NASCAR Blog

If you've been looking to get into NASCAR as a career there's something you should know, it's gonna take a lot of hard work.

Christian Science Monitor

Craig Hibdon, an instructor at the NASCAR Institute of Technology, holds up a dial caliper that can measure engine parts to one-thousandth of an inch: "A nice little tool," he tells students in his NASCAR Engines I course.

Next door, at PIT Instruction and Training, coach Andrew Carter models proper hip placement, footwork, and weight distribution to achieve a 13-second pit stop.

And down the road at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, graduates are shopping their motorsports-engineering degrees among the many racing teams based in their school's backyard.

It's all part of a wider boom in NASCAR-oriented college-level courses being offered throughout the South and particularly in greater Charlotte, home to Lowes Motor Speedway and scores of NASCAR team headquarters - and it's one of myriad ways that the NASCAR craze has transformed this region.

Posted by Loyd on June 13, 2005 | 0 Comments

NASCAR is at the pinnacle of it's existence and with the newfound popularity and millions of fans flocking to Nascar events all over promoters are scrambling to bring NASCAR to the fans. Here's an interesting article about one promoter looking to bring NASCAR to Montreal, a long-time home of Indy and Formula 1 racing.

Chicago Sports: "The promoter of Montreal's race track is lobbying to bring NASCAR to Canada and says his facility is the best place to host the stock cars.

Normand Legault said he's had preliminary talks with NASCAR executives in an effort to bring the United States' top racing series to the road course at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

'I would love to have it here. It is a super, super show,' Legault said. 'I am quite sure Canadian fans would take to NASCAR racing just like a match to dry wood.'

NASCAR expanded into Mexico this year, staging a junior division Busch Series race at a road course in Mexico City. Although executives have explored reaching into Canada, NASCAR repeatedly has said it has no plans to do so. The focus is currently on bringing a race to New York City and expanding into the Pacific Northwest. "

Posted by Loyd on June 12, 2005 | 0 Comments

danicaracing.com: With all the media attention it is easy to forget that Danica Patrick will make just her sixth IRL IndyCar Series start this weekend and will run just her seventh oval race of her racing career. Patrick, currently ninth in the championship, has become the focus of an international media blitz, which has included all the major US television networks, front page stories in most major US daily newspapers and the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Patrick’s cover of SI marks the first time an IndyCar driver has been the feature on the cover since June of 1985 when Danny Sullivan graced the cover for his Indy triumph. Eighteen years ago Al Unser Sr. made the cover of SI as a inset in 1987 when he captured his fourth Indianapolis 500 victory. So when can we expect to get something like that in Nascar.
Photo courtesy of danicaracing.com

Posted by Loyd on June 11, 2005 | 0 Comments

NASCAR Officials Suspend Hmiel After Second Drug Offense

In a time when everyone is serious about professional athletes using illegal substances, NASCAR suspended Shane Hmiel yesterday after he failed a drug test for the second time in as many years.

Mercury News: "NASCAR suspended Busch Series driver Shane Hmiel indefinitely Thursday for his second violation of the racing organization's substance-abuse policy.

Results were positive from a banned-substances test on Hmiel following Busch qualifying at Lowe's Motor Speedway at Concord, N.C., last month, according to a statement issued by NASCAR.

Hmiel, 25, first was suspended in September 2003 and sat out the rest of that season. NASCAR reportedly has tested other drivers over the past two years, but Hmiel is the only driver suspended for substance-abuse violations. NASCAR did not specify the substance in either of Hmiel's suspensions."

Posted by Loyd on June 03, 2005 | 1 Comments

Getting Back To The Roots of Racing

So if you get tired of watching the Nextel Cup series or the Busch series on TV and you live in the greater Tri-State area then maybe it's time you get a little down-and-dirty and get back to the roots of racing. Tim over at Reveries has a great snippit on rough-and-ready racing at the Orange County (home of Orange County Choppers) Speedway outside Middleton, New York.

Reveries:

Primal Races. "This is about as far away from Nascar Nextel Cup racing as a fan can get," writes Dave Caldwell in The New York Times, referring to the races at the Orange County Fair Speedway outside Middletown, New York. "The track, 70 miles northwest of Manhattan, is more dimly lighted than a high school football field ... As the racers rumble around corners, they stir wind-whipped clouds of clay dust," driving "stubby slingshot dragsters, with cockpits surrounded by flat panels that make the cars look like cartoon versions of sedans, and they spend most of their time skidding through turns." No "scoreboards or big-screen televisions" here, but you can catch all the action by tuning into an announcer via an on-premise FM station.

