| | | | | | | | |  | | | |  I can just imagine Bill Sr. rolling in his place of rest right about now - Lori Munro
Each week RaceTalkRadio personalities Lori Munro and Dennis Michelsen will face off on some of the hot topics from the world of racing. We guarantee there will be some cage rattling and the black flag will be flying frequently! Let Lori and Dennis know your opinion on the topics below then tune in Monday night at 8pm ET on RaceTalkRadio.com for more "Doin’ Donuts."
FIRE TONY EURY JR?
Dennis says...
Junior fans will be screaming once again for Tony Eury Jr to be fired after the team got caught on the wrong end of the gas strategy game at Watkins Glen. Hey Junior Fans…your guy is STILL fourth in points! Sometimes in racing your well-laid plans go up in smoke with a wreck on the track and it is even worse at a road course. Should Junior have pitted earlier? Did Tony Eury Jr make a mistake by not getting him on and off pit road when the spin happened? These Crew Chiefs have a split second to decide whether to pit or not and we have no clue what went into the decision making that led to him staying out. Maybe they were getting awful gas mileage? Perhaps they had a sneaky strategy that they were planning for that last stop. Tony Eury Jr is one of the best Crew Chiefs in the business but I am sure Junior fans will be hanging him in effigy again this week! Death, taxes, and annoyed Junior fans being annoying are the only certainties in life!
Lori says...
Back before the sea of red turned to green and much of the fan talk was “DUMP Eury Jr!” I scoffed at those people. Now I’m beginning to wonder if a clean slate would have proven to be more favorable for team 88. Crystal balls would surely come in handy at times like this and even though I’ve been so bold over the past months to say that Kyle Busch makes EVERYONE look like yesterday’s news, there is indeed something amiss with the #88 team. After Junior’s first 2008 win at Michigan, he has not finished better than 12th with endless issues arising on pit road. While other teams are stepping up their game during the past few weeks, I’m afraid that Dale Earnhardt Jr’s first season at Hendrick Motorsports just isn’t as AMP’ed up as we expected it would be. I say do what sometimes works with other teams; do a crew chief switcheroo and see what happens. Eury Jr. has been given a reprieve on top of a few years to get it done with Junior and it’s just not working.
GORDON-LESS ROAD RACING
Dennis says...
What if they held a road race and a Gordon wasn’t competitive? We don’t have to wonder what that looks like because we saw it on Sunday at Watkins Glen. Twenty-seventh and twenty-ninth place from the two Gordons at the track they usually dominate is a sure sign of the impending Armageddon. While his teammates were racing competitive on Sunday, Jeff Gordon disappeared and was never a factor despite starting towards the front. Robby Gordon told the world he was throwing everything at this race yet had a fueling issue that cost him a lap and kept him out of contention. Not seeing either Gordon in contention at Watkins Glen might be one of the big surprises of the year.
Lori says...
When Dale Jarrett says, “Jeff Gordon can’t even get around PJ Jones”… we know something is definitely wrong. I’m truly beginning to think that Gordon simply hasn’t been able to adapt to the COT and its high center of gravity… yet… Or perhaps he never will and time will pass him by in favor of the young guns in the sport that haven’t had old ways ingrained into their system. It’s real hard to point your finger at Jeff Gordon and say that his time has passed, because just like you can be assured the sun will come up tomorrow, so will Gordon’s efforts and people will look back on 2008 as a year to forget for the 24 team.
NASCAR INTERNATIONAL
Dennis says...
NASCAR has tried to expand the sport internationally yet they are ignoring an issue just north of the border in Canada. Again this week the Nationwide Series race got shuffled to late night and the Sprint Cup race also had issues on Canadian television. NASCAR is risking losing some of their most loyal race fans in this continuing squabble between ESPN and TSN. This should not have come as a surprise to the folks at NASCAR. The Mexico experiment failed because there are not enough stock car racing fans in that country and that will never change! Canada loves stock car racing and thousands of Canadians fill the seats at tracks from Michigan to Daytona to New Hampshire every season. NASCAR needs to make sure TSN and ESPN play well together for the rest of the season and should have worked this out a long time ago.
Lori says...
And that ain’t even the start of it. The Watkins Glen Cup race was not carried on Canadian television either, for favor of a golf game instead. Just when Ron Fellows, Patrick Carpentier and Jacques Villeneuve had the ear of the Canadian fans after their great showings at Montreal, poof, they’re gone as is all NASCAR racing from Canadian TV sets everywhere. NASCAR should be thrilled that their “global” desire was appeased with Fellows winning in Montreal but being that Canadian television opts instead to show people hitting white balls with sticks in a grassy field breaks the momentum of stock car racing being a global sport. Canadian race fans need to turn to black market means of television coverage because their needs are not being met. Now if NASCAR racing were to have French-only speaking play by play coverage, that just might pre-empt curling and seniors badminton on TV.
RUNNING OUT OF FINGERS
Dennis says...
During his victory celebration after winning at Watkins Glen this weekend Kyle Busch counted out his victories and displayed eight fingers. Kyle better get some fingers added surgically or hire an extra hand because he will win at least eleven races this season! Is it just me or are the crowds becoming more Kyle-friendly? All aboard the Kyle Busch bandwagon because this kid is only going to get better! (That is a scary thought indeed.) Love him or hate him NASCAR fans, he could care less. We are seeing one of the most amazing seasons in NASCAR history!
Lori says...
Come on Dennis… you of all people should KNOW that 1 of those fingers was reserved especially for the fan that continues to boo him… you know:
He’s giving them the one in the middle
The one that’s a little bit longer
and he’s got another one on the other hand
so he can say it even stronger…
Now, if you’re asking if he’s done he’s sure not saying they’re #1…..
Keep watching folks and take note; you’ll be telling your grandkids about the era of Kyle Busch just as they now talk about other great stock car racing heroes of the past!
AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE
Dennis says...
G’day mate! Throw a couple shrimp on the barbie and celebrate one of the feel-good stories of the season. Marcos Ambrose got his first NASCAR win of his career on Saturday at Watkins Glen and the fans loved it! Other than Boris Said winning I can’t think of another result that could thrill the fans more. Not only did one of the classy guys in the sport win but he did so with an up and coming team battling the big boys! G with an O, an O with a D, T with an I and an M with an E and you have a Geshickter. Next year JTG Daugherty Racing makes the big move up the ladder to Cup. Do not underestimate this team or their driver! Aussie, Aussie, Aussie...Oi Oi Oi!
Lori says...
I have to admit it. I wept. Yes, broke down like a school girl when I saw the beaming face of the Tasmanian known as “kangaroo meat” climb out of his STP emblazoned car and wave the checkered flag. It was like an overwhelming outpouring of emotion being that STP was back in victory lane thanks to someone who always sees the sunny side of life. However, what I foresee next is since Canadians and Tasmanians are winning, NASCAR will likely ban foreigners for stinking up the show. It’s bad enough there’s no North Carolinians winning anymore so I can just imagine Bill Sr. rolling in his place of rest right about now.
| | | Permalink | Comments (0) | | | | | |  Average drivers such as Jamie McMurray and Casey Mears are hot properties right now and for the life of me I am asking why? - Dennis Michelsen
Each week RaceTalkRadio personalities Lori Munro and Dennis Michelsen will face off on some of the hot topics from the world of racing. We guarantee there will be some cage rattling and the black flag will be flying frequently! Let Lori and Dennis know your opinion on the topics below then tune in Monday night at 8pm ET on RaceTalkRadio.com for more "Doin’ Donuts."
MANAGING A MESS
Dennis says...
NASCAR should be applauded for not taking a risk on killing a driver at the Brickyard on Sunday. But I hope their great job of managing the mess doesn’t get NASCAR off the hook for helping create the situation that led to this mess!
The only mistake NASCAR made was not taking responsibility for letting the fans down. Why didn’t anyone come on the air and apologize for giving the fans less than a great show? ESPN announcers were quick to blame the track and defend NASCAR and Goodyear!
NASCAR and Goodyear were given a free pass and this is not the first time the show has sucked because of tires this season. This is one of the marquee events on the NASCAR circuit and everyone involved in the decisions leading up to this debacle should be ashamed of themselves! The fans deserve a better show than this.
Lori says...
Eau contrere' Dennis, for there WAS an apology issued but one had to have their ears tuned to Sirius Satellite radio to hear it. And who may have made this apology? It thrills me to announce that young Mr. Brian Vickers took one for the entire NASCAR team after he smoked his motor and fell out of the race. In an interview shortly after he went "poof," Vickers wanted to make sure that the fans received an apology for what they were seeing on the racetrack at Indy. Class act indeed.
And the whole group of power suits running the show really missed an opportunity here. With O’Reilly Raceway Park only a few short miles away, why not run the Brickyard like the Dakar Rally; in stages. The first stage is a 10 lap free-for-all at the big track. The next stage is even more exciting; the cars all parade through suburban Indianapolis on their way to ORP for some real racing!! Screw the Pocono tires, forget competition cautions, who cares about making bird casserole during a race…. Have a parade to end all parades with 42 cars (no Mikey, you can’t participate whilst driving the NAPA accordion)… I said 42 cars enroute to ORP for some real stock car racing. I’m sure even the Ghosts of Gasoline Alley would come along and catch the show.
