The 2010 Sprint Cup Series season has reached the halfway point, and there are eight races remaining until the cutoff prior to the start of the Chase for the Sprint Cup, including Saturday night’s Lifelock.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.
With the Chase approaching, drivers have differing goals in mind for the eight races remaining in what [...]
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Hamlin hopes to make another great move at Martinsville
Denny Hamlin, who is on the pole for Sunday's TUMS Fast Relief 500, trails points leader Jimmie Johnson by 41 points with five races to go in the Chase. Hamlin has the potential to surpass Johnson today, but the Chesterfield native said any gain on the four-time defending champion would ...
SPEED - Oops: Mario Moraes' Brazil IndyCar Crash
Mario Moraes attempted to use the rear of Marco Andretti?s car like Bo and Luke Duke trying to jump the General Lee over a broken bridge.
F1 Abu Dhabi station Saturday Practice: Red Bull is still
2010 Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix championship final station the end of the third free practice. Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber taking the first two, lead up to half a second Red Bull car. McLaren driver Fernando Alonso Lewis Hamilton ahead of the third front, Ferrari won the drivers championship to put a question mark. [...]
Monday, November 29, 2010
Bobby Santos III Looking For First Whelen Modified Tour Title Sunday At Thompson International Speedway
When Whelen Modified Tour team owner Bob Garbarino announced just weeks before the start of the racing season that Bobby Santos III would drive his car in 2010 the biggest question many had about Garbarino's new pilot was whether or not he had the ability to run for a championship in the division.
Garbarino's confidence was evident the day he announced Santos would drive his car.
"I wouldn't put him in the car if I didn't think we'd be able to run for a championship," Garbarino said on March 17.
Though the naysayers questioned whether Santos, who had never driven a full year in the series and has just one victory in 29 career starts, had what it took to give Garbarino his second consecutive series title and third in four years.
Garbarino's confidence was evident the day he announced Santos would drive his car.
"I wouldn't put him in the car if I didn't think we'd be able to run for a championship," Garbarino said on March 17.
Though the naysayers questioned whether Santos, who had never driven a full year in the series and has just one victory in 29 career starts, had what it took to give Garbarino his second consecutive series title and third in four years.
Hispania Racing Team news
By now I?m guessing Y?all have heard the news that Formula One Team HRT has signed a contract with ?Team Willie? (AT&T Williams) for supply of their Gearboxes & Hydraulics beginning in 2011, as Hispania seeks to ditch its problematic XTrac units in favour of something more reliable. As the move will leave only Virgin as the sole XTrac Customer next season...Meanwhile the never ending revolving door of ?Paying? Drivers continues this weekend when Christian Klien once again replaces ?Sackoe-Moneyato.? *Sakon Yamamoto) who this time isn?t suffering from a cooked up diagnosis of food poisoning... No word on whether or not the Japanese driver will be back at Abu Dhabi?And speaking ?O Moohlah, the Team seems to be keeping its options alive. As the long winded rumour of a deal with the deposed Toyota F1 Organization continues to be kept alive on ze internets, albeit there appears to be more then meets the retina, eh? As although it may be viewed as a step backwards for The Incredible Hulk, I?d be happy to see the young Nico Hulkenberg continue on in Formula 1 next season...More on HRT and ToyotaI?ve also seen ?Juan solitary report speculating that Bruno Senna may be tipped as a possible replacement for the ?Scrumptious ?Juan? *Jarno Trulli) next year behind the wheel of a Lotus Renault? Although there?s NO word on who?ll actually win the Team Lotus Moniker Sweepstakes, and the reumour comes from the fairly optimistic Brazilian Press... Whilst the younger Senna is chafing at the bit to participate in his inaugural Home Grand Prix at Sao Paolo.Bruno Senna: ?Interlagos will be quite emotional??
INDYCAR: Paddock Notes ? November 16th Edition
Otay, so Y?all have heard (and hopefully read my story...) ?bout Chevrolet?s return to Indy Car racing in 2012, see:TELECON: The Bow-tie returns to IndyCarAnd I haveda say I won?t be shocked if another ?Bombshell is either defused or uncorked today ? as I?ve just read in PopOff valve?s Nov. 13story; that today is the Drop Dead-date for Manufacturer?s to announce their intentions to provide Powerplant?s for the 2012 ?Body-by-Mennen? (AFX Aero-kit) Era and that none other then FIAT/Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne will be on hand for the Speedway, Indiana groundbreaking ceremonies of Dallara Automobili?s vaunted North American Indy Car Manufacturing plant...Fiat Voluntas Tua: Italian automaker to join GM, Honda for Indy 2012?The reason I won?t be shocked is I?ve been taking some ?Guff for guessing that Alfa Romeo would be the FIAT choice if they decided to return? While I?ve also commented previously how Roush/Yates has just produced an all new V-6 (Twin?) turbo ?lump for use in the American Le Mans Series ? which would figure nicely into Cosworth?s plans if they were to return as a Lotus badged entity, eh? Whilst I?m still trying to figure out if the Honda vs. GM/Ilmor V-6 Twin-turbo units are derived from the same engine platform? And that?s before I even attempt delving into this GRE (Global Racing Engine) thingy. Which I can tell Yuhs I?m NOT a Fan of!Roush Yates to build Ford engines for ALMS prototypes
2010 Texas Shelby 350
The town of Granbury, in Texas, is a suitable location for the 2010 Texas Shelby 350 motoring show, as the town is as historic as the events that are being celebrated. It is the 45th anniversary of the legendary 427 Cobra, as well as the GT350, and it is guaranteed to be a show that [...]
Related posts:Vancouver International Auto Show 2010Geneva International Motor Show 20102010 Canadian International Auto Show
Related posts:Vancouver International Auto Show 2010Geneva International Motor Show 20102010 Canadian International Auto Show
The 33 Car Shoot
The 33 Car Shoot
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NASCAR?s big, but not that big, here
Will Denny Hamlin join the Miami posse of Lebron James? The opposite is unlikely.
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – It’s all about the South down here. No drawls. No plantations (well, there is a city near here called Plantation). But there’s South Beach, and the geography is unmistakable. Homestead-Miami Speedway may not be Southern but it’s as south as the United States of America gets.
NASCAR takes its traveling show to most parts of the country, but it doesn’t get much glitzier than this. Juan Pablo Montoya held his annual South Beach gala – or soiree or extravaganza, or whatever – on Thursday night.
In other big news, Denny Hamlin met LeBron James.
“It was just at our hotel, basically,” said the Sprint Cup point leader. “One of the guys that I know, that works at the hotel, asked if I cared to meet him, and I said, ‘Of course. Sure.’ I just briefly talked to him for just a second. It really wasn’t anything too big. Obviously, he’s one of the most interesting guys of the past year, so it was good to experience that.”
Asked if the NBA star knew anything about NASCAR, Hamlin said not too much.
“He’s heard of it. I don’t know,” said Hamlin. “I really didn’t ask him too much about to be honest with you. I got to thinking, though, I was sitting there and looking around and the scene around him, and what-not, and I was thinking, why in the world would he leave Cleveland for this?”
It may have been a bit like the time Red Grange visited the White House. Grange was introduced to Pres. Calvin Coolidge, who was told, “This is Red Grange of the Chicago Bears,” and the president replied, “I’ve always enjoyed animal acts.”
NASCAR is known here. Every Chase has ended here, not to mention the seasons of 2002-03 before there was a Chase. NASCAR holds its grand finale in a city made famous at various times by Jackie Gleason, Tony Montana and Dan Marino. It’s going to take at least a Montoya championship to make NASCAR a household name.
Or maybe Hamlin can win the championship and thus earn a place in LeBron’s posse.
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – It’s all about the South down here. No drawls. No plantations (well, there is a city near here called Plantation). But there’s South Beach, and the geography is unmistakable. Homestead-Miami Speedway may not be Southern but it’s as south as the United States of America gets.
NASCAR takes its traveling show to most parts of the country, but it doesn’t get much glitzier than this. Juan Pablo Montoya held his annual South Beach gala – or soiree or extravaganza, or whatever – on Thursday night.
In other big news, Denny Hamlin met LeBron James.
“It was just at our hotel, basically,” said the Sprint Cup point leader. “One of the guys that I know, that works at the hotel, asked if I cared to meet him, and I said, ‘Of course. Sure.’ I just briefly talked to him for just a second. It really wasn’t anything too big. Obviously, he’s one of the most interesting guys of the past year, so it was good to experience that.”
Asked if the NBA star knew anything about NASCAR, Hamlin said not too much.
“He’s heard of it. I don’t know,” said Hamlin. “I really didn’t ask him too much about to be honest with you. I got to thinking, though, I was sitting there and looking around and the scene around him, and what-not, and I was thinking, why in the world would he leave Cleveland for this?”
It may have been a bit like the time Red Grange visited the White House. Grange was introduced to Pres. Calvin Coolidge, who was told, “This is Red Grange of the Chicago Bears,” and the president replied, “I’ve always enjoyed animal acts.”
NASCAR is known here. Every Chase has ended here, not to mention the seasons of 2002-03 before there was a Chase. NASCAR holds its grand finale in a city made famous at various times by Jackie Gleason, Tony Montana and Dan Marino. It’s going to take at least a Montoya championship to make NASCAR a household name.
Or maybe Hamlin can win the championship and thus earn a place in LeBron’s posse.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Double Vision?
(James Bond Aston Martin DB5; Source: speed.com)As Y?all may know? I got up at 4:30AM (Pacific) in order to watch the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ? and a funny thing occurred. When I watched it LIVE the first time, during the Post-race interviews I SWEAR they talked to all three drivers; as Lewis Hamilton was brief, but ?JENSE gave a long answer replete with sponsor plug...Yet when I watched the race for a second airing, when SPEED replayed the race in the afternoon ? for reasons unknown; they felt compelled to cut OUT both McLaren drivers? comments... Did anyone else notice this? What Gives SPEED!Then I bumped into this somewhat quirky titled story in my local fish wrap...F1 in 2011 needs more show, less hype?Give the drivers push-button rockets, give them tire-slashing blades like the ones on James Bond's Aston Martin. Give them something, anything, to make Formula One more interesting next season. Please.?And speakin? of Bond, did Y?all see what Mr. Connery?s Goldfinger Auston Martin DB5 fetched in a recent auction?James Bond DB5 Sells For $4.6M
Ryan Truex plans first Nationwide start at Gateway
Defending NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion and current points leader in that series, Ryan Truex, will make his Nationwide Series debut this month when he climbs behind the wheel of a Michael Waltrip Racing entry on July 17 at Gateway International Raceway. He will pilot a NAPA-sponored No. 00 entry and will be a [...]
DTM: Di Resta Wins 2010 Championship
Scotland's Paul Di Resta adds to the 2010 championships won by his cousins, Dario and Marino Franchitti, by earning his first DTM title on Sunday in China.
