Motorsports FanHouse

Expect Payback at 'Thunder Valley'

Steve Byrnes — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:44:00 EST

Filed under: Bristol Motor Speedway, Chase for the Sprint Cup, SPEED TV

One of the questions fans frequently ask me is whether or not NASCAR drivers harbor a grudge against one another from week to week. Well, if they do, Bristol Motor Speedway is the one place they can get away with returning the not-so-friendly favor.

Whether it's payback from a previous race or for something that happened just a few laps before, we usually can expect retaliation on the high banks of Bristol. And that tit-for-tat can be as simple as a complementary spin or as emotive as a post-race fight. One former series champion told me, "Any driver who says they don't have a 'payback' list is a liar." That mental list can be lengthy and likely covers misdeeds from many years back.

In fact, it's the numerous instances of on- and off-track reprisal at Bristol that have helped the track morph into the behemoth it has become. Bristol's popularity is off the charts - the facility enjoys its 55th sellout of 160,000 seats this weekend - and a good portion of that is due to the fireworks fans have come to expect from "Thunder Valley" and its angry drivers.

More Coverage: Get NASCAR on SPEED TV Schedule

Television doesn't do the place justice. The scene from inside Bristol Motor Speedway verges on an assault on the senses. The crowd noise, not to mention the roar of 43 cars, is deafening. With drivers literally out of control all around the track at any given moment, cameras can't physically capture all that intense action at one time.

It's this electric atmosphere combined with the sweltering heat of an August night that ratchets up the emotions and generally leaves someone fuming. But the blatant "dumps" that often occurred when a frustrated driver couldn't pass a fellow competitor have lessened since speedway officials ground the track surface a couple of years ago, creating a second racing groove that allowed for more passing. As a result, we haven't seen as many drivers literally bulldozing each other to make the pass.

However, there still remains the tendency for drivers to intentionally spin each other out on the track and on pit road, throw their helmets at the guilty party (Bobby Labonte comes to mind here) and occasionally break out into an all-out brawl after the race.

There have been innumerable squabbles at Bristol over the years but also remarkable achievements. Bristol truly brings out the best and worst in people. Here are a few of my favorites:

Dale Earnhardt/Sterling Marlin:
One of the first "Bristol-like" incidents I remember occurred in the mid-1980s when Sterling Marlin was driving the No. 44 car. Dale Earnhardt got underneath him late in the race and around Marlin went. Earnhardt told me he wasn't trying to wreck Marlin but just loosen him up a bit. However, for the first time, the media began to paint Earnhardt as out of control and reckless. This didn't evolve into a confrontation or fight but I believe it was pivotal in many people's perception of Earnhardt.

Dale Earnhardt/Rusty Wallace:
In 1995, Dale Earnhardt spun out leader Rusty Wallace early in the race and went on to win. An angry Wallace confronted him afterward but Earnhardt just downplayed the situation and flashed his trademark grin. Earnhardt's levity in the situation enraged Wallace, who hurled a plastic water bottle at his nemesis that bounced off his nose. Wrecks at Bristol often involve the "haves" and "have-nots" but this fiasco featured two heavyweights in the sport, contributing to the tension and buzz on pit road. I was surprised the squabble didn't go further than it did, but in retrospect, that was probably a good thing.

Earnhardt Wins Without Power Steering:
I remember Earnhardt losing power steering early in the spring race in 1985 at Bristol, the one place drivers do not want failures of this sort, but he and Ricky Rudd continued to battle for about half the race. Amazingly, Earnhardt won the event, which I still count as one of the most remarkable feats I've ever seen in NASCAR.

Kevin Harvick/Greg Biffle:
Kevin Harvick and Greg Biffle shook things up in an off-track battle in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in March 2002. After the on-track incident that left Harvick out of contention, Harvick vowed to be waiting for Biffle when he emerged from his car after the race. Sure enough, fifth-place finishing Biffle got out of the car, which Harvick leapt over to reach and grab him by the neck and shoulders. They yelled for a while before finally being separated but not before making a huge scene.

With just that small sampling of Bristol incidents, it's easy to understand why the track is the hottest ticket in NASCAR. I won't go so far as to call Bristol recession-proof, but it has to be the best bet in motorsports during these economic times.

Part of the attraction is that it is a throwback to grassroots racing. I remember my first trip to Bristol in the spring of 1985, long before there were bleachers stacked as high as the eye could see. The backstretch resembled a high school football stadium with a large grassy area between turns three and four where fans sprawled out on blankets to watch the action.

I'm not going to lie and say I knew then that the track would become the giant it has, but I certainly saw potential for growth because Bristol has always been racing in its purest and earliest form. Although they now squeeze in 160,000 fans from 50 states, the facility hearkens back to the early days. With as terrific a product as Bristol produces, I am surprised nobody has built another high-banked, half-mile oval with that many seats, because I'd be the first in line to buy a ticket.

Steve Byrnes is the host of Trackside Live, NASCAR Live and This Week in NASCAR on SPEED, in addition to his duties as a pit reporter for FOX Sports. A NASCAR broadcaster for nearly 25 years, Byrnes also hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice and qualifying broadcasts, as well as the NASCAR Nationwide Series sessions. He broke into NASCAR broadcasting in 1985 as the host of Inside NASCAR on TNN and went on to host Darrell Waltrip's Racers on TNN, among numerous other programs. Byrnes also has served as a play-by-play announcer in the NFL. For more information about Byrnes or to access the NASCAR on SPEED programming schedule, please visit www.speedtv.com.

Expect Payback at 'Thunder Valley' originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Food for Thought Down the Stretch

Randy Pemberton — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:13:00 EST

Filed under: Chase for the Sprint Cup, SPEED TV

A few random thoughts and observations with four races remaining to qualify for the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup:

The "new and improved" Kyle Busch:

Well, he has to start somewhere with his attitude, so give Kyle Busch credit for climbing out of the race car and doing what he so far had been unable to do so often in the past - conduct a civil and polite interview. We in the NASCAR media are fortunate in our ability to approach our athletes immediately following an event, whereas in most sports, players retreat to the locker room for 30 minutes before facing the press.

Taking the good with the bad is part of a participant and a reporter's job but we've all (particularly the fans) been getting the proverbial short end of the stick this season - the lack of a decent interview with Kyle after numerous second-place finishes, let alone 15th- or 30th-place days. So, I have to tip my hat to Kyle for standing in front of the cameras the past couple of weeks and giving respectable responses, whether sincere or not.

More Coverage: Get NASCAR on SPEED TV Schedule

Who Is In or Out of The Chase?

It remains to be seen whether Kyle Busch's newfound positive attitude amps up his on-track performance, but I still think his chances of clinching a spot in the Chase are pretty stout. He currently sits 13th, 58 points out of 12th, heading into this weekend's race at Michigan.

The battle for the final spots is an intense one with everyone between ninth and 15th in points in jeopardy. Matt Kenseth, teetering on the edge in 12th, historically is strong at the two-mile track, so he may very well inch up to a more comfortable spot in the standings. Following Michigan, the Cup Series hits Bristol Motor Speedway, the infamous crap shoot where all hell can break loose and ramrod several drivers' Chase aspirations. If Greg Biffle, Kenseth or Mark Martin were to be swept up in a wreck, Busch, Brian Vickers and possibly Clint Bowyer could again have a viable shot at making the cut. Vickers has had flashes of brilliance this season and if he can score two or three top-five finishes and survive "Thunder Valley," he has a legitimate hope of getting in. I'm not as sold on Bowyer yet because his team tends to run hot and cold, but the next week or two should be quite telling for the No. 33 bunch.

Juan Pablo Montoya:

In only his third full season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Juan Pablo Montoya has done an amazing job and finds himself comfortably in the seventh position. He has run hard, stayed on track and made minimal mistakes. His Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing team deserves a lot of credit for ramping up their performance and giving him solid equipment that doesn't break - all this amidst the growing pains of a merger. But the lion's share of the accolades goes to the driver who has made a very difficult transition from open wheel to stock cars as seamless as possible. If Montoya locks in for the title run, don't bet against him winning it all.

The Chase with no Harvick and Dale Jr.?

It's pretty amazing that two of the sport's most popular and successful superstars will be missing from the championship picture this season. The absence of Kevin Harvick isn't too shocking because the entire Richard Childress Racing organization has been off this year and the demise of their Chase hopes has been an ever-present scenario all season. However, Childress' four teams have improved over the past couple of weeks but still have a long road ahead of them.

As far as NASCAR's most popular driver, I am absolutely dumbfounded that despite what they've thrown at the No. 88 car, despite which teammates' setups they've put under it, despite who they've paired Dale Jr. with as a crew chief, not only is the performance missing, but the team continues to suffer mechanical problems of one nature of another.

How much of a role the driver plays in this debacle is a somewhat intangible factor. But look at what Montoya has done in what many might argue is not the best equipment in the garage. How much of a part has Dale Jr. himself played in his poor performance - not just in the races - but also in practice sessions and his ability to communicate the car's needs to the crew? I don't think anyone truly knows. But without a doubt, all three of his teammates are forces to be reckoned with every week and it's amazing he occupies the polar opposite on the competition spectrum.

Double-File Restarts at MIS:

From the media and fans' standpoint, the double-file restarts in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series have been nothing short of a lifesaver for the excitement level of the races. But these "shootout style" restarts at Michigan will bring an entirely new dynamic to the wide and "racy" track. I think each and every restart will be breathtaking. At Chicagoland Speedway a couple of weeks ago, anyone near the front had a shot at winning on the final restarts. Expect Michigan to be perhaps the wildest racing we've seen all season. Anyone in the top six or eight with three laps remaining could have a viable shot at the checkered flag. Who would have thought we'd see three and four-wide racing on restarts?

Especially now, with the Race to the Chase winding down, look for guys to take these type of chances for the win. After all, finishing first is what it's all about ... and it won't be long before we know who the 12 drivers battling for that chance will be.

Randy Pemberton is a 23-year veteran of motorsports journalism who currently serves as host of NASCAR in a Hurry and reporter for NASCAR Live on SPEED. He has hosted, produced, reported and written for numerous motorsports programs and specials over the years. Pemberton won the Russ Catlin Award of Excellence for broadcast journalism three times, in addition to being named a multi-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association award for spot news. Pemberton, who joined SPEED in 2007 after years with other networks, has produced, written and served as the talent for more than 500 feature packages for national television productions. For more information on Pemberton or to access the NASCAR on SPEED programming schedule, please visit www.speedtv.com.