The spectators, well, many of them watch the races from their own cars or trucks, paying anywhere between $10 to $27 to "park on a hill overlooking the five-eighths-mile oval." Yes, kind of like a drive-in movie. But you've got to get there real early to get a parking spot. Only 300 spots and if you want one, plan on showing up at least "three hours before the first race." Because you can count on guys like John Noyes beating you to it. John's been coming to the drive-in track every Saturday "for years," tailgating with neighbors while waiting to watch his nephew take to the speedway. This year, the season runs from April 16 through September 17, and John says he won't miss a one, "unless I get sick or something."

Posted by Loyd on May 23, 2005 | 0 Comments

BBC SPORT | Motorsport | Martin wins Nascar All-Star race

Mark Martin wins the All-Star Race and $1 million dollars!

BBC Sports: "Mark Martin claimed Nascar's annual All-Star race for the second time at Concord, North Carolina on Saturday.

The 46-year-old won the 90-lap race, which is broken into three parts, ahead of Elliot Sadler and Brian Vickers.

Martin was second behind Sadler on a restart with 19 laps left, but Sadler bumped him as he pulled away and Martin was able to dash into the lead.

'I'll be back next year if you give me a ride,' said Martin, who picked up $1m in prize money.

As an All-Star winner, Martin is eligible to enter the challenge every year even if he does not compete in the regular season."

Posted by Loyd on May 22, 2005 | 0 Comments

NASCAR fans across America celebrating NASCAR Day

NASCAR: "NASCAR Day is being celebrated across the United States today, as the largest annual charity event of NASCAR is bringing together fans from all walks of life for the common cause of helping young people.

For a $5 donation, fans can receive a commemorative 2005 NASCAR Day lapel pin and have the opportunity to wear their favorite NASCAR apparel to work today. Proceeds go to the three NASCAR Day designated charities -- Victory Junction Gang Camp, Speedway Children's Charities, and Speediatrics. Each organization shares the common denominator of improving the lives of children in need.

More than 2,500 companies nationwide are participating in NASCAR Day, more than triple last year's number. There is corporate participation in all 50 states, with more than 1 million corporate employees exposed to NASCAR Day. To date, 25 Governor's Offices have officially proclaimed May 20 as NASCAR Day in their respective states.

It's still not too late for fans to participate in NASCAR Day. Pins may be purchased at all AutoZone Stores across the country, at SunTrust Bank branches in the southeast and on NASCAR.com"

Posted by Loyd on May 20, 2005 | 0 Comments

Office Depot Sponsoring Edwards #99 Car For 8 More Races

Retail Merchandiser: "Office Depot, the 'Official Office Products Partner of NASCAR,' is expanding its on-track sponsorship commitment with the No. 99 Ford driven by Carl Edwards to a total of 17 races for the remainder of the 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season.

In addition to the nine races announced earlier this year, Office Depot will appear as the primary sponsor on the No. 99 Ford for eight additional races this season. The schedule includes both races at Dover, the two road course tracks (Infineon and Watkins Glen) and the second races at Pocono, Bristol, Martinsville and Phoenix. With the addition of these races, Office Depot will appear on Edwards' No. 99 Ford for six of the final 10 races in the 'Chase for the NEXTEL Cup.'
"

Posted by Loyd on May 20, 2005 | 0 Comments

2 Brothers Named The Official BBQ Sauce Of NASCAR

This makes me hungry just reading it.

Mercury News: "Clouds of smoke pouring from open grills will have a Golden Triangle flavor for 100,000-plus NASCAR fans on hand in Charlotte, N.C., this weekend and in the future.

West Point-based 2 Brothers, which entered the highly competitive grilling market in January 2004, has been named the official barbecue sauce of NASCAR, a distinction that company officials and marketers say will be a boon to the company.

'The NASCAR audience is dead on our demographic,' said 2 Brothers President Mike Reilly from his car as he drove from Atlanta to Charlotte for this weekend's All-Star Challenge.

He was taking 30 cases of the sauce for sampling by race fans this weekend.

'We're in the South. If we don't know barbecue, who does, Reilly said."

Posted by Loyd on May 20, 2005 | 0 Comments

Busch Told To Stay Out Of Trouble

NASCAR champion Kurt Busch is in trouble again. If you remember a few weeks ago he blew up at Darlington after wrecking on the first lap of the race. Now Busch, who has been placed on probation by NASCAR officials, has been told to cool it in the upcoming Nextel Challenge.

TSN.ca: "Kurt Busch has been ordered by NASCAR to start behaving like a champion. His first test will be the All-Star race, an event at which Busch has struggled to stay out of trouble.