MarioCar spotted...
MR. CARPETS:Was taking a backroad home (recently) and passed a place the does floats for parades. I think it's called Indy Expo. Out front was sitting Mario's winning #2 car and just had to take a pic for Yuh...
Bowyer triumphs at Talladega; points race stays tight
TALLADEGA, Ala. -- NASCAR's three title contenders hoped the tightest championship in seven years wouldn't be derailed by the typically chaotic racing at Talladega Superspeedway.
Two-year contract with Red Bull Renault engine Renault
Renault RS27 engine available (Source: RENAULT F1 TEAM ??AP Brazil’s local time Friday, November 5, Red Bull F1 team and engine supplier Renault announced two-year contract, which means that Horner led the team will use the power unit in France until 2012. ??Red Bull Racing beginning in 2007 with Renault engines, as at present, 4 [...]
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Ryan Truex plans first Nationwide start at Gateway
Defending NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion and current points leader in that series, Ryan Truex, will make his Nationwide Series debut this month when he climbs behind the wheel of a Michael Waltrip Racing entry on July 17 at Gateway International Raceway. He will pilot a NAPA-sponored No. 00 entry and will be a [...]
'Snakebit' Gordon turns his attention toward 2011
With a new three-year sponsorship announced yesterday, Jeff Gordon is sure to be driving through at least 2013.
The impressive 1965 Indy 500 line up
The impressive 1965 Indy 500 line up
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VINTAGE: Ford Racing Tested GT Roadsters
Prototype endurance racers were prepared for running at Le Mans, which led to Ferrari-beating GT40 coupes.
NASCAR?s big, but not that big, here
Will Denny Hamlin join the Miami posse of Lebron James? The opposite is unlikely.
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – It’s all about the South down here. No drawls. No plantations (well, there is a city near here called Plantation). But there’s South Beach, and the geography is unmistakable. Homestead-Miami Speedway may not be Southern but it’s as south as the United States of America gets.
NASCAR takes its traveling show to most parts of the country, but it doesn’t get much glitzier than this. Juan Pablo Montoya held his annual South Beach gala – or soiree or extravaganza, or whatever – on Thursday night.
In other big news, Denny Hamlin met LeBron James.
“It was just at our hotel, basically,” said the Sprint Cup point leader. “One of the guys that I know, that works at the hotel, asked if I cared to meet him, and I said, ‘Of course. Sure.’ I just briefly talked to him for just a second. It really wasn’t anything too big. Obviously, he’s one of the most interesting guys of the past year, so it was good to experience that.”
Asked if the NBA star knew anything about NASCAR, Hamlin said not too much.
“He’s heard of it. I don’t know,” said Hamlin. “I really didn’t ask him too much about to be honest with you. I got to thinking, though, I was sitting there and looking around and the scene around him, and what-not, and I was thinking, why in the world would he leave Cleveland for this?”
It may have been a bit like the time Red Grange visited the White House. Grange was introduced to Pres. Calvin Coolidge, who was told, “This is Red Grange of the Chicago Bears,” and the president replied, “I’ve always enjoyed animal acts.”
NASCAR is known here. Every Chase has ended here, not to mention the seasons of 2002-03 before there was a Chase. NASCAR holds its grand finale in a city made famous at various times by Jackie Gleason, Tony Montana and Dan Marino. It’s going to take at least a Montoya championship to make NASCAR a household name.
Or maybe Hamlin can win the championship and thus earn a place in LeBron’s posse.
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – It’s all about the South down here. No drawls. No plantations (well, there is a city near here called Plantation). But there’s South Beach, and the geography is unmistakable. Homestead-Miami Speedway may not be Southern but it’s as south as the United States of America gets.
NASCAR takes its traveling show to most parts of the country, but it doesn’t get much glitzier than this. Juan Pablo Montoya held his annual South Beach gala – or soiree or extravaganza, or whatever – on Thursday night.
In other big news, Denny Hamlin met LeBron James.
“It was just at our hotel, basically,” said the Sprint Cup point leader. “One of the guys that I know, that works at the hotel, asked if I cared to meet him, and I said, ‘Of course. Sure.’ I just briefly talked to him for just a second. It really wasn’t anything too big. Obviously, he’s one of the most interesting guys of the past year, so it was good to experience that.”
Asked if the NBA star knew anything about NASCAR, Hamlin said not too much.
“He’s heard of it. I don’t know,” said Hamlin. “I really didn’t ask him too much about to be honest with you. I got to thinking, though, I was sitting there and looking around and the scene around him, and what-not, and I was thinking, why in the world would he leave Cleveland for this?”
It may have been a bit like the time Red Grange visited the White House. Grange was introduced to Pres. Calvin Coolidge, who was told, “This is Red Grange of the Chicago Bears,” and the president replied, “I’ve always enjoyed animal acts.”
NASCAR is known here. Every Chase has ended here, not to mention the seasons of 2002-03 before there was a Chase. NASCAR holds its grand finale in a city made famous at various times by Jackie Gleason, Tony Montana and Dan Marino. It’s going to take at least a Montoya championship to make NASCAR a household name.
Or maybe Hamlin can win the championship and thus earn a place in LeBron’s posse.
Peyton Sellers finally finds sponsorship to get his Nationwide Series team back in action
The economy, which several team owners credit to the lack of opportunities to get a chance in one of NASCAR’s top three series, had not allowed Peyton Sellers and his Danville-based team to get on the track as often as the 27-year-old would have liked to during the summer months.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Oh what a feeling ? as HRT and Toyota agree to disagree...
Although scuttlebutt has suggested this would happen... Its now official, as Toyota will cease any further collaborative efforts with Hispania Racing ? specifically development of their stillborn TF110 chassis as a basis for next year?s Hispania F1 chassis. After being pointed out it would probably cost less for HRT to develop their own chassis vs. Toyota?s exorbitant fees, albeit the inherent performance gain over the ex-Dallara sleds currently being used.Most likely ex-Williams designer Geoff willis, who I believe has been working as an Consultant to Hispania this season ? will be pressed into service to come up with next year?s new chassis, as once again the FIA regulations change, with the likely return of KERS and the moveable rear wing.Keep in mind that HRT has already done a deal with Team Willie for rear-end components, i.e.; Gearbox and Hydraulics... Although I don?t know if Willis left the Grove-team on speaking terms or not? As he?d most likely wish to use Williams second wind tunnel to improve the lowly Hispania racecar, eh?Also, I found it entertaining that future Williams driver Pastor Maldonado ? who ran a ?Mega 108-laps on Day-1 of the Young Drivers Test ended up being some one-plus seconds faster then both of Hispania?s two racing drivers Christian Klien & Bruno Senna. Maldonado?s fastest lap of 1:43.750 compared favourably to Senna (1:45.085) and Klien?s (1:45.085) who qualified 23rd & 24th respectively.Although its been divulged that many of the cones (Bollards) have been removed, allowing the Young Guns to shortcut several corners ? not to mention that the track has most likely continued rubbering-in...
D�j� vu from 2008: Edwards wins the race, Johnson the title
Carl Edwards celebrates his second win of the season after taking the checkered flag at Sunday’s Ford 400 while Jimmie Johnson has his own reason to celebrate – his place in history with five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships. (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – In marked contrast to three drivers who were focused on the Sprint Cup championship, Carl Edwards actually set out to win the Ford 400.
And why not? Edwards, who won the season’s final two races, said of the forever-and-ever-amen champion, Jimmie Johnson, “I feel like I’m better than him. I mean, everybody feels that. That’s why we race. If you get a driver who says, ‘oh, no, Jimmie is better than me,’ you don’t want that guy on your team.’
“Obviously, they have proved they are able to win more races and championships than the rest of us, we just have to figure out how to do that.”
With Johnson wrapping up his fifth straight championship, all that was left for Edwards were the leftover crumbs from another gala Johnson celebration at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Two years earlier, the same outcome occurred.
Supposedly, three drivers – Johnson, Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick – were destined to battle it out. Neither could allegedly win the championship without winning the race, or so did many of the spin doctors brazenly suggest.
Hah! Johnson finished second, leading a lap (there were 267, 190 of which featured Edwards at the top of the heap). Harvick finished third and didn’t lead any. Hamlin didn’t lead any, either, en route to a fate-scarred 14th.
Once Edwards established himself as the fastest, and Hamlin established himself as the unluckiest, all that was left for Johnson was to keep Harvick in comfortable proximity. He admitted it.
“But eventually, they (Harvick, Hamlin) slipped back, and that’s when I felt a little secure,” said Johnson. “Just get up front and ride behind the ’99’.”
Edwards knew it: “I was fortunate he (Johnson) was racing for the championship. I think he was taking it a little easy at the end.”
Johnson still has never won at Homestead-Miami. That’s because the last time he needed to win the finale was in 2004, when second place wasn’t good enough. This time he finished second because it was good enough.
Hamlin, who actually began the race as the point leader, had a race that would have been more fun than a barrel of monkeys if his goal had been zaniness. He spun around and around down the back straight. He pitted at an inopportune time. Johnson still had the “golden horseshoe” Harvick talked about earlier in the season. Hamlin’s Toyota must have had a broken mirror in it somewhere.
“It’s just circumstances,” said Hamlin, “but, you know, we had a great year.”
Harvick gave the race a little flair, not by making a decent bid at Johnson, of course, but by just wrecking Hamlin’s teammate, Kyle Busch, for kicks. Harvick said Busch had been racing him “like a clown all day.”
Hamlin, sitting next to Harvick in the post-race press conference, said, “Funny, but that’s the way your teammates were racing me all day.”
Electric Motor Show 2010
The Electric Motor Show, or Moottorikelkka as it is referred to in Finland, is an event that exhibits a variety of motor industry related products such as electrical parts, performance enhancing systems, service related products and special equipment. It attracts manufacturers, importers and exporters, and most visitors to the show are trade visitors, specializing in [...]
Related posts:LA Auto Show 20102010 Canadian International Auto ShowHyderabad Auto Show 2010
Related posts:LA Auto Show 20102010 Canadian International Auto ShowHyderabad Auto Show 2010
F1 Singapore station matador lock on the Fernando Alonso
Ticker September 25 , 2010, F1 Singapore stations Qualifying in the Gulf street circuit end . Ferrari Alonso to 0.067 seconds advantage beat the favorite Red Bull teenager Sebastian Vettel , following two weeks ago in Monza after the for the second consecutive game gains pole position . McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton , Jenson Button [...]