Food for Thought Down the Stretch originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:13:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Road Courses Should Never Go Away

Adam Alexander — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:48:00 EST

Filed under: Chase for the Sprint Cup, SPEED TV

It's time for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers to turn right again - for the second and final time this year - and right into a dispute.

The validity of road course races on the Cup schedule is a perennial source of debate each time we roll into Watkins Glen International and Infineon Raceway. One train of thought says we need more road courses on the schedule, while others suggest eliminating them entirely. However, I remain smack dab in the middle on this issue, content with the current arrangement and our bi-annual road course stops.

Road courses, such as this weekend's trip to Watkins Glen, add versatility to the Cup Series line-up. To maintain NASCAR's position at the top level of motor sports worldwide, the sport needs the diversity provided by the assortment of road courses, restrictor-plate tracks, intermediate tracks, banked and flat one-mile venues and short tracks. In the same vein that we'd lose variety by eliminating one of these types of tracks, the schedule would sacrifice multiplicity with the exclusion of these styles of speedways.

More Coverage: Get NASCAR on SPEED TV Schedule

Furthermore, as attention turns toward the upcoming NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup, the sport's version of the playoffs, there often is a points shake-up coming out of Watkins Glen because guys who might not be in contention to make the Chase, such as Robby Gordon, Marcos Ambrose and Boris Said, often finish up front and snatch some of the championship points away from the title contenders.

For this reason, I think this event is perfectly placed outside the 10-race Chase framework and shouldn't be a part of the championship battle. Tracks like Watkins Glen and Infineon Raceway are anomalies and shouldn't be allowed to create opportunities for those more skilled at road racing to score a bunch of points on the competition. However, many of today's top NASCAR wheelmen, such as Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, have refined their road racing skills over the years and don't miss a beat when they crank the wheel to the right.

While I don't think we should visit Watkins Glen and Sonoma more than once a year, I think it's prudent to evaluate additional road course opportunities in the future. For instance, Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala., is an incredible facility that rightfully has garnered significant attention with the announcement of the IndyCar Series stop there in 2010. If the facility could be made compatible for stock cars, I'd like to see the same consideration given. Just as Indianapolis Motor Speedway has discussed having Grand-Am cars run its road course, NASCAR could also contemplate doing the same one day. It doesn't hurt to explore new options.

Some people decry road courses as a waste of an organization's money because while we run only two a year, teams spend a great deal of resources on specializing their cars for these dates. It was for this reason that the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series moved away from road courses but I can also see this argument's relevancy for the Nationwide Series in the future. However, things are different at the Cup level and while the economy and sponsorship search are challenging at this time, teams budget for road courses and would probably spend that money elsewhere if these venues were eliminated. Plus, this line of thinking is more of an excuse for those who don't want to run road courses for whatever reason.

NASCAR fans enjoy road courses and the unique glimpses they give into a team's pit strategy and drivers' skills. Whether we run two, four or 10 per season, these twists and turns have an important place on the Cup Series schedule and have for quite some time. Why mess with a good thing?

Adam Alexander is a SPEED reporter in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and for TNT in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, in addition to his duties hosting NASCAR in a Hurry and The SPEED Report.

Road Courses Should Never Go Away originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Ron Hornaday Faces 'Uphill Climb' for Fifth Straight Win This Weekend

Krista Voda — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:50:00 EST

Filed under: Camping World Truck Series, SPEED TV

What do Ron Hornaday Jr. and the Waukee, Iowa girls' track and field team have in common? Winning four in a row, a remarkable feat in any sport.

The track and field team was four-time consecutive regional champions while Hornaday made NASCAR Camping World Truck Series history last weekend at Indianapolis with his fourth consecutive victory. He now heads to Nashville Superspeedway on Saturday, one of only eight tracks on which he has not yet won.

Hornaday's accomplishment is just as impressive, if not more so, than similar ones in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series because the competition consistently is so tight in the Truck Series. The depth of the talent pool is second-to-none with veterans such as Hornaday, Mike Skinner, Rick Crawford and Todd Bodine, as well as young guys and rookies claiming their share of wins this year.

More Coverage: Get NASCAR on SPEED TV Schedule

Not only did Hornaday, a three-time Truck Series champion, notch four consecutive wins, he did it on a wide of variety of tracks - tight short tracks and superspeedways - showcasing the strength of his Kevin Harvick Inc. team. They have a legitimate shot at making it five in a row Saturday, but in a break from the norm for this group, it's going to be more of an uphill climb than usual. Hornaday holds two top-five finishes in four starts at the 1.33-mile concrete oval, he has yet to visit Victory Lane.

But Hornaday has hunger and desire on his side with his eye on the Gibson guitar that serves as the track trophy. He even paid a recent visit to artist Sam Bass' shop to take a look at the guitars, whetting his appetite for the coveted prize.

Nashville will be a big hurdle for this team, but if they can clear it, it's hard to deny the California native a spot among the greatest Truck Series competitors of all times. He's certainly making a case for the distinction, although it's tough to single out one because several drivers have excelled in such spectacular fashion, including Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards, who all went on to have successful Cup careers.

In fact, Hornaday's victory at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indy put him in an elite class of only three drivers over the age of 50 to score five wins in a single season, grouping him with the likes of Harry Gant and Joe Ruttman. That's pretty good company.

But Hornaday, the points leader, doesn't have much company in the championship battle right now, the first time in about 10 years that the leader can enjoy some breathing room at this juncture in the 25-race season. The Truck Series prides itself on incredibly intense points battles throughout the year with drivers often separated by single digits.

Unfortunately for Hornaday, I don't think he'll have this cushion down the stretch because guys like Matt Crafton, Skinner and Bodine are holding their own and will give him a heated run for his money. These teams haven't fallen on their faces - Hornaday is just winning everything lately. But there is no way he can keep up this pace amidst the fierce competition. There is a ravenous desire to win in the Truck Series because it boasts a hard-working, blue-collar and blood-thirsty atmosphere. These other guys must win to keep their jobs and pay their bills, and you can bet they will be doing just that.

They also will be secretly hoping for a little bad luck to befall the No. 33 team because some of Hornaday's success this season was bolstered by good fortune. By no means do I discount the team's fortitude and talent, but they also haven't experienced much bad luck. Hornaday's crew chief, Rick Ren, is tied as the all-time winningest crew chief in the Truck Series and will hold a class of his own with one more trip to Victory Lane. Hornaday is a three-time champion with incredible resources and support from KHI, so all the pieces are together for that team.

But that's also the case with a lot of other teams, so luck does play a factor in situations such as this. However, Hornaday has an innate ability to remain calm in tense situations; to not smell fear; and to grab the lead and maintain it for the win in the closing laps. He's got the experience but he also needed some racing luck or four in a row would have been claimed before.

Hornaday could very well stake claim to a fourth championship this season and you'd be crazy to pick against him because he is the Jimmie Johnson of the Truck Series. We all know not to bet against Johnson until he gives us a reason to. With five wins this season, four consecutively, and 11 opportunities remaining, how could you bet against "The Professor"? By the same token, I'll wager the other Iowan track and field teams aren't betting against Waukee either.

Krista Voda is the host of NCWTS Setup, the popular pre-race program for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on SPEED, as well as a NASCAR pit reporter for FOX Sports. A veteran of the NASCAR garage, Voda also hosts The SPEED Report and was the first female to host a NASCAR pre-race show. She hosted Totally NASCAR and NASCAR Nation on SPEED, in addition to serving as a reporter and pre-race show host for AMA. Voda also has extensive experience in radio and local television and works as a sideline reporter for the NFL and BCS on FOX. For more information on Voda or to access the NASCAR on SPEED programming schedule, please visit www.speedtv.com.

Ron Hornaday Faces 'Uphill Climb' for Fifth Straight Win This Weekend originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Goodyear Looks to Rebound After Last Year's 'Debacle' at the Brickyard

Steve Byrnes — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 11:19:00 EST

Filed under: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Chase for the Sprint Cup, SPEED TV

Debacle. Fiasco. Embarrassment.

All of these words and more were used to describe last year's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard.

What could cause utterances of this nature to be used to describe one of NASCAR's crown jewel events, held on sacred racing ground at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway?

Tires.

Specifically, the greatest drivers in the world were reduced to competing in ten-lap sprints as NASCAR officials displayed the caution flag nine times for "competition yellows."

More Coverage: Get NASCAR on SPEED TV Schedule

The tires that the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company brought to the track wore quickly on the uniquely abrasive racing surface that in the past has been diamond-grinded for the lighter IRL cars. This, coupled with the handling characteristics of NASCAR's Car of Tomorrow, making its Brickyard debut last year, and its increased weight on right-side tires, spelled disaster for the tires. In a virtually unprecedented scenario, they didn't "lay down" any rubber after a few laps but instead shed a fine dust that led to rapid tire wear and blowouts.

Just as teams found themselves scrambling to prevent their tires from exploding, NASCAR found itself clambering to put a positive spin on its new-found black eye. Any situation that compromises the integrity of the show does and should come under intense scrutiny, casting a cloud over the sport.

That is why, for example, NASCAR takes such a harsh stance against cheating. Any manipulation to a race car for the purpose of gaining an advantage is penalized by the sanctioning body. NASCAR wants its fan base to know the playing field is level. In the case of Indy one year ago, certainly there was no cheating perpetuated, but the quality of the show for the fans was indeed harmed.

Rightfully so, fans expressed outrage after the race, eventually won by Hendrick Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson. Some competitors were vocal about the issue, others empathetic. Greg Biffle said on our SPEED program 'This Week in NASCAR' that he was simply doing his job.

"That's what I get paid to do," Biffle said. "My job is to adapt to the conditions of the track and figure out a way to win the race. Was it a good situation? Absolutely not. We have to make it better for next year. The fans deserve that."

Two days after the race, NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton acknowledged, and apologized, for the outcome of the event and vowed a similar experience wouldn't happen again.

So what has happened since then?

Plenty. Goodyear has worked incredibly hard to rectify the situation. In 2009 alone, the tire manufacturer has held seven individual tire tests at IMS among 31 drivers who have logged 13,000 miles, in addition to seven initial visits last year. Officials say they have been through approximately 20 tire compounds with the goal of developing one that would "rubber into" the track but not grip the surface so well it blistered.

"It would have been easy for Goodyear to stick their heads in the sand," said NASCAR on FOX and SPEED analyst Larry McReynolds. "Last year's race was one of the blackest marks in their long racing history. Goodyear could have blamed the track surface or any number of factors, including the race car, but they didn't. They rolled up their sleeves and went to work. Goodyear won't quit until the drivers are satisfied."