The defending Nextel Cup champion has had at least two gaffes in the $1-million US race, including triggering an 11-car accident last year that wrecked both Busch and teammate Greg Biffle. He also admitted to intentionally spinning Robby Gordon in 2002 to bring out a caution that would regroup the field and give Busch a chance to win the race."

Posted by Loyd on May 18, 2005 | 0 Comments

Nextel Extends Fan Voting for NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge

Nextel has decided to extend the voting period for picking you favorite driver to be in the Nextel Al-Star Challenge.

The Auto Channel: "An overwhelming response from NASCAR fans has prompted Nextel Communications, Inc. to extend fan voting for the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge. Fans can continue to cast votes and put an eligible driver into the event until Thursday, May 19.

'The number of fans voting to put a driver into the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge has been tremendous,' said Michael Robichaud, senior director of sports and entertainment marketing for Nextel. 'We want to keep that momentum rolling and allow all fans that would like their say in the outcome to have a chance to vote.'

Nextel's fan-voting program put veteran driver Ken Schrader into the all-star field in 2004, when more than 200,000 fans participated. Race fans have surpassed that number of votes in just three weeks, and to date, more than 300,000 fans have already made a driver selection and this extension allows even more fans to cast their ballot.

'I hope all NASCAR fans will take advantage of the opportunity and vote, even if your favorite driver is already qualified,' said Kasey Kahne, driver of the No. 9 Dodge Dealers Charger and is hoping to be voted into the race. 'The NEXTEL All-Star Challenge has produced some exciting finishes over the years. It'll be no different this year. That's the way it is under the lights at Lowe's Motor Speedway with a million dollars up for grabs...strange things happen.'"

To get your vote in go online to www.nextel.com/allstar.

Posted by Loyd on May 10, 2005 | 0 Comments

Cars On Display

11-cars-on-display
Originally uploaded by statico.

Found this photo over at Flickr.com and thought it was awesome enough to share.

Posted by Loyd on May 10, 2005 | 0 Comments

Daytona Beach Rallying For NASCAR Hall of Fame

Daytona Beach is famous for two things, spring break and NASCAR. When it comes to NASCAR and the Hall of Fame, they're not about to give up without a fight.

Daytona Beach News Journal: "Call it blind optimism or dogged persistence, but local officials won't let a little thing like no state money stop them from trying to bring the NASCAR hall of fame here.

'We're not going to lose a beat,' John Saboor, executive director of the Central Florida Sports Commission, said Friday afternoon as it looked increasingly likely the Florida Legislature wouldn't deliver the $30 million locals were seeking for the project.

The focus now will shift to private sources of money, said Saboor, noting that supporters had alternatives in mind all along in case state funding fell through. Asked if plans might include loans to be repaid from hall of fame operations and future grants, Saboor said, 'all of the above.'

State funding was considered essential in a feasibility study funded by Daytona Beach officials. Now that the money isn't coming through, it's deemed less essential.

'I am still of the belief that this project can be financed and is extremely viable,' Saboor said."

Posted by Loyd on May 10, 2005 | 0 Comments

Busch In Hot Water With NASCAR

Looks like Kurt Busch has got himself in a little hot water after a bad day at the races gets him a little hot under the collar.

ESPN: "Kurt Busch hit the wall on the first lap at Darlington Raceway. Then he hit an official with a water bottle, bad-mouthed NASCAR over his radio and ended up in a closed-door meeting with series officials.

'His actions were certainly not befitting of a champion,'' NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said after the Dodge Charger 500. 'He said things that are not fit for print.''

Busch, the defending Nextel Cup champion, finished 37th on Saturday night and dropped two spots in the standings to fourth. He now trails leader Jimmie Johnson by 229 points."

Posted by Loyd on May 09, 2005 | 0 Comments

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Loaded With Talent

For years truck racing wasn't even mentioned in serious conversations about auto racing. But truck racing has come of age and with it have come some of the best and brightest of NASCAR.

Mansfield News Journal: "The entry list for a typical truck race reads like a who's who of NASCAR. Former Cup standouts like Gaughan, Jimmy Spencer, Bobby Hamilton, Todd Bodine, Ricky Craven, Johnny Benson, Steve Park and Ted Musgrave have joined Skinner, Hornaday and Sprague.

'The Craftsman Truck Series has more competition now than it's ever had,' Gaughan said. 'To win this series is going to be a serious deal from now on. I'd say there are 16 drivers every week now that can win a race. In the past, there were five or six or seven who had a legit shot.'

Adding to the depth are longtime truck standouts like Dennis Setzer, Rick Crawford, David Starr, Chad Chaffin, Matt Crafton and Terry Cook, while up-and-comers like last year's top rookie David Reutimann, Chase Montgomery, Todd Kluever, Tracy Hines and Brandon Whitt make the fields even stronger."

