Well… That was a pretty good hire… Don’t ya think?
Pretty much a no-brainer, really. He did win races last year including the Daytona 500. He did make the “Chase” last year…
So the jump to the #20 was a good one for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Not bad for Matt Kenseth, either. Even after talk of getting used to a new car, new team, new suit, new sponsors… All that “new” and Kenseth still pops to the top to win the third race of the season at Las Vegas. (more…)
Bristol. They tinkered with it and made it a race track instead of a bang’em and rack’em horsepower brawl. The re-surface in 2007 removed the groove and put racing over banging. The push and shove inner lane was opened to full track grip giving more lines for drivers to ride. For racing, passing and team strategies it was all good.
Fans, however, fell true to stereotypes and were not impressed with drivers doing their jobs and racing without wrecking. Fans wanted to see the faster guy bump and shove the slower guy out of the groove. If that meant a spin into the wall and sour tempers in the garage then that was just foam on the beer. (more…)
Tires. Generally you think about your tires when the number on your inspection sticker and the number on your calendar matches up. It is then you take a quick look at the treads and think they will sneak by one more time or you realize they would hardly be safe hanging from a tree. If the latter is the case, you then mumble some profanity and begin the search for the best deal. Internet, newspaper, friends… Ads and questions… Buy three get one free… all weather or performance… tread life… Do you want the replacement warranty?
Race drivers don’t have most of these worries. The tires they get are sanctioned so they aren’t shopping the net for the best deal. They do, however, find themselves at some facility testing those very tires that are issued for race day. In some ways you could equate this to comparison shopping as the drivers are out all day with tire stats instead of doing fun stuff at home. (more…)
The NASCAR season is into the late half and so far, by design or luck, it is shaping up for big races. The “Chase” is winding with a few aces being held to the chest. The ingredients have been mixed and all that is left is to toss it in the oven and watch it rise.
There has been drama and controversy to keep the fans talking. Kurt Busch, for example, with media trouble and a race suspension from NASCAR trying to break him back inside the corral. A.J. Allmendinger is another with a mark on substance abuse, suspension and a sanctioned rehab program. The continuing saga of Matt Kenseth making a jump for 2013 keeps some speculation in the conversation. (more…)
We laugh. We had no ball in the basket, so to speak, so we laugh.
St. Patrick’s Day weekend was busy for motorsports with the opening of Formula 1, American Le mans, plus AMA Superbike. All of this while NASCAR was running at Bristol.
We laugh because we took a peek at the first week NCAA bracket results and we feel we made the right choice to watch racing this weekend. All of those folks who poured over stats and predictions to create a bracket were kicked in the pants by teams like Lehigh, Norfolk, Ohio and South Florida…
The crying over torn bracket forms was drowned by green beer.
Sorry. You could have saved yourself some frustration by settling in with a good motor race. Ultimately, you would get more out of it. Basketball isn’t going to do a thing to enrich your life. Motorsports can save you money and possibly your life. Over the top…? Maybe… However, racing tests engine, fuel, safety and other technologies that make their way into the car you drive, ultimately benefiting your budget and family safety.
That said, there was quite a bit of speed fun over St. Paddy’s weekend. (more…)
Elliott Sadler. Pleasant fellow. Easy personality. NASCAR driver.
Everybody knows who he is. He has won in Sprint Cup. He has driven for a number of teams. His introductions at the track generally draw applause and welcome cheers.
His record in Cup races highlights a few wins plus top 5 and top 10 finishes placing him generally in the upper tier of drivers. This, however, has not necessarily brought him into the limelight of NASCAR stardom.
Until now…
Sadler has created momentum in the early season of the Nationwide Series. Backed by Richard Childress Racing from the shops previously run by Kevin Harvick, Elliott Sadler has taken the #2 OneMain Financial Chevy to Victory Lane twice in the first four races of the 2012 season. He won at Phoenix and just registered the second win at the Ford EcoBoost 300 at Bristol. (more…)
Have you taken the time to see where they are racing or do you simply check the TV to see when the race is on…? All we do is plant ourselves on the couch and click the remote but those folks at NASCAR have to arrange all that stuff. At first glance it looks as if they arrange it with a dart board and blindfolds…
Race 1 – Daytona. Fine… Tradition and all that. The Daytona 500 starts the season and always will.
Race 2 – Phoenix. Let’s roll right by Texas to get there…
Race 3 – Las Vegas. Hey! Just up the road! Cool!
Race 4 – Bristol. What…? OK… Road trip!
Race 5 – Fontana…? Where is that? Next to Los Angeles…? California…? We were practically there in Vegas!
Race 6 – Martinsville. Back to Virginia…? What day is it?
Race 7 – Texas. What…? Why didn’t we stop there first and then go to Martinsville? It was on the way!
and so on…
Yes. Scheduling is a nightmare. There is the balance of tradition with newer facilities. There is the consideration of weather and temperature. There is the case for keeping the racing interesting with a variety of track length and technical skill. There is that dart board that doesn’t get used nearly enough… (more…)