Former series and Brickyard 400 champions Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon recently praised Goodyear for their efforts to remedy the situation, and both said they expect a much better race this time around. Gordon went as far as to say he was "100 percent" confident tire problems are a dead issue at Indy. Goodyear also has expressed a similar assurance that they've found the solution.

Each of us who work in NASCAR, and have supported it over the years, fervently hope a resolution truly is at hand this weekend because neither NASCAR nor Goodyear nor Indianapolis Motor Speedway can afford a sequel to last year's horror movie, because it just might spell the end of NASCAR at the Brickyard.

In a perfect world, Goodyear would prefer to go unnoticed on a given race weekend, opting instead to be like the baseball umpire who calls a game without any controversy. But we don't live in a perfect world and neither does Goodyear. If Sunday's race produces results similar to last year, it won't be for lack of effort. But rest assured no one would be as disappointed as the tire maker itself.

Steve Byrnes is the host of Trackside Live, NASCAR Live and This Week in NASCAR on SPEED, in addition to his duties as a pit reporter for FOX Sports. A NASCAR broadcaster for nearly 25 years, Byrnes also hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice and qualifying broadcasts, as well as the NASCAR Nationwide Series sessions. He broke into NASCAR broadcasting in 1985 as the host of Inside NASCAR on TNN and went on to host Darrell Waltrip's Racers on TNN, among numerous other programs. Byrnes also has served as a play-by-play announcer in the NFL. For more information about Byrnes or to access the NASCAR on SPEED programming schedule, please visit www.speedtv.com.

Goodyear Looks to Rebound After Last Year's 'Debacle' at the Brickyard originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Tue, 21 Jul 2009 11:19:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Hall Call Could Lead to Confusion

Adam Alexander — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:36:00 EST

Filed under: Chase for the Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series, Camping World Truck Series, SPEED TV

We're still a few months away from learning who the first five inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame will be, giving us a little time to banter back and forth about who should be in that critical first class.

I'm curious to see how everything plays out with the criteria for induction. With three premier but separate series - the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series - how do you arrive at the finalists given the dominant success several drivers have enjoyed across the three different divisions?

For example, a look at Kevin Harvick's accomplishments as a driver in the Nationwide Series shows he certainly is Hall of Fame material. A two-time champion, he is one of the series' standouts but his Cup stats aren't Hall of Fame-worthy at this stage. Would the Nationwide Series weigh in on Harvick's resume when the day comes or would he need outstanding Cup results to garner a vote?

More Coverage: Get NASCAR on SPEED TV Schedule

Ironically, Ron Hornaday, who drives for Harvick in the Truck Series, is the series all-time winningest driver and if there was a Hall of Fame strictly for the Truck Series, he would top the list. But would that be enough to merit induction up against the Cup Series giants? Then again, the Cup Series is considered the premier group of drivers, so is it just natural for all the early inductees to spring from that division?

Or should the Hall members be divided into the Cup, Nationwide and Truck Series?

I propose as much because it is so difficult to contrast the accomplishments of drivers across the three levels. Each series has drivers who have written their names in the history books and helped the sport grow to the level it currently enjoys.

This isn't a discussion so much for the first class as for those down the road, because five annual members is an excessive amount. For the Hall of Fame to attain and retain its prestige and exclusivity, I think that number needs to taper off after the first year or two so we're not placing people in there just to hit a number. They need to be true legends and icons of NASCAR. But if NASCAR plans to continue to induct five new members each year, I think the members should be categorized by Truck, Nationwide, media and "general" categories, which likely would mean a Cup driver or owner.

Seven-time Cup Series champion Richard Petty made the comment last week that the first class of inductees should include those who founded the sport and not those who helped propel it forward, thereby saying he shouldn't be included. Petty's humility is part of what makes him such an ambassador for the sport and while I would never argue with the man, I must adamantly oppose him on this one. He's had more success than anyone else and is a no-brainer for the first ballot.

As for the first ballot, I'd say Bill France, Petty and Dale Earnhardt are a shoe-in for three of the first five slots. The France family's vision and work ethic grew the sport by gargantuan proportions both on and off the track. Petty single-handedly revolutionized the popularity of driver autographs and access, while Dale Earnhardt gave NASCAR one of its first true controversial heroes. France, Petty and Earnhardt helped launch NASCAR into the behemoth it has become and without them, the sport would be a mere shadow of itself. But after these three, I am not sure who belongs in the inaugural class because so many guys come to mind who have achieved equitable success . Their impact on the sport hasn't been as meteoric as the aforementioned trio.

While it becomes more difficult to select members after the obvious first three, one factor that has no place in the Hall is popularity, but as is the case with any sport's Hall of Fame, it's almost inevitable that it will play some role. In baseball's hall of fame, Don Mattingly has a chance of inclusion by virtue of playing for the New York Yankees for so many years and his media savvy in the country's largest media market. Mattingly may never be inducted, but his popularity with the vote-wielding media in New York will increase his odds.

The same is true with the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the fan vote. Race fans are so unique and have helped build the sport, and for that reason, I support giving them a voice. But on the other hand, because they are so loyal and emotional, part of me thinks they should have no input because that raw emotion could vote in members whose accomplishments might not truly merit the recognition.

All this aside, the NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees should earn their place on the strength of their wins, championships and unmatched contributions to the sport. Who would you vote for?

Adam Alexander is a SPEED reporter in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races on TNT, in addition to his duties hosting NASCAR in a Hurry and The SPEED Report.

Hall Call Could Lead to Confusion originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Danica Better Give Possible Move to NASCAR Some Serious Thought

Krista Voda — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sprint Cup, SPEED TV, IRL

One of the loudest buzzes in motor sports the past couple of weeks comes in the form of one tiny, but potent, package -- Danica Patrick. Does she dare make the daunting move from the IndyCar Series to NASCAR?

Only those close to her know Danica's true intentions, but we can say with certainty she is a savvy business woman. Making public her willingness to entertain any and all offers from both series is a prudent business decision. Danica may have every intention of remaining in the IndyCar Series and simply jumping from Andretti-Green Racing to Chip Ganassi's team, so she could very well be using the NASCAR chatter as a bargaining chip. She possesses the driving ability and marketing appeal to demand her price and place.

More Coverage: Get NASCAR on SPEED TV Schedule

Danica has said, though, that if she were to venture into NASCAR, it would be for a top-tier team at the top level, which one must assume means the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. I don't think she's interested in progressing through the NASCAR Camping World Truck or Nationwide Series, which many people think would be a mistake to circumvent. While it appears Danica wants to be with the "big boys" from the get-go, I don't think that's the right move for her.

That's not a personal swipe at Danica but a mere observation of the performance of other former open wheelers in NASCAR. Judging by the stats of Sam Hornish Jr., Dario Franchitti and others, it would be foolish to say she would make it in NASCAR.

Those guys are Indy 500 and IRL champions, yet they struggled in stock cars amidst a steep learning curve. After less than stellar results in the Cup Series, Franchitti returned to IndyCar and now is succeeding immensely. He didn't forget how to drive during his NASCAR stint - his lack of performance simply reinforced how different the two series are. Danica has won only one IRL race and has no championships, so on paper, it is doubtful she would thrive in NASCAR.

Juan Pablo Montoya was very vocal this week about how tough it would be for her. Montoya is the most successful open wheel driver in recent years but is still trying to crack the elite ranks and make the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup. However, he finally is inching his way toward that goal and probably has the best perspective of what a long and challenging road it has been. Montoya says the difficulty lies in the differences between the cars, noting that in the IndyCar Series, cars do what drivers want them to do, whereas in stock cars, vehicles are much heavier and harder to maneuver.

If Danica were to make the leap to NASCAR with the goal of being a legitimate, successful driver, then stock cars would be a bad career move for her. Wins won't come easily, if at all. But if her ambition is to further her marketability, make lots of money, star in commercials and sell products, she will be an absolute and unequivocal success. Danica is a marketer's dream and doesn't need to frequent Victory Lane to maintain that status. But she's a very bright lady who has surrounded herself with the right agents and representatives and I can guarantee she is weighing all these factors or she wouldn't be the marketing powerhouse she already is.

NASCAR certainly recognizes the marketing impact Danica could have on their sport and they're probably falling all over themselves to lure her into the fold. With a single IRL win, Danica has established herself as a brand and has cornered the market in Indy cars. She has proven herself and doesn't need NASCAR to extend her success. But NASCAR could sure use her. I've seen estimates that Danica's presence in the sport could generate upwards of $50 million in new sponsorship and marketing dollars, and I'd be crazy to disagree with that.

Danica has said she won't make an announcement on her future until the conclusion of the IndyCar Series season, which wraps up in October. But considering that the Cup Series finishes up closer to Thanksgiving and kicks off in early February, she has to be weighing the fact that the IndyCar season and weekends are much shorter. Not only would Danica face the learning curve of the race car itself, she'd also have to contend with a more grueling schedule and lifestyle in NASCAR. And I'm not convinced she really wants that.

Krista Voda is the host of NCWTS Setup, the popular pre-race program for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on SPEED, as well as a NASCAR pit reporter for FOX Sports. A veteran of the NASCAR garage, Voda also hosts The SPEED Report and was the first female to host a NASCAR pre-race show. She hosted Totally NASCAR and NASCAR Nation on SPEED, in addition to serving as a reporter and pre-race show host for AMA. Voda also has extensive experience in radio and local television and works as a sideline reporter for the NFL and BCS on FOX. For more information on Voda or to access the NASCAR on SPEED programming schedule, please visit www.speedtv.com.

Danica Better Give Possible Move to NASCAR Some Serious Thought originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Setting Up 'Race to the Chase'

Larry McReynolds — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:43:00 EST

Filed under: Chase for the Sprint Cup, SPEED TV

It's that time of year again. Sunday's race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway officially kicks off the "Race to the Chase," the 10-race stretch for a shot at the championship.

While there have been several surprises in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this year, one of the biggest shocks as we close in on the Chase for the Sprint Cup is the absence of a clear-cut favorite for the championship. Last year's dominant teams at this time of the season were the 99 and 18, and the 24 and 48 in 2007, but we really don't have one in 2009, which bodes well for the sport.

We're 16 races into the season and have seen 10 different winners, and considering the big names who have yet to win, such as Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Denny Hamlin and Ryan Newman, that number could easily reach 16 or 17 by the time we get to Homestead in November, a sign of incredible on-track competition.

I suspect the tight contests and lack of a breakout star stems from a combination of teams being in the second full season with the new car coupled with the testing ban. Crews finally have figured out what the car needs to drive well, evidenced by the fact we've had some surprise winners in David Reutimann, Brad Keselowski and Kasey Kahne.

