August 12, 2007
Congratulations to Tony Stewart for winning the Centurion at the Glen at Watkins Glen, NY. This is Tony’s third win of the season, previously winning at Chicagoland and Indianapolis.
With two laps to go, leader Jeff Gordon went too hard into Turn 1 and spun, giving Tony Stewart the lead and the win.
A red flag on lap 75 bacause of a hard crash in Turn 1 between Juan Pablo Montoya and Kevin Harvick. The accident was caused by Martin Truex Jr running in the back of Montoya, who crashed into Harvick, then Jeff Burton crashed into the scene also. Jamie McMurray was also heavily damaged. Harvick blamed Montoya for the incident and both had a confrontation.
Dale Earnhardt Jr lost his engine at lap 63. This was an engine from the new RCR/DEI Engine shop. Some might say Junior is still receiving the old engines. Kyle Petty also lost his engine at lap 68.
The gravel traps at the interloop and turn 10 had plenty of business. During the lap 75 red flag, a fan approached Matt Kenseth’s #17 car on the track to get his hat autographed. That earned many laughs.
So Dale Earnhardt Jr falls to 14th in points after finishing 42nd in the race. Junior is now 100 points behind Kurt Busch in 12th. Martin Truex Jr is 11th in points, 58 points ahead of Kurt Busch. Busch said before the race he’s shooting for the next position, maybe two. Ryan Newman moved one position up to 13th, but just 4 points ahead of Junior.
Road course specialists finished well; Ron Fellows finished 4th, Boris Said finished 14th, and Patrick Carpentier finished 22nd. Bill Elliott gave his ride in the #21 Little Debbies Ford to Boris Said so the 21 team can maybe finish higher to get valuable owner points.
Another merger happened; George Gillett became the majority owner of Gillett Evernham Motorsports.
The top 3 positions remained the same. Tony Stewart gained one position, so didn’t Carl Edwards.
1. Jeff Gordon 3384
2. Denny Hamlin 3040
3. Matt Kenseth 2952
4. Tony Stewart 2939
5. Carl Edwards 2824
August 11, 2007
image from www.rcrracing.com
Kevin Harvick has won his second straight Busch race and his fifth overall this season. He won last week at Montreal.
With a big field of road course specialists, Kevin Harvick beat his RCR teammate Jeff Burton, and led 49 laps along the way. He stayed up front most of the day with competition primarily from Kurt Busch in his #39 Penske Truck Rental Dodge and Paul Menard in DEI’s #15 Quaker State Menards Chevy.
Kurt Busch finished third, Paul Menard finished fourth and Brad Coleman in the #18 Carino’s Italian Grill Chevy. The highest road course specialist was Andy Lally’s #47 Clorox Ford finished tenth. Andy runs full-time in the Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototypes and GS Series Pontiacs.
JR Motorsports Andy Pilgrim ran the #88 US Navy Chevy for Dale Earnhardt Jr and finished fifteenth. This race and last week at Montreal was a fullfillment of a promise made at Daytona in 2001 by Dale Earnhardt Sr to put Andy Pilgrim in a stock car someday. Andy Pilgrim ran a 2001 Goodwrench Sponsored Chevy Corvette in the Rolex 24 with Sr, Jr, and Kelly Collins.
Other notable road course racers were Boris Said finished 12th, Scott Pruett finished 18th, Patrick Carpentier 19th, and Ron Fellows 24th.
August 11, 2007
If NASCAR wants to be fair and expand racing to new teams, qualifying needs to be changed.
Watkins Glen qualifying was rained out. This is the 3rd time this season qualifying was rained out, the others being Texas in April and Daytona in July. One of the drivers that went home was Boris Said.
On ESPN2’s NASCAR Now, Boris said that with travel costs, car costs and personnel, it’s costs his team about $500,000 to bring a car to the track. And he gets nothing in return, meaning no prize money. This also happened to Boris at Daytona in July when he was on the pole with a few cars to qualify when the rain washed his qualifying effort out. Boris said that a second day of qualifying is needed, in this case on Saturday. He’s sure it’s been done before. All cars must qualify within the same qualifying session before the rainout or it’s all a washout.
This also affected Marcus Ambrose, who was trying to start his first Cup race for Robby Gordon. This was an apology from Gordon for spinning out Ambrose the weekend before at Montreal. Robby Gordon promised Marcus another chance at another COT race this year. I hope he follows through.