$310,000 DOWN PAYMENT TO TIRE OF TOMORROW
Dennis says...
Government contractors often rack up millions of dollars in additional profits when they are late delivering on a project! Goodyear made an estimated $310,000 additional revenue through tire sales for the Brickyard Twelve Lap at a Time on Sunday. NASCAR should fine the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company an equal amount for their part in this debacle and match those funds out of their own pocket to fund research on the "Tire of Tomorrow." Indianapolis Motor Speedway not taking rubber is not news!
This has happened in the past it was just worse this season. Goodyear has screwed up at least three other times this season. This has been the "Three Bears Story" of tires this season. Hopefully just like the little bear Goodyear will find the tire combination that is just right more often the rest of the season. But it doesn’t take a tire engineer or a rocket scientist to figure out that different car designs need different tires!
Lori says...
Does anyone remember the Formula 1 race at Indy three years ago and the great Michelin tire debacle? I say we go find Max Mosley, beat the hookers off of him, shave of his Hitler-esque moustache and get him on the case. Look what he can do when inspired by something that’s not auditioning for the role of Eva Braun:
"Further to the incidents at Indianapolis last weekend," Mosley wrote. "We have reason to believe that Michelin have suffered at least two major tyre failures at high speed in private testing. We have also received information which suggests that Michelin Formula 1 tyres have been prone to sidewall failure for the past two years and that some of the failures last year which were blamed on debris on the circuit may in fact have been due to tyre defects unconnected with debris.
"After the failures at Indianapolis, you informed us and the media that you were flying in "Barcelona" tyres and that these would be safe. You then withdrew these same tyres within 24 hours on the grounds that they were not safe. In your letter of June 18 you told us that despite full analysis and evaluation you did not know the "root cause" of the problem. Nevertheless despite this lack of understanding you stated that your tyres could be used if vehicle speeds in Turn 13 were reduced. However only one or your major failures was in that corner, the other was in Turn 5 in the infield. You will certainly understand that we find this lack of clarity and apparent lack of understanding deeply disquieting.
"Would you therefore please supply us, as a matter of urgency, with full details of all failures your tyres have suffered over the past two years when fitted to Formula 1 cars. Would you please also tell us precisely what you have done or are doing to prevent further tyre failures. Obviously we will treat all technical information as strictly confidential."
I suggest we just change the names to protect the innocent, switch the word Barcelona to Pocono, Formula 1 cars to Cup cars, and submit this as a proposal/threat to someone who cares? Please? And oh, by the way, fans had their money refunded back at the F1 race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway because the racing sucked.
CLAMORING OVER AVERAGE DRIVERS
Dennis says...
During "Silly Season" the big names mentioned every week have been Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman. But now that those two drivers are likely to be teammates next season the talk has been about the next tier of drivers. While some of them such as Martin Truex Jr have a lot of potential, there are others that have been fired that are gaining a lot of attention.
Instead of rotating average drivers through the Cup seats every season why aren’t teams developing more of their own young drivers? Joe Gibbs Racing is likely to move their new hotshot Joey Logano to replace Tony Stewart. But average drivers such as Jamie McMurray and Casey Mears are hot properties right now and for the life of me I am asking why?
NASCAR teams have gotten themselves into this bind by turning the Nationwide Series into Cup-lite instead of using it to develop new talent. This is one mistake I don’t expect the new Stewart-Haas team to make. Look for Tony to make alliances to develop young drivers so he can fill the next seat with a driver with lots of potential.
Lori says...
For the life of me, I don’t understand this sub-par rotational vortex of black hole drivers myself. Especially, when Jeremy Mayfield is available. The things Jeremy can do for a team is beyond comprehension and will not only translate to a higher company morale, but he can also provide a tremendous insight into how people should live, whom they should date, and when and why.
Think back and you’ll recall that it was Jeremy that self-diagnosed his own shortcomings in the #19 Evernham Dodge; something about a girlfriend, a team owner and his focus. No idea how any of that affected his talent level, but there’s good news for all those looking for a driver!
Yes, Jeremy is available NOW! Dial 1-800-HAS-BEEN and get your new driver TODAY!
For references, please contact R. Evernham or B. Davis.
Thank you.
ENGINE OF TOMORROW
Dennis says...
NASCAR set an interesting precedent by penalizing the Toyota teams for building a great engine! Taking fifteen horsepower away from those teams to appease the whining of Chevy and Ford will get the sport on the way to the Engine of Tomorrow. Turn back the clock and you will see what NASCAR has in store for the teams and the fans. It wasn’t that long ago that every manufacturer had a unique design to their race car. NASCAR would make adjustments to spoiler sizes and valence heights to try to even the competition. But instead of getting the manufacturers equal, their changes inevitably made someone else’s car stronger for a few weeks until the next adjustment. The eventual solution to this mess was the common body template and the Car of Tomorrow. If NASCAR keeps making mid-season changes to the engines the only long term solution will be the "Engine of Tomorrow." So much for the best team winning! If you build a better mousetrap than the competition you deserve to catch more mice!
Lori says...
The mouse who currently partakes in self-gluttony is the youthful and exuberant Kyle Busch. After the horsepower is reduced, starting fields inverted, LeMans starts required, tying a parachute to the back of Busch’s Toyota, locking him in a closet for the first 50 laps of a race or poking out his eyes with a stick… Kyle Busch is still going to be dominant and is still going to win.
Take a great car and put a mediocre driver in it, it’s a backrunner. NASCAR can carry this on as far as they want. They can introduce crate motors… but until they start banning great drivers, then Kyle is going to keep winning no matter what he’s strapped in to.
RAMBUNCTIOUS RUSTY
Dennis says...
Over the weekend Rusty Wallace told the world that Ryan Newman was fired by Roger Penske! It wasn’t long until the parties involved both came out with their own statements about what happened. Why did Rusty open his big mouth? Even if his statement had been true why bother telling the world about it?
Obviously Rusty Wallace still despises Ryan Newman and for the life of me I have never understood why. Perhaps after years of being in the racecar subjected to fumes Rusty has lost his mind! A few weeks ago Rusty took out a piece of paper and told the world that Toyota had so much more horsepower than his Chevy engines.
Now he can’t help himself by telling the world that Penske fired Newman! Why has a once great champion become as annoying as finger nails on the chalkboard? SHUT UP ALREADY RUSTY!
Lori says...
Rusty Wallace was born to drive racecars and anybody who has watched his career knows he’s a damn good driver. The problem is, we live in a world where those who have achieved success in their chosen profession, sometimes go on to become spokespeople. Why? Because they typically deliver a level of believability, authority and honesty. They know what they’re talking about. They’ve experienced it all first hand. What has happened is that society has come to accept a certain level of expertise and class. It’s easy to just believe what is being said, whether it’s true or not and especially if it’s coming from someone who should truly be "in the know."
Rusty is a driver.
| | | Permalink | Comments (0) | | | | | |  Kyle’s move on Johnson was Busch’s own private Bar Mitzvah. - Lori Munro
Each week RaceTalkRadio personalities Lori Munro and Dennis Michelsen will face off on some of the hot topics from the world of racing. We guarantee there will be some cage rattling and the black flag will be flying frequently! Let Lori and Dennis know your opinion on the topics below then tune in Monday night at 8pm ET on RaceTalkRadio.com for more "Doin’ Donuts."
WAS THIS VICTORY EVEN SWEETER
Dennis says...
In his post-race press conference, Kyle Busch seemed to be just a little more pumped about his 7th win of the season because he beat his old teammate Jimmie Johnson. While the booing by the fans has not bothered him, Kyle still seems to have that chip on his shoulder about Hendrick Motorsports letting him go.
Not only are the wins even sweeter when Rowdy knocks off a Hendrick Motorsports driver, he is enjoying completely dominating this season so far! It might be even sweeter if he has to outrace a couple of Hendrick Motorsports drivers in the last race to clinch the title. While there is no doubt Kyle Busch is one of the most talented drivers in the sport, the motivation of wanting to show Rick Hendrick he made a mistake has fired this guy up to do amazing things this season!
Lori says...
Kyle’s move on Johnson was Busch’s own private Bar Mitzvah. Even Kyle admitted that he just "gave up" because he was so sure that it was Johnson’s race to win and he outclassed the field. A smile says it all and nothing was more genuine than what we saw on Busch’s face in victory circle. I have inkling that everything that went down last year regarding his release from HMS is nothing but a bad memory and Kyle will put it behind him for good now and even toast Rick Hendrick from the head table at the Waldorf Astoria in a few months.
BRING BACK CLASSY COMMANDS
Dennis says...
Whatever happened to the Grand Marshal being a classy person who gave the command to start engines in a classy way? As NASCAR has become the sport to be seen at by Hollywood stars the sport in turn has done whatever they need to do to kiss up to these men and women. Why? I would rather see one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers honored before each race than see these latte drinking idiots screaming at the top of their lungs! After the latest turkey screamed the command, the announcers in the TNT booth complimented him on his style. Why is screaming like a banshee the way to give the command to start engines? Why do we have to be force fed these people that clearly have no clue what NASCAR was a few years ago? Let them go promote their movie somewhere else!