More Coverage: Get NASCAR on SPEED TV Schedule

Equally interesting are the drivers in danger of not making the cut, as well as the ones who may squeak in for the first time ever. Here's how I break down some of the Chase contenders based on their weekly performances:

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick: Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick win the "snowball's chance in hell" award for making The Chase. To the chagrin of the entire Junior Nation, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has almost zero chance of sneaking inside the top 12. He sits 277 points outside the top 12 in 20th and nothing short of an absolute turnaround will earn Jr. a spot. The same goes for Kevin Harvick, who is 25th. Juan Pablo Montoya has been hanging tough lately and if he missed the next two races and Harvick won both, Montoya still would have the advantage. The performance just hasn't been there for Harvick or Dale Jr.

Kyle Busch: Kyle Busch is not performing like many of us had expected after nine victories in 2008. His year has been one of feast or famine - if he doesn't win, he doesn't even finish inside the top 10 regularly. "Shrub" is tied with Mark Martin for the most wins this year at three, but he has only five top-10 finishes and only one since his May victory at Richmond. Something is amiss with his Joe Gibbs Racing team and I'm sure they're all scratching their heads trying to figure it out.

I am a big Kyle Busch fan and agree with Jeff Gordon that he's one of the most talented drivers to come along in a long time. But Busch's attitude leaves something to be desired and could be part of what is derailing his consistency. A driver's frame of mind is vital to his performance and Busch could use an attitude adjustment. I don't think he realizes how his blatant outrage or extreme disappointment with finishing second affects his team.

Richard Childress Racing: Something has been terribly "off" all year at RCR. The 29 and 07 teams swapped crews and crew chiefs in May and have had only a couple of high spots since then. Clint Bowyer carried the RCR banner early in the season but quickly dropped it and has fallen on hard times, as have Jeff Burton and Harvick, who are amidst a horrendous slump. Burton fell out of the top 12 Sunday at Infineon, although he and Bowyer remain the only hopes RCR has of putting a team in The Chase, but they're going to have to quickly step it up. On a positive note, Casey Mears and crew chief Todd Berrier seem to have clicked and have had a couple of flickers of hope.

Who's Out That Will Make It In? I predict the final spot in The Chase will be earned by Kahne and I'm not just jumping on the bandwagon because he won last Sunday. His No. 9 Richard Petty Motorsports team has been building him better cars and they've begun testing out the new Dodge motor, which appears much stronger than the older model.

Since Kahne is currently 13th in points, who will he knock out? It's too early to call but if I had to choose, I'd say Montoya will miss The Chase unless he starts ticking off some top-five finishes. That team has been consistent and run well but they're not finishing up front. They've had three consecutive top-10 finishes, but with the battle for the final Chase spot so close, they're going to need some top-five finishes soon.

Reutimann: While we'd all love to see David Reutimann qualify for The Chase, I don't think he will get there. His team is starting to show some inconsistency and they've still got another road course coming up, which has proven to be Reutimann's Achilles Heel.

Brian Vickers: Brian Vickers is capable of winning races and making The Chase but he and his team can't seem to put the beginning, middle and end of a race together. I think if they can get that first win together, more will follow, but until that happens, they probably won't contend for the championship.

One final midseason surprise is NASCAR's institution of the double-file restarts. I'd like to commend the sanctioning body for not being afraid to make a change in the middle of the year. I've always thought that the beginning of a race is the most exciting part of the event, but NASCAR has managed to continue that element throughout the entire race. Sonoma was a much more thrilling show as a result and I see no reason Sunday's event at Loudon won't be the same way.

Larry McReynolds is a renowned former crew chief in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series who led drivers that included Dale Earnhardt and Davey Allison. McReynolds now serves as a NASCAR analyst for SPEED and FOX Sports on race broadcasts and several programs, including Trackside Live and NASCAR Performance on SPEED. He earned 23 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories, 21 pole positions, 122 top-five and 209 top-10 finishes in 457 starts. McReynolds was awarded the 1998 UAW-GM Teamwork Award of Excellence and was named the Copenhagen/Skoal All Pro Crew Chief in 1991-1995. For more information on McReynolds or SPEED's programming schedule, please visit www.speedtv.com.

Setting Up 'Race to the Chase' originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:43:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Surprising Teammates Face Crucial Test

Steve Byrnes — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Chase for the Sprint Cup, SPEED TV

Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Infineon Raceway could very well make or break the season of two underrated drivers who are teammates by virtually all definitions of the word.

Marcos Ambrose, who drives for JTG-Daugherty Racing, essentially a satellite of Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR), and David Reutimann, who won his first Cup race for MWR last month at Lowe's Motor Speedway, are two humble and subdued drivers making a lot of noise on the track this year. But the road course in Sonoma, Calif., could mean totally different things to the duo.

The fact we're even talking about these guys now is a story in and of itself. With 15 races in the 2009 history books, Tony Stewart leading the championship points in his first year as a driver/owner is probably the biggest surprise of the season, but Reutimann sitting 13th in points, three out of the 12th and final spot to make the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup, and Ambrose 20th, despite losing a couple of spots last weekend at Michigan, rank right up there. Their marked improvement is a testament to the obvious turnaround in Waltrip's organization, which holds close ties to JTG-Daugherty Racing and builds many of Ambrose's race cars.

More Coverage: Get NASCAR on SPEED TV Schedule

Reutimann's ride wasn't even guaranteed in the preseason because sponsorship wasn't confirmed for the entire year. However, Waltrip told Aaron's that Reutimann would win a race, and therefore, the sponsor should hop on board every week to ensure they were the ones in Victory Lane. As goofy as Waltrip can be, he was dead on the money. Although the Coke 600 was a rain-shortened event, Reutimann has run up front and knocked off some impressive finishes this year, putting him in position for a win enough times that his turn finally came.

Ambrose, the jovial Australian, has caught many teams off-guard by leading the likes of Martin Truex Jr. and Kevin Harvick in the point standings, and I'm willing to bet he will outperform many more this weekend. Ambrose has deep roots in road course racing - he won the Australian V8 Supercar Series championship in 2003 and 2004, as well as 11 of 26 races in 2004 and nine of 22 in 2003. He made his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford last year at Sonoma, where he qualified seventh, and was the fastest in final practice and spent a good portion of the race in the top 10. However, transmission problems plagued Ambrose late in the race and relegated him to a 42nd-place finish.

Now that he has a full-time ride in the No. 47 Toyota, I wouldn't be shocked to see him pull into Victory Lane at Sonoma. Guys like Jeff Gordon, Robby Gordon and Tony Stewart are always expected to dominate the road courses but Ambrose is as talented as any of them.

On the other hand, Sonoma could prove to be the Achilles heel in Reutimann's quest to make the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup. Reutimann doesn't have much road-course experience and could use a few pointers from his Aussie counterpart.

In discussing the resurgence of Michael Waltrip Racing, we can't overlook the sub-par performance of owner Waltrip in the No. 55 Toyota. He told me he has conflicted emotions that pull him between his passion for driving and the possibility he may need to climb out of the car because he's not producing on the track. Waltrip has already announced he is stepping aside this weekend and tapping Patrick Carpentier to pilot his car.

In the meantime, Reutimann and Ambrose carry the banner for the team, although neither fit the typical mold and stereotype of a marketable NASCAR driver. The business model in recent years has been to put a 20-year-old kid like Joey Logano in the car and turn him loose.

Both men are in their 30s and don't look like a marketer's dream but are so self-deprecating and down-to-earth that they quickly have endeared themselves to many fans. Ambrose, who literally came to America from Australia on his honeymoon because he wanted to compete in NASCAR, and Reutimann have no agendas and are truly thrilled and grateful for the opportunity they currently have. And that's among the most refreshing and impressive things I've seen in this sport in a long time.

Steve Byrnes is the host of Trackside Live, NASCAR Live and This Week in NASCAR on SPEED, in addition to his duties as a pit reporter for FOX Sports. A NASCAR broadcaster for nearly 25 years, Byrnes also hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice and qualifying broadcasts, as well as the NASCAR Nationwide Series sessions. He broke into NASCAR broadcasting in 1985 as the host of Inside NASCAR on TNN and went on to host Darrell Waltrip's Racers on TNN, among numerous other programs. Byrnes also has served as a play-by-play announcer in the NFL. For more information about Byrnes or to access the NASCAR on SPEED programming schedule, please visit www.speedtv.com.

Surprising Teammates Face Crucial Test originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Smoke Will Win It All This Season

Dave Despain — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:38:00 EST

Filed under: Sprint Cup, SPEED TV

If I had said this six months ago, you would have insisted that I'd lost my last marble. But now the notion doesn't seem so crazy, does it? I pick Tony Stewart to win the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.

That's right - my money's on "Smoke" and I'm feeling pretty confident given the way he's behaving lately. Taking the point lead at Dover, and winning for the first time as a car owner a week later at Pocono, sealed the deal for me, but let me point out that six months ago I was in the minority who believed in the notion that Stewart-Haas Racing would actually succeed.

I don't make all that many prescient predictions so allow me to revel in this one; when Tony announced he was leaving the proven powerhouse Joe Gibbs Racing to assume half-ownership of a team that couldn't hit its backside with either hand, most folks assumed the worst. Haas CNC Racing was blessed with abundant resources, including the crucial technical assistance link to Hendrick Motorsports, but its owner was in prison on a tax rap and its drivers were lucky to finish in the 30s. Half ownership of that dud recalled the old saying "Half of nothing is still nothing."

More Coverage: Get NASCAR on SPEED TV Schedule

Thus the conventional wisdom at the time of Tony's announcement last summer, the prevailing view of Smoke's departure from Gibbs and the concomitant launch of the highest profile owner/driver attempt since Ricky Rudd actually won races in his own car back in the '90s, the buzz in the garage, on the 'Net and among the majority of fans was that Tony Stewart had screwed the pooch magnificently. His co-ownership of what is now Stewart-Haas Racing was characterized as a step toward semi-retirement, a "take-the-money-and-run" proposition and the end of his reign as a competitive factor in NASCAR racing.

For the record, I never bought any of that. In fact, I predicted that in his new role as owner/driver, Stewart would make the '09 Chase. Now that he is in fact leading the points, it's time to pull my arm out of the socket patting myself on the back.

So why did I believe Stewart would succeed as an owner/driver? Because I've been reporting on this guy since he was a teenager kicking butt in USAC cars and I've ever seen a more competitive human being. Smoke does not lose gracefully and I think that's a good thing.

I also noted that Tony has a pretty good track record as an owner, albeit of dirt track cars and nothing as ambitious as a Cup team. Still, ownership is ownership. It's about getting the right equipment, the right people and the right chemistry, then going out and kickin' ass. In other words, it's exactly what Stewart has done as a Cup car owner.