It’s time to change the rule NASCAR. We had two qualifying days before. I’m not saying that should be brought back, but in a rainout situation a qualifying day the next day should be attempted. I don’t know if all cars should qualify again in the situation like Daytona, but a 2nd day would be fair.
Another change should be the top 35. Scale it back to 25 or fewer. Why does NASCAR’s elite series need the top 35. Busch and Truck Series needs it because of invading Cup Drivers, but not the Cup Series. At least set all three series at the level of the top 25.
These two problems effect a good show for the fans. You made the green-white-checker rule, now change these. Racing to the checkered flag instead of the yellow was good judgement, along with the not racing to the caution rule. Good racing needs good fair rules NASCAR. Try fixing this problem.
August 10, 2007
Robby Gordon will field a second car at Watkins Glen with Marcus Ambrose as his driver. Yes, Marcus Ambrose. The driver of the #59 Kingford Ford that Robby spun out at the Montreal Busch Race.
Marcus Ambrose will drive the #77 Campers World Ford COT car. His first cup race in a COT car. That’s big. I hope he does well. Besides attempting to qualify for the Cup race on Sunday. Ambrose will run his Kingsford Ford on Saturday in the Busch Series race.
This is an apology to Marcus Ambrose and Ambrose took it. Will it make Robby Gordon look better. Probably NOT.
August 5, 2007
Robby Gordon was suspended by NASCAR for his actions yesterday at Montreal. Gordon refused to place his car in the 13th position, instead of the 2nd position as he believes he was in. Gordon was spun by Marcus Ambrose, so Gordon returned the favor, then Ambrose returned that favor.
It was so apparant that Gordon wanted to be behind Ambrose on the restart so he could return the favor again. And he did. After the restart, Gordon spun Ambrose again and took the lead, so he thought. Kevin Harvick was credited with the win, Robby Gordon finished 17th, and Marcus Ambrose was screwed out of his 1st win. Now Gordon sits out the Pocono race for failure to follow NASCAR’s order to start 13th. More penalties to follow.
Sponsorships; have you noticed all the sponsorships in NASCAR. The cars, uniforms, walls, signs, gas cans, and the checkered flag. The checkered flag is an icon in racing and shouldn’t be touched. You’d never put a sponsor on the American Flag, so why is the Checkered Flag in NASCAR defaced by that Sonoco logo. That’s bad.
ESPN is back. They’re using some slick technology in there broadcasts; the air flow over the cars, the ESPN Tech Center, and there extra broadcast desk like TNT and Fox has had. But the part that ticks me off is the extra broadcasters that never was part of NASCAR. These people shouldn’t act like they know what they’re talking about when they never had they’re hands in it. Rusty Wallace is OK, I’m glad to see Jerry Punch back. It’s as bad as NBC putting Bill Weber as a broadcaster for CORR Off Road Racing trucks. Just doesn’t fit.
August 4, 2007
Congratulations to Kevin Harvick on his win at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada.
In a green-white-checker finish, Robby Gordon spun out leader Marcus Ambrose right off the restart, giving Kevin Harvick and Patrick Carpentier the race to the win. Carpentier tried to pass Harvick several times, but Harvick held him off for the victory.
At the restart, Robby Gordon was disqualified for not falling back to 13th position when he was spun by Ambrose, who retailiated from an earlier spin by Gordon. NASCAR failed to follow there own restart rules and remove Gordon from the 2nd restart position, giving Gordon his opportunity to spin Ambrose out of the lead, Ambrose finishing 7th.
Robby Gordon tried to claim victory, but was reputed by NASCAR. No report as of this article on the talk NASCAR had with Robby Gordon after the race.
NASCAR failed in Canada. They allowed Robby Gordon to restart out of his position, ending with a spin of the leader. Cautions took far longer than cautions on American roadcourses. NASCAR blew it bigtime.
NASCAR now needs to suspend Robby Gordon from Pocono or Watkins Glen, especially the Busch Watkins Glen race. The suspension is for refusing to leave the 2nd position, ultimate leading to the Ambrose spin. Also fine him at least 50 driver and owner points and $50,000. Unfortunately Marcus Ambrose should also be fined at least 25 driver/owner points and $25,000.
Patrick Carpentier finish 2nd, Max Papis finished 3rd, Ron Fellows 4th, and Stephen Leicht 5th.
NASCAR blew it big time.
