Shell’s Hot Pass to NHIS

image from 8racingfan.com.

On Sunday I visited the New Hampshire International Speedway as a guest of Shell to report on Kevin Harvick and the #29 Shell Chevrolet car from Richard Childress Racing.

We were given Press Passes to enter the infield by way of the infield tunnel. I was given access to park in the lot across from the tunnel entrance. My son was with me. He’s a blogger with www.racedriven.com and will also cover the #29 RCR team.

We started off in the garage area. I particularly was interested in the two NASCAR inspection stations. I took pictures of many race cars entering the first garage area which also housed the team haulers. The top 12 or 14 trailers were in this area, starting with the #48 Lowes hauler of Jimmy Johnson. The haulers were lined up by points standings, with Lowes first and Jack Daniels twelth.

We found the Shell hauler and garage stall, but the car was already on pitroad, as we found out later. We walked the area and took pictures of the other teams working on their cars in their respective garage stalls.  Shell representative Sam Brown met us and gave us a tour of the Media Center. I saw people I’ve only seen on television and heard on radio before. I also met Judy Dominick, GM Representative in the Media Center. She gave us media reports on all three RCR race teams, along with the starting field and media guides from Nextel Cup.

From the Media Center we went out on pitroad, where several race cars were already parked, including the #29 Shell Chevrolet COT driven by Kevin Harvick. I proceeded to take pictures of every car on pitroad and a few pit boxes. Pitroad was busy with tour groups from various companies. Another inspection station was also at the beginning of pitroad, checking tires, wheelbase length and width. We sat there and took the remaining pictures of cars still coming out on pitroad.

The Shell #29 pit was at the start finishline. An empty pit was between the Shell and Lowes pit. I was able to watch Todd Berrier and Chad Knaus on there respective pit boxes.

From this pit I was able to watch drivers approach for driver introductions, the race, and pitstops of both the #29 Shell and the #48 Lowes teams. From watching pitstops from behind the pitbox to watching the Shell team working on tire pressures, we watched everything the Shell race team does before, during and after pitstops.

But the highlight of the tour was watching about 100 laps of racing atop the pitbox with Todd Berrier, Delana Harvick and a pitcrew member. The box is setup with seating in front for the crewchief, pit member, and Delana Harvick. Behind them is two larger benches for pitcrew members or visitors of the team, such as us and other sponsor guests.

The pitbox has 5 monitors up high. Two are for timing and scoring from NASCAR, 1 for Directv broadcast, and two for the live ABC broadcast. From what I seen on the track to the monitors, there seemed to be a five second delay from live to broadcast. It was an awesome sight from up there.

But most of the race was watched behind the pits. But from our vantage point we could see the start-finishline and the two pits. I could also see the large scoring tower and the large television monitor. But watching this Shell crew work made me appreciate what all pitcrews do for their teams. From the pitstops to tire adjustments, to taking the gas cans to refill, these crews work very hard in the garage area and on pitroad.

The Shell car was upfront most of the day, running top 8. But a ill handling car late in the race and a flat tire finished the #29 Shell car to 17th place, now placing them 10th in the Race to the Cup Championship.

I wish to thank Shell, Sam Brown, Judy Dominick and the RCR #29 Race Team for a memorable day. I wish Kevin Harvick and RCR the best of luck. And congratulations to Clint Bowyer and the #07 Jack Daniels Race team for a very dominating victory. The 07 team is also part of Richard Childress Racing.   

The picture is a close-up of the #29 Shell car with the small #3 on the door. You can check-out more Shell pictures on www.infieldparking.com/8racingfan1 and click-on pictures and Shell photos. Help yourself to copies. Please give credit to 8racingfan.com.

Will NHIS be Sold to the Right Buyer?

It’s been reported by ESPN’s NASCAR Now and other print media outlets like the Boston Globe that New Hampshire International Speedway owner Bob Bahre may be interested in selling NHIS. It was also noted that two parties are interested in the track.

Fenway Sports Group , with owners Jack Roush, famous for his 5 car race teams in NASCAR, and John Henry, owner of the Boston Red Sox, have an interest in the future for buying NHIS. Even though they have no prior experience in such a venture like race track ownership, the experience of owning such a successful venture like the Boston Red Sox will fuel there desire for more ventures in sports.