In retrospect, the facts seem so clear. Haas CNC, now Stewart-Haas Racing, is fundamentally a Hendrick Motorsports satellite team. It gets great hardware from the best organization in NASCAR. Tony has complimented good cars with good people, the key difference between the old team and the new team, and obviously he and Ryan Newman are a significant upgrade in the driver department.

Still, is it not a leap of faith to believe that midseason superiority will translate into a championship? Not the way I see it. Any way you slice it, Hendrick has the cars to beat. Others pursue but nobody is seriously threatening the HMS dominance. And among Hendrick drivers, I think Tony is the logical pick. Jimmie Johnson is seeking a fourth straight crown, which simply means the odds are stacked heavily against him; Gordon is playing hurt, his back trouble a weekly story; Martin, for all his success, is also bucking the odds - do we really think there will be another 50-something champion? And Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a non-factor. Who does that leave? Only your 2009 Sprint Cup champion, Tony Stewart.

Dave Despain, a veteran motorsports journalist, is the host of Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain on SPEED. A self-proclaimed failed motorcycle racer, Despain spent 10 years in American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) public relations and publishing and made his first television appearance on ABC Wide World of Sports as an analyst for the Daytona 200. He emerged on the NASCAR scene in the early 1970s when he joined Motor Racing Network (MRN) and was named host of Motorweek Illustrated on TBS in 1980. In addition to his on-air accomplishments, Despain served on the AMA Pro Racing Board in the 1990s and became a promoter in 1998 when he inaugurated the Dirt Track Hall of Fame Race in Springfield, Illinois, a race that paid a record $100,000 purse. He joined then-Speedvision in 2001 as the host of the weekly programs Bike Week and Motorcyclist. Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain on SPEED was born in 2003 and has become one of the network's most popular programs. For more information on Despain or SPEED's NASCAR programming, please visit www.speedtv.com.

Smoke Will Win It All This Season originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Tired Act by Goodyear

Ray Dunlap — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:18:00 EST

Filed under: Chase for the Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series, Camping World Truck Series, SPEED TV

NASCAR's primary goal each week is putting on a spectacular show for the fans, but Goodyear's practice of utilizing the same tire for its top three series is hurting the show.

The tire problems that surfaced in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race last weekend at Dover may have been avoided if Goodyear had in place a specific tire for the Truck Series instead of a general design that services Trucks, NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series cars.

Goodyear often runs the exact same tire compound in each of NASCAR's top three divisions, as was the case at Dover. However, the vehicles in these three series are polar opposites these days and, therefore, should have equally diversified tire designs.

I think that competition is sacrificed across the board because tires are not created explicitly for each series, but none suffers more than the third-tier Truck Series. If Goodyear would develop a Truck Series-specific tire, they could zero in much more effectively on the Nationwide and Cup Series and, in turn, improve the product there, as well.

More Coverage: Get NASCAR on SPEED TV Schedule

Dover was evidence that the tire cannot hold up and perform well for all three types of vehicles at the same time. Since the Truck Series and Nationwide Series teams are restricted in the number of tires they can purchase every weekend, teams were forced to try to squeeze 55 laps out of a set of tires instead of the 35 laps the Cup guys ran, giving the Trucks too long a run on a tire that was more suited for their Cup counterparts and their infinite opportunities for fresh rubber.

Veteran Truck Series driver Mike Skinner may have put it best when he said, "If anybody thinks they can build a tire that will fit all three of these divisions at the same race track, they're crazy. The trucks have a great tire one weekend, the COT has another great tire another weekend, but there's no way that you can do both at the same time for the two vastly different divisions."

Make no mistake - Goodyear faces one of the toughest challenges imaginable and does a superior job of putting a competitive and safe product on the track every week. If their lone charge was overseeing tire development for the Cup Series, Goodyear's plate would be full with the responsibility of designing the right tire for assorted tracks amidst intelligent and crafty crew chiefs and engineers who are constantly massaging their cars and creating additional challenges.

Please don't underestimate the disparities between the Trucks and the Cup cars. Goodyear's job is all the more intensified because constructing one tire to accommodate all three series, each with its own needs, is a monumental task. The scientific data of down-force, drag, side-force and corner speeds are incredibly divergent across the trio of divisions and those discrepancies are magnified by them sharing the same tire. For example, the Trucks were probably running 20 mph faster in the center of the corner at Dover than the Cup cars. That alone indicates the need for a separate tire.

Goodyear's policy worked well a couple of years ago when the Trucks looked and drove totally differently and before the COT came into the picture in the Sprint Cup Series.
Throw in the fact that the Cup guys are now running a completely different race car (which single-handedly has outdated the practice of all Cup teams running the Nationwide races as a prep course for Sunday), and the policy of running the same tire for all three series is absolutely antiquated.

Even with a Truck Series tire, Goodyear still must overcome the different needs of the various drivers and the manner in which they prefer their vehicles to drive and feel. At Dover, Kyle Busch's truck probably was an '8' on a scale of 1-10 in "looseness," while Mike Skinner's was a '3.' That's a broad spectrum for one tire in one series alone.

Crew chiefs and engineers are constantly clamoring for data and tires are no exception. With the testing ban, teams can no longer gather tire data at the track prior to an event, with the exception of a few Goodyear tire tests, so they obtain their information through their manufacturer in the form of 20-page reports from a company called Cal-Span. These reports contain an obscene amount of data for each individual tire. This data comes as fixed numbers but all three divisions interpret and use the data in their own unique way pertinent to their highly differing vehicles. So, to give all three series an equitable shot at having a terrific race, Goodyear must give them a tire specific to their needs.

Unfortunately for the tire manufacturer, they make headlines only when a problem arises or when a driver goes on a crusade to smear their name in the media. The blood, sweat and tears they put into NASCAR goes virtually unnoticed until something goes awry. I am a big fan of Goodyear and purchase their product for my personal vehicles.

No one puts more effort into NASCAR than Goodyear but I believe they're operating under the wrong policy. A Truck Series-specific tire would go a long way toward improving the competition in all three of NASCAR's premier divisions.

Ray Dunlap is a veteran pit road reporter for SPEED in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and also reports for The SPEED Report, NASCAR Live and other programs on SPEED. Dunlap has covered the Truck Series since 1997 and has served as a play-by-play announcer and pit road reporter for several series, including the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, IPower Dash Series and ARCA Series. He was honored in 1997 as the Electronic Motorsports Media Personality of the Year and enjoys scuba diving and woodworking in his spare time.

Tired Act by Goodyear originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Lessons Learned at Lowe's

Bob Dillner — Thu, 21 May 2009 15:28:00 EST

Filed under: Lowes Motor Speedway, Sprint Cup, SPEED TV

Sometimes it takes a break from the norm to show us what we're missing. In this case, it was a non-points exhibition race, the May 16 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Lowe's Motor Speedway, that shone a microscope on the excitement lacking in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this season. And we couldn't have hit on something with true potential at a more crucial time for NASCAR.

People are still raving about the final 10 laps of the All-Star Race and one of the key catalysts of that rousing finish was the double-file restart, which lines up lead lap cars in two lines instead of one, and positions cars down a lap or more behind them. This contrasts single-file restarts, in play in points races, that place lead lap cars in one line and those down one or more laps in the other.

Given the current economic climate and issues facing NASCAR in its bid to woo new fans and retain the ones it has, generating excitement is a priority and this alteration would be the best way to do it. There is no reason we can't implement double-file restarts in all points races in an effort to ratchet up enthusiasm. We already have the "lucky dog" rule that allows the first car a lap down to regain one when the caution flag waves, so we don't need to line up those cars next to the leaders on restarts and allow them to race to earn back their lap.

In a single-file restart, the field becomes strung out quickly, all but eliminating any jockeying for position between lead-lap drivers when the green flag waves. In the All-Star Race, fans were on their feet for every restart because the field was bunched up and guys running fifth, sixth and seventh still had a shot at charging to the front.

More Coverage: Get NASCAR on SPEED TV Schedule

The general consensus is that the beginning and end of our Cup races are riveting but the middle, the bulk of the events, is tedious. Double-file restarts just might give fans at home and at the track a reason to watch more than the concluding laps and the post-race highlights. And in this day and age, that's exactly what NASCAR should do.

Sweating the 600

A great debate about the marathon Coca-Cola 600 usually rages about this time every year. Some people consider this weekend's 600-mile event at Lowe's Motor Speedway the most boring event of the year but I'm a traditionalist and love the fact the race is unique in its own right by virtue of its length. It's a marathon. Drivers, owners and crew members require a different mindset than the ordinary weekends to complete this race and contend for the win.

The Coca-Cola 600 often features some different faces in Victory Lane. Of course, there are the Kasey Kahnes and Jimmie Johnsons who often dominate because they're stellar at this particular track, but in the past few years, we've also seen guys like Kyle Petty finish up front and Casey Mears win. Why? Because of fuel and tire strategies that result from the endurance factor at play in the race.

The All-Star Race generates a wealth of excitement but we have the complete opposite end of the spectrum this week with the 600, part of what is so cool about race weeks in Charlotte. These two weeks really set the tone for the remainder of the year as we head into a long stretch of consecutive weekends leading into the 26-race cutoff for the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup.

The 600 can make or break a team's year or a driver's tenure with a particular team, or lay the groundwork for the balance of their season. Casey Mears is sitting on one of the hottest seats in the garage right now and didn't run well in the All-Star Race. Actually, none of his Richard Childress Racing teammates did, so RCR has to be looking at the 600 with a big question mark and feeling the pressure to make those cars perform better because something is terribly wrong.

Old School Racers

Some people complain about it but I love the fact we have teams like Joe Nemechek and Jeremy Mayfield's (driven by JJ Yeley in the interim) who are racing on a dime and helping return NASCAR to its roots. A lot of people won't give them the time of day but those guys work just as hard, if not harder, than the front-running teams. The crew guys at the track are the same guys who work in the shop. When Yeley showed up at the All-Star Race, there was no one back at the shop working on the 600 car because they were all at the track. We can't discredit these teams for not being the most competitive on the track because they are just as passionate about what they're doing as the rest of the group. And that's what this sport is all about.

Bob Dillner is a reporter for NASCAR Victory Lane, NASCAR Live and The SPEED Report, among other programs on SPEED. He has covered numerous forms of motor sports since his teenage years and got his journalistic start writing for Speedway Scene and Area Auto Racing News at only 15 years old. Dillner, owner of 51 Sports and operator of short-track racing website www.51SportsRacing.com, is a car owner/driver in the Aaron's Pro Challenge Series and a co-promoter for the Pro All-Star Series, a Late Model series in the South. For more information on Dillner or to access the NASCAR on SPEED programming schedule, please visit www.speedtv.com.