July 30, 2007
image from Nascar.com
On Sunday, Tony Stewart won the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, his 2nd win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and his 2nd straight win of the season. He won at Chicagoland two weeks ago.
Stewart led 66 laps on his way to victory over Juan Pablo Montoya, Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch. Stewart battled with Dale Earnhardt Jr earlier in the race. Junior led 33 laps before having engine failure and finished 34th. Junior remains 12th in points.
The real battle was with Kevin Harvick. Harvick and Stewart made contact several times, which ultimately led to damage to Harvick’s left front fender. This damage may have caused Harvick to lose spots and finished 7th.
At one point Tony was seen on incar camera drinking from his water bottle while driving down the front stretch.
Stewart dedicated this win to his fans in the stands. He spoke frankly to the press and I feel it’s refreshing. If it was inappropriate then it’s Tony that has to live with it. The press could use some frankness. They stick a microphone or camera in a guys face because they can. I call it arrogant.
Even though I’m a Dale Jr fan, keep up the good work Tony.
July 30, 2007
image from JRMotorsport.com
Hendrick Motorsports.com announced that in 2008 a joint venture between JR Motorsports and Hendrick Motorsports to field their Busch cars under the JR Motorsports banner.
The present operation will continue for the remainder of 2007. Dale Earnhardt Jr will be listed as the owner of the #88 car, while Rick Hendrick will be listed as owner of the #5 car.
30 support staff from Hendrick Motorsports Busch operation in Concord, NC, will be transferred to JR Motorsports to staff this deal. Engines, chassis and vehicle engineering will come from Hendrick Motorsports.
“It’s a great opportunity to have the wholesale support that Hendrick Motorsports is going to provide,” said Dale Earnhardt Jr. Rick’s Busch program is consistently one of the best in the series.” Junior said.
This move further cements the rift between Dale Earnhardt Jr and Dale Earnhardt Inc. Now that DEI has merged with Ginn Racing, Dale Jr and family seem to be out by Teresa.
July 25, 2007
image from Daleearnhardtinc.com
Dale Earnhardt Inc has merged with Ginn Racing, forming a four car Nextel Cup Team and slowly eliminating the family part of DEI.
What would Dale Earnhardt Sr think about this merger? What really was Dale Earnhardt Sr’s master plan for his company? I thought it was taking care of family. Obviously the family part it’s there. Dale Earnhardt Jr is leaving at the end of 2007 to drive for Hendrick Motorsports. Kerry Earnhardt doesn’t drive for DEI. Kelly Earnhardt works at JR Motorsports, a Dale Earnhardt Jr company. And relatives like Tony Eury Sr is at JR Motorsports after leaving DEI this year. Tony Eury Jr is still at DEI as Dale Jr’s crew chief, but for how long?
A four car team will now exist at DEI; Dale Jr in the 8 Budweiser until years end, Martin Truex Jr in the 1 Bass Pro Shops car, Paul Menard in the 15 Menards car and Mark Martin in the 01 Army car. The other two teams from Ginn Racing are gone; the 14 car points go to the 15 car of Paul Menard and the 13 car goes away.
So with this merger I feel the Earnhardt family business is gone. Bobby Ginn becomes part of DEI, thereby throwing out any 100% Earnhardt owned company. The 100% Earnhardt owned company is now JR Motorsports with Dale Earnhardt Jr, Kelley Earnhardt Elledge and Tony Eury Sr. I see Tony Eury Jr joining them by years end.
Congratulations to DEI and Ginn Racing. As a true Earnhardt fan I’m not happy. Dale Sr’s work is going south even further.
July 22, 2007
Just a quick note. On a weekend where Nextel Cup didn’t run, I watched other forms of racing, except for Formula One and Cart racing.
After watching the Busch Series race from St. Louis, IRL, American Lemans, Rolex Sports Cars and even the World of Outlaws, I watched Speed Channel’s NASCAR Night of Stars, on a dirt track from Macon Speedway in Macon, Illinois.
NASCAR racers like Kenny Schrader, Kenny Wallace, Steven Wallace, and even Ray Evernham raced dirt race cars around a very small dirt track. Two heat races were raced; Kenny Schrader won the first heat race and Jason Leffler won the second.
All then competed in the main event. Very good short track dirt racing with some drivers like Marcus Ambrose, who never drove dirt cars.
When it was all said and done, Kenny Wallace won the main feature. A good race by all drivers concerned.
Don’t knock it. This was my Cup racing fix. Now on to Indianapolis.