Posted by Loyd on May 09, 2005 | 0 Comments

Gambling On Tires Costs Newman Darlington Win

Signon San Diego: "Victory was most certainly in sight for Ryan Newman until strategy snatched it away at Darlington Raceway.

When a late caution forced teams to gamble on pit strategy, Newman made the wrong decision and stayed out on the track. The contenders behind him all stopped for new tires, and used the fresh rubber to blow past Newman on the restart.

The result was Greg Biffle winning his third race of the season while Newman faded back to a fifth-place finish in Saturday night's race."

Posted by Loyd on May 08, 2005 | 0 Comments

Johnson In For A Rough Ride At Darlington

If you've seen Jimmy Johnson, the Nextel Cup points leader race, you know he's an aggressive driver. In fact, many NASCAR drivers feel a little bit too aggressive.

New York Times: "Jimmie Johnson arrived at Darlington Raceway this week defensive and defiant, brushing aside blame for causing two major crashes at Talladega Superspeedway last weekend. But few are letting him off so easily heading into the Dodge Charger 500 at Darlington on Saturday.

Jimmie Johnson, the Nextel Cup points leader, has been defiant amid accusations that he has caused several recent accidents. This time, Johnson may be the one in for a rough ride.

Although Johnson enters the Nascar Nextel Cup race as the favorite, having won the two races at Darlington last season and having taken the series points lead this season, he is no favorite among many of his peers."

Posted by Loyd on May 06, 2005 | 0 Comments

Charger ads begin with NASCAR

Autoblog: "Chrysler has targeted race fans with the first 15-second teaser ads for the Dodge Charger during the Darlington race this Saturday night. The Charger will not be using the 'That thing have a Hemi' tagline but instead use the 'unleashed' theme. They also will not use images of past Chargers in the ads. 'We think this car stands on its own,' Darryl Jackson, vice president of marketing for Dodge said. The Charger will be available at dealers at the beginning of June."

Posted by Dane on May 06, 2005 | 0 Comments

Top Contenders For The Nextel Cup

Here's the current Nextel Cup standings.

1. Jimmie Johnson 1368pts.
2. Kurt Busch 1238 pts
3. Jeff Gordon 1217pts
4. Greg Biffie 1181pts
5. Elliot Sadler 1164pts
6. Tony Stewart 1088pts
7. Dale Jarrett 1085pts
8. Kevin Harvick 1083pts
9. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1070pts
10. Jamie McMurray 1067pts
11. Mark Martin 1066pts
12. Jeremy Mayfield 1064pts
13. Rusty Wallace 1057pts
14. Carl Edwards 1046pts
15 Ryan Newman 1045pts
16. Michael Waltrip 1036pts
17. Sterling Martin 1029pts
18. Jeff Burton 1013pts

Posted by Loyd on May 05, 2005 | 0 Comments

Stewart Gives A Little Back

Tony Stewart, the 2002 NASCAR champion infamous for his run-ins with NASCAR officials, has decided to spend some time this summer doing something other than racing. Oh his rare days off, Stewart will be building public playgrounds across the country.

Canada.com: "Put Tony Stewart behind a steering wheel and he's bound to test the limits of aggressiveness. Swap the wheel for a hammer and nails, and he becomes a regular softy.

In June, the 2002 NASCAR champion will embark on a project he calls more rewarding than any Victory Lane celebration - building playgrounds for children across the United States. It's not just a break from the track for Stewart, it's an opportunity to do something more fulfilling.

'Every time I do a project like this, I feel good,' he said. 'When you see what the kids do the first time they get on the playground equipment, that's what makes it all worthwhile. It's been 100 per cent gratifying.'

Stewart seldom shows his softer side in public.

Most know him as a NASCAR bad boy because of his run-ins with series officials, other drivers and reporters - an image he may never shed. But take him away from the track, and Stewart becomes a different man.

He taught classes at the University of South Carolina last month, and this summer he'll devote some of his rare off days to working for children."

Posted by Loyd on May 05, 2005 | 0 Comments

Post Talladega Meltdown: 11 Penalties Issued To Racers

The Auto Channel: "NASCAR announced today that 11 penalties have been issued to NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series competitors, as a result of rule infractions this past weekend at Talladega Superspeedway.

Three of those penalties were issued to the No. 00 Chevrolet team, because of an unapproved rear axle housing, a violation of Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and Section 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment that do not conform to NASCAR rules) of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series rule book. The violations were found during pre-qualifying inspection. Kenny Wallace, driver of the No. 00, was penalized with the loss of 25 driver championship points; car owner Elizabeth (Buffy) Waltrip was penalized 25 owner championship points; and crew chief Terry Wooten was fined $25,000.