Fenway Sports President Mike Dee has had a few discussions with Bob Bahre about the possible purchase of his facility, but nothing in detail. “I won’t deny that it has come up. But at this stage of the game, that it’s a live and intense discussion is grossly exaggerated. We’re obviously new to the sport,” Dee said.

The other group is Bruten Smith and his Speedway Motorsports, owners of six current Nextel Cup tracks. Bruten Smith is friends with Bob Bahre, who both purchased together North Wilksboro Motorspeedway and closed it; moving both it’s Cup dates to NHIS and Texas Motor Speedway. Bruten would like to move the September Cup date, which happens to be the opening race of 10 for the Chase to the Cup, to his Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

If Bruten Smith buys the track, New England and Canadien RaceFans loose it’s 2nd Cup date at NHIS and it’s link to the Chase for the Cup. And if that race date moves, what or who says the July Cup race doesn’t also move. He’s been part of the closing of North Wilksboro, why not the closing of NHIS. Bruten Smith could also bring other forms of racing to NHIS, such as open wheel back to New Hampshire.

Fenway Sports would most likely keep both races at NHIS, which has sold-out it’s 25th consecutive Cup event since 1993, the year of NHIS’ first Cup event.. They also may bring in other forms of racing to the track.

My best pick would be Fenway Sports. We have a better chance of keeping our two Cup races than going to one or possibly none. Maybe a merger between Fenway Sports and the Bahre Family would be a better way for Fenway Sports to get further into NASCAR racing. It’s better than closing down.

Give some feedback New England. Why give Bruten Smith more to axe.

Junior Blows another Engine. No Chase.

Congratulations to Jimmy Johnson on his sixth win of the season. He will start the chase with 5060 points, 20 points ahead of his teammate Jeff Gordon.

Dale Earnhardt Jr failed to make the big show; the NASCAR Chase to the Cup. Junior blew an engine with 5 laps to go to finish 30th. Junior ran up front most of the night, starting 21st and running as high as second.

But it’s not like he didn’t try. Junior was driving like he was running from the cops. Kevin Harvick had overheating problems when he avoided an accident and went through the grass to avoid spinning cars. He picked up a lot of grass in his front grill, which caused some overheating out of the overflow. But the 29 crew cleaned out the grill and the temps dropped. But Harvick had to sit out a red flag and watch all that water escape.

Kurt Busch was also involved in the crash and had extensive damage to the rear of the car. But not enough damage was done and the filler neck was fine to receive fuel. He was later declared clinched when several cars were out.

ESPN kept figuring the points every time a car dropped out to check Harvick’s position.  And with 20 laps to go, Kevin Harvick clinched his position in the Chase.

Junior was interviewed after he parked the car. He was upset over another engine problem, but thanked his crew and Tony Eury Jr for a good job.

A busy week of changes and resignings this week that I noted in my recent post. Hendrick Motorsports resigned with General Motors as Joe Gibbs Racing signed with Toyota.  Robert Yates will retire at the end of 2007 from his active roll with Robert Yates Racing.

NASCAR Shorts – AT&T, Toyota, #8

Busy week in NASCAR racing. Some of the highlights are;

AT&T is back on the #31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. An agreement has been reached with NASCAR, AT&T and Sprint Nextel that will keep AT&T on the car until the ned of 2008. RCR must have another sponsor for 2009. RCR staff was applying the AT&T decals to the #31 car and transporter today at Richmond.

Dean Kessel from Sprint Nextel marketing said they gave RCR ” an appropriate amount of time to transition to a new sponsor.” NASCAR and RCR declined to say if any financial transactions took place in the agreement. NASCAR did say this was a “good compromise.”

I wonder if this was a good compromise in competition on or off the track. You be the judge.

Toyota will be in Joe Gibbs Racing cars in 2008. JD Gibbs is looking to be successful right out of the box at Daytona. All the R&D has been done in 2007. Gibbs said that JGR will be in a leadership roll with Toyota, instead of being with three other great teams like RCR, Hendrick and DEI.

