAR Rumors, Nextel Cup, Pit Crews, NASCAR Sponsors, Richard Childress Racing, Busch Series, NASCAR Silly Season

So Ginn Racing didn't close both the #13 and #14 Nextel Cup teams this week, just their Busch team, which amounted to roughly 30 people losing their jobs, save the spotter who was promoted to Cup. But, even though they haven't closed the books, Bobby Ginn seems to have made both team's numbers available on the open owner market, with the likelihood of selling the #13 to the highest bidder.

And what owner might be willing to buy its way into the top 35? Teresa Earnhardt is the leading runner. Paul Menard isn't going to be able to climb his way into the top 35 himself if he can't qualify for a race. DEI's got the cash to compensate. You put it together.

Speaking of DEI's cash ... Budweiser is ready move on next year, but not with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Budweiser is reportedly setting their sites on Kasey Kahne now. Score Ray Evernham!

That leaves Junior wide open to Do the Dew, which I think means he would also give up his personal appearances contract with Bud, which is good considering he'll need time for Sony and Adidas now. Wow. Junior really scored on the upgrade of free goods, huh? Also ... look for Junior to give the #14 team's displaced spotter, his buddy T.J. Majors, a shot on the #? Mountain Dew Chevrolet next season. Reminder: Free the #8!

What that means for Kellogg's I have no idea, but about the Kellogg's driver ...

A source tells me that Kyle Busch has already decided on Richard Childress Racing and is expected to take a lot of his crew with him. By a lot, I take it to mean his crew chief, Alan Gustafson (making room for Tony Eury Jr.), and whoever else wants to come along. Maybe the sponsor will follow, too.

Junior to Do the Dew and Other Silly Rumors originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 11 Jul 2007 03:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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McMurray is Magic at Daytona

Geoffrey Miller — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 00:50:00 EST

Filed under: Jimmie Johnson, Casey Mears, Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Clint Bowyer, Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, Ford, Hendrick Motorsports, Roush Fenway Racing, Daytona Int'l Speedway, Pit Crews

"That's sleight of hand."

"No, it's magic."

Regardless, for Jamie McMurray on Saturday night at the Pepsi 400 at Daytona, it was the right stuff.

McMurray edged Kyle Busch in the second-closest NASCAR finish on record.

Winning for the first time since his triumph at Lowe's in 2002 -- 166 races ago -- McMurray became the third Roush driver to win this season when it looked like Chevrolet was the sure bet in the closing laps.
Jeff Gordon led late, and Kyle Busch took control for most of the last lap. Jimmie Johnson, Casey Mears, Clint Bowyer and others all closed on the leaders, but McMurray squeezed past just yards from the finish line thanks to help from his teammate Carl Edwards.

Kurt Busch again had a very strong car, but failed to capitalize again -- continuing Roger Penske's winless streak in restrictor-plate racing.

Tony Stewart again managed to make a mockery of himself after wrecking his teammate Denny Hamlin in the race's early laps while battling for the lead, and then somehow blaming it on Hamlin. More on that later.

Saturday night, though, the story was really about a race at Daytona that again had an incredibly dramatic finish that got you -- or at least me -- on your feet with your heart-pumping and yelling at the TV for the final laps.

Now, let's hope we get that in the Chase. Maybe we can move Daytona in July there, too.

McMurray is Magic at Daytona originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 08 Jul 2007 00:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crew Chief Suspensions Ain't Workin'

Geoffrey Miller — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 10:49:00 EST

Filed under: Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Joe Gibbs Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Dale Earnhardt Inc., Crew Chiefs, Nextel Cup, Pit Crews

Maybe Denny Hamlin should just send Mike Ford home.

Obviously, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. didn't need their head guys in charge Sunday at New Hampshire. Each ended up in the top-5, and one lap more in the race, Gordon would have notched another 'W' in 2007.

So then, is NASCAR just getting screwed by their own penalty? Or do crew chiefs not really matter come race day except for a few calls that they could make from anywhere with a little bit of instant messanger? Or, maybe, does NASCAR realize that the suspensions may look big on paper, but in reality that don't carry a bucket in a rainstorm?

I'll take a little bit of each, please.