Thursday, November 25, 2010
'WillieBoy plays Yas Isle
?Bruno and his Abu Dhabi-HRT team-mate. If I can find the cash.?Will Buxton & Bruno Senna at Yas Marina ? Photo by Darren Heath.(Source: willthef1journo.wordpress.com)Previously in Suzuka Memories I scribbled,Thus it was interesting to hear ?Willie Buxom?s? testimonial of riding in a Two-seater with Bruno in Abu Dhabi over the Singapore ? Suzuka break... (Talk ?bout living a Charmed life, Eh!) As Messer Buxton explained how nauseating the ride was; with Senna wanting to demonstrate how VIOLENT a modern F1 car is, as the ?Back markers all struggled to drive a Pig ?O a Racecar whilst looking in their mirrors all race long! And their 2X Seater?s ?Grunt was only equivalent of a modern day GP2 Asia chassis; CRIKEYS! (As Bruno was 6-seconds adrift of Vettel in Friday?s Practice 2...) So it would be nice if Mr. Buxton could scribble out his thoughts ?bout this on The Buxton Blog.YIKES! Ask and Thou Shalt Receive! As Messer Buxton has just posted a ?Mega 2-part story ?bout his unbelievable outing at the Yas Island Marina Circuit. Taking part in a Media Conference that also included James Allen amongst others...As ?WillieBoy had a Dream Vacation ? if I?ve ever heard of ?Juan, eh? Arriving in his 5-star Hotel room to find a brand spankin? new pair of Puma racing gloves & driving boots on the bed... To having to partake in some Go Karting with Jules Bianchi & friends. A Tin Top Driving Instructor named ?Mean Jean!? (Alesi) Before supposedly harassing ?Ol Man Johnny-be-Good... (Herbert) in some Single Seater action...Plus taking a ride with ?Straightliner? du Jour ?Hot Rod? Fuller in a special 3-seater Top Fuel Dragster and 2X Seater ride Chauffeured by Bruno Senna!The Ultimate Experience ? Part 1The Ultimate Experience ? Part 2And speaking ?bout Mean Jean?s instructing... If he thinks Alesi was bad? Then perhaps Messer Buxton should have read my take upon the mercurial Alesi falling foul to one of ?Ol BlockHead?s (Gerhard Berger) numerous mischievous antics ? way back in his Scuderia Ferrari days...Bit-Berger
NASCAR schedule
Weekend schedule SPRINT CUP Race: Amp Energy 500 When: Sunday, 1 p.m. Where: Talladega Superspeedway On the air: TV
AMA SBK: Pegram Racing Teams Up With BMW
Larry Pegram has confirmed that the Formost Insurance/Pegram Racing squad will be swapping their Ducatis for BMWs in 2011.
Burning issues: 11-24-10
It was a good day at Homestead-Miami Speedway for Carl Edwards on Nov. 21, who won his second consecutive race, leading 190 of 267 laps and becoming the sixth Ford driver in the past seven years to win the race. (Photos: Getty Images)
- It took Jimmie Johnson 327 races to win five championships. It took Dale Earnhardt 390. It took Richard Petty 654.
- In Petty’s defense, the seasons were quite a bit longer in his heyday.
- Johnson has never won at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He finished second in 2004, when he fell by eight points to Kurt Busch in the Chase, and this year.
- The popular notion that the champion needed to win the final race proved laughable. Of the three contenders – Johnson, Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick – only Johnson led a lap, and he led only one.
- Winning the final two races would appear to give Carl Edwards quite a jumpstart on 2011. Edwards went winless in 2009 after winning nine times in 2008 and also winning at Homestead. Asked about being cast as title contender in 2011, Edwards said, “Don’t do that again. It didn’t work worth a damn (in 2009).”
- Only Petty and Earnhardt, each with seven titles, have won more than Johnson. His, of course, have been in a row.
- How can NASCAR tinker with the Chase, given the results of the season just ended?
- A Ford driver has won the Ford 400 six times in the last seven years. Coincidence?
- Edwards’ new gimmick is greeting the fans by joining them in the grandstands after his celebratory back flip. Wonder how that’s going to work if a victory is, shall we say, controversial?
- Kyle Busch’s overall victory total in 2010 was 24: three Sprint Cup, eight Camping World Truck and 13 Nationwide.
- It took Jimmie Johnson 327 races to win five championships. It took Dale Earnhardt 390. It took Richard Petty 654.
- In Petty’s defense, the seasons were quite a bit longer in his heyday.
- Johnson has never won at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He finished second in 2004, when he fell by eight points to Kurt Busch in the Chase, and this year.
- The popular notion that the champion needed to win the final race proved laughable. Of the three contenders – Johnson, Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick – only Johnson led a lap, and he led only one.
- Winning the final two races would appear to give Carl Edwards quite a jumpstart on 2011. Edwards went winless in 2009 after winning nine times in 2008 and also winning at Homestead. Asked about being cast as title contender in 2011, Edwards said, “Don’t do that again. It didn’t work worth a damn (in 2009).”
- Only Petty and Earnhardt, each with seven titles, have won more than Johnson. His, of course, have been in a row.
- How can NASCAR tinker with the Chase, given the results of the season just ended?
- A Ford driver has won the Ford 400 six times in the last seven years. Coincidence?
- Edwards’ new gimmick is greeting the fans by joining them in the grandstands after his celebratory back flip. Wonder how that’s going to work if a victory is, shall we say, controversial?
- Kyle Busch’s overall victory total in 2010 was 24: three Sprint Cup, eight Camping World Truck and 13 Nationwide.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
TELECON: The BowTie returns to IndyCar
So I first heard the scuttlebutt on this last Sunday night when watchin? Ye ?Ol Windbag?s show ?Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain... Speculatin? that perhaps ?Cheep (Ganassi) had turned down Ford?s extremely generous offer to switch over to the Blue Oval in RASSCARLAND in order to be the lead player with Chevy backing in IndyCar beginning in 2012? Along with hearing that Ilmor had already designed a twin-turbo V-6 Indy Car lump...And I?m guessin? I wouldn?t want to try playing poker with The Captain, a.k.a. Roger Penske who was a guest on the show and when asked about the Chevy to Indy rumours promptly replied: I know Nothing...Thus, I awoke early this morning to drop-in to the RALLY-RALLY-RALLY BIG ANNOUNCEMENT at the IMS Hall of Fame Museum, which was slated to begin at 7AM Pacific... To which instead was preceded by 20mins of music, as I failed to scribble down the Marc Cohn Walkin? in Memphis song... Which was followed by Neil Young?s ?Take a look at yourself Old Man,? Johnnie Cougar (Melloncamp) ROCKIN? in the USA, Thin Lizzy?s The Boyz are Back, Sammy Van Haggar?s I CAN?T DRIVE 55 and Melloncamp?s I fight Authority... Before the Press Conference finally began at 7:20AM.The briefing was moderated by an IMS Track Announcer I?ve never heard of named Scott Hoke(?) and attended by the IMS Board of Directors; with Mary Holman George front ?N center, along with Josie (?N the Pussy Cats...) George and even some guy named ?Citizen Tony? (Tony George) in the building, albeit seated in a different section...There was Mr. Belskis, Randy Bernard, two Senior GM ?Shirts,? Gil De Ferran, Tony Kottman and Neil Restler from the ICONIC Board, Scott Goodyear, Derek Daly, ?lil Al, (Al Unser Jr.) Arie Luyendyk, Roger Penske, HULIO, Will Power and Simona de Silvestro on hand, and lastly Martin Plowman, whilst J.R. Hildebrand slipped in at the end...And the two things that jumped out the most to me were that the GM Brass noted several times how they?d be ?Working Together? with Engine Specialist Ilmor to develop a 2.4-liter Direct Injection Twin-turbocharged V-6 Powerplant and how Roger Penske stated how Ilmor builds engines for Honda...My memory recalls that when Ilmor was originally formed way back when, ?Circa 1980?s (1983) it was a 4-way partnership between General Motors, Roger Penske, Mario Illen and Paul Morgan, each with a 25% Ownership stake. To which dramatically changed after Morgan?s death in a vintage plane accident in 2001. As Mercedes took control with 55% Ownership in ?02 before a complete Takeover in ?05, when the company became Mercedes High Performance Engines...Interestingly, at this time Mario Illen along with Penske, bought the Special Projects portion of the Company which was responsible for the Honda IRL engine, whilst it was noted how Chevy had won 104 races, six Driver titles and seven Indy 500?s. (Before pulling out of the Indy Racing League along with Toyota at the end of 2005...)So, I have to say my initial thoughts are that it sounds like nothing more then a Badge Engineering project ? as I?m wondering will the engines of Honda and Chevrolet be exactly the same, minus different valve covers?Roger Penske steering Chevrolet back to IndyCarAnd it was also amusing that there was absolutely ZERO mention of Chip Ganassi?s involvement... As hopefully we?ll get some real answers to exactly what?s going on besides that Chevy will return to IndyCars in 2012 when the new ?Body-by-Mennen? Era begins...Honda Says IT'S ON ... (Kidding) Issues News Release
NASCAR schedule
Weekend schedule SPRINT CUP Race: Amp Energy 500 When: Sunday, 1 p.m. Where: Talladega Superspeedway On the air: TV
Hendrick Motorsports? Jimmie Johnson, wife expecting first child
Four-time defending NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and his wife, Chandra, are expecting their first child in July, spokesman Kristine Curley confirmed Monday. nascar.com
Hamlin, Harvick make gains on Johnson with strong Martinsville runs
Denny Hamlin outraced Chase leader Jimmie Johnson in Sunday’s TUMS Fast Relief 500 and closed a 41-point gap down to a mere six points with four races to go — the smallest margin ever at this point in the Chase since its inception in 2004.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Days Later, James Civali Still Shaking His Head Over Southern Whelen Modified Tour Season Ending Event
THOMPSON - Whelen Modified Tour driver James Civali is hoping for a little less drama this weekend at Thompson International Speedway than what he experienced Thursday at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
It's probably a good bet that he doesn't have worry about anything at Thompson topping what happened to him in Charlotte.
Civali, of Meriden, went into the Whelen Southern Modified Tour season finale at Charlotte Motor Speedway holding a three-point lead at the top of the standings.
After the dust had settled he left the track having lost the championship but carrying with him the satisfaction that in a small way he got to serve some justice out.
It's probably a good bet that he doesn't have worry about anything at Thompson topping what happened to him in Charlotte.
Civali, of Meriden, went into the Whelen Southern Modified Tour season finale at Charlotte Motor Speedway holding a three-point lead at the top of the standings.
After the dust had settled he left the track having lost the championship but carrying with him the satisfaction that in a small way he got to serve some justice out.
Pirelli Tyre F1 Team test Massa fastest on the first day
AP local time on November 19 in Abu Dhabi, F1 teams officially began on Pirelli tires provide the first test trial. Ferrari driver Felipe – Massa in 1:40.170 fastest results ranked on the first day, the Brazilians have been complaining about the tire heating up this year, the issue led to his qualifying difficult. Yesterday’s [...]
A Happy September 11th Day...