For 16 years Joe Gibbs Racing has been with GM, first with Pontiac, then with Chevrolet. Along the way, Bobby Labonte won the 2000 Winston Cup Title, and Tony Stewart won the 2002 and 2005 Cup Titles. Also, Dale Jarrett won two Daytona 500 races.

Chevrolet was disappointed in JD Gibbs decision and so was I. Junior and Tony won’t be in any more Chevy commercials again.

DEI has done it again. Mark Martin and Aric Almirola will split driving duties in the #8 US Army car. Ryan Pemberton will also move over from the 01 car. No sponsor was noted for the 01 car.

Back before 2001, Dale Earnhardt Sr had picked Mark Martin or Jeff Burton to take over his #3 car when Sr retired. Richard Childress told Mark Martin this and said to him,” Dale would have wanted to see you in that 8, and he’ll be proud to see you drive it.” Martin was against the idea until he heard that. What will present 8 fans think?

Brad Keselowski signed with JR Motorsports and Dale Earnhardt Jr to drive the #88 Navy Chevrolet for the remainder of the season. He was also cleared to drive this week at Richmond from that violent crash at California.

The 88 Navy car will also be the first Hendrick chassis at JR Motorsports and an RCR engine. I guess nothing from DEI.

Tony Eury Jr to Hendrick in 2008

Hendrick Motorsports announced yesterday that Tony Eury Jr, now crew chief of the #8 Budweiser Chevrolet at DEI, will work with Dale Earnhardt Jr on his new ride. The final number selection and sponsor will be announced at a later date.

It is speculated that Junior will use the #81 on his car and will have sponsors such as Mountain Dew and AMP Energy Drink, both PepsiCo brands. The #25 is also available to Junior as Casey Mears will drive the #5 next year will Kelloggs and Carquest as sponsors.

Tony Eury Jr brings the knowledge of knowing what Dale Jr likes since working with him since 1999 either as crew chief or on Tony Eury Sr’s crew. Together, Eury Jr and Sr helped Dale Jr win 17 races at DEI in the #8 Budweiser, including the 2000 All Star race and the 2004 Daytona 500. They also have 3 wins at Richmond, which they return to this weekend.

“Dale Jr and I are both excited to continue working together,” said Eury Jr. “With the resources we’ll have at Hendrick motorsports, it’s an opportunity to consistently run up front and be in title contention every year. The goals are winning races and winning championships.”

Chad Knaus said on NASCAR Now that he looks forward to working with Tony Eury Jr. Chad briefly worked with Tony at DEI in 1998.  

Johnson Wins at Fontana, Junior Gains on 12th

Jimmy Johnson had a great homecoming and won the Nextel Cup race at Fontana, California. This was his fifth win of 2007. This capped off a week where Jimmy Johnson Johnson visited his old High School and had a successful Jimmy Johnson Foundation Golf Tournament. Not only did his old High School enter Jimmy in their Hall of Fame, but Lowes supported his effort with tools donated to the school’s shop programs. The Jimmy Johnson Foundation was also on the side of the #48 Lowes Chevrolet.

The #48 stayed upfront most of the race, mostly when the sun went down, battling with Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr, and Jeff Burton, who finished 9th, 5th, and 4th respectively. Junior gained on 12th place, now Kevin Harvick, 128 points behind. Kurt Busch and Martin Truex Jr gained one spot each in the points.  Dale Jr ran an excellent race, starting out on the first lap, and finally leading a lap on pitroad. I’ve written before about Junior’s problems this year with blown engines and other DEI related issues.

Ricky Rudd was injured in a crash, possible shoulder injury. No news on further condition.

Jeff Burton finished 4th in the Cup race and won the Busch race the night before. He won the Busch race in the #29 Holiday Inn car. In Cup, he is still running the #31 car without AT&T logos. The appeals are still on-going. Richard Childress told ESPN that he won’t siew NASCAR, but may siew Sprint.

Brad Keselowski was in a huge, fiery crash in the Busch race Saturday night. He was driving the #88 Navy Chevrolet owned by JR Motorsports. He hit the wall after being clipped by the 42 car. He was taken to a hospital by air flight for an apparant leg injury. He was released later after a CT Scan and X-Rays found nothing.  

Dale Earnhardt Jr says he’ll announce soon his number and sponsor package for the 2008 season at Hendrick Motorsports. The number will probably be #81 with AMP Energy Drink or even National Guard, according to ESPN’s Marty Smith. Basically something in the PepsiCo brands.

An announcement is expected Wednesday according to ESPN on Joe Gibbs Racing switching to Toyota. Kyle Busch gave it away some what on Friday night.

California Speedway had extreme heat both Saturday and Sunday evening. Temps reached 109 degree air temps and 140 degree track temps. What is too hot for NASCAR? Who was helping fans with all the heat. Maybe a cooling station setups at tracks where heat is an issue.

Next week is Richmond. Dale Earnhardt Jr has 3 wins there. The first Chase race is NHIS in two weeks. Checkout www.infieldparking.com/8racingfan1 for pictures from Loudon. Check back at this blog for a race story also.

Edwards Wins at Bristol, Junior gains Little

Carl Edwards won Saturday night’s Bristol Motor Speedway race. It was his second win of the year.

Edwards was unchallenged for the last 166 laps after he passed Kasey Kahne, who finished second. Edwards cemented his place in the top 12 in the chase. He’ll have that all important 20 bonus points to start the chase at 5020 points, unless he wins again.

Dale Earnhardt Jr finished fifth in the race, but only gained 5 points on Kurt Busch in 12th, because Busch finished 6th in the race. Junior is now 158 points behind Busch. Kurt Busch is holding on, especially with recent wins at Pocono and Michigan. We’ll see what Busch does with Michigan’s sister track at Fontana next week.

Kasey Kahne won the Busch Series race Friday night and Johnny Benson won the Truck Series race Wednesday night at Bristol. Both series thought very highly of the new track surface with two or possibly three grooves of racing. But the Cup Series said that it was follow the leader again.

Also this weekend, Dale Earnhardt Jr complained to the media. “When we don’t make the chase everybody makes a big deal over it, they talk about it pre-race and post-race. It’s a bummer when you see that and watch that. You’re just trying to let it go under the radar, when you can’t get it done,” Junior said.

Junior also tried to cleanup the horrendous language being used on the internet by his fans against his step=mother in the fight for the number 8. Junior has read several comments on various blogs and chatrooms about his step-mother. I have even wrote about the “Prince and the evil step-mother.” I now accept the fact that someoneelse will be driving the 8, possibly Mark Martin. I will accept whatever number he selects. But I will join other fans and boycott a purchase of DEI Merchandise or DEInsider Membership. A fight still may exist about the licensing agreements for his name.

Finally; NASCAR won round two in the appeal against AT&T. Saturday night the #31 car had no logos or lettering about AT&T or Cingular on the car. NASCAR even advised media outlets that the 31 car should be noted as the #31 RCR Chevrolet. But when ESPN started there broadcast, they noted the car as the 31 AT&T Chevrolet. Good job ESPN.

If good competition is on the track, then their should be good competition between sponsors. All sponsors. Even the title sponsors. Maybe NASCAR Fans should boycott Sprint Nextel too. I’m a Sprint customer and I’m considering it. Why black list companies for having similar interests of other companies in NASCAR? NASCAR needs sponsors now, especially the teams. NO competition in NASCAR doesn’t fit on the track, why off.

Junior Still Loosing.

image from www.speedtv.com and designer Justin Wilkinson 

Dale Earnhardt Jr is still loosing this year.

Several weeks ago Dale Earnhardt Jr lost an engine at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He had been competing for the lead with Tony Stewart before loosing his engine.

The following week at Pocono, Dale Jr finished 2nd to Kurt Busch, the driver he was fighting for 12th place in the Nextel Cup standings.

Then he went to Watkins Glen and lost another engine. Running toward the front the first part of the race, he blew the engine. This set him back to 14th in points, 100 points out of 12th place Kurt Busch.