Lessons Learned at Lowe's originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 21 May 2009 15:28:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Expect Unexpected at All-Star Race

Larry McReynolds — Wed, 13 May 2009 11:29:00 EST

Filed under: Sprint Cup, SPEED TV

Although NASCAR banned all test sessions across the board this season, expect to see 100 laps of disguised "testing" Saturday night in the 25th running of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Lowe's Motor Speedway (7PM ET on SPEED).

Even when testing was permissible, the All-Star Race traditionally has been a time when teams think outside the box and employ aggressive tactics with their chassis setups to evaluate potential benefits for them in the following week's Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The All-Star Race can be a thrill-packed, high-paying, no points test session where almost anything goes and usually does.

Teams are willing to deviate from the norm because they're seeking an advantage over the competition and oftentimes have to step over the line to find it. If the "science project" on which they're working doesn't pan out Saturday, they haven't sacrificed any points in determining so - just a shot at the $1 million winner's purse. Plus, they'll know exactly what not to do next week in the 600.

A perfect example of this theory was the engine package the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas implemented in last year's All-Star Race. Kyle Busch and the No. 18 team were the class of the field and I doubt anyone could have beaten them had their engine not blown up. However, I guarantee the team learned something for the Coca-Cola 600 and beyond regarding how aggressively they could push the engine combination so the All-Star disappointment was worth it.

More Coverage: All-Star Race Festivities on SPEED TV
This Week on SPEED: Pit Crew Challenge (Thursday at 9PM ET) | Win $25,000
NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (Saturday at 7PM ET)

In 1997, crew chief Ray Evernham and the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team took to the All-Star Race an innovative chassis they dubbed "T-Rex," but it was so experimental and dominant that NASCAR ordered them never to bring it back. That just goes to show how teams can hit on something when they go the unconventional route. Jeff Gordon said that was the best car he had ever driven in any series. Although they weren't allowed to run that car again, the No. 24 team left Charlotte with a pile of notes they could incorporate into future chassis and setups.

In the 1992 All-Star Race, the first under the lights, I was serving as the crew chief for Davey Allison when he won wrecking at the start/finish line. While many teams nowadays don't take their 600 car to the All-Star race for fear of tearing it up, we raced ours because we realized the All-Star Race would be the best possible test session for the following week's event. I'm pretty certain the engine under that hood wasn't one that Robert and Doug Yates would have been comfortable running in the 600, but we wanted the best opportunity to put ourselves in contention when we rolled back into the track a week later.

Teams will venture onto the more unconventional and varied side with their setups and strategies because they aren't concerned with long runs and can make adjustments more often by virtue of the shorter segments that comprise the All-Star Race, increasing the potential for an even more exciting night.

But what's underneath the cars and hoods won't be the only aggressive components of the race. NASCAR and Sprint have reinstituted this year the final 10-lap shootout that has produced some of the most memorable finishes in the race's history. When NASCAR waves the green flag for those final 10 laps, I want to see the drivers get both hands and feet up on the wheel and go for it. One million dollars is up for grabs and there are no points at stake, a supreme combination for the 10 most exciting laps of the entire season.

Additionally, past All-Star winners not qualified to participate this year must race their way in via the Sprint Showdown. A two-time All-Star Race winner myself, I can attest to how disappointing it is to watch the event instead of competing in it. The drivers who have previously won All-Star, or at least participated in it, have even more incentive to be aggressive, throw caution to the wind and race their guts out for another shot at the bragging rights that come with winning the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.

So, when you throw a bunch of hungry, competitive drivers into cars that may be teetering on the edge of conventional, and dangle $1 million in front of their faces, you have the perfect recipe for a thrilling race under the lights ... and one for the history books.

Larry McReynolds is a renowned former crew chief in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series who led drivers that included Dale Earnhardt and Davey Allison. McReynolds now serves as a NASCAR analyst for SPEED and FOX Sports on race broadcasts and several programs, including Trackside Live and NASCAR Performance on SPEED. He earned 23 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories, 21 pole positions, 122 top-five and 209 top-10 finishes in 457 starts. McReynolds was awarded the 1998 UAW-GM Teamwork Award of Excellence and was named the Copenhagen/Skoal All Pro Crew Chief in 1991-1995, and was a founding member of the Crew Chief Club. For more information on McReynolds or SPEED's programming schedule, please visit www.speedtv.com.

Expect Unexpected at All-Star Race originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 13 May 2009 11:29:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Tradition Roars Back at Darlington

Randy Pemberton — Thu, 07 May 2009 15:35:00 EST

Filed under: Sprint Cup, SPEED TV

Fifty-nine years of tradition returns to Darlington Raceway this weekend, as "The Track Too Tough to Tame" regains its long-running moniker, the Southern 500. And for those who remember watching races there years ago, Darlington officials have also brought back the red-and-white-striped walls this year in a nod to the facility's heritage.

Few tracks are as steeped in tradition as Darlington. Even NASCAR's youngest drivers, by virtue of what they've seen, heard or read, grasp the significance of running well and winning at the 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval. Most of today's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers weren't even competing at this level 20 years ago but those who were can attest to the fact that Daytona, Darlington, Charlotte and Talladega were the tracks at which they wanted to win.

Darlington hosted its first Southern 500 Labor Day weekend in 1950 and has been a cornerstone of our sport ever since. We've gotten away from that tradition a bit in the years since Darlington lost its Labor Day weekend race and accompanying Southern 500 name. But fortunately, we still have the Mother's Day weekend event.

When NASCAR enacted the "realignment" a few years ago that took a date from Darlington and transferred it to Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., as well as shut out Rockingham, in favor of a second date outside Los Angeles and other cities, the ultimate goal was to branch out into new and larger markets but the transition has been more difficult than anticipated. In California, a market with millions of people, you wouldn't anticipate a problem selling out a 90,000-seat race track, but it has only happened once. No doubt NASCAR needed to spread its wings, but despite where you take the sport to accomplish this purpose, it's crucial to have tracks conducive to good racing in order to build a new fan base.

Darlington is a great track that consistently produces riveting action - several notches above the product produced at the Fontana facility. Had they built a track such as Richmond, Bristol or Darlington in southern California, NASCAR might have fared better out there because the on-track product may have been easier to sell.

More Coverage: Get NASCAR on SPEED TV Schedule

But anytime a sport tries to stretch its legs and expand its reach, a little bit of tradition and culture are lost. With the elimination of the Southern 500 name, there went a little bit of history and fabric of the sport. Since the realignment, NASCAR has penetrated larger markets and attracted additional sponsors for teams, tracks and the sanctioning body, significant accomplishments from a financial standpoint, but the complexion of the sport has changed, which is not necessarily always a positive. Rockingham is out of the picture, North Wilkesboro has been gone for years, Darlington lost a date and incessant rumors of diminutive Martinsville losing a date continue to circulate.

Forsaking the Southern 500 name rubbed a lot of people the wrong way for the simple fact we don't like to abandon tradition. Despite years of a wonderful business relationship with Coke, Kyle Petty told me the other day that he still catches himself referring to the Coca-Cola 600 as the "World 600" because he's a traditionalist. You can attach a sponsor to the Southern 500's name but it's still the Southern 500 and it's great to have it back as such. It's beneficial to the fans and the sport.

But "The Lady in Black" is certainly a challenge for the competitors because it's an old, narrow track with two distinctly different corners, making it extremely difficult to set up a race car and even harder to drive. The wall threatens to jump out and bite the drivers lap after lap. In fact, it's almost a mark of pride to place on the wall a "Darlington stripe," a black tire mark from the victim's car. Darlington certainly has earned its reputation and assorted nicknames because it's so challenging that it has become one of the most sought-after wins even today.

After 59 years, Darlington still puts on a tremendous show and the driver who wins Saturday night should hoist that trophy high for a long time to come because he has done what most only dream of.

Randy Pemberton is a 23-year veteran of motorsports journalism who currently serves as host of NASCAR in a Hurry and reporter for NASCAR Live on SPEED. He has hosted, produced, reported and written for numerous motorsports programs and specials over the years. Pemberton won the Russ Catlin Award of Excellence for broadcast journalism three times, in addition to being named a multi-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association award for spot news. Pemberton, who joined SPEED in 2007 after years with other networks, has produced, written and served as the talent for more than 500 feature packages for national television productions. For more information on Pemberton or to access the NASCAR on SPEED programming schedule, please visit www.speedtv.com.

Tradition Roars Back at Darlington originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 07 May 2009 15:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Martin May Finally End Title Drought

Steve Byrnes — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:31:00 EST

Filed under: Mark Martin, FanHouse Exclusive, SPEED TV

Mark Martin's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory last weekend at Phoenix very well may have been the most popular and sentimental win in years.

Not only did the fans in the grandstands voice their thundering approval but numerous drivers and car owners ducked into Victory Lane to congratulate Mark on his accomplishment. Greg Biffle articulated it best when he said, in summary, that he couldn't think of anyone else, besides himself, he'd rather see in Victory Lane. The feeling of virtually every driver in the garage is that if they can't pull their car into Victory Lane, they're happy to see Mark do so. He has that much respect because he races everyone clean and is as intense as they come.
And while it appears Mark has his best shot ever at winning the elusive NASCAR Sprint Cup championship, he will be the first to tell you the trophy wasn't his true motivation for returning to full-time competition.

As soon as word leaked out last year he would be joining Hendrick, tongues began wagging about Mark's long-awaited, overdue championship finally coming to fruition at the powerhouse organization. I had the privilege of sitting down with Mark during the off-season both on and off-camera and was struck by his revelation that he didn't join Hendrick Motorsports for the opportunity to finally hoist that Sprint Cup trophy, but rather because it was the right situation for him at this point in his life.

Mark chose Hendrick Motorsports for one reason and one reason only - to race for Rick Hendrick. After running a partial schedule in 2007 and 2008, he was not ready to walk away from the sport. Although the reduced schedule allowed him to do the things he wanted, such as spending time with his wife and son, and to unwind a bit from the rigors of the crazy NASCAR life, Mark also recognized his desire to race for a championship still abounded.

But he's a very obsessive individual, by his own admission, and he wasn't going to commit to racing just halfway. If you've ever heard anything about his rigorous fitness routine, you'd know Mark is all-out in every aspect of his life, and the overwhelming desire to compete and be a true contender lured him back.