Whale Otay, originally I was gonna try poondin? this out way back in September... But alas, it?s been trapped in the No Fenders Wormhole Vortex; CRIKEYS! That sure is a crowded space, eh?Thus, while Y?all are bein? Patriotic ? as after all it is Election Day... What better timing then today to post this story with that Oh, so clever title...Thus having finally worn out my first white cane, which broke on me during my trek to Indy for the MotoGP race, by shear luck, the one Saturday of the month that CSBPS (Community Services for the Blind and Partially Sighted) was open just happened to be Sept. 11th. Thus I hastily took the bus over to acquire a new walking instrument that has become vital to my mobility...Picking up passengers, the visually impaired woman with Guide Dog who rides the bus got on and the driver politely informed her about the days service re-routes due to the Car Show; Huh? Wonder what that?s all about? To which I inquired with the bus driver when departing ? as he seemed very friendly, and he gave me perfect directions... By verbally telling me how to get there vs. simply pointing; and thus I felt it was my lucky day, since not only was the sun out, but by pure luck, it was a gaggle ?O Mustangs; as Mustangs Northwest was the club that had been pressed into service for the Northgate Festival ? which I?d never heard of before...So I walked up to the booth and asked for the low down, and had a very pleasant chat with Ned ?Something-ruther... As the theme from Groundhog Day played in my head when Bill Murray keeps running into Ned Flanders? (Insurance Salesman)Thus I told Ned ?bout my past Mustang, a ratty looking, well worn ?69 Mach 1, to which Ned replied; ?It?d be worth a fortune today...? (NOT!) As I told him how my friends in the older Shelby Club had snuck out and positioned the BEATER FORD sign directly in front of my ?Stang as I worked the Information booth for the inaugural Kent Canterbury Faire Car Show tallying the Popular Choice votes... (Thanks Dean!) As some where?s in my clutter I?ve got a photo of this spoof...Asking Ned if he had a car present? Ned said Yeah mines the yellow Saleen Convertible. Going on to explain that it was only 1 of 15 produced that year and that he?d been fortunate to win the prospect of acquiring it thru a lottery Saleen Performance Inc. had held... As I?ve already forgotten what year it was?Thus I?ve just spent awhile snooping ?round that all knowing entity, the Google MONSTER! And was surprised to learn from WICKEDpedia that Steve Saleen left the company back in 2007, before the company was auctioned off in pieces... As this sounds a bit like Fords antics with the Master himself - ?Ol Shel (Carroll Shelby) who lost control of his company a long time ago before starting up his current venture in Los Vegas...This came as a bit of a shock to Mwah, as I cannot recount how many years in-a-row at BCC?s (Bellevue Community College) NMustangs RoundUp Show I stood in line to acquire his autograph ? with several posters rolled-up in tubes. While I?ve also kept the cut-out magazine picture of the Tim Allen forged racing team in conjunction with Steve Saleen for some blinkin? 17yrs; Aye Karumba! Although my favourite Saleen Mustang Racecar was the giant wild stallion theme ?Stangs that attacked the Circuit de la Sarthe way back in 1997...Thus the Saleen saga is even more convoluted then I with to try explaining, but fortunately Steve & Co. have set up a new enterprise in Corona, CA named SMS Supercars.SMS Supercars pulls the wraps off 2011 302 MustangWhile perusing ze internets, I also learned that Ned?s chariot was a 1998 SA-15 Convertible, hence the miniscule production lot of 15 chassis that were apparently offered thru the SOEC (Saleen Owners Enthusiast Club) to prospective buyers. As it also claims that the SA-15 was the first Factory built S281 with Supercharger, and Uh Duh! It?s a very pretty car in the buff... Especially on a sunny day! SWEET ? NED!There was a small gathering of the original Mustangs, circa 1960?s along with a small armada of Saleen?s and late model ?Stangs. Have Y?all noticed how the new ?Stang?s closely resemble the 1969-70 Fastback models...And with my newly acquired white cane in hand I gravitated towards a group of three Gentlemen doing their best Tim Allen impersonations, chattering on ?bout 465 cubic inch blown superchargers, etc. Admiring the nearby Mustangs, I knew the sunshine was playing tricks upon me, that ?Stang can?t be fuchsia! So I waited for a lull in the conversation and asked: ?Can I ask Y?all a silly question?? To which they sheepishly replied: ?Depends upon the question?? Telling them I was ?Visually Challenged? I inquired if the trio could decyper the cars colour? To which I naturally got three different answers. Oh, it?s black; no, it?s a dark grey, or is it a deep charcoal gray? Thanking them I walked around all of the Mustangs a second time before traipsing back to the Transit Centre to catch my Metro bus home, awash in the afterglow of a most enjoyable extremely low key Car Show!Barrett Jackson Auction: Las Vegas - 2010Lot#/Hammer/Total/Car629.1; $70,000; $77,000 1970; Ford Mustang Fastback ? BOSS 302.632.1; $82,000; $90,200; 1965 Shelby Cobra 427 ? CSX4000 series Roadster.665; $90,000; $99,000; 1965 Shelby Cobra 427 ? CSX6000 series Roadster.KEY:Hammer = Auction selling price.Total = Auction selling price + Barrett Jackson?s 10% Commission fee.And continuing on with the Saleen-Mustang-Shelby theme, a few weeks (9/26) after my very enjoyable outing at Northgate ? I dropped into the never ending Non-stop SPEED Wall-to-Wall 427hrs of Barrett Jackson Auction coverage... This time coming from ?Los Wages, i.e.; Las Vegas, NV; where I ?Karmically spotted a BOSS 302 On-the-Block... It was Lot No. 629.1, a white 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 ? replete with hood mounted Tachometer, which SPEED?s Mike Joy pointed out how antiquated it looked by today?s standards... But the idea was that the BOSS?s driver would be able to look ahead and keep his eyes fixed upon the ?Ash-fault? instead of buried in the dashes recessed console. Of which I can tell you from personal experience that I could NEVER once read either the ?Tach? or Speedometer in my Mach 1 that the BOSS was based off of...The car seemed to stall at $60k before the Auctioneer managed to move the needle to a final Hammer price of $70,000.2010 Barrett Jackson Auction ? LV: LOT # 629.1Then I had to stick around for the next ?Fiord? product, a ?1965 Cobra 427,? which was actually one of the somewhat controversial Carroll Shelby ?Continuation Cars;? this ?Juan being a CSX4000 Roadster, sprayed in ?Rosso? (Red) with the legendary twin LeMans stripes in white. This I?d discovered was actually CSX4830 which my quickly scribbled notes said: X-Cubes, (482) 555bhp! Tremac 5-speed (transmission) and didn?t mention Hammer price... To which now I?ve discovered that it was a take-off on ?Ol Carroll?s venerable 427 Cobra, albeit motivated by a Roush/Yates engine...2010 Barrett Jackson Auction ? LV: LOT # 632.1And I didn?t actually watch the CSX6000 Roadster sale... Just noted it ? since I?ve never heard of the ?6000 model range before...2010 Barrett Jackson Auction ? LV: LOT # 665But the Vegas Auction?s High seller was bought by none other then Barrett Jackson co-founder Steve Jackson, who doled out 700-large )$700,000) for a Bugatti Veyron that the buyer couldn?t pay, while the car?s previous owner reportedly plunked down $100k for a VW Microbus ? go figure...
Monday, November 22, 2010
Final qualifying day in 1952
Final qualifying day in 1952
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NASCAR notebook: Edwards thinks Homestead is a new beginning
Carl Edwards, fastest in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice, was second-fastest in qualifying at Homestead-Miami Speedway. (photo: Getty Images)
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Carl Edwards too has a reason to race, just one not so compelling.
Edwards is out of the Chase in terms of the championship but has fourth place, 47 points ahead of Roush Fenway teammate Matt Kenseth. And, of course, it’s Ford Championship Weekend, and Edwards drives one.
What Edwards talked about was “locking down fourth place.”
“That would be a big accomplishment for us, and we’ll just keep trucking,” he said. “I don’t feel like we have implemented all the things we’ve figured out yet. I think we have a lot of really positive things that they’re working on at the shop, so I think we could even be better yet come Daytona, Phoenix, Vegas (in 20100).
“I think we’re poised to be extremely good at the beginning of next season, maybe in a better situation than we were at the end of 2008, where I felt like we had been ahead and people were catching us.”
* * *
PITS CAN BE THE PITS–Pit choices could play a vital role in the outcome of both the race and the championship. Space is chosen on the basis of qualifying, which means Jimmie Johnson, who qualified sixth, has a much better location on pit road than Denny Hamlin, mainly because the point lead qualified 37th.
Johnson will pit at the midpoint, with an open spot in front of him. Kevin Harvick has a decent spot, behind the pole-winning car of Kasey Kahne and ahead of the No. 66 of Mike Bliss. Hamlin will pit near the pit entrance, behind Matt Kenseth and ahead of Aric Almirola.
* * *
NEW TASK AT HAND--Even though Johnson has won four straight championships, he’s never had to come from behind in the final race or, for that matter, the final two.
“In professional sports, things aren't always going to work out as you hope,” he said. “I wish we were leading the points and had the pressure of defending a championship down here, but I'm making the most of where we are.
“It's not far (15 points) from where we are to where Denny (Hamlin) is. We're going to have to go out and have a great day on Sunday afternoon, take it from there, see what happens.”
* * *
MOVE IT AROUND-- The third contender, Harvick, doesn’t want to see the Chase format change. He wants to see the Sprint Cup schedule change.
“I'd like to see a little bit more diversity in the race tracks,” he said. “I don't think the last 10 weeks should be the same tracks over and over and over again. I think it should rotate around. I think that would help particular race markets get better.
“You have it end at different places, have it start at different places. Maybe you go to some of the same tracks, but I think a different 10 weeks, even a road course at the end of the year, would put that full diversity, I guess you could say, on your champion to getting to all the different styles of tracks.”
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Carl Edwards too has a reason to race, just one not so compelling.
Edwards is out of the Chase in terms of the championship but has fourth place, 47 points ahead of Roush Fenway teammate Matt Kenseth. And, of course, it’s Ford Championship Weekend, and Edwards drives one.
What Edwards talked about was “locking down fourth place.”
“That would be a big accomplishment for us, and we’ll just keep trucking,” he said. “I don’t feel like we have implemented all the things we’ve figured out yet. I think we have a lot of really positive things that they’re working on at the shop, so I think we could even be better yet come Daytona, Phoenix, Vegas (in 20100).
“I think we’re poised to be extremely good at the beginning of next season, maybe in a better situation than we were at the end of 2008, where I felt like we had been ahead and people were catching us.”
* * *
PITS CAN BE THE PITS–Pit choices could play a vital role in the outcome of both the race and the championship. Space is chosen on the basis of qualifying, which means Jimmie Johnson, who qualified sixth, has a much better location on pit road than Denny Hamlin, mainly because the point lead qualified 37th.