Lori says...
The only reason that "screamers" have become a part of our society is because they are encouraged to do so. Just look at any grocery store or restaurant. Young’uns are allowed to run wild and bellow at the top of their lungs and nobody has the balls to do anything about it. Put a few years on these uncontrollable ankle-biters and you have the next generation of parents, breeding like to like. Watch any movie or any tv commercial. Its about who can make the most noise and for the longest period of time. Look way back to the dawn of mankind and it was the great apes who screamed to attract mates and ward off predators. Sure, there was no racing back then but again, there was no command to start engines either. OK…. I’m a freak.
PREMATURE PENALTY
Dennis says...
The No. 96 team was penalized for what appeared to be an attempt to skirt the rules in pre-race technical inspection at Chicagoland Speedway. Unfortunately for NASCAR the team was not guilty of what they thought they had done…specifically putting weighted bottles in the car to gain an advantage when the Gatorade drink device was placed in the car before the start of the race. NASCAR should have checked the bottle to see if it had been rigged with lead or another substance before penalizing the team. Can you imagine the uproar if this had been Dale Earnhardt Jr and the stop and go penalty cost him a shot at the Chase for the Championship? Then again it is unlikely NASCAR would have responded to a top team in the same manner. NASCAR should err on the side of caution before they penalize a team because that penalty can not be undone. NASCAR always has the option of taking points away after the race is over if a team tried to break the rules!
Lori says...
I bought NASCAR’s line and was real confused afterwards when it was said that the whole deal with the 96 car was a mistake. The biggest mistake was NASCAR or anybody thinking that 15 pounds of lead would turn the 96 car from a sow’s ear to a silk purse. Ballast from the Edmund Fitzgerald wouldn’t help that team right now as it stands, although Yeley would make a hell of a deck mate if you took away his "mirrors" and pet elephant and dressed him up like Popeye. Spinach, anyone?
SLICED BREAD IN A CUP
Dennis says...
Now that Tony Stewart has made the move to his new team it sounds more and more as if Joe Gibbs Racing is planning to promote Joey Logano to Cup next season. There were some folks who thought Denny Hamlin was being promoted too quickly after just one year in the Busch Series. But Hamlin won twice in his rookie season and finished third in points! Denny backed that up by making the Chase again last season. Would another year in the Busch series have made him even better? Sometimes a driver learns all he needs to learn in the lower series and moving him up makes sense. While Joey Logano will have even less time in the Nationwide Series than Hamlin did, Logano has tested many laps in Cup cars already. While Joe Gibbs Racing might have kept him at the lower level if Stewart resigned with the team, moving Logano up to Cup next season makes sense. The cars are so different now that one more year in the Nationwide Series will do less to prepare Logano for his future stardom at the Cup level.
Lori says...
Joey Logano has more Cup miles on him from testing and setting up Kyle Busch’s car than anyone else in the series. The kid has more reason to be on the track in a Cup race than a few drivers who have recently tried and failed (i.e. Villeneuve), or stayed for that matter (i.e. Hornish). There’s no time like the present and Logano IS the present AND future of NASCAR and just the fact this kid is on tap to take over the 20 car takes away whatever "sting" remains at JGR due to Tony’s 2009 plans. Logano isn’t Hamlin and Hamlin isn’t Logano and Tony isn’t 20 years old anymore either. Time moves on and who couldn’t be happier that the forward momentum of greatness just keeps rolling along!
IS SMOKE BUILDING SUPER TEAM
Dennis says...
The announcement that Tony Stewart would indeed move to Haas CNC next season was made even more interesting by the rumor that Stewart-Haas would have a three car team next year. Normally this would not make sense to switch to three cars before your original two are running up front. But for a new team looking to make a splash by getting the best talent and big money sponsors this does make sense! If Stewart-Haas can get both Martin Truex Jr and Ryan Newman along with three big money sponsors they should take a shot at this opportunity. If they settle for less than top notch talent they are advised to learn from the Michael Waltrip Racing experience and start small. During the off season there could be as many as three teams currently inside the top thirty-five in owners’ points closing down. Stewart-Haas will probably buy their way into the Daytona 500 with all three of their teams! If this is done right Tony Stewart could end up building a team that is competition for Hendrick and Roush rather than playing second fiddle to the mega teams.
Lori says...
"Want to" helps but the biggest factor here I believe is Chevrolet and just how much the manufacturer will pour into $tewart Haas Racing. There is no way on earth this deal would have happened without some major assurances from Chevy and you can bet that since Chev wanted $tewart back on their side so badly, that there is some pretty heavy artillery on board that likely no one is even privy to. That being said, I can also imagine that Chev wont bite off their own nose to spite their face either so it will be interesting to see how "level" this new union is to an organization such as Hendrick Motor Sports.
Go big or go home; If you can’t run with the big dogs, stay on the porch…. All of these saying are so true when it comes to $tewart Haas. Tony is no dummy, so when he says winning the 2009 Daytona 500 is his new team’s goal… then I believe him 100%.
| | | Permalink | Comments (0) | | | | | |  The fans deserve a chance to see a race for the win! - Dennis Michelson
Sit down, strap in, and get ready to sound off as Doin’ Donuts radio show joins the blogosphere! Let Lori Munro and Dennis Michelson know your opinion on the topics below then tune in Monday night at 8pm ET on RaceTalkRadio.com for more "Doin’ Donuts."
GREEN-WHITE-CHECKERS IMPROVEMENTS
Dennis says...
NASCAR implanted the green-white-checker system to give racing fans a better chance to see a green flag finish. But this year the majority of the green-white-checkered finishes have ended on the white due to wrecks! NASCAR needs a better system for the green-white-checkered plan. First, bench all of the cars that are NOT on the lead lap! Thinning out the number of cars on the track will give the lead lap cars a better chance to race. NASCAR should also give those drivers more than one chance to get the finish in under green flag conditions. Let there be three tries to get the race in under the green flag! Fans are paying big money and television viewers invest up to four hours or more to feed their NASCAR fix every Sunday. That sort of loyalty deserves a green flag finish when possible!
Lori says...
Big no-no to bench the non-lead lap cars. Why you may ask? Because their sponsors AND fans deserve to see their car/driver on the track when the checkers fly. When you start eliminating individuals you also run the risk of eliminating sponsor dollars and no matter how you cut it, it’s a fact that money drives every facet of stock car racing. I think NASCAR has done its best by putting only the lead cars out front when a restart is 10 laps from the end so being that the Cup series is “the premiere level of the sport”, then its up to the drivers to perform at a premiere level. If they can’t handle the green–white–checkered finishes without continually wrecking, then maybe their teams/sponsors need to sit back and re-evaluate the talent level of their driver.
RACE BACK TO THE CHECKERS
Dennis says...
Another way NASCAR can give the fans more for their money is to allow racing back to the checkered flag. Since the safety crews are already woefully slow letting the drivers race back to the checkers as long as the wreck is after the start/finish line won’t hurt the safety response at all! Saturday night’s race was a great example of a wreck that shouldn’t have prematurely ended the race. Racing is a dangerous business. While I do not support the idea of racing back to the caution all race doing so at the end of the race makes sense. The fans deserve a chance to see a race for the win! Since drivers have spotters to let them know where the accident remains are on the track there is no reason if the accident is well past the start/finish line that the drivers can’t race back to the checkers on the last lap of the race.
Lori says...
NASCAR should be allowed to govern the sport as they see fit and that includes judging each lap of each race on an individual basis, taking into consideration every facet of what is unfolding in front of the fans. Jeff Gordon’s “tag” from Carl Edwards at Daytona did not elicit the wave of a yellow flag simply because Gordon was well cleared of the traffic and in no apparent danger. Had he been crosswise on the track with everyone capable of hitting him, then that’s a no-brainer and the yellow should be thrown. One rule simply can’t cover every situation and should be used as a starting guideline and then the incident judged on its own individuality.
SICK SMOKE
Dennis says...
How long will it take for the media and fans to suggest that Tony Stewart would have sucked it up if he wasn’t leaving Joe Gibbs Racing at the end of the year? The choice of JJ Yeley as a super sub was rather interesting. Couldn’t JGR have found a better driver to sub? Tony Stewart is a warrior and has driven hurt or sick on many occasions. For Smoke to get out of the car he must have been suffering a near death experience! JGR needs to have a better relief driver around than Yeley!
Lori says...
To Yeley’s credit, as a relief driver I think he did a half-decent job with his 20th place finish. Nobody can replace Stewart and from the best of my “insider info”, AJ Foyt was busy at Watkin’s Glen, although he would have required less padding than Yeley (or maybe the “Jaws of Life”) to insert him into the orange Camry. Without a doubt, Tony was pretty sick to even consider getting out of his car, but as for this being some kind of defiant act against Toyota or anything less than what it was, is ludicrous. But I’m sure the talk and rumors and innuendo will start if it hasn’t already.
REACTION OR OVERREACTION
Dennis says...
This week the NHRA made the announcement that their nitro classes will have their races reduced by 320 feet to allow for more run off distance and to slow the speeds. The change comes just a week after the sport lost driver Scott Kalitta. After NASCAR lost drivers Adam Petty and Kenny Irwin Jr very little was done. It is great to see a sanctioning body making a quick fix to enhance safety so fast after the accident. Perhaps NASCAR should learn from this example and react rather than study changes when they have an accident in the future.
Lori says...
Years ago, Indy & midget cars had their roll bar placed lower than the driver’s head. Kurtis Craft midgets and Watson roadsters gave way to safer engineering and now just sit in museums quietly telling tales of lost drivers and flamboyant crashes. Any time a sanctioning body makes an evasive or reactive move to improve safety, it can’t be a wrong move. Let’s put our dimes and quarters together and get Bill Simpson on the line and see if he agrees that NASCAR has the balls to put safety ahead of everything else.
ROWDIEST SEASON SINCE
Dennis says...
Kyle Busch made one of the greatest saves in Saturday night’s race and then rallied for the win in the closing laps. Whether it is a short track, speedway, road course, or restrictor plate track Kyle is the driver to beat each and every week. It is rather ironic that this is the greatest season in NASCAR history since Jeff Gordon’s 13 win championship season in 1998. Coming into the season Kyle Busch had a total of four wins in his three complete seasons. This year he already has six wins in Cup, four in the Nationwide Series, and two more in the Craftsman Trucks. Even more impressive this is coming in his first year at Joe Gibbs Racing after being let go by the best team in the sport! We might be seeing the most impressive NASCAR season in the modern era.
Lori says...
Don’t forget the implementation of the COT fulltime in ‘08 and Toyota’s maiden voyage with Joe Gibbs Racing paired with the youthful exuberance of Mr. Kyle Busch as well. He is having a phenomenal season and some of the sports icons are comparing him to past icons such as Tim Richmond. (Still waiting for my TR poster that was banned years ago…). We saw Kyle’s steering get out of whack on Saturday night and it took falling back a few spots to sort it out but for the love of God, he managed to make it all work to his advantage somehow.
It’s always been said that any of us will be successful when we find something we truly love to do, and make a career out of it. I for one am glad that Kyle Busch didn’t play with fire trucks or surfboards as a kid. Auto racing 2008 would have been far less of a thrill indeed.
BEST RACE OF THE WEEKEND
Dennis says...
Whenever the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series has the weekend off it opens up the “Best Race of the Weekend” contest. But the holiday weekend gave race fans an overdose of great racing! When the Formula One race is thoroughly entertaining you know it’s been a great weekend. The Indy Car Series race was definitely the worst and craziest race of the weekend featuring three wrecks DURING one caution. Restrictor Plate racing is always nerve wracking but isn’t always my favorite racing, but both Daytona events were fascinating to watch and exciting to the finish. But the Rolex race from Daytona on Thursday wins the award this week. The Daytona Prototypes are putting on a better show every year and this week’s race featured the best finish ever!
Lori says...
I’m with you here Dennis. When I got to hear Scott Pruett in victory lane say, “Hi to family at home”… my night was complete and I shut out the lights wearing my “I LOVE PRUETT” t-shirt to bed. Road racing has for so long been known as a more “gentlemanly” sport than stock car racing and some stock car snobs still think road racing is all hoity-toity and champagne and mink coats. Like so many forms of motorsports, road racing has changed and you’ll see just as much bumping and grinding as on the oval tracks in the southeast. Be they in shopping carts or a 2 wheeled Segway… it’s all about competition and the Rolex series has some of the best competitors that ever strapped in to take the green.
| | | Permalink | Comments (0) | | | | | |  Face it, Casey Mears is now in "audition" mode. -Lori Munro
Sit down, strap in, and get ready to sound off as Doin’ Donuts radio show joins the blogosphere! Let Lori Munro and Dennis Michelson know your opinion on the topics below then tune in Monday night at 8pm ET on RaceTalkRadio.com for more "Doin’ Donuts."
MORE MPG THAN MPH
Dennis says...
Is it just a coincidence or will we continue to see more fuel mileage races with the new car? While you will always have a few races whose outcome is more strategy and luck than fastest car, we seem to have more of these with the new car design. There is also nothing wrong with winning a race by outsmarting the competition. But if we do see more and more fuel mileage races driving skill will be less important and engineers will be more important. Isn’t it funny how the reaction of the fans depends on who is benefiting from the "Lucky Win?" Junior Nation felt that the racing Gods owed their guy one but Kurt Busch stole a win! But I suppose when Mother Nature gets involved the wins look cheaper.
Lori says...
I personally don’t think the COT has anything to do with the fuel mileage game and it’s far too soon to make such predictions. We are barely in the 2nd semester of "COT 101" but hey, it gives us all something to raise an eyebrow at. It frosts me that some fans cannot grasp the concept of teams working to get themselves into position to win. Mother Nature could have very well held off her deluge and the Smoke signals coming from inside the 20 car would have been far more cheery… but this weekend it just wasn’t meant to be.
PAYBACK ON TRACK OR OFF
Dennis says...
NASCAR set a dangerous precedent on Sunday when they penalized Juan Pablo Montoya for admitting on the television interview that he spun Kyle Busch on purpose. At the beginning of the year NASCAR said they would be more lenient with their drivers for their actions after an incident saying the sport needed to see more of the personalities on display. But now Juan Pablo gets busted two laps for being honest! Come on NASCAR…let the guys police their own sport! Paybacks are part of short track racing and despite being a mile long New Hampshire races like any old short track.
Lori says...
I have to come to NASCAR’s defense on this. Montoya DESERVED to be penalized, but not for wrecking Busch. He deserved a penalty for being dumb enough to admit it on national television. We all know that in racing, payback is inevitable and when it happens, its a "racin deal". Its up to the folks watching to make up their minds what the intention was. Had NASCAR not penalized Montoya, they would be held accountable for dropping the ball.
GO SPEED RACER
Dennis says...
Sunday afternoon at Cayuga Speedway ARCA racing fans witnessed an amazing feat. Scott Speed was turned by a lap down car and lost six laps when his car became bogged down in the wet turf in the infield. Instead of just riding around the last 230 laps of this ARCA event, Scott Speed battled hard and made up all but one of those laps the hard way…by racing his way past the leader! The final lap was gained via the Lucky Dog rule and Scott Speed ended up finishing seventh. It won’t be long until NASCAR Sprint Cup fans are cheering Scott Speed to victory!
Lori says...
And I’ll pick up where Dennis leaves off; Whatever Scott Speed wants to do with his life, be it racing or bicycling, downhill skiing or golf, he’ll do it HIS own special way. He is indeed a character that on one hand, stands out like a sore thumb amongst the collage of driver uniforms, yet still possesses what has made many a fine racer over the course of history; talent, drive and focus. If I were building a team, I wouldn’t want my driver to settle for anything but victory and in this past weekends Cayuga ARCA RE/MAX 250, Speed lived up to his name and raced his way back into contention.
WING VERSUS SPOILER
Dennis says...There is no doubt that the best racing in NASCAR is in the Craftsman Truck division. While the shorter races and the drivers are part of the reason that is the case, the racing trucks are also responsible. NASCAR officials even mentioned that they tried to mimic the drag and down force of the trucks for the Car of Tomorrow. Drivers and fans have complained quite a bit about the new car and that has left me wondering if NASCAR made one big mistake. Would the new car have raced better with a big spoiler instead of the wing? Maybe NASCAR can build a few COTs with a spoiler instead of a wing and put that theory to the test!
Lori says...
I get Dennis' theory, but believe NASCAR has their own theory in mind when it comes to the wing and being able to control every aspect of it. Its so rigid and everything about it right down to its installment is scrutinized to the max. Think about how rear spoilers are "leaned" on during pit stops by the catch can man adjusting the car’s panhard bar … just a slight tweak here… a bend there…. Try doing that with the wing…. Ain’t gonna move and NASCAR wins again. That being said, I also believe that the COT will continue to evolve and be reassessed by one of the most successful automotive sanctioning bodies in the world.
LAME DUCK RACING ASSOCIATION
Dennis says...
Each season team owners are making their decisions earlier and earlier on the fate of their drivers for next season. While the mega millions being spent by sponsors is driving this trend, the owners are turning more and more drivers into lame ducks earlier and earlier in the season. Perhaps they are just trying to make sure the free agent drivers know they have a seat open. While sending Casey Mears packing is a good move at Hendrick Motorsports, making him a lame duck this early can’t be good for team morale! Maybe the better move would have been never to hire him in the first place.
Lori says...
Team morale MAY be affected, but I like to look at the glass being half full in a situation like this. There are a lot of people on a team that depend on the best possible result you can get every weekend. With the announcement of Mears leaving HMS at the end of this year, I would hope that it would be some sort of sign to everyone that you should never be complacent in your position. In the best interest of everyone, Mears included, now is NOT the time to simply fall apart altogether and we’ve actually seen in the past where performances "magically" pick up in situations such as this. Face it, Mears is now in "audition" mode and I predict that car and team will get a win before the year is out. | | | Permalink | Comments (0) | | | | | |  Every once in a while one of those DREAM SEASONS occurs in NASCAR. Jeff Gordon won 13 races in 1998 and took the title by over 350 points! Dale Earnhardt won the title by over 400 pts in 1987 as well as 11 races. The KING Richard Petty won 21 times in 1971!
Are we seeing the signature season of the 2000s by Kyle Busch this year?
Rowdy showed that he is just as fast turning right and left and lengthens his lead in the RaceTalkRadio NASCAR Top 20 after a 2-week slump. Second through fifth place remain unchanged with Dale Jr., Carl Edwards, Jeff Burton, and Jimmie Johnson in those positions.
New to the NASCAR Top 20 this week is David Gilliland…fresh off a career-best 2nd place finish at Sonoma! AJ Allmendinger struggled with equipment woes and slips off the Top 20 after a one-week stay.
Our biggest Dream Factory Inc Rising Star this week was Jeff Gordon up 3 spots to 7th with Denny Hamlin the suffering the biggest drop ... down 2 slots to 9th.
Rank Driver
1 Ky Busch (25)
2 D Earnhardt Jr (1)
3 C Edwards (4)
4 J Burton (3)
5 J Johnson
6 T Stewart (2)
7 J Gordon (1)
8 G Biffle (1)
9 D Hamlin
10 K Kahne
11 K Harvick
12 M Kenseth
13 C Bowyer
14 R Newman
15 B Vickers
16 D Ragan
17 M Truex Jr
18 JP Montoya
19 D Gilliland
20 Ku Busch
The NASCAR Cup circuit moves east to the newly named New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Can anyone cut into Kyle Busch’s lead? Can Kurt Busch hold on in his battle to stay in the top 20?
Check out the RaceTalkRadio NASCAR Top 20 next week to find out!
| | | Permalink | Comments (0) | | | | | |  If 43 of my favorite drivers were given ice-cream trucks to drive through the suburbs of Boise, Idaho, I would watch. - Lori Munro
Sit down, strap in, and get ready to sound off as Doin’ Donuts radio show joins the blogosphere! Let Lori Munro and Dennis Michelson know your opinion on the topics below then tune in Monday night at 8pm ET on RaceTalkRadio.com for more "Doin’ Donuts."
CONCENTRATING ON THE CUP
Dennis says...
"If he had raced in only the Cup races Kyle Busch would be undefeated by now! See what happens when Kyle Busch doesn’t fly from city to city racing in Nationwide and Craftsman Truck races?" It sure didn’t take long for that nonsense to start! I wanted to jump through the television screen when TNT announcers brought up the fact that Kyle is about to win on the first week he is concentrating only on the Cup series. Doesn’t anyone believe in something called "coincidence?" Kyle Busch didn’t win on Sunday because he didn’t race on Friday and Saturday. He won on Sunday because his team used the best strategy and he drove a great race!
Lori says...
I have to admit, I am now a believer of what the TNT announcers stated and what a lot of fans and Kyle Busch haters have come to assume. Busch’s head definitely wasn’t "in" the Cup series until this weekend when he won his first road course race. The TNT announcers are paid professionals and certainly have more knowledge of not only the sport, but of human dynamics than I do. Next on their chopping block has to be Kevin Harvick. He’s not had his head fully in the Cup series either and has paid the price by not winning every week. His mental time is divided by both his Craftsman Truck Series and Nationwide teams, as well as his duties helping his wife run KHI and not to mention, his own ride with Richard Childress Racing. Carl Edwards was just one of the few Cup regulars to run double duty this weekend and I’m quite certain that if he only focused on the Cup series, he would have won the Nationwide race in Milwaukee by a much wider margin of victory, such as lapping the entire field 2 or 3 times. Clint Bowyer ran the Nationwide race as well and I’m very certain that if he wasn’t so focused on getting back and forth from Infineon to Milwaukee, he wouldn’t have wrecked when Edwards hit his car for the win Saturday night. Yup… the TNT boys got it right. Kyle’s focus is back where it should be.
ROAD COURSES IN NASCAR
Dennis says...
Yes I think we need road races in NASCAR. Maybe these do not give us the best race product for television but road races give the sport a change of pace. It is fun seeing if the road course ringers can compete with the best stockcar drivers in the world! The races are turning into fuel mileage strategy races on the ovals anyway so why not have a road course race too! Please do not put a road race in the Chase for the Championship and two road races each year are plenty too. But the best drivers in the world need to be challenged on some of the trickiest tracks in the world.
Lori says...
If 43 of my favorite drivers were given ice-cream trucks to drive through the suburbs of Boise, Idaho, I would watch. A race is a race is a race. Here’s a tip for folks who jump on the bandwagon to dislike anything they don’t agree with: Pretend for instance, that the race weekends at both Infineon and Watkins Glen are actually non-race weekends. It’s a day off for everyone. No racing. Period. There are things you can do to fill your dismal existence: Go to church. Clean the sink. Talk to your bitchy neighbor and sweep his/her driveway as a gesture of your undying goodwill and brotherly love. Change the kitty litter box (use Heathcliff’s because scooping more turds puts T.J. Bell in the seat for another race). OK, got the visual of meaningless tasks? Now pretend that you’d do anything to see 43 cars race. Watch a road course race and compare it to how your day WAS going.
CALIFORNIA AND NASCAR
Dennis says...
Southern California could care less about NASCAR but Northern California loves their NASCAR. Each and every year we see this split personality from the great state of California. Could it be that the track in Southern California is lousy? Could it be that the track in Southern California doesn’t know how to market to their fan base? Each season Infineon Raceway packs the fans into their facility. Each season California Speedway can’t draw a decent Nationwide-sized crowd for their Sprint Cup date! Maybe this should be a wake up call to change management at California Speedway since California seems to be NASCAR country!
Lori says...
Isn’t there data somewhere that says that the entire population of the world could fit into California? Yes, I thought so. Basically, if that is the case, there are more good race fans in California per capita than the entire world combined. There are also more surfers, silicone implants, dyed pink poodles, 1975 Cadillac Fleetwood’s and Jesse James bike-builder wannabes but THAT DON’T MAKE IT RIGHT MAMA! For the love of God, please let there be an earthquake* before the next race at California Speedway to send that track straight to blazes and Satan can have the front row seat he deserves and in temperatures that can only accommodate himself, George Hamilton’s tan and Carrot Top’s career.
*Disclaimer – only after all the small children and pets are safely evacuated
WOOD BROS. CAN STILL RACE
Dennis says...
It was great seeing the No. 21 of the Wood Brothers running up front on Sunday afternoon! The only battle we have seen involving the Wood Brothers lately comes on Friday afternoon during qualifying. Each week unless the No. 21 has the past champion's provisional to fall back on they have been struggling to even qualify for the race. But Sunday Marcos Ambrose in his first Cup race ever was able to run up front with the best stockcar racers on the planet! Yes he is a road course expert but he has looked pretty racey on ovals in the Nationwide Series too. The Wood Brothers should put Ambrose in that car for the rest of the season!
Lori says...
Ambrose doesn’t have a kookaburra in this game. What The Wood Brothers need (note: there is no "s" in Wood Brothers unless it’s Henry and Ferdinand Woods of the tight-rope walking family of Woods) is another National Enquirer or maybe Penthouse type of investor such as Petty Enterprises recently acquired, in order to provide a partner with copious funding and a pouch on their kangaroo big enough that could hold the combined fortunes of Donald Trump, his ex-wives and their new partners. Then and ONLY then, you should:
Stir in 1 Tasmanian Devil (i.e. Marcos Ambrose)
12 Little Debbie snack cakes (to taste)
4 sticker tires
36 past champion provisionals
9 months of good luck
Even with the perfect recipe, I truly believe that the Wood Bros. best years are in their rear view mirror.
SILLY SEASON SHUFFLE
Dennis says...
The first two dominoes in this year’s Silly Season have signed with their existing teams! But the biggest domino is Tony Stewart and the more time that goes by the more it looks like he will be in a Chevy next season. The rumor that Casey Mears was losing his ride at Hendrick Motorsports at the end of the year adds just one more crazy twist to this whole Chevy deal. Could Stewart end up at Hendrick next season with part ownership in Haas CNC…one of the satellite teams of Hendrick Motorsports? Rick Hendrick could have a dream team with three former champions and the sport’s most popular driver all in his stable! Ryan Newman and other dominoes are waiting for Tony Stewart to choose his team for 2009.
Lori says...
Rick Hendrick couldn’t deal with Kyle Busch’s "attitude" or he desire to actually race cars on days that aren’t on the Cup schedule. Tony Stewart’s antics over the past few years makes young Busch look like Howdy Doody. I can’t imagine Rick Hendrick agreeing to Tony hopping in the odd midget car or dirt late model, racing in the Chili Bowl or even climbing a fence to celebrate victory. I don’t get a warm and fuzzy vibe thinking of a Hendrick/Stewart driving relationship. A word of advice to Rick Hendrick however, let Mears know on a regular basis that his ride could have someone else in it. It seems to enhance his performance on the track. | | | Permalink | Comments (0) | | | | | |  Kyle Busch’s thirteenth place finish must have worried a few of the poll voters in the RaceTalkRadio.com NASCAR Top 20. Four poll voters changed their votes this week and Kyle’s lead slipped a bit after the Life Lock 400 at Michigan International Speedway.
The fan’s favorite driver Dale Earnhardt Jr broke a seventy-six race winless streak and remains in second place in our NASCAR Top 20 this week. The numerologists love the fact that his Daddy won 76 times and Junior broke a seventy-six-race drought on Father’s Day. There was also an unpublished report that Junior drank three Amp Energy Drinks during the race to add to the peculiar number coincidences!
Carl Edwards and Jeff Burton held on to their third and fourth place spots in this week’s poll with Jimmie Johnson cracking the top five for the first time since race eight of the season at Phoenix. Tony Stewart held on to his sixth place spot in the NASCAR Top 20 with Denny Hamlin sliding the most spots this week to seventh. Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne, and Jeff Gordon round out the top ten.
Eight different drivers grabbed first place votes and our thirty-seven poll voters that include some of the best and brightest from the NASCAR beat named twenty-eight different drivers on ballots this week! That two-headed driving monster named Aric Martin, or is it Mark Almirola, slipped off the RaceTalkRadio.com NASCAR Top 20 this week. Grabbing that 20th and final spot is AJ Allmendinger. Since returning to the seat of his No. 84 Red Bull Toyota, the Dinger has posted three top 20 finishes!
The NASCAR Circus heads west to the long and winding road course of Infineon Raceway this weekend for race number sixteen. Will a road course ringer finally get a win in Sprint Cup action? Will Kyle Busch hold on to the top spot in the RaceTalkRadio.com NASCAR Top 20 for the eight straight week? Check out the NASCAR Top 20 update next Wednesday to find out!
| | | Permalink | Comments (0) | | | | | |  "The stars were aligned and NASCAR’s biggest one proved why he still is." - Lori Munro
Sit down, strap in, and get ready to sound off as Doin’ Donuts radio show joins the blogosphere! Let Lori Munro and Dennis Michelson know your opinion on the topics below then tune in Monday night at 8pm ET on RaceTalkRadio.com for more “Doin’ Donuts.”
GAS MILEAGE RACES
Dennis says...
A win is a win no matter how you win the race! Sometimes fuel mileage races add enough drama to make it exciting. Lost in this win for Dale Earnhardt Jr is the fact that once again the No. 88 was fading at the end of the race. Tony Eury Jr deserves all the praise for taking the gamble to get the win on fuel mileage but they need to figure out why they are not keeping up with the changes on the track as well as the competition. This race at Michigan gave us an entertaining gas mileage race.
Lori says...
I have to agree completely with Dennis and add that in order to win any race, you have to put yourself into position to do so. You have to have a certain level of luck included as well to be able to avoid spinning ex-open wheel drivers and the odd bolt of lightning that can strike without warning. The combination of crew chief and driver is imperative and the fact that the car did run out of fuel within feet of crossing the start-finish line is nothing short of impressive. Face it non-believers… the stars were aligned and NASCAR’s biggest one proved why he still is. I wonder if Danica feels vindicated now as well with her fuel mileage win in Japan when the shroud of black-cloaked finger pointers tried to kill her victory too?
INCONSISTENT CALLS
Dennis says...
NASCAR threw a caution quickly after a spin in the Cup race but held off throwing the caution in the Craftsman Truck race. This kind of inconsistency opens NASCAR up to criticism by the fans. NASCAR will bust a guy’s chops if he is one mph over the limit (plus the allowable 5mph) but will let a guy pass the pace car. When the calls are inconsistent it leads to fans and media members questioning the integrity of the sport! The only thing separating any sport from professional wrestling is consistent calls that are not scripted! If you are going to have a rule such as not passing the pace car then you better enforce the rule.
Lori says...
Sure Junior passed the pace car… more than once…. I think this is a situation where NASCAR is once again damned if they do/don’t. Earnhardt Jr WAS warned by NASCAR so for all intents and purposes they were doing their job policing the 88 car and its actions on the track. So many different things factor in to any given call in any race that its easy to sit back and blame NASCAR for giving preferential treatment to certain drivers, and chastising others. I believe this is too much of an “eye of the beholder” deal where fans and critics are concerned. Come on folks… its entertainment and 9 times out of 10 NASCAR makes the right call.
JUNIOR WIN STEALS HEADLINES
Dennis says...Conspiracy theorists will love the fact that Junior’s win along with Logano’s first win took the NASCAR discrimination lawsuit out of the headlines today! The fact that Junior’s win came with a no-call on passing the pace car adds more juice to the conspiracy theorists. Today Brian France is wearing his Dale Earnhardt Jr gear to celebrate! No I am not suggesting that NASCAR rigged the race but they couldn’t be happier right now either!
Lori says...Then what are you suggesting?
PETTY ENTERPRISES AND BOSTON VENTURES
Dennis says...
While we have seen some of the bigger teams such as Roush Racing and Evernham Motorsports find an investor, this is one of the first back markers finding big money. It is a bit strange that an organization that refused to run a beer decal all these years has partnered with a group whose holdings include the National Enquirer. The new leader at Petty Enterprises used to run the Playboy Company. Times change but this is a bizarre marriage of necessity. But other teams such as the Woods Brothers would be smart to follow the lead of the Petty family.
Lori says...
The writing is on the wall; you need a partner in this business that has a bunch of those trees with dollar bills hanging off of them, and kudos to Petty Enterprises for swallowing hard and doing the only thing they really could do. I too was surprised at the background of Boston Ventures especially with the strong “clean” ethic the Petty family is known for. Times, they are a-changin’ and its about time that Petty Enterprises swapped out their abacus for a modern-day calculator!
KYLE BUSCH SLOWING DOWN
Dennis says...After crashing out of the race at Kentucky Speedway in the Nationwide Series Kyle Busch indicated that he would not be racing at the Milwaukee Mile this weekend. While I enjoy watching Kyle Busch trying to make history by finishing in the top five in all three major NASCAR touring series, it is a good idea to slow things down a bit. Kyle leads in the series that is most important and should concentrate on the Sprint Cup Championship. If he was in contention for the Nationwide title it might be worth the gamble. But Kyle is making the right decision for himself and shutting up the critics at the same time!
Lori says...
Once again, agreed and I will add that even with Kyle simply reacting with a logical decision, there will be people saying that he’s “caved in to the pressure” or that Joe Gibbs finally “reined in their stallion”…. You know… all those ridiculous thoughts that the world’s know-it-alls and buffoons will now strut around and say they came up with first.
LOGANO TO CUP
Dennis says...
You knew it was coming as soon as Joey Logano won his first race in the Nationwide Series this weekend at Kentucky Speedway. When will he move up to Cup? Hopefully Joe Gibbs Racing is smart enough NOT to hurry this exciting youngster to the Cup level too fast. One win does not mean you are ready to battle the best in the business full time! Let Joey Logano learn these tracks and get used to the longer races and live pit stops. A full season in 2009 in the Nationwide Series is important for his development. The young man is only 18 years old and there is no need to rush him to Cup even if Tony Stewart leaves JGR.
Lori says...
Finally a topic that doesn’t include Dale Jr and some Impala-be-decaled pace car. Joe Gibbs racing will put this kid in a Cup car before the year is out and I say more power to them, and Logano. This isn’t 1975 anymore where a driver’s career starts at 30 years of age and runs until he’s 50. Logano on his worst day can outdrive some of the guys in the Cup series who are only in it because they have an open wheel background. Those guys in my opinion are the ones who were “rushed” into the Cup series for no good reason. Logano’s talent far exceeds the standards that we have become accustomed to and fast-forwarding his career a bit at a time will only show the world what he’s made of, and allow his team to better assess how they approach the acceleration of his NASCAR career.
| | | Permalink | Comments (0) | | | | | |  Pocono employed the village idiots as fire crew for the weekend!" - Dennis Michelson
Sit down, strap in, and get ready to sound off as Doin’ Donuts radio show joins the blogosphere! Let Lori Munro and Dennis Michelson know your opinion on the topics below then tune in Monday night at 8pm ET on RaceTalkRadio.com for more “Doin’ Donuts.”
POCONO'S ENDLESS RACE
Dennis says...
NASCAR used to race 500 miles at Dover and came to their senses that those races were too long! After that poor excuse for a race we saw at Pocono that was never ending it is time to shorten those races also. Do we really need two races at Pocono? Just like the road courses I have no desire to see two races every year at Pocono either! TNT’s coverage was the worst I have seen in ages too. The director picked shots that made no sense and Bill Webber once again proved why he is the worst play-by-play announcer in the world! Thank goodness we only have to see six races of that train wreck masquerading as racing coverage. The best part of the broadcast was when the announcer’s microphones were not working!
Lori says...
Canadian race fans have it made, I’m totally convinced. The race coverage from Pocono was joined “in progress” at 3pm eastern due to the F1 race apparently being more important to Canada’s “TSN” network that carries NASCAR coverage when TNT takes over the reins from FOX. Maybe that’s the ticket; just tune in for the last 200 miles after actually having a life on Sunday when the Cup cars head to Pocono. Only 200 miles of Bill Weber...such a deal!
TRIPLE-CITY TRIPLE CROWN: GOOD, BAD OR...
Dennis says...
It was inevitable when Kyle Busch crashed on Sunday that everyone would criticize his three-city three-race excursion this week. How many drivers in any of the three series are out partying the night before the race? At least Joe Gibbs Racing knew what their superstar was doing. While this sort of a stunt could take away from his title chase if done later in the season, this was a cool thing to try at this time of the season. In no way, shape, or form did his three-city racing adventure affect his Cup race on Sunday!
Lori says...
Kyle Busch is a guy who will eternally be damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t. A perfect example is the hypocrisy shown during TNT’s pre-race show when Bobby Allison’s interview with Larry McReynolds was highlighted. The live conversation which followed between Bill Weber and Kyle Petty had them first state that Kyle’s triple header weekend was “no big deal” because guys like Allison did stuff like that all the time; and with no helicopters or small private jets. Then for the next 2 hours at least, all we heard was how amazing it was that Kyle Busch was competing in 3 different events in 3 days in 3 different states. It’s no wonder I’m ready to stab my eardrums with a blunt stick. Racers race. Kyle is a racer….. he races. Anywhere. Anytime. Its working and I can’t find argument in that fact.
SAFETY FIRST
Dennis says...
It was great to see that Pocono found a way to employ the village idiots as fire crew for the weekend! NASCAR was quick to spin the lack of response by those morons in fire suits saying that they were not responsible for putting fires out on cars. Those guys were in charge of protecting the drivers. How did that work out? NASCAR needs to hire a full time safety crew before someone gets burned to a crisp. Yes at tracks as big as Pocono they will still need volunteers but at least drivers will know there are professional workers at several stations around every track. That performance over the weekend was pathetic!
Lori says...
I really miss watching the Andy Griffith Show...Mayberry RFD... How pleasant it was to be reminded that there are still people out there who have equipment and don’t know how to use it, all for our television entertainment. What would happen if Montoya actually had some sort of medical issue whereby he couldn’t evacuate his car under his own power? Would Otis Campbell be released from his bland Mayberry jail cell so he could waddle over and help a buddy out? Give me a break! For the love of GOD NASCAR, step up to the level of most other forms of motorsports and put together a traveling band of safety and medical experts!!!
Changes to the CO2
Dennis says...
Does the car need some changes to give us better racing or does Goodyear just have to find the right tires? The more racing we see on hot, slick tracks the more I am concerned about the design of the car. We are hearing the phrase “Aero-Tight” more and more. NASCAR put the Crew Chiefs in a very tight box with the new car and maybe they need to allow a few more creative changes to get better racing. Also it appears that the drivers need some relief from the heat inside these cars more than ever with the protective foam also holding in the heat. We knew this new car would be a work in progress. The night races have given us the best racing and that is not a good sign as the dog days of summer arrive.
Lori says...
The modern day stock car driver has it made. Stuff Denny Hamlin’s now-slimmer-butt in David Pearson’s 21 car and transport him 35 years back in time and THEN tell me that the CO2 is hot. Don’t forget, Denny doesn’t get to wear his helmet with its ice-cube maker. I didn’t hear Kasey Kahne complain too much during his post-race interview from the NASCAR media center broadcast LIVE on Couch Potato Corner on RaceTalkRadio.com, but he did commend his crew chief and team for their work on insulating the floor and seating area that surrounds him to protect him from the heat. Sure, the CO2 is a work in progress and those who are innovative will be the ones leading the charge. I wonder if Goodyear is going to come out with a new tire called “The Crab Claw” because I’m not convinced that the tire OR the tracks are to be blamed when you see many of the cars driving sideways down a straightaway. Beadlocks perhaps could be implemented?
JIM McKAY AND NASCAR
Dennis says...
Over the weekend one of the best sports announcers of all time passed away. My generation grew up watching “Wide World of Sports.” For us Yankees this was our first look at stockcar racing and I wonder if the sport would have taken off as quick as it did without the great ABC coverage in those early days. It is hard to believe how many changes have occurred in the way sports have been covered since the days of “Wide World of Sports.” Jim McKay didn’t rely on any stupid clichés like so many sports reporters do today. He made every sport from cliff diving to NASCAR seem exciting and made sure we fell in love with the characters involved in these sports too. Maybe today’s announcers can learn from Jim McKay. He never tried to be the story; he let the athletes be the story!
Lori says...
With all due respect to the late Mr. McKay, modern day television commentary ain’t what it used to be. Pocono is a prime example of a race that is sooo long that in order to have something intelligent to say, the on-air-talent may just as well recite several chapters of "War And Peace." Granted, there’s lots going on to talk about on the track and in the garage area, but there’s a lot of competition on television so the shtick and puppetry used so far this year on the FOX broadcasts must appeal to a certain percentage of the viewership. I do have to hand it to TNT though, they don’t have stuffed toys to promote a fictitious rodent, there’s no “kid because we care”, and God love him, no DW with his boogity mantra. You can’t make 100% of your audience happy so in turn we have to pay attention to what we do like, and just ignore Bill Weber.
| | | Permalink | Comments (1) | | | | | |  "I don't think the Kyle hatred will end any time soon." - Dennis Michelsen
Sit down, strap in, and get ready to sound off as Doin’ Donuts radio show joins the blogosphere! Let Lori Munro and Dennis Michelson know your opinion on the topics below then tune in Monday night at 8pm ET on RaceTalkRadio.com for more “Doin’ Donuts.”
THE DRIVER FANS LOVE TO HATE
Dennis says...
During the post race interview with Kyle Busch at Dover you could hear how angry his win made a huge proportion of the fans. Any time he spoke or his face appeared on the big screen the fans booed loudly! When he got out of the car to do his victory bow, the fans were livid! Unlike many of the hated drivers that later became loved, I don't think the Kyle hatred will end any time soon. Sure more fans will jump on the bandwagon because a certain portion of the fan base flocks to a winner, but the hatred for this guy will continue for a long time because he loves to fuel the fire! Love him or hate him fans but this guy is the most exciting and best driver in NASCAR right now!
Lori says...
I have a prediction to make. All the drivers we came to “love” in the history of the sport started off the same way as Kyle has; being booed mercilessly and seemingly without one cheer. Over time, the boos begin to equalize with the cheers and dang-blast-it, when Kyle took his bow when he won the Best Buy 400 benefiting Student Clubs for Autism Speaks, I could actually hear some cheering. Give it a few years and a few Cup Championships under his belt and perhaps a sprinkling of new fans here and there, and you have stock car racings newest hero ranking right up there with some of the biggest names we all GREW to love.
HOW GOOD IS LOGANO?
Dennis says...
Sometimes when there is so much hype about an athlete there is good reason...sometimes he is THAT good! Sixth place in his debut at Dover in the Nationwide Series might not sound all that great. But when you see how he accomplished that sixth place finish it grabs your attention. Look at the good cars and Cup level drivers that he passed to get back up to sixth place. Joey Logano will have his share of crashes in his rookie year but this kid is the real deal! Can you imagine in a few years when Joe Gibbs Racing has Logano and Rowdy racing on the same team in Cup?
Lori says...
In Logano’s short 18 years, he has won a lot of races and multiple championships. I’m stunned at those who question this kid’s ability and his comments made after his 6th place finish in last weekends Nationwide series race at Dover. The disappointment on his face was obvious and his words drove the point home … Logano expected better of himself. People have called it “youthful arrogance” and that he needs to pay his dues before he starts making grandiose statements like he should have done better in his series debut racing against the “claim-whackers”. Fact is, Logano knows how to win and that is what separates arrogance from reality. He’s sliced bread alright, complete with real butter and the purest jam that grandma ever made.
GO SPEED RACER!
Dennis says...
When I saw this guy practice and race in person for the first time at Rockingham Speedway I knew Scott Speed was going to be much better than the rest of the transplanted open wheelers. Unlike the others that can't handle a loose race car, Scott Speed seems to love it! Winning in just his sixth start in the Craftsman Truck series at Dover was a wonderful surprise! Scott Speed might act and speak different than most NASCAR drivers but he can flat out wheel these cars and trucks around these tracks better than most of them. Next season I hope Red Bull moves him up to the Nationwide Series for the full season. Go Speed Racer!
Lori says...
Scott Speed sure made me look like a genius and he’s even impressed the star-spangled socks off of me! To say the Craftsman Truck Series is tough and gritty is an understatement. What does a guy who came from a series with cars as light and nimble as paper airplanes need to be doing out there banging pick up truck fenders? He proved his point Friday in the AAA Insurance 200 at Dover. He is patient enough to get to the end of a race, aggressive enough to get to the front of the pack and smooth enough to do it in style. Best part of the weekend was the French pedicure he had before the race, in team Red Bull colors to boot. He wanted the other rough and tumble truck drivers to know that a guy who had a pedicure finished ahead of them in first. Drivers who have come from other types of auto racing don’t typically just jump into a heavy, fendered stock car and win, whereas Speed has now won in both ARCA and the Truck series just a few short months into the season.
MONSTER MANIA
Dennis says...
Dover International Speedway has almost turned this whole monster theme into its own amusement park! Forty-six feet worth of statue greets race fans and this monstrosity even has a full-sized stockcar in its hand! They should have the MONSTER RIDE next and maybe the MONSTER MASH BURGER at the concession stands too. But Miles the Monster? Couldn't they have come up with a more threatening name? He is one ugly and scary dude and deserves a name that will send shivers down the spines of race fans and drivers alike!
Lori says...
Very true Dennis, very true. They could have made Miles in Kyle Busch’s likeness thereby driving home the “monster” persona even more. People could boo at Miles for no reason, throw full beer cans at him and mock his lineage. “Dang you, Portland Cement britches”…. “Boooooo… go back to where you came from, granite breath!!” Yup, works for me. In all seriousness, I think creating a 4 story statue named after the nickname the track has anyway, is quite quaint. A helluva lot better than “The Beast of the South East” as Charlotte is now being referred to. Seems the monster theme is a winner with track promoters. The could have named Miles “Hillary” if that works for you Dennis.
SILLY SEASON SHUFFLE
Dennis says...
This is the time of the year that the drivers on the bubble of losing their ride hate the most! Flip on the television or radio coverage or check out JAYSKI and you will see more rumors this time of the year than anywhere outside of the Washington Beltway! The only thing that amazes me more is that so many of these drivers that get let go find a ride so easy again. Two or three years later those same owners are shocked that Driver X performed as bad with their team as he did in the previous team and send him packing again...only to be picked up by another team! Jamie McMurray is the latest driver that will join this Silly Season Shuffle every few years but he will never have a ride as good as his current one.
Lori says...
McMurray had his “Dale Jr moment”, and blew it. Meaning… McMurray’s ride at CGwFS Racing was inarguably lacking (and we still see it now with the performances and crew chief realignments at Ganassi), so McMurray really had to prove his worth when he packed his bags and went to the much stronger Roush Fenway. Dale Jr was/is in the same situation; he left DEI hoping for quick success at Hendrick Motorsports. If you want to win, you go to the top teams, right? Junior is doing well, however McMurray has had a couple of very bad seasons. I’m not totally ready to throw McMurray under the bus yet as I still think that with the right people around him, he’s still got something left to prove but it ain’t happening at Roush Fenway. I do have one question however; why does Jeremy Mayfield keep returning like the hitch-hiker in a Hitchcock movie? Has the driver pool completely dried up or does NOBODY want to strap into a Ganassi car unless the only thing they have scheduled on any given Sunday is a Lawn-Boy with their name on it?
| | | Permalink | Comments (0) | | | | | |  "This weekend is certainly one that will create a Preparation H sellout at Wal-Mart Tuesday morning." - Lori Munro
Sit down, strap in, and get ready to sound off as Doin’ Donuts radio show joins the blogosphere! Let Lori Munro and Dennis Michelson know your opinion on the topics below then tune in Monday night at 8pm ET on RaceTalkRadio.com for more “Doin’ Donuts.”
MOTHER OF ALL RACE WEEKENDS
Dennis says…
So which race was the best from the long holiday weekend? Formula One on a wet track in Monte Carlo was certainly interesting. The Indianapolis 500 sure lived up to the billing. The World 600 was nutty! The Craftsman Truck race in Mansfield was awesome too! But this week I give the nod to the Nationwide Series as the best race of the weekend. Whenever you have a fight on pit lane after the race is over you can rest assured there was enough excitement to go around!
Lori says…
This weekend is certainly one that will create a Preparation H sellout at Wal-Mart Tuesday morning. Race fans from all around the world had a weekend of unrivaled entertainment. Without hesitation I must say that my vote for best race of the weekend is tied between the Truck series race at Mansfield, vs. Saturday night’s blockbuster at Lowes in the Nationwide race. It wasn’t JUST the “after show” of Hamlin vs. Keselowski vs. Junior that thrilled me, it was just a great race put on by the Nationwide series. Donny Lia’s hard charging last lap at Mansfield to earn his first Truck series victory, well… that’s something that you just don’t see every day in any series. Special mention however, must be given to Danica Patrick and her pit road stomp towards Ryan Briscoe’s stall which has forever been documented in photography and should be remembered as her “Nick Nolte” moment. Cheers and applause from LAM! I would love to see a match fight right about now with the highly agitated Denny Hamlin vs. Danica and her Indianapolis “death glare”!
STILL CALL IT THE 'BUSCH' SERIES
Dennis says…
Is it any wonder this kid Kyle Busch is loved by so many of the old-school racers? While I have not been a fan of so many Cup guys invading the Nationwide Series if this is the result we get then give me more of this! Kyle posted his fourth win of the year in the series and his 11th in NASCAR’s top series! The fans might hate the kid but the old-timer racers love him. Why did this sport’s fans that used to love the rebels suddenly turn so politically correct? Come on folks this is stockcar racing! Letting the rough side drag is what this sport used to be all about and no one does that with more panache than Kyle Busch!
Lori says…
Panache indeed, and with a side order of balls to go please… I’ll just drive up to the window and pick up my order there while I wear my RowdyBusch.com tee shirt so that the kids making the milkshakes in the backroom don’t catch a glimpse of which way the rope swings for me in regards to the next Cup champion. Fans have always been this way, there’s just more of them and there are more ways for them to voice their opinions; internet forums, personal blogs, call-in radio and RaceTalkRadio.com
MORE PASSING VS. TRACK POSITION
Dennis says…
While the World 600 was entertaining can you imagine if a slight tweak or tug here or there on the new car design could give us even better racing? I still think it is all about the tires! How can Goodyear be expected to come up with a tire for all three racing vehicles without some compromises that will lead to less racing with one of the cars. Ironically NASCAR is allowing their number one series to pay the price! While the chess match that NASCAR races has become is interesting it would be even better to have cars capable of more side-by-side racing. Along with enhanced safety, isn’t that what this car was supposed to give us?
Lori says…
Will you PLEASE just leap ahead to 2008 and call it the Coke 600? Those fans who throw beer at dear, sweet, Rowdy Busch don’t have a clue what the World 600 even WAS (note, I didn’t say “is”)… So ya think it’s the Magic Rings that have screwed us out of better racing huh? Plug in one of your Back in the Day videos in your Beta machine and tell me what you see. At any time did 1 or 2 cars lap the entire strung out field even once? I thought so……..
HUMPY HALL OF FAME
Dennis says…
There will never be another Humpy Wheeler! This man has helped change the sport more than anyone who hasn’t strapped into a car or turned a wrench. We owe night racing on speedways to Wheeler. The All Star race that everyone seems to want to move from Lowes Motor Speedway wouldn’t exist without Humpy’s hard work. Legions of young racers and hobby racers enjoy 600 Racing cars too. I have a hunch that down the road we will find out that the reason he left SMI so abruptly is tied into Bruton Smith’s master plans for shifting a race to Kentucky Speedway. Since there are few people in the sport with more respect for the history of NASCAR and respect for the sport’s roots, that might translate to Atlanta losing a race soon.
Lori says…
Humpy is indeed the consummate showman. IS… the consummate showman as I believe that Mr. Wheeler’s biggest chapter in his book has yet to be written. Granted, it’s already been said by the man himself that part of the reason for his resignation was not his choice. However, I believe that the real reason for him stepping down involves a 60’ ramp, 30 tons of pyrotechnics, 3 elderly Cavalry riders, a case of Snickers bar and a Gibson Mastertone banjo. And what will happen with this cornucopia of eye-popping madness? Another track… another series and another time. Not that I like to speculate or anything…
KENTUCKY KRAZINESS
Dennis says…
It’s hard to believe we will see a race at Kentucky Speedway in 2009 if you listen to NASCAR. Just a few weeks ago they testified that this market is over saturated. Any change in that stance now will make them look a little foolish. Plus nothing can happen as far as a Cup date until major changes are made at the track. Bruton Smith can’t make those changes until the sale is finalized. But whenever Bruton has wanted something he has usually gotten his way pretty fast. This is the man that would have moved Lowes Motor Speedway if permission wasn’t granted for his drag strip. Bruton Smith would not shell out $78 million unless he had a concrete plan in place to get Cup racing at Kentucky Speedway in a big hurry. This story will end up with more twists and turns than it appears to have right now!
Lori says…
Bruton learned how to throw tantrums the good old-fashioned way; by watching Danica Patrick. Ok, I’m still gloating over her little feet quickening as she stormed down pit road on foot with that look in her eye. Back to Bruton; “I’ll huff and puff and blow your town down”, said the portly Mr. Smith whilst being ill treated by the good folks in Cabarrus County when he wanted to plant his drag strip beside Lowes Speedway. I’