TNT's Larry McReynolds made a very interesting point Sunday about his first venture to the TV booth. With the entire track in front of him and tons of tools at his fingers, why not station the crew chief in the tower?With the suspensions from penalties handed down by NASCAR, one would assume that crew chiefs are doing some pretty similar tactics while sitting at home, or in an outside motorhome lot. They've got everything -- text messaging, potentially direct radio contact, instant messaging/email, etc. -- they need to run a race except for the seat on the pit box.

NASCAR did mention that car chiefs and engineers might be next on the list to be taken away.

Think they would make a huge difference? Or that they wouldn't have the same abilities to communicate?

Uh-huh, right.

At this point, if NASCAR wants to start suspending people and make a difference, there's two options.

Drivers and pit crew members.

And unless you're not a big shot, then i'd bet a guy that makes a living carrying tires or fueling a race car would be an interesting -- and effective -- penalty.

Crew Chief Suspensions Ain't Workin' originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Mon, 02 Jul 2007 10:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Busch, Sauter Fail Postrace Inspection

Geoffrey Miller — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Hendrick Motorsports, Crew Chiefs, NASCAR Gossip, NASCAR Media Watch, Nextel Cup, Pit Crews

Following Denny Hamlin's victory in Sunday's Lenox Industrial Tools 300, NASCAR found that two of his competitors were riding a little low.

The Chevrolets of Kyle Busch and Johnny Sauter both failed postrace technical inspection on the left front side, according to the Charlotte Observer.

NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said both cars would be taken to NASCAR's research and development center in Concord, N.C., to confirm the measurements taken at the track.

The teams face potential penalties if the violations are confirmed, but Poston said they would not be considered along the same lines as other penalties for "tampering with the car of tomorrow."

Hendrick Motorsports could now have three crew chiefs -- yes, count 'em, three -- sidelined due to technical violations. A points penalty for Sauter would put him right on the edge of the top-35.And you just know that every Hendrick hater out there is going to be drawing the connection that exists with engines between Haas CNC Racing and Hendrick, inferring that this is just another example of Rick Hendrick being a terrible person.

Right.

The real question though is if NASCAR will deliver a COT penalty with the same consistency as they've promised.

And since has NASCAR had to "confirm" a car being too low? Do they use a different measuring system at the R&D center? Why wasn't Jeff Gordon's Gatorade 125 car taken to the center after not measuring correctly at Daytona?

Odd.

Busch, Sauter Fail Postrace Inspection originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 01 Jul 2007 19:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ray Evernham: Rocket Scientist?

Geoffrey Miller — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 06:20:00 EST

Filed under: Elliott Sadler, Kasey Kahne, Nextel Cup, Pit Crews

Talk about ingenuity.

Twice this season, Evernham Motorsports has made a trip to Florida for testing.

Homestead? Nope. Daytona? Getting Warmer.

Evernham's Car of Tomorrow program has gotten two separate workouts at NASA's Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral. They've been using the 3-mile long runway for the tests.

Kasey Kahne didn't cause the shuttle to divert, did he?

Probably not, but I'd imagine the test had to be pretty beneficial

A "car director" for the team, Keith Rodden, explained how the team was using the tests. (after the jump)

Rodden said he believes Evernham was the first and only NASCAR team to test at KSC.

"There's other straight-line facilities you can test at and there's a few proving ground tracks in Arizona that have straight lines," Rodden said.

"We're preparing for some COT racing at Talladega. The type of testing we were doing is called straight-line testing. You run up to a certain speed . . . the car is instrumented and you're collecting data. You're seeing what you can get for front or rear downforce and what you can do to take drag away from the car."

Generally, the field is used for aircraft testing, but the 15,000 feet of paved surface is pretty sweet for the EMS group.

Think NASCAR will start limiting those tests, too?

(HT: Jayski)

Ray Evernham: Rocket Scientist? originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 01 Jul 2007 06:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gordon, Johnson Fail Inspection, Won't Qualify

tallglassofmilk — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 15:24:00 EST

Filed under: Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Hendrick Motorsports, Nextel Cup, Pit Crews

The cars of Nextel Cup points leader and new dad Jeff Gordon and his teammate, defending series champion Jimmie Johnson, have both failed inspection at Infineon Raceway.

NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said both cars "failed the initial inspection ... as a result of body modifications found to be outside NASCAR tolerances. The front fender [of both cars] was modified outside of NASCAR regulations. They did not meet the C2 template inspection."

Neither car will be allowed to practice or qualify Friday for Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350.

More info and updates after the jump.

Both teams will be given the opportunity to repair their cars by end of day Friday and if they pass inspection they will be allowed to start and the rear of the field.

Posten also reminded everyone that this is a COT violation. Penalties will be severe, which means that both of their crew chiefs will likely be on the sidelines for the next few weeks following Sonoma.

Even after a 100 points deduction Gordon would still be the leader. Johnson will give up the 3rd spot to Matt Kenseth. (Depending on what happens this weekend.)

Update 3:33PM: Steve Byrnes is now reporting on "NASCAR Live" that Johnson's car has passed inspection the second time around, but will still not be allowed to practice/qualify. Larry MacReynolds is suggesting that because there were modifications to parts certified by NASCAR that an example will be set in terms of penalties and that NASCAR will "drop a bomb" on Chad Knaus.

Gordon, Johnson Fail Inspection, Won't Qualify originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 22 Jun 2007 15:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tryson On Tap for Busch

Geoffrey Miller — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 01:37:00 EST

Filed under: Dodge, Penske Racing, Crew Chiefs, Nextel Cup, Pit Crews

It ain't been easy for Troy Raker.

The Penske Racing employee was moved into the interim role of crew chief for Kurt Busch after Roy McCauley took a leave of absence to be with his wife while she battles cancer.

Tuesday, Penske announced Greg Biffle's former crew chief Pat Tryson would take over the No. 2 role. Tryson will be on the Miller Lite pitbox Sunday at Infineon Raceway.

Raker has seen his share of Kurt Busch fun since taking over after Texas.

1. Dover - Raker got to sit and watch as Busch didn't leave Tony Stewart any room and wrecked the two of them off of turn 4. A deliberate slide into Stewart's pit stall left the No. 2 parked by NASCAR -- something I'm sure Raker never saw in his engineer role.
2. All-Star Challenge - Busch could have had a car to beat in the final segment until the younger Busch ended the night.
3. Coca-Cola 600 - A Penske Racing front row had Busch & Co. thinking victory -- until he wrecked for good off of turn 2 in the middle of the race. Raker took quite a bit of heat over the scanner from Kurt from the incident. Yes, Kurt tried to blame Raker for the wreck. That's what kinda team player Kurt is.
4. Pocono, Michigan - With a best finish of 16th in these two races, Busch didn't exactly recover those lost points from Dover.

The free Miller Lite must really make up for all of that. I hope, at least.

Tryson On Tap for Busch originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 20 Jun 2007 01:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Edwards Wins; Hauler Driver to Shave

Geoffrey Miller — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 17:36:00 EST

Filed under: Casey Mears, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth, Michael Waltrip, Carl Edwards, Martin Truex Jr., Nextel Cup, Pit Crews

D-shaped two-mile ovals must be a friend of Ford -- and more concisely Roush-Fenway Racing.

Carl Edwards took his first win of the season today at Michigan International Speedway in a brisk race. Totaling less than three hours, the Citizen's Bank 400 featured 22 lead changes and just four cautions.

The win for Edwards was his first since Texas in 2005 and locks him in next year's Nextel All-Star Challenge. It was Roush-Fenway's 2nd win of the year, after Kenseth won at the Michigan sister track of California in February.

Martin Truex Jr., who was caught up in an early-race wreck that took out Matt Kenseth and Brian Vickers, finished second with Tony Stewart, Casey Mears, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. rounding out the top-5.

Michael Waltrip finished a surprising 10th after running in the bottom half of the top-10 all day. Bill Elliott followed right behind Waltrip in 11th, Paul Menard 12th, and Robby Gordon 13th.

Jeff Gordon, who finished 9th, now leads Denny Hamlin in the point standings.

More importantly, though, Edward's hauler driver Tom Giacchi hasn't shaved since his last win at Texas in 2005. Needless to say, the beard is pretty long and even growing parasites.

It's all coming off today, though. I'd imagine that video will be around the web very shortly.

Edwards Wins; Hauler Driver to Shave originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 17 Jun 2007 17:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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