Jeff Gordon also helped draw him into the fold. Mark had been talking to Hendrick about a partial schedule but Gordon is the one who twisted his arm into accepting a fulltime ride. The fact that a four-time champion wanted Mark with his organization is a huge testament to what a respected racer Mark is.

More Coverage: Get NASCAR on SPEED TV Schedule

Mark also has the utmost admiration of his crew chief, Alan Gustafson, who told me Mark is the most open-minded racer he has ever worked with. You'd think that as a 50-year-old driver with more than 700 starts and 36 Cup wins, Mark would be fairly set in his ways. But Gustafson said he accepts feedback from the team like no one else and encourages them to challenge him with different setups and ideas - whatever it takes to be better. Furthermore, Mark understands the car from front to rear and can pinpoint specifically what he needs it to do.

The guy obviously hasn't forgotten anything during his weekends off the past two seasons. It was amazing how strong he and the No. 5 team were right out of the gate this year, although they had some horrendous luck with motor and tire problems that killed them in the points. But the most important thing is they ran very well before those problems struck. If anyone can rebound, Mark can because he is strong at virtually every track the Sprint Cup Series races on, doesn't make mistakes and his work ethic is second to none.

Sure, Mark is by far the sentimental favorite for the championship after finishing runner-up four separate times, but he's got more than sentiment on his side. He has at his disposal every resource necessary to win a championship. Plus, he has afforded himself every chance to win races and championships by virtue of his dedication to physical fitness. Mark is lacking nothing in his first bid for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship and don't be surprised if the 50-year-old finally pulls it off.

Steve Byrnes is the host of Trackside Live, NASCAR Live and This Week in NASCAR on SPEED, in addition to his duties as a pit reporter for FOX Sports. A NASCAR broadcaster for nearly 25 years, Byrnes also hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice and qualifying broadcasts, as well as the NASCAR Nationwide Series sessions. He broke into NASCAR broadcasting in 1985 as the host of Inside NASCAR on TNN and went on to host Darrell Waltrip's Racers on TNN, among numerous other programs. Byrnes also has served as a play-by-play announcer in the NFL. For more information about Byrnes or to access the NASCAR on SPEED programming schedule, please visit www.speedtv.com.

Martin May Finally End Title Drought originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Gordon a 'Victim of His Own Success'

Steve Byrnes — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 14:48:00 EST

Filed under: Jeff Gordon, Sprint Cup, SPEED TV

While Jeff Gordon's win at Texas Motor Speedway was a big deal to most of us, it wasn't as significant as we've all made it out to be. Sure, he broke a 47-race winless streak and snagged a win on one of the two remaining tracks he hadn't conquered, but the whole incident was terribly overplayed and revealed just how much of a slave Gordon is to his own success.

While Gordon had never before visited Victory Lane at Texas, how quickly we forget the man led a bunch of laps and landed many top-five finishes at the 1.5-mile venue before.

Secondly, the media and fans have beat to death the fact he was winless last year but we have very short memories. In 2007, Gordon had one of the best seasons of his career, scoring six wins and nearly winning the championship. But this is a "what have you done for me lately?" sport.

Gordon put up some huge numbers in the late 1990s with crew chief Ray Evernham, winning 10 and 13 races a year. But nowadays, if the Hendrick Motorsports driver doesn't log multiple races or a championship, we unfairly judge him and his entire team on the basis of their past accomplishments. The four-time champion is a victim of his own success.

No, Gordon didn't win last year but his performance wasn't as inferior as it's been portrayed. The measuring stick should not be his former accolades because the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars are so close together now that even the slightest disturbance in a car will relegate it to mid-pack or worse. In general, an entire field is separated by less than a half-second, so it doesn't take much for someone like Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards or Jimmie Johnson to hit on the right setup, gain an advantage and knock off several wins.

More Coverage: Get NASCAR on SPEED TV Schedule

Gordon's team may have been missing a little something last year but it was more illusion than substance. It just wasn't one of the top three or four teams and given the closeness of the competition, that meager margin is difficult to overcome and it succumbed to it.

Gordon's crew chief, Steve Letarte, suffers criticism for his driver's problems much in the same way Tony Eury Jr. takes the heat when things don't go swimmingly for Dale Earnhardt Jr. But I think Gordon is comfortable with, and has full faith in, Letarte. The duo appears to be on the same wavelength and that will pay dividends in their future achievements.

Along with the finger pointing at Letarte, another aspect people faulted for Gordon's lack of success was his new role as a father and the perceived impact it has had on his aggressiveness and competitive spirit. That's ridiculous. While becoming a father might snuff out the competitive fire in some, it certainly didn't extinguish Gordon's drive.

I've covered him since he made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut and he's just as polished and professional as they come and doesn't allow his personal life to bleed over into his driving style. Gordon's desire hasn't wavered and the mistaken assertion that it has is merely a byproduct of the unending criticism of his off-the-map success.

It's good that the No. 24 team got that first win out of the way this season, because he no longer has to answer the question of when he will win again. Gordon is not the kind of racer who lets distractions hinder his performance and mindset, but I do think winning this early in the year can only reinforce the team's morale and poise. A win provides a confidence boost, if nothing else, because we all need validation and reassurance we're on the right path, and the win column is the lone validation NASCAR teams have.

But then again, there's always the validation teams experience sitting at the head table at the season-ending Sprint Cup championship awards ceremony. And with Gordon perched atop the points right now, I'll also venture a prediction he also will be the points leader coming out of Homestead, the one enjoying that all-important validation in the form of a Sprint Cup trophy. Then maybe we can finally judge him on the merits of his current success and not his past.

Steve Byrnes is the host of Trackside Live, NASCAR Live and This Week in NASCAR on SPEED, in addition to his duties as a pit reporter for FOX Sports. A NASCAR broadcaster for nearly 25 years, Byrnes also hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice and qualifying broadcasts, as well as the NASCAR Nationwide Series sessions. He broke into NASCAR broadcasting in 1985 as the host of Inside NASCAR on TNN and went on to host Darrell Waltrip's Racers on TNN, among numerous other programs. Byrnes also has served as a play-by-play announcer in the NFL. For more information about Byrnes or to access the NASCAR on SPEED weekend programming schedule, please visit www.speedtv.com.

Gordon a 'Victim of His Own Success' originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 14:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

It's Time for Sin City to Have Shot

Krista Voda — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:36:00 EST

Filed under: NASCAR Awards, Sprint Cup, FanHouse Exclusive, SPEED TV

While nothing has been officially announced, it appears the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series postseason awards ceremony will be trekking across the country from New York City to Sin City in December.

The powers-that-be in the NASCAR world, specifically SMI Chairman Bruton Smith and NASCAR, have long bantered back and forth about taking their awards banquet to Las Vegas but never before has the city represented so much potential to NASCAR.

Given the current economic landscape in America and across the world, the banquet, held in Manhattan since 1981, is in dire need of revitalization to infuse it with some fresh energy, and the possibilities don't get more promising than Las Vegas. Along with the rest of the country, NASCAR has suffered in the recession, so we must explore new avenues to reach out to the sponsors and fans who are the sport's lifeblood. If Vegas encourages more race fans to experience the banquet, or makes it more affordable or easier to reach, then it is time to pack it up for the move. The awards ceremony should flourish in Las Vegas and inject into the sport the spark it currently needs.

The Big Apple has a certain electricity and buzz but that fizzles right out when it comes to NASCAR. The historic Waldorf-Astoria and NASCAR's presence there are steeped in tradition but in these financial times, that no longer is enough. We've got to do it better.

While many New Yorkers showed up to support NASCAR during Champions Week, the sport struggled to gain acceptance among the local media and the community as a whole. The NASCAR show car parade through Midtown was cancelled last year, due in part to complaints from area residents, but we could easily substitute a parade down The Strip in Vegas. The awards ceremony itself hasn't included the general public due to space constraints at the Waldorf-Astoria, but finding convention centers, hotels or casinos in Las Vegas capable of holding thousands won't be a problem. Plus, the cost of hotel rooms for the teams and fans in Vegas will be a fraction of those in New York during the holiday season.

However, New York City's loss of the NASCAR banquet should not mandate a removal of attention to the country's largest media market. Jeff Gordon made a very valid point when he said the sport still should make the media blitz through NYC for the champion and The Chase contenders. But the actual awarding of the championship would be better served under the neon lights of Las Vegas instead of the Christmas lights of New York.

While we're talking about relocating the awards ceremony, let's go for the gusto and totally scrap the current format that has become too "stuffy" and boring for anyone to enjoy.

The formality and monotonous pace at which the ceremony trudges along has long been a running joke in the NASCAR garage area. We all realize how vital each driver's few moments are to properly thank his sponsors who pump so much money into these teams. However, there has to be another way to afford appropriate credit to these companies while making the process more television-friendly and entertaining for the fans at home because the banquet is a celebration for them, as well. We must find additional avenues to appeal to the fan who may be watching his or her first NASCAR function and isn't familiar with any of the drivers, teams or sponsors. Look to other sports and industries for examples, such as the Country Music Awards.

I also think the format should be more inclusive and supportive of the winning crew. The cameras traditionally pan to the team sitting atop the balcony off to the side while the driver acknowledges them. However, I'd like to hear their names announced, see their faces and learn more about who these men and women are. I think the fans appreciate the "people" stories that make these championships possible.

I was fortunate enough a few years ago to cover Supercross, which schedules its banquet in Las Vegas on the same weekend as its season finale. That's a fantastic plan because the season's energy, excitement and thrill of the championship are so fresh in everyone's minds. The celebration is larger and more intense because it follows the concluding event by a mere 24 hours. I doubt that concept would ever work in NASCAR for logistical reasons but maybe there is a lesson somewhere in there.

I'm looking forward to hearing an official announcement that we're headed to Vegas in December. The city and race track always welcome NASCAR with open arms, the crowds at Las Vegas Motor Speedway consistently are outstanding and the local media is very supportive of us. Vegas has a lot to offer its tourists, whether for a race weekend, guys', girls' or family vacation. People flock to Las Vegas for the city itself, and it's for that reason, that I think the awards ceremony will flourish there and help bolster NASCAR during these crucial times.

Krista Voda is the host of NCWTS Setup, the popular pre-race program for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on SPEED, as well as a NASCAR pit reporter for FOX Sports. A veteran of the NASCAR garage, Voda also hosts The SPEED Report and was the first female to host a NASCAR pre-race show. She hosted Totally NASCAR and NASCAR Nation on SPEED, in addition to serving as a reporter and pre-race show host for AMA. Voda also has extensive experience in radio and local television and works as a sideline reporter for the NFL and BCS on FOX. For more information on Voda, or to access the NASCAR on SPEED programming schedule, please visit www.speedtv.com.

It's Time for Sin City to Have Shot originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

NASCAR Can Afford to Tighten Belt More

Dave Despain — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: David Gilliland, SPEED TV

During the NASCAR offseason - November to February - as the U.S. and world economies headed deeper into the tank, we heard a lot of gloom and doom about the future of America's most popular motor sport. Corporate sponsorship, the lifeblood of racing, is currently hard to come by and the '09 season opened with an unhealthy number of cars lacking high-dollar logos on their hoods.

Though I am no economist, I have, through all the naysaying, remained bullish on stock car racing. Harvard MBAs, correct me if I'm wrong, I believe when there is less money to spend, a wise strategy is to spend less money. And at risk of curmudgeonry, I believe the stock car economy, bloated through more than two decades of runaway success, has plenty of room to tighten the old belt.

Start at the top. NASCAR made Daytona's France family billionaires, and deservedly so, but that leads me to believe the sanctioning body has some financial wiggle room in times of dire emergency.

Consider the teams, which somehow manage to spend $20 million per entry racing tube frame cars with carburetors and push rods. Trust me, if times get really tough, there are ways to roll out 43 decent cars on Sunday for a good bit less than that (more on that in a moment).

Star drivers already feel the pinch; Jeff Gordon recently parked the Gulfstream (or whatever) and flew commercial. Imagine a Sprint Cup hero removing his shoes at the same security checkpoint as the rest of us. Good for Gordo. Now ask yourself, would the NASCAR world stop turning if, even for a little while, everybody from the driver to the jack man flew on a major airline or - heaven forbid - drove to the races?

Don't get me wrong. I don't begrudge anyone in the NASCAR world the fruits of their success. But I also know that the lucre of contemporary stock car racing is an anomaly. Throughout most of the motorsports world, regardless of whether Fortune 500 stocks are up or down, financial hardship is a way of life. Away from the NASCAR gravy train, 99.9% of those who race never have enough money.

I know too that a significant number of those currently living large as a result of NASCAR's long-running boom came from more humble roots. If they didn't personally experience driving all night and sleeping four-to-a-room in order to afford to go racing, they can certainly remember dad telling them about it. These folks hail from rugged stock and can go back to roughing it if they have to.

Meantime, the money crunch has opened a window of opportunity for those not addicted to expensive habits. Last year NASCAR adopted new car specs, in part to enable team owners to reduce the size of their racing fleets and thus save money. But the owners, creatures of habit or perhaps bowing to the advice of spoiled crew chiefs who like having specific cars for all the different tracks, were slow to downsize.

Against the backdrop of big teams building dozens of cars for a 36-race season, consider the case of car owner Kevin Buckler, a successful sports car racer who has now turned his sights toward NASCAR. Buckler's driver, David Gilliland, tackled this year's first four races with - count them - two cars. Organized just 15 days before the season opener, Buckler's team failed to qualify for the Daytona 500 but has since made five straight races, finishing 33rd, 14th, 24th, 36th and 36th. That was good enough to put them 34th in car owner points, earning one of the precious guaranteed starting spots reserved for the top 35, before falling to 36th following last weekend's race at Martinsville Speedway.

Buckler's approach - buying used cars from other owners and hiring crew members laid off as big teams cut back - probably won't trigger a paradigm shift in NASCAR economics but he has made clear that a smart guy surrounded with dedicated people can do more with less. That lesson will not be lost on his peers. I'll say it again; with a little Buckler-esque attention to how the money is being spent, the big wheels of NASCAR will continue to roll through the current economic storm.

Dave Despain, a veteran motorsports journalist, is the host of Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain on SPEED. A self-proclaimed failed motorcycle racer, Despain spent 10 years in American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) public relations and publishing and made his first television appearance on ABC Wide World of Sports as an analyst for the Daytona 200. He emerged on the NASCAR scene in the early 1970s when he joined Motor Racing Network (MRN) and was named host of Motorweek Illustrated on TBS in 1980. In addition to his on-air accomplishments, Despain served on the AMA Pro Racing Board in the 1990s and became a promoter in 1998 when he inaugurated the Dirt Track Hall of Fame Race in Springfield, Illinois, a race that paid a record $100,000 purse. He joined then-Speedvision in 2001 as the host of the weekly programs Bike Week and Motorcyclist. Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain on SPEED was born in 2003 and has become one of the network's most popular programs. For more information on Despain or SPEED's NASCAR programming, please visit www.speedtv.com.

NASCAR Can Afford to Tighten Belt More originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

NASCAR Needs to Abolish 'Mess'

Jimmy Spencer — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 10:39:00 EST

Filed under: Penske Racing, Sprint Cup, Richard Childress Racing, FanHouse Exclusive, SPEED TV

There was much ado about nothing leaving Bristol Motor Speedway last Sunday. The top 35 owner points in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series were reset for the first time this year following the Bristol race, guaranteeing a starting spot to the top 35 teams this weekend at Martinsville Speedway and forcing the outsiders to race their way in on time.

So, for those locked into the top 35, relief reigns at least for the next week. But my contention is the top 35 shouldn't even exist. Get rid of the whole system. I've thought that since the rule's inception but became even more incensed when things became completely convoluted entering the 2009 season.In case you missed it, a couple of car owners bought their way into the top 35 in Cup Series points with last-second "partnerships" and points exchanges right before we rolled into Daytona in early February.

Bill Davis shut down his No. 22 Cup team at the conclusion of the 2008 season but has resurfaced as a minority owner of Sam Hornish Jr.'s No. 77 Penske Racing Dodge, which, at Daytona, assumed Davis' points from last season. Bobby Ginn hasn't been seen in the garage area in quite a while but now has minority ownership stake in Clint Bowyer's No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, which, to start the season, claimed the No. 01's 32nd place points from 2008. Remember that Ginn merged with DEI in 2007, and although he left shortly thereafter, was still listed as owner of the No. 01.

Think these guys are getting back into the sport? Think again.

Latest NASCAR Images

** FILE ** In this Sept. 19, 2008, file photo, Denny Hamlin, left, and teammate Kyle Busch talk in the garage during practice for a NASCAR auto race at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. Busch had to settle for second place, behind Busch, on Sunday, March 22, at Bristol. (AP Photo/Russ Hamilton Jr., File)

BRISTOL, TN - MARCH 22: Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 DuPont Chevrolet, leads Martin Truex Jr., driver of the Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet and Scott Speed, driver of the #82 Red Bull Toyota, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 22, 2009 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Jeff Gordon;Martin Truex Jr.;Scott Speed

Getty Images for NASCAR

Kyle Busch (18) leads Kevin Harvick (29) during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Food City 500 auto race in Bristol, Tenn., Sunday, March 22, 2009. Busch won the race. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Kyle Busch leads the field just after taking the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Food City 500 auto race in Bristol, Tenn., Sunday, March 22, 2009. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

BRISTOL, TN - MARCH 22: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Snickers Toyota, celebrates winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 22, 2009 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Busch

Getty Images for NASCAR

BRISTOL, TN - MARCH 22: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Snickers Toyota, does a burnout after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 22, 2009 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Busch

Getty Images for NASCAR

BRISTOL, TN - MARCH 22: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Snickers Toyota, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 22, 2009 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Busch

Getty Images for NASCAR

BRISTOL, TN - MARCH 22: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Snickers Toyota, races Joey Logano, driver of the #20 Home Depot Toyota, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 22, 2009 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Busch;Joey Logano

Getty Images for NASCAR

BRISTOL, TN - MARCH 22: Kyle Busch (2L), driver of the #18 Snickers Toyota, poses with his girlfriend Samantha Sarcinella (3L) and crew in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 22, 2009 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Busch;Samantha Sarcinella

Getty Images for NASCAR

BRISTOL, TN - MARCH 22: Kyle Busch (L), driver of the #18 Snickers Toyota, celebrates with his crew in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 22, 2009 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Busch

Getty Images for NASCAR

Since starting positions in the top 35 are guaranteed the first five races of the season, based upon the previous year's points, Bowyer and Hornish moved into the top 35 a few weeks ago through these questionable deals in which their owners aligned with owners who finished 2008 in the top 35 but are not racing this season.

NASCAR needs to regain control of this mess and put some cohesion back into the system. A.J. Allmendinger thought his No. 44 was guaranteed a starting spot at Daytona until a day or two before we got down there, but was knocked out when Bowyer's No. 33 was allowed entrance. That's plain wrong, and this year is the worst I've ever seen for this problem.

The wealthier teams capitalize on these gray areas because they can afford to buy points, or align themselves with owners who have points they don't need, which isn't fair to teams like the No. 44.

NASCAR just needs to chuck the top 35 rule and revamp the system because it does not accomplish its intent and purpose. We don't need to guarantee starting spots to 35 teams. The past champion's provisional is being abused and so is the dignity of a past champion himself. The intent of the rule was to allow a past champion into a race when he enters every race but happens to miss one. It's not to permit someone to come out of retirement every time a team wants a starting position.

I urge NASCAR to lock in only the top 20 cars each weekend based on points and set the remaining 23 spots via speed in qualifying sessions. Allow a provisional starting position for the past champion, but only if he runs all the races. If I owned a Cup team right now, and wasn't one of the fastest 23 cars on time, I would want to go home because I didn't deserve to be there.

Not only would the ability to make a race be more equitable between teams, we'd also have more new owners stepping into the series to take a stab at making a race, because they wouldn't have to go up against the "Goliaths" guaranteed a starting spot. The way the system currently stands, the top 35 have endless advantages, especially with the testing ban, simply because they're guaranteed to start the race. They spend Friday's practice working on race set-ups while the other guys bust their tails just to get qualified, losing all that practice time to qualifying trim.

Not only will a restructuring open the door to new and small owners, it will bring some significance back to the qualifying sessions, because they don't mean anything right now. Neither does the top-35 rule.

Jimmy Spencer calls it like he sees it as an analyst on NASCAR RaceDay and NASCAR Victory Lane on SPEED. He retired from driving with two NASCAR Sprint Cup, 12 NASCAR Nationwide and one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory, putting him in an elite group of drivers who have logged wins in all three of NASCAR's premier divisions. In 478 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts, Spencer amassed 28 top-five and 80 top-10 finishes. He won back-to-back NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championships in 1986 and 1987 on the heels of 15 victories, becoming the first driver ever to earn consecutive titles in the series. He earned the nickname "Mr. Excitement" for his flamboyant and aggressive driving style early in his racing career. For more information on Spencer or SPEED's NASCAR programming, please visit www.speedtv.com.

NASCAR Needs to Abolish 'Mess' originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 10:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments