FanHouse Exclusive -- Nascar and Racing FanHouse

Ten Questions With ... Clint Bowyer

Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 8:25 AM ET by Geoffrey Miller (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Clint Bowyer, Richard Childress Racing , FanHouse Exclusive

9 COMMENTS

Richard Childress Racing driver Clint Bowyer took a moment this week to chat with FanHouse. Here's what the Kansas native told us about good meals, gettin' back home, next Wednesday's Gillette Young Guns Prelude to the Dream (live on HBO pay-per-view) and Elvis:

1) What's the one race, across any division or any type of race cars, that you've always wanted to win?

Clint Bowyer: It'd definitely have to be Daytona. The Daytona 500 has always meant so much to our sport and to me personally. Kansas Speedway would certainly be a close second -- just because I have all my family and friends there.

Sam Hornish Jr.'s Stock Finally Rising in Stock Car

Posted: Aug 6th 2009 5:30 PM ET by Holly Cain (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Sam Hornish Jr., Penske Racing, Sprint Cup, FanHouse Exclusive

14 COMMENTS

Sam Hornish Jr. climbed out of his No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge Monday afternoon in Pocono, Pa., allowed himself to crack a smile and looked forward to receiving a call from his boss, Roger Penske.

Fourth place.

It wasn't exactly cause for celebration for Hornish, who owns three IndyCar championships and an Indianapolis 500 ring. But his hard-fought finish was a career best and gives him five top-10 Sprint Cup efforts.

It was progress.

Danica Battles Indy, Critics Head On

Posted: May 23rd 2009 5:00 PM ET by Holly Cain (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, FanHouse Exclusive, IRL

91 COMMENTS

INDIANAPOLIS -- "Hey Danica, I love your moxie."

The middle-aged woman wearing a Danica Patrick t-shirt had stood in line for more than an hour in blazing 80-degree heat in the infield of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway all for the chance to get an autograph from Patrick and to deliver those four words of encouragement.

Moxie, as it turns out, is a tricky thing to manage.

Danica Patrick Snapshots

Danica Patrick is IndyCar's most recognizable star, but also its most scrutinized one. The intense 27-year-old driver admitted she's consciously worked on controlling her emotions and "come into things with a different attitude." Click through to see more photos of Danica.

Chris O'Meara, AP

Patrick poses for a portrait at Homestead Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla., in 2008.

Jonathan Ferrey, Getty Images

Patrick attends the unveiling of Sports Illustrated's 2008 Swimsuit Issue in New York City.

Jamie McCarthy, WireImage.com

Patrick flashes a smile in pit lane at the Phoenix International Raceway in 2005.

Robert Laberge, Getty Images

Patrick walks the runway at the 10th Annual Gridiron Glamour show benefiting the HollyRod Foundation and SARRC in Scottsdale, Ariz., in 2008.

Michael Buckner, Getty Images

Patrick poses for a portrait at the Homestead Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla., in 2007.

Robert Laberge, Getty Images

Danica Patrick makes an appearance at Spike TV's 2003 GQ Men of the Year Awards in New York City.

Jim Spellman, WireImage.com

Patrick gets serious at the Richmond International Speedway in Richmond, Va., in 2005.

Nick Laham, Getty Images

Danica Patrick arrives at the ESPY Awards in 2003.

Mark Mainz, Getty Images

Patrick is seen during a photo session prior to the 2007 Indianapolis 500.

Stan Honda, AFP / Getty Images

Live Chat: Holly Cain Talks Indy 500 | Sunday, 11 AM ET

Keselowski Wins in Spectacular Fashion

Posted: Apr 26th 2009 9:10 PM ET by Holly Cain (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Carl Edwards, Sprint Cup, FanHouse Exclusive

12 COMMENTS

TALLEDEGA, Ala. -- Brad Keselowski did what any driver would do.

It was the last lap, and he had a shot to win his first NASCAR Sprint Cup race. So he held his line and powered forward.

That the ensuing collision between his Chevy and Carl Edwards's Ford as they approached the finish line resulted in Edwards taking a frightening airborne ride into grandstands fencing and injuring seven fans had less to do with Keselowski than the innate dangers of restrictor plate racing.

In fact, NASCAR started putting restrictor plates on the cars at its two super speedways in Talladega and Daytona because of a similar airborne accident at Talladega in 1987. The idea was to control speeds. Roof flaps developed in the 1990s were supposed to keep the cars on the ground.

And so the 25-year-old Keselowski, whose win came in only his fifth Cup start, didn't make apologies for the racing.

More Coverage: Drivers Irate After Terrifying Finish

Kasey Kahne Talks About His Birthday, LeBron James, Sponsorship Rumors

Posted: Apr 24th 2009 4:31 PM ET by Holly Cain (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Talladega Superspeedway, Sprint Cup, FanHouse Exclusive

4 COMMENTS

On Friday evening we caught up with one of NASCAR's most popular drivers, Kasey Kahne, for a live chat in which Kahne spent time answering the burning questions of his fans.

Among the topics Kahne touched on were his confidence in his car, the rumors swirling around his sponsorship status, his favorite track (and which one needs the most work) and what he did on his birthday.

Check out the full chat transcript after the jump.

Martin May Finally End Title Drought

Posted: Apr 23rd 2009 10:31 AM ET by Steve Byrnes (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Mark Martin, FanHouse Exclusive, SPEED TV

1 COMMENT

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.

Al Unser Jr. 'Done' With IndyCar, 500

Posted: Apr 14th 2009 9:45 PM ET by Holly Cain (RSS feed)
Filed Under: FanHouse Exclusive, IRL

1 COMMENT

As lean and fit as he ever looked during a heralded IndyCar career, Al Unser Jr. walked around the St. Petersburg IndyCar Series paddock two weeks ago posing for snapshots and signing autographs for fans, who wanted to know when he'd be racing again.

The answer is this week in Long Beach, Calif. -- the picturesque downtown street course where Unser won six Indy car races in an eight-year period, including four straight from 1988-1991, in one of the most dominating performances at one venue in series history.

It's Time for Sin City to Have Shot

Posted: Apr 9th 2009 8:36 PM ET by Krista Voda (RSS feed)
Filed Under: NASCAR Awards, Sprint Cup, FanHouse Exclusive, SPEED TV

3 COMMENTS

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.

NASCAR Needs to Abolish 'Mess'

Posted: Mar 25th 2009 10:39 AM ET by Jimmy Spencer (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Penske Racing, Sprint Cup, Richard Childress Racing , FanHouse Exclusive, SPEED TV

3 COMMENTS

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.

Pit Road to Riches (or Ruin)

Posted: Mar 5th 2009 7:01 PM ET by Holly Cain (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Pit Crews, FanHouse Exclusive

8 COMMENTS

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

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

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