Johnson will pit at the midpoint, with an open spot in front of him. Kevin Harvick has a decent spot, behind the pole-winning car of Kasey Kahne and ahead of the No. 66 of Mike Bliss. Hamlin will pit near the pit entrance, behind Matt Kenseth and ahead of Aric Almirola.
* * *
NEW TASK AT HAND--Even though Johnson has won four straight championships, he’s never had to come from behind in the final race or, for that matter, the final two.
“In professional sports, things aren't always going to work out as you hope,” he said. “I wish we were leading the points and had the pressure of defending a championship down here, but I'm making the most of where we are.
“It's not far (15 points) from where we are to where Denny (Hamlin) is. We're going to have to go out and have a great day on Sunday afternoon, take it from there, see what happens.”
* * *
MOVE IT AROUND-- The third contender, Harvick, doesn’t want to see the Chase format change. He wants to see the Sprint Cup schedule change.
“I'd like to see a little bit more diversity in the race tracks,” he said. “I don't think the last 10 weeks should be the same tracks over and over and over again. I think it should rotate around. I think that would help particular race markets get better.
“You have it end at different places, have it start at different places. Maybe you go to some of the same tracks, but I think a different 10 weeks, even a road course at the end of the year, would put that full diversity, I guess you could say, on your champion to getting to all the different styles of tracks.”
Peters inching toward top-five goal heading into Phoenix
Danville resident Timothy Peters enters Friday’s Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix International Raceway in sixth place in the Camping World Truck Series points standings and trails rookie Austin Dillon for fifth by 47 points with two races remaining.
Peters inching toward top-five goal heading into Phoenix
Danville resident Timothy Peters enters Friday’s Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix International Raceway in sixth place in the Camping World Truck Series points standings and trails rookie Austin Dillon for fifth by 47 points with two races remaining.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
The Mighty Cobra Daytona Coupes - ?Ol Shell makes good on His promise...
45yrs ago: It just hit me like a Ton ?O Bricks! That was a (somewhat) Long-long-time ago... As this is another ?Juan of the myriad ?O stories stuck in the (NFWHV) No Fenders Wormhole Vortex; having been reminded ?bout it once again just before leaving for Indy... As the night before I seemed to catch the No. 3 wire, (Tailhook) Err tail end of another Hot Rod TV episode, (SPEED Channel) where they were having to put the Superformance GT40 thru its paces... Even having some ?Ol Codger known as ?Bondo on hand, as in the legendary Bob Bondurant...And speakin? about Bondurant, while I don?t think much fanfare was made over it this summer, nevertheless on July 4th, 1965 ? at the Reims du 12 hours (International) Sports Car race, Messer Bondurant and Co-driver Jean Schlesser drove the winning Cobra Daytona Coupe (CSX2601 ) to capture the FIA World GT Manufacturer?s Championship. Which has only been done once ever in History by an American manufacture ... As after "il Commendatore? (Enzo Ferrari) coyly had the final race at Monza, Italy cancelled in 1964, in order to ensure that his Scuderia Ferrari would win the World GT Championship Crown for a third year in-a-row; ?Ol Carroll uttered some of his most immortal words: ?Next year your ASS is Mine!? (Enzo...) As Shelby was more determined then ever to defeat Ferrari, which he did on numerous occasions with the help of the mighty ?FoMoCo,? a.k.a. Ford Motor Company... Some where?s in true internetz folklore fashion... I thought I read that Pink Floyd percussionist Nick Mason had shelled out $12m in order to obtain one of the very rare Ferrari 250GTO?s... Of which I know very little ?bout this most magnificent automobile. Although I?ve now read that only 39 examples were produced between 1962-64, with the bulk being built between 1962-63 when a total of 36 ?Series I? examples were constructed. While a further three ?Series II? chassis were produced afterwards, with a further few original spec chassis being upgraded to the latter version in ?64.Interestingly, the GT rules at the time called for 100 examples to be produced for racing Homologation, of which Enzo cleverly managed to avoid by leaving large serial number gaps in the cars production run ? along with all sorts of other chicanery I imagine... As I?m assuming ?Ol Shel beat Enzo at his own game by successfully rebodying already Homologated Cobra Roadsters; as I must confess this is one of the prettiest sounding Ferrari?s I?ve ever heard pounding ?round at various Historics venues around the globe ? with its sewing machine smooth sounding silky three liter V-12 engine melodically motivated thru its six twin draft Weber Carburetors and fire engine red crackling rosso valveheads...Ultra-rare 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO up for sale by RM Auctions... will it set a record?Meanwhile, today ? exactly forty-five years ago... Another American legend named Craig Breedlove gave the Cobra Daytona Coupe its last moments of glory, by setting some 23 International speed records behind the wheel of CSX2287 - before the six Daytona Coupes were sold off piecemeal at bargain basement prices... As little did Shelby know they?d become so extremely desirable some 30-40-50 years later... (Have you tried buying a ?REAL? Shelby Daytona Coupe lately?) As CSX2287 probably has the strangest past of the six Daytona Coupes... With perhaps the most important pedigree, as not only was it the original Prototype chassis, but the only one produced in America. Yet after the car changed hands a few times; reputedly being ?Dumped? by thee Phil Spectre over fears of his incurring too many speeding tickets when he used it as a ?Daily Driver in Hollywood... It mysteriously vanished for two decades before finally being unearthed after the reclusive female owner committed suicide!The Missing Daytona Thus, as you?re Humble Scribe frequently mentions; as Time Flies By! Its hard to fathom that its already been a decade and a half since I attended the Cobra Daytona Coupes 30th Anniversary celebration as the featured marque at the 1995 Mollie Stones Historics in sleepy ?Ol Sonoma, CA, which some out ?Dar in BloggerLand like to call Snorhoma... As I had the good fortunes of seeing four of the six Daytona Coupes on static display and still have two vivid memories of said event.The first was witnessing ?Bondo replete in his original Cobra Team Jacket signing an autograph for ?Juan of the masses atop the roof of one of these priceless relics... While the most searing memory of that event was the Oh So Delectable Soundtrack of Messer bondurant doing a few solo demonstration laps behind the keyboard of one of these vintage beasts! As ?Bondo serenely toured the Wine Country Classic during lunchtime with NOBODY else Ontrack and it was sheer ecstasy listening to the booming 289cid small block V-8 lump resonate over the Sears Point Raceway grounds!The six Daytona Coupes in numerical order are chassis numbers: CSX2286, CSX2287, CSX2299, CSX2300, CSX2601 and CSX2602. While the ?Type 65? or 427 Super Coupe is known as CSB3054. Which I?ve seen at Portland way back in the early 1990?s...You can read all about these magnificent Cobra?s in the Great Cobra Daytona Coupes (523pages) book penned by the Car?s designer Peter Brock; click here.As I?ve mentioned previously, I?ve just had History slap me in the face once more by having the good fortune of viewing the rosso N.A.R.T. Ferrari 250LM that won the 1965 24 Heurs du Mans at the IMS Hall of Fame museum whilst attending this year?s MotoGP event...As finally the FIA saw the light and put a stop to Il Commendatore?s shenanigans, as Enzo had tried vainly to claim the 250LM was simply a continuation of the 250GTO model, to which the FISA said NO ENZO! You?ll have to race it as a Prototype instead of in the GT Class, which in some regards shrank in stature as both Ferrari and Ford focused upon the ultimate prize of winning Le Mans overall which required the pursuits of utilizing Prototypes instead. As although Ford had brought its still fairly new GT40 once again to the Circuit de la Sarthe, it was the unexpected No. 21 piloted by Jochen Rindt and Masten Gregory that won the race instead... Although it?s worth noting that the Daytona Coupe with Dan Gurney and Bob Bondurant won the GT Class and were fourth overall at Le Mans in ?64, while a Dan Gurney/Jerry Grant example ran as high as third overall in ?65 before retiring after 15hrs with clutch failure...
Re-Load: Risi seeks to build on Utah win in ALMS GT battle at Lime Rock
Houston, Texas - Tuesday, July 20 - Hot on the heels of its dominant GT victory in the Utah Grand Prix, Risi Competizione now heads to Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut, for the second round of the five-race ALMS summer odyssey.
Its central aims will be to not only ...
Its central aims will be to not only ...
Lloyd Shines On ?bout Testing
I have to admit its pretty amusing to see how many fellow Bloggers are now commenting ?bout Don Kay?s ?lil Autosport Radio Show, which I?ve been listening too for the past 3yrs...Thus, I tuned-in once again this Tuesday to listen to Alex ?PINK Lloyd & Brett Barnhart; Huh? Yuhs means Brian ?Braveheart?s? got an older brother also working for the Indy Racing League? As apparently the elder Barnhart is a member of Indy Cars Pit Tech crew which are responsible for Policing ICS Teams rules observance during the racing weekend.And although I like Alex Lloyd, there?s something ?bout his monotone droning on in TeamSpeak which seems to grate upon me... Although I found it amusing to hear him ?Politicking for the inclusion of more testing, noting how previously IndyCar rookies would come into the season with a year?s worth of testing mileage under their belts before going racing full time... With Alex noting how difficult it had been for him to come off the sidelines this year by claiming he?d been merely sitting on the sofa the past two seasons...To which Don Kay quickly quipped: ?That?s NOT all you?ve been doing!? In reference to the fact that The Lloyd?s are expecting child number three on Nov. 12th, their first boy ? having had two girls previously. As Don?s quip did garner a rare chuckle from Alex...And it was entertaining how the entire interview went without any mention of Alex?s teammate - The Wanderin? Milka, Milkalicious or formally known as Milka Duno... Hmm? Is this part of the ICS departure campaign already?And I know that the lack of testing in Motorsports is continued to be spurned by the current Global economic plight. But it just seems like a travesty to Mwah. I mean can?t some sort of happy medium be struck? As I believe RASSCAR is going to allow testing to begin again next year, while Formula One has upped its Pre-season Testing allotment from four dates to six.As I believe that Indy Car previously allowed rookies to test for Teams by giving them extra mileage incentives, which hopefully is carried over for next year? Although I can?t recall there ever being test drivers per sei in Indy Car, it would be nice to see an extra Open Test session or two added to the season. Perhaps hosting two 3-day outings at ?Warm? weather venues that aren?t on the Indy Car Series calendar, like VIR, Road Atlanta or Sebring... Or run at Sebring first and the Barber (Barber Motorsports Park) second ? in order to miss something called COLD temperatures before kicking off the 2011 ICS season March 27th at St. Petersburg. (Florida)Then they could run a single 3-day outing on an Oval in the Mid-season, some where?s after Indy, eh? Perhaps some ?lil Bullring Oval named Milwaukee in order to get the fans & teams ready for its return to the calendar...And it would be nice if the ?powers-to-Be? could send a skeleton TV crew to cover perhaps the final day?s outing of said Open Tests? Or GASP! Perhaps stream it live on le internets via my most tempernental Indycar.com website... Or at least send a couple of the IMS Radio Broadcast crew to cover it ?live? via that Super Dooper? webcast thingy!But these are just some mild suggestions... In regards to Messer Lloyd noting how he and Dale Coyne Racing (DCR) had already burned-up their 2010 testing mileage allotment ? like almost all teams have, I?d ASSume? And therefore IndyCar will be going DARK until 2011.Meanwhile, I?ve resisted the temptation of mentioning perhaps doing an east coast & west coast Pre-season test, simply since the words of Go-Kart Owner Jay ?Funnyman? Howard still resonate in my noggin ?bout how much it would COST in Diesel alone! Although I was thinking about that great little track fondly known as Laguna Seca as my west coast venue; as HELL! Why NOT even throw in the (wishful) idea of at least hosting a Mid-season ?Twisty? Open test at someplace called Portland International Raceway? RO-RO! There I go again MISTER CARPETS... (Hey, I can still dream ?bout it ? right?) And when I say the words Open, I mean it should be open to the public, as Sufferin? Succotash; Indy Car dearly needs to offer their product to EVERY market possible and to any potential future fans... Even those most coveted 10yr olds ? even if they bring their 40-something parents along with them...If you wish to check out the entire Autosport Radio interview with Alex Lloyd & Brett Barnhart ? then visit the link below,Autosport Radio Show ? October 24 edition
2010 Texas Shelby 350
The town of Granbury, in Texas, is a suitable location for the 2010 Texas Shelby 350 motoring show, as the town is as historic as the events that are being celebrated. It is the 45th anniversary of the legendary 427 Cobra, as well as the GT350, and it is guaranteed to be a show that [...]