Harold Holly, crew chief for the No. 32 Chevrolet driven by Bobby Hamilton Jr., was fined $10,000. During opening day inspection, the No. 32 had unapproved upper rear coil spring mounts, violating Sections 12-4-A and 12-4-Q.

Jimmy Elledge, crew chief for the No. 41 Dodge driven by Casey Mears, was fined $2,500 because of unapproved use of refrigerant near the fuel system, violating 2-4-A and 12-4-Q. The violations were found during pre-qualifying inspection.

In addition, $1,000 fines were issued to the following six competitors: Alan Gustafson, crew chief for the No. 5 Chevrolet driven by Kyle Busch, because of an unapproved right-side window (violating 12-4-A and 12-4-Q);

Mike Ford, crew chief for the No. 88 Ford of Dale Jarrett, was fined for the same violations. In both cases, the violations were found during pre-qualifying inspection.

Four crew chiefs were fined because of unapproved window nets presented at opening day inspection (violating 12-4-A and 12-4-Q). Nets must have a minimum opening of one inch between the ribs. Those four: Robert (Bootie) Barker, crew chief for the No. 0 Chevrolet driven by Mike Bliss; Dave Rogers, crew chief for the No. 11 Chevrolet driven by Jason Leffler; Bob Osborne, crew chief for the No. 99 Ford driven by Carl Edwards; and Richard (Slugger) Labbe, crew chief for the No. 19 Dodge driven by Jeremy Mayfield."

Posted by Loyd on May 04, 2005 | 0 Comments

Oregon May Yet Get A Super Speedway

Looks like the effort to build a super speedway in Oregon isn't dead yet.

KATU.com: "A new NASCAR track for Oregon isn't dead just yet.

A NASCAR source says International Speedway Corporation is looking at land in Marion, Polk, and Linn counties for a new ISC 75,000 to 90,000-seat one-mile tri-oval race track to be completed by 2008."

A new track in the Salem area could account for hundreds of new jobs, tourist dollars, and a new airline boosting the local economy.

Posted by Loyd on May 03, 2005 | 0 Comments

160mph "Bump" Wipes Out Half At Talladega

Here's a little more on Sundays race at Talladega.

Fox Sports: "It started with a little push by Dale Earnhardt Jr., really nothing more than a love tap at 190 mph to the rear bumper of Mike Wallace's car.

But that high-speed shove - called bump drafting - triggered a 25-car accident that wiped out over half the field at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday. It was the second largest accident in Talladega history, behind a 27-car wreck in 2003.

When it was over, many drivers were seeing red over the racing conditions forced upon them at restrictor-plate races and the blatant disregard competitors gave to NASCAR's pre-race suggestion against bump drafting.

'Bump drafting is just part of this kind of racing,' Kasey Kahne said as his crew worked to repair his car. 'I was getting bumped here and there and I bumped here and there. You can ask them not to do it, but they're going to. That's how you get to the front.'

Because NASCAR requires horsepower-sapping restrictor plates at Talladega and Daytona, the cars run most of the race side-by-side in a tight pack of 43 cars. A driver can go from last to first in a handful of laps, and many of them use their fenders to get there."

Posted by Loyd on May 02, 2005 | 0 Comments

Gordon Wins Big At Talladega

Jeff Gordon took the flag at Talladega for an awesome overtime win! Looks like he's well on his way to taking the Nextel cup.

Post Gazette: "There was a time when Jeff Gordon didn't like restrictor-plate racing. No more.

Gordon proved again yesterday he is NASCAR's new king of racing at plate tracks, fighting off challenger after challenger on the way to winning the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway in overtime.

'This is the type of racing where experience is really key,' Gordon said. 'The more that I get used to watching my mirror, using the air and having the kind of car I had today, I feel like I get better at restrictor-plate racing.'

That's bad news for the rest of the NASCAR Nextel Cup competitors.

It was Gordon's 10th victory overall and fourth in the past five races at Talladega and Daytona, the only tracks at which NASCAR requires the horsepower-sapping plates to slow the cars."

Posted by Loyd on May 02, 2005 | 0 Comments

Earnhardt Honored With Holiday in Georgia

In honor of the Nascar great who would have celebrated his birthday today, Georgia announced that April 29th is officially Dale Earnhardt day.

WALB-TV: "The General Assembly designated April 29th as Dale Earnhardt Day saying the Nascar driver not only made an impact on the track but on people's lives here in Georgia."

Posted by Loyd on April 29, 2005 | 0 Comments