Michigan now became a bigger problem. Not only did he need to perform well, he needed to get by the family Earnhardt problems. And he needed to get through an extended weekend because of ran. It’s now Tuesday and he had to listen to all the questions about his future. And the press asked.

DEI and Hendrick couldn’t reach an agreement on the #8 transfer. Teresa wanted limited control of the #8 and Junior wanted to be free and clear of her in 2008. Now Junior lost the #8 and Budweiser for 2008. He’ll start completely over with a new team, sponsor, and identity. The familar red #8 Budweiser Chevrolet will probably be replaced with a #81 Green Mountain Dew Chevrolet.

Then even though he gained one position to 13th place in points, he’s now 163 points out of 12th place Kurt Busch. And Kurt Busch wins the race, NASCAR Now was right on there prediction.

With all that’s happened in the last four weeks, how can Junior keep his mind focused to the task at hand, getting into the chase.

So what’s next? Teresa trying to hold onto license rights to Dale Jr’s name. Or not making the chase. We’ll see over the next three weeks what happens. Who could keep there head in the game with all that’s happened.

Driver Killed at Thompson Speedway

image from NASCAR.com

Jon Blewett III was killed Thursday evening because of an accident at the Thompson International Speedway. Blewett was 33, a veteran Racecar driver in the NASCAR Whelan Modified Series.

An accident on lap 107 of a scheduled 150 lap feature race, occured when Blewett went into Turn 1 fast and slid up the track. His brother Jimmy was running behind him, slid underneath him and touched wheels. Both cars then hit the wall. It took about 30 minutes to get Blewett out of his car, which was underneath his brother’s car.

Jon Blewett III was pronounced about 11:00pm at a local hospital.

Thompson Speedway is a small 5/8 mile high banked, 26 degree speedway in the northeast corner of Connecticut, near the Massachusetts border. The Whalen Modified is a open wheeled car weighing 2610 pounds, according to NASCAR.com. The 107 inch wheelbase car runs on Hoosier tires. It has a small block 350 to 360 cubic inch engine.

You can visit this tracks website at www.thompsonspeedway.com and view the track owners statement of this accident.

The last death at Thompson Speedway notably occured on August 19, 2004, when Tom Baldwin died. He was the father of Nextel Cup crewchief Tommy Baldwin Jr.

Jon Blewett III was 28th in points in the Whalen Modified Series points. He had 1 top 5 and 2 top 10’s in 6 races. He had 10 career wins in the series he started competing in 1995. Jon was the 2003 NHIS Lincoln Electric/ Merrium Graves Modified Track Champion, the 1996 Dodge Weekly Series Northeast Regional Champion and other track championships.

Say Goodbye to “8″

image from daleearnhardtinc.com

Daytona in February will find another driver piloting the #8 DEI Chevrolet. It could be Mark Martin, Aric Almirola, Paul Menard, or even Martin Truex Jr. But it won’t be Dale Earnhardt Jr at Hendrick Motorsports. Ya, I said Hendrick Motorsports. I even put a link to Hendrick on this site.

After proposal and counter-proposals, NASCAR.com announced that Hendrick Motorsports and DEI has failed to agree on a deal to keep Dale Jr in the #8 at Hendrick Motorsports. That stinks.

I don’t believe that DEI even negotiated in good faith to let Dale Jr have the #8. So what now.

“Our hope was to carry the No. 8 with Dale Jr to his new team, but the last proposal Hendrick Motorsports received from DEI just wasn’t viable,” said Kelley Elledge. Sound familar.

So what has Junior done in the 8. Just 277 starts, 17 wins, 73 top 5’s, 117 top 10’s, 1 Daytona 500 in 2004 and 1 Cup All-Star win in 2000. He first climbed into the #8 on May 30, 1999. And all with Budweiser too. What a divorce this will be.

Dale Jr is leaning toward the No. 81, although he will consider the 87 or 88. The 88 is currently in use by Robert Yates Racing and Ricky Rudd.

I don’t appreciate NASCAR Now’s Marty Smith saying that all Junior fans can add a quick 1 to their tatoos.

I hope he picks the No. 81. It’s a good fit. Thanks again DEI. I hope to become an ex-DEInsider real soon.