Related posts:Vancouver International Auto Show 2010Geneva International Motor Show 20102010 Canadian International Auto Show
Related posts:Vancouver International Auto Show 2010Geneva International Motor Show 20102010 Canadian International Auto Show
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Saturday NASCAR update - Almirola wins MIS truck race, Logano looking to make Nationwide history at Kentucky
The Nationwide series is racing in Sparta, Kentucky tonight at the Meijer 300. Joey Logano took his third pole in a row at the 1.5 mile oval, and looks to make history by winning the same race from the pole three years in a row. Kentucky is ...
Days Later, James Civali Still Shaking His Head Over Southern Whelen Modified Tour Season Ending Event
THOMPSON - Whelen Modified Tour driver James Civali is hoping for a little less drama this weekend at Thompson International Speedway than what he experienced Thursday at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
It's probably a good bet that he doesn't have worry about anything at Thompson topping what happened to him in Charlotte.
Civali, of Meriden, went into the Whelen Southern Modified Tour season finale at Charlotte Motor Speedway holding a three-point lead at the top of the standings.
After the dust had settled he left the track having lost the championship but carrying with him the satisfaction that in a small way he got to serve some justice out.
It's probably a good bet that he doesn't have worry about anything at Thompson topping what happened to him in Charlotte.
Civali, of Meriden, went into the Whelen Southern Modified Tour season finale at Charlotte Motor Speedway holding a three-point lead at the top of the standings.
After the dust had settled he left the track having lost the championship but carrying with him the satisfaction that in a small way he got to serve some justice out.
Lorenzo?s super season continues, takes Silverstone pole
Jorge Lorenzo will start from pole postion for the MotoGP British Grand Prix after setting the best time in today's qualifying at Silverstone. Lorenzo has rocketed to two wins this year, and is poised to take control of the MotoGP championship if he can win from pole again this ...
Kasey Kahne Shines
On Sunday, 3 October 2010, Kasey Kahne delivered a breathtaking performance at Kansas Speedway and qualified for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He is a driver that everyone has been keeping an eye on since he began his racing career, and many believe that there is still a great future waiting for Kahne. He managed to capture his 19th pole of his career on Sunday, which was also the third pole he had managed to take during the NASCAR Sprint Cup season. This year has not been short of excitement and progress for Kahne.
Related posts:Burton Steals Bank Of America 500Sprint Car racing – Daring Deeds on the Dirt TrackNASCAR Season Kicks Off With Rolex 24
Related posts:Burton Steals Bank Of America 500Sprint Car racing – Daring Deeds on the Dirt TrackNASCAR Season Kicks Off With Rolex 24
Friday, November 19, 2010
2009 Nationwide Series Championship Points
Buddy Shacklette - AHN Sports Reporter
Daytona Beach, FL (AHN) - Kyle Busch fell short of winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series championship a week early, but he certainly closed out things in dominating fashion.
With his season-ending win in the Ford 300 last weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway the Las Vegas native won the Nationwide Series championship by a dominating 210 points.
read more
Daytona Beach, FL (AHN) - Kyle Busch fell short of winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series championship a week early, but he certainly closed out things in dominating fashion.
With his season-ending win in the Ford 300 last weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway the Las Vegas native won the Nationwide Series championship by a dominating 210 points.
read more
Splash And Go: Nov. 12
Have you ever played poker and held a hand you know can’t be topped? Just sat there quietly while everyone else showed their cards and then blew them away with your straight flush or four of a kind?
That’s how I felt while reviewing the Interwebs today before writing this edition of Splash And Go. I [...]
That’s how I felt while reviewing the Interwebs today before writing this edition of Splash And Go. I [...]
Jennifer Jo Cobb looking to end rookie season on high note
Jennifer Jo Cobb currently sits 16th in the NCWTS standings, on pace to become the highest finishing female in series history. On top of that, she is the owner of Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing and her truck is sponsored by Driver Boutique and Drivenmale.com, clothing companies she owns and operates in order ...
Hamlin saves best for last, closes in on Johnson with victory at Martinsville
Denny Hamlin saved his best for last when he needed to close the victory, passing Kevin Harvick on Lap 471 and going on to win his third consecutive race at Martinsville by claiming the TUMS Fast Relief 500 on Sunday.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
From the snail-mail bag, five great suggestions for getting fans interested again in NASCAR
Great idea #4: Sprint Cup racin' on dirt tracks.
Dear NASCAR This Week,
I read your newspaper offerings weekly, and enjoy them, especially the comments from NASCAR fans. I've been a race fan for 65-plus years and enjoy sprints on dirt and NASCAR. Was talking to some buddies recently about what NASCAR could do to get fans “returning to the track,” and we came up with some suggestions:
Eliminate qualifying in its present format. At each event, have two qualifying races, starting half of the entries in each qualifier. The qualifier starting positions could be set by pulling numbers out of a hat, or something similar. The qualifier races should be short, maybe 50 miles at the max. Then take the top 20 finishers from each qualifier for the feature event. The features should be no more than 300 miles in length (with special exceptions). The races, as they are today, are too long, and real racing is usually put off until the last few laps. Shorter-distance races would encourage more intense competition throughout the event.
Eliminate this top-35 thing entirely. All that does is prevent potential new teams from being able to compete.
The points battle needs to return to the old format. Too much hype on the top 12 thing.
Maybe a couple of Sprint Cup races on dirt? There are some great mile and 1/2 mile tracks out there.
Lower the ticket prices for these events. An empty bleacher seat is a terrible thing to waste.
Thanks. -- Gary H., Newburgh, Ind.
Monte replies: Thanks to you and your friends for putting so much thought into this. We’d love to see Cup races on dirt, too, but there aren’t any dirt tracks capable of accommodating 50,000 or more fans.
NAPA, NASCAR and Truex, Jr., Team up with Susan G. Komen
Pager item text:
Barrett Jackson
Slide text:
From now to Oct. 11, consumers can submit the names of loved ones affected by breast cancer to appear on the No. 56 NAPA Toyota!
NAPA AUTO PARTS and NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Martin Truex, Jr., are teaming up with Susan G. Komen for the Cure to honor breast cancer victims, survivors and supporters via a special, one-of-a-kind fan-generated paint scheme featuring the names of individuals affected by breast cancer.
read more
Barrett Jackson
Slide text:
From now to Oct. 11, consumers can submit the names of loved ones affected by breast cancer to appear on the No. 56 NAPA Toyota!
NAPA AUTO PARTS and NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Martin Truex, Jr., are teaming up with Susan G. Komen for the Cure to honor breast cancer victims, survivors and supporters via a special, one-of-a-kind fan-generated paint scheme featuring the names of individuals affected by breast cancer.
read more
NASCAR NASCAR Sprint Cup 3-by-5 Foot Flag with Grommets
Product Rating (No Ratings Yet):
Officially licensed NASCAR product.
3-by-5 foot
Reinforced headband with 2 grommets for flying
heavy duty polyester
Screen printed designShow everyone that you are a die-hard fan by hanging up this 3-foot x 5-foot flag from B.S.I Products. This o
Officially licensed NASCAR product.
3-by-5 foot
Reinforced headband with 2 grommets for flying
heavy duty polyester
Screen printed designShow everyone that you are a die-hard fan by hanging up this 3-foot x 5-foot flag from B.S.I Products. This o
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
The state of the art is messy
Jeff Burton wrecked at ‘Dega, and he wrecked again at Texas … (photo: Getty Images)
AVONDALE, Ariz. – Have at it, boys. Those words, spoken back in January by NASCAR’s Robin Pemberton, might as well have been the slogan of the season.
Oh, by the way, remember the Maine, the Alamo and Joe Hill, too.
Once, when I was in high school, our team paid a visit to a conference rival we’d beaten 62-0 the year before. That school normally wore orange, but when we trotted out on the field for warm-up, we immediately noticed the other team was wearing red and white T-shirts, matching our school colors. The T-shirts read:
WE REMEMBER! 62-0!
We remembered, too. We won, 34-6, and there weren’t any T-shirts the next year.
While pro football implements rules that limit the capacity of overgrown physical specimens to, uh, play football, NASCAR tumbles into old-fashioned laissez-faire.
If a driver doesn’t like the way another driver is racing him, he can just duke it out, by gosh. Unlike a beanball in baseball, NASCAR doesn’t eject or issue warnings, anything like that.
Have at it, boys. The three R’s are rubbin’, retaliatin’, and wreckin’.
The august ruling body must, of course, prevent an outbreak of anarchy. It can’t have these cocky, rich whippersnappers just rioting in the streets (uh, tracks). They can be scrapping among themselves all they want, but don’t be “sassing” a NASCAR official. Kyle Busch didn’t need words to “sass,” but he would have been no better off had he launched into a profanity-laced diatribe.
One reason modern racers can “have at it” is that they have few limitations.
In the old days, when a driver wrecked a car, he had to fix it, and if he didn’t fix it, he paid to have it fixed. Nowadays that’s the domain of millionaire owners with accompanying millions from sponsors. Now a dozen cars, just like the wrecked one used to be, sit back at the shop. They’ll send a transporter to pick another one up, if need be.
More than 20 years ago, Darrell Waltrip was kidding when he suggested that a car owner’s advice to a driver was, “If you can’t win the race, at least tear up the car.”
That’s no longer a joke. That’s the state of the art now.
Brazil Qualifying ? Hulk flexes his Muscles
(Nico Hulkenberg; Source: f1fanatic.co.uk)And we?re down to the wire, as its time once again for the penultimate Grand Prix race of the 2010 Formula 1 season! As I?m busy playin? Ketsup on my racing coverage... (Again!) As I was pre-occupied yesterday & originally thought I?d be pulling a ?Double by watching the Friday Practice & Saturday Qualifying Back-to-Back ? sometime Saturday; CRIKEYS! (Having just watched a most enjoyable outcome at Interlagos...)As hopefully Webber can grab another Pole Position with Master ?Zebb as his Wingman ? for another Red Bull Front Row lockout, eh? Although NO word on ?Weather or Not that funky wet stuff will appear during Saturday?s festivities?Meanwhile there?s still 50 points on the table for the next two race wins...2010 Drivers Championship ? Top 5P1) Fernando Alonso; 231 PointsP2) Mark Webber; 220ptsP3) Lewis Hamilton; 210ptsP4) Sebastian Vettel; 206ptsP5) Jenson Button; 189pts(As of Round 17 ? Korea)Practice - FridayIn typical fashion, once again it was the Red Bull Freightrain pulling onto the front row of the Grid, as Master ?Zebb, a.k.a. Sebastian Vettel led the parade ahead of teammate Mark Webber. While Fredrico Suave, a.k.a. Fred Alonso was third, even after having shut off his Ferrari lump during the day?s first Free Practice (FP1) session, whilst teammate Felipe Massa saw his Seamless Shift transmission try selecting two gears at once after hitting a nasty bump in FP2.The two Woking title protagonists, ?Louise ?JAGUAR? (Hamilton( & ?JENSE (Button) of McLaren were fourth and seventh respectively, split by Massa (P5) and ?The Krakow Kid,? nee Robert Kubica, (P6) with the biggest Top-10 surprise being ?Quick Nick?s? (Heidfeld) Sauber in eighth and the Mercedes duo of Nico Rosberg once again leading ?Schuey? home for the final two placing?s of the first ten spots on the days Timesheet...Qualifying - SaturdayAnd then the rain came, as Kubica was fastest in the morning?s WET Free Practice session, (FP3) before we were once again watching the cars slither around in the ?wet Stuff!? As the Q1 session saw the most inclement weather conditions. As ironically Adrian Sutil failed to move onto Q2 for the first time this year and claimed his teammate was absolutely ?Rubbish out there... As the two drivers almost collided, whilst the Red Bull Duo were happy to wait out the remaining minutes of the session in the garage; just being nipped by ?Ferdi-the-Putz!? (Alonso) Who bolted on a fresh set of ?Interz? (Intermediate tyres) with Webber second & Vettel third; Button was eighth & Hamilton was ninth, with the surprise of the session being Sauber?s ?K-Squared? (Kamui Kobayashi) in fifth.Moving onto Q2, once again it was the ?Zebb ?N Webber Show, as the Red Bull Duo moved forward one spot apiece; with Webber P1 and Vettel P2.Hamilton was fourth and ?Ferdi sixth, while the title competitors were split by somebody I like to call DER TERMINATOR, nee M. Schumacher...Once again qualifying was unkind to current World Champion Button ? who has a propensity for shunning the front half of the Grid in Sao Paolo; having missed the Top-10 since 2005... Thus once again it wasn?t to be ?JENSE?s day as local Hero Massa squeaked by to take the final slot for Q3, while uncharacteristically, Nico Rosberg also missed the cut and would ultimately be out qualified by Herr Schumacher for only the fourth time this season...P11) Jenson Button, McLaren. (-42pts)P13) Nico Rosberg, Mercedes.Then it was onto the ?Final Cut, as shockingly ? The Incredible Hulk came outta NOWHERES! As the young German Nico Hulkenberg blitzed the entire field to secure his debutant Grand Prix Pole ? in his Rookie season! As it was pretty funny to hear SPEED?s Bob Varsha calling Master ?Zebb a ?Grizzled Veteran,? especially since he noted Vettel?s only 47-days old-ER then The Hulkster; Hya! Although I haveda say it didn?t look like Nico?s uniform sleeves were deranged at all during the Top-3 interviews... Oh Never Mind! As I?m sure the neighbors were wunderin? what all of my jubilant exaltations were about, eh? While Vettel seemed pretty happy and I thought that even Webber seemed relieved during his Post ?Qualie interview.It was also noted that it was ?Team Willie?s? (Williams) first Pole since Nick Heidfeld?s 2005 European GP triumph and Cosworth?s first No. 1 spot since 1999; Aye Karumba! To which Williams F1 Co-owner said,Patrick Head: ?The boy?s obviously got a future!?Q3 ?Qualie ResultsPole) Nico Hulkenberg, Williams; P2) Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull; (-25pts) P3 ) Mark Webber, Red Bull; (-11 pts) P4) Lewis Hamilton, McLaren; (-21pts) P5) Fernando Alonso, Ferrari; (Points leader) P6) Rubens Barrichello, Williams; P7) Robert Kubica, Renault; P8) Michael Schumacher, Mercedes; P9) Felipe Massa, Ferrari; P10) Vitaly Petrov, Renault.Brazil Qualifying in Pictures
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
NASCAR at a glance
Sprint CupRace: AAA Texas 500 When: Sunday, 3 p.m. Where: Texas Motor Speedway Qualifying: Friday, 4:30 p.m. TV -- SPEED Track length: 1.5 miles Race distance: 500 miles (334 laps) Last year's winner: Kurt Busch, Dodge, 147.134 mph Qualifying record: Brian Vickers, Chevrolet, 196.235 mph (Nov. 3, 2006) Race record: ...
Hendrick Motorsports? Jimmie Johnson, wife expecting first child
Four-time defending NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and his wife, Chandra, are expecting their first child in July, spokesman Kristine Curley confirmed Monday. nascar.com
Rick Fuller Tops Super Late Models At Thompson Speedway World Series; Tommy O'Sullivan Takes Late Model Feature
THOMPSON - On a day when the 2010 Whelen Modified Tour title was set to be decided at Thompson International Speedway, it was a former champion in the division celebrating victory in one of the track's weekly divisions.
Rick Fuller, the 1993 Whelen Modified Tour champion, held off Larry Gelinas over the closing laps to win the 30-lap Super Late Model feature.
It was the first victory of the season for Auburn, Mass. Gelinas, of Buxton, Me. held on for second and division champion Derek Ramstrom of West Boylston, Mass. was third.
Jim Banfield spent the first half of the race trying to chase down Fuller at the front to no avail.
Rick Fuller, the 1993 Whelen Modified Tour champion, held off Larry Gelinas over the closing laps to win the 30-lap Super Late Model feature.
It was the first victory of the season for Auburn, Mass. Gelinas, of Buxton, Me. held on for second and division champion Derek Ramstrom of West Boylston, Mass. was third.
Jim Banfield spent the first half of the race trying to chase down Fuller at the front to no avail.
NASCAR notebook: Stewart finds it?s tough looking up
Teammates Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman discuss how their cars were handling after practice for the Kobalt Tools 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. (Photo: Getty Images)
AVONDALE, Ariz.-- Yes, Tony Stewart conceded, it’s tough to be in the Chase but, well, out of it.
“All everybody wants to do is talk about the guys (who) are in it, and all we want to do is worry about the stuff we’re doing … and trying to make our cars better,” he said. “You want to be in the middle of it, and you want to be those guys that are there, but, at the same time, when it doesn’t work out, you have to sit there trying to figure out things at the end of the year and figure out why you didn’t get yourself in that position (contention).”
Stewart also said, by the way, that Juan Pablo Montoya is the most talented driver against whom he has ever raced.
* * *
GORDON RELIED ON 'HAVE AT IT'’--Jeff Gordon was angry when he confronted Jeff Burton and provoked a physical exchange a week ago at Texas Motor Speedway. But he had enough presence of mind to realize the fight wouldn’t cost him any Sprint Cup points.
Asked if the same incident would have occurred a year earlier, before NASCAR’s so-called “have at it” advice, Gordon said, “I would have reacted the same way but I would have expected a fine. That’s the only difference. When you know you’re going to get fined – and, to be honest, I held back, I wanted to do a lot worse that that – and, at that moment when you’re upset, you really don’t care what happens on Monday or Tuesday.
“I had a long enough walk (between his car and Burton’s) to think, OK, there are consequences here that I need to consider, and what can I get away with and still show him how upset I am? That’s why I reacted the way I did. I didn’t think it would get points taken away from me, and it didn’t. But I thought there could be a monetary fine, and there wasn’t.”
* * *
IN THE BAG--Todd Bodine wrapped up his second Camping World Truck Series championship with a 12th-place finish in the series’ penultimate race at PIR Friday night. Clint Bowyer won the Lucas Oil 150.
Bowyer, by the way, has won back-to-back, though over four years. He hadn’t competed in the series since a November 2006 victory in Texas.
* * *
SECOND TRY--Caitlin Shaw, a junior at Belmont Abbey, started 33rd and placed 30th in the Truck Series race. It was the second start for the 21-year-old native of Albuquerque, N.M. She was involved in a crash after completing 84 of the 150 laps.
Since January, Shaw has been working at Michael Waltrip Racing as an intern.
AVONDALE, Ariz.-- Yes, Tony Stewart conceded, it’s tough to be in the Chase but, well, out of it.
“All everybody wants to do is talk about the guys (who) are in it, and all we want to do is worry about the stuff we’re doing … and trying to make our cars better,” he said. “You want to be in the middle of it, and you want to be those guys that are there, but, at the same time, when it doesn’t work out, you have to sit there trying to figure out things at the end of the year and figure out why you didn’t get yourself in that position (contention).”
Stewart also said, by the way, that Juan Pablo Montoya is the most talented driver against whom he has ever raced.
* * *
GORDON RELIED ON 'HAVE AT IT'’--Jeff Gordon was angry when he confronted Jeff Burton and provoked a physical exchange a week ago at Texas Motor Speedway. But he had enough presence of mind to realize the fight wouldn’t cost him any Sprint Cup points.
Asked if the same incident would have occurred a year earlier, before NASCAR’s so-called “have at it” advice, Gordon said, “I would have reacted the same way but I would have expected a fine. That’s the only difference. When you know you’re going to get fined – and, to be honest, I held back, I wanted to do a lot worse that that – and, at that moment when you’re upset, you really don’t care what happens on Monday or Tuesday.
“I had a long enough walk (between his car and Burton’s) to think, OK, there are consequences here that I need to consider, and what can I get away with and still show him how upset I am? That’s why I reacted the way I did. I didn’t think it would get points taken away from me, and it didn’t. But I thought there could be a monetary fine, and there wasn’t.”
* * *
IN THE BAG--Todd Bodine wrapped up his second Camping World Truck Series championship with a 12th-place finish in the series’ penultimate race at PIR Friday night. Clint Bowyer won the Lucas Oil 150.
Bowyer, by the way, has won back-to-back, though over four years. He hadn’t competed in the series since a November 2006 victory in Texas.
* * *
SECOND TRY--Caitlin Shaw, a junior at Belmont Abbey, started 33rd and placed 30th in the Truck Series race. It was the second start for the 21-year-old native of Albuquerque, N.M. She was involved in a crash after completing 84 of the 150 laps.
Since January, Shaw has been working at Michael Waltrip Racing as an intern.
Hamlin hopes to make another great move at Martinsville
Denny Hamlin, who is on the pole for Sunday's TUMS Fast Relief 500, trails points leader Jimmie Johnson by 41 points with five races to go in the Chase. Hamlin has the potential to surpass Johnson today, but the Chesterfield native said any gain on the four-time defending champion would ...
Saturday NASCAR update - Almirola wins MIS truck race, Logano looking to make Nationwide history at Kentucky
The Nationwide series is racing in Sparta, Kentucky tonight at the Meijer 300. Joey Logano took his third pole in a row at the 1.5 mile oval, and looks to make history by winning the same race from the pole three years in a row. Kentucky is ...
Monday, November 15, 2010
Bobby Santos III Looking For First Whelen Modified Tour Title Sunday At Thompson International Speedway
When Whelen Modified Tour team owner Bob Garbarino announced just weeks before the start of the racing season that Bobby Santos III would drive his car in 2010 the biggest question many had about Garbarino's new pilot was whether or not he had the ability to run for a championship in the division.
Garbarino's confidence was evident the day he announced Santos would drive his car.
"I wouldn't put him in the car if I didn't think we'd be able to run for a championship," Garbarino said on March 17.
Though the naysayers questioned whether Santos, who had never driven a full year in the series and has just one victory in 29 career starts, had what it took to give Garbarino his second consecutive series title and third in four years.
Garbarino's confidence was evident the day he announced Santos would drive his car.
"I wouldn't put him in the car if I didn't think we'd be able to run for a championship," Garbarino said on March 17.
Though the naysayers questioned whether Santos, who had never driven a full year in the series and has just one victory in 29 career starts, had what it took to give Garbarino his second consecutive series title and third in four years.
Bowyer triumphs at Talladega; points race stays tight
Amp Energy Juice 500 TALLADEGA, Ala. -- NASCAR's three title contenders hoped the tightest championship in seven years wouldn't be derailed by the typically chaotic racing at Talladega Superspeedway. They got what they wanted yesterday. There was a photo-finish win for Clint Bowyer, and a traffic jam at the top ...
Pre-race rail
Phoenix International Raceway. (Photo: Monte Dutton)
Affiliated with the reigning champion: Kobalt Tools 500k (312 laps/miles).
Complete with a rugged desert backdrop:Phoenix International Raceway, Avondale, Ariz.
Advantage Hamlin:A Texas victory lifted Denny Hamlin to the top spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup standings, 33 points ahead of Jimmie Johnson and 59 in front of Kevin Harvick.
Fleeting, perhaps:Johnson has won more races (4) at PIR than any other driver, including this one last year.
The interesting, the coincidental and the pertinent:
- Joey Logano has put together a string of four consecutive top-10 finishes and two straight top fives.
- Jeff Burton has been running at the finish in 22 consecutive races at this track.
- Two races a season have been run here since 2005. PIR hosted one annual race beginning in 1988. The first winner was the late Alan Kulwicki, whose first Cup victory was at this track.
- Phoenix has spelled trouble for Kasey Kahne. In 12 races, his average finish is 20.75.
Informative, humorous or quotable in some other sense:
“I’m going to race Phoenix like I’m 33 (points) behind.” – Denny Hamlin
“The cool thing about our sport is we're able to stick a microphone in front of a driver as soon as something happens. The worst thing about our sport is we're able to stick a microphone in front of a driver as soon as something happens.” – Jeff Burton
“It’s a track where the driver makes a big difference.” – Carl Edwards
“The three guys up there (Hamlin, Johnson, Harvick) are all quite different, their teams are different, their driving styles and approach, I think, are different, so, in my opinion, the Chase for the championship is pretty interesting this year to see which one of those three guys is going to be on top when it’s all over next week.” – Matt Kenseth
Affiliated with the reigning champion: Kobalt Tools 500k (312 laps/miles).
Complete with a rugged desert backdrop:Phoenix International Raceway, Avondale, Ariz.
Advantage Hamlin:A Texas victory lifted Denny Hamlin to the top spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup standings, 33 points ahead of Jimmie Johnson and 59 in front of Kevin Harvick.
Fleeting, perhaps:Johnson has won more races (4) at PIR than any other driver, including this one last year.
The interesting, the coincidental and the pertinent:
- Joey Logano has put together a string of four consecutive top-10 finishes and two straight top fives.
- Jeff Burton has been running at the finish in 22 consecutive races at this track.
- Two races a season have been run here since 2005. PIR hosted one annual race beginning in 1988. The first winner was the late Alan Kulwicki, whose first Cup victory was at this track.
- Phoenix has spelled trouble for Kasey Kahne. In 12 races, his average finish is 20.75.
Informative, humorous or quotable in some other sense:
“I’m going to race Phoenix like I’m 33 (points) behind.” – Denny Hamlin
“The cool thing about our sport is we're able to stick a microphone in front of a driver as soon as something happens. The worst thing about our sport is we're able to stick a microphone in front of a driver as soon as something happens.” – Jeff Burton
“It’s a track where the driver makes a big difference.” – Carl Edwards
“The three guys up there (Hamlin, Johnson, Harvick) are all quite different, their teams are different, their driving styles and approach, I think, are different, so, in my opinion, the Chase for the championship is pretty interesting this year to see which one of those three guys is going to be on top when it’s all over next week.” – Matt Kenseth
ICS:Dario?s Dance ?N Flash Grenades... Or Heroes vs. Villains?
Now that the IZOD Indy Car Series season is over, and ALL of my channeling, along with a healthy dose of No Fenders Feel Good MoJo heaped upon the ?Toowoomba Toranadoe,? nee Will Power, which as Y?all know didn?t do the trick ? SHEISA! It seemed like the opportune moment to scribble away some thoughts about the current cast ?O IndyCarz, eh? Especially with the ?Predicament TK ?Follow your Schnoz? Kanaan currently finds himself in: Can Y?all say Free Agent?What Should Tony Kanaan do?As mentioned before, I haven?t got ?Juan DAMN thingy against Dario ?REO Speedwagon? Franchitti, as Clyde asked me whilst in Tacoma over the Homestead weekend; I thought you liked Dario? As I?d rooted for him in years past, but lost a bit ?O respect for the Flying Scot when I felt he threw his Pit crew underneath the proverbial ?Bus.DarioSpeakYet, as I?m guessing most of Yuhs know... I am most happy to see ALMOST anybody win in Indy Cars these days, apart from the two drivers I DESPISE the MOST + a third driver who I DON?T wanna see in victory lane because of his Primary sponsor... As I felt it the ?Right-time? to mention this after previously reading ?Geo Phillips piece about NOT liking Sam ?I AM Hornish Jr. Who I?ve only rooted for in two different situations; otherwise he?s always sorta bothered me and I cannot say I?ve ever been a huge fan ?O his...Making An Unpopular ConfessionThe first time I took a Shine On to the ?Hornster was way back in the Dark Dayzes of what many refer to as The Split! As this is the first time I can recall paying any attention to the Indy Racing League beside during the Month of May... As I was absolutely pulling 100% for Mr. Hornish to win the Championship for the ?LowBuck? Panther IRL Team (Circa ?02) OVER then newly anointed DEFECTOR Penske from CART... With the second time only being pleased to see him defeat ?Marky Marc? (Marco Andretti) at The Brickyard ? Hey! After all, he?s an Andretti; YIKES!Thus the only two drivers I currently DESPISE with great SCURGE is a former Dancin? FOOL and somebody Y?all know as Princess... Who I?ve taken a liking to calling DannaWho? While I?ve kept my thoughts upon DannyBoy ?SPIKE Wheldon?s primary sponsor?s presence in the IRL to myself; Kapishe?Thus the news about Tony Kanaan?s Primary Sponsor 7 Eleven leaving Indy Car in 2011 was a minor surprise, as after all, at least AA Team Owner ?Mikey? (Michael Andretti) has previously confessed how keeping sponsors in 2010 ?N Onwards was gonna be challenging... Hmm? Perhaps he knew of this outcome along with IZOD?s departure?As Y?all gotta feel a Wee Bit for TK, who seems to be following in the footsteps of somebody named The Chrome Horn, eh? After all, Paul Tracy stayed loyal not only to CART/Champ Car ? but Team Owner Gerald Forsythe... And look where it got him! As The Schnoz turned down the ?Cheepster?s offer in August, 2008 (for whatever reason; could it have been Moohlah?) And re-signed with Andretti Green Racing for a further 5-years, when he coulda taken Wheldon?s TCGR seat instead; which as we all now know Dario?s taken full advantage of!Thus I?ll Speculate a little, with hopes of THE ?DAWG NOT accusin? Mwah of Speakin? outta his Tailpipe; CRIKEYS! As where can TK go now? As I?ve already read ?Juan pundit?s thoughts upon a second Panther Racing seat being his best option... OH FUCK! Just as long as that DOESN?T include any whoring for the Nat?l Guard! (Leave it to DannyBoy please!)While it?d be a Coup for Team England, nee Dryer & Reinbold to add him to their fold, as Justin ?BIG UNIT Wilson and Mike Conway could reap his considerable Oval track prowess, eh? While the only other Squad I could see benefitting from Kanaan?s Talent ? Whale they all could benefit, Err willing to step up to the plate is De Ferran Dragon Racing, with a Darkhorse opportunity being a Satellite Team of TK and Adam Carroll at AFS Racing. Although I hear that Dale Coyne might be looking for a replacement for his No. 18 Racecar? And CITGO could surely pick up Kanaan?s hefty retainer, right?Yet You?d haveda say that Tony Kanaan?s one of the ?Good Guys? in Open wheel Racing and definitely deserves another good opportunity in the eve of his IndyCar career; sorta like Paul Tracy does! As I just hope TK doesn?t get the Oriel Servia shuffle; Aye Karumba! Yet I feel pretty certain that Kanaan will return to IndyCar in 2011 after listening to The Kevin ?N Cavin Show recently.And while trying to stay loyal to my MAN ?THE BIG UNIT, nee Justin Wilson, I haveda admit I?m quite enamoured by Will Power...Power has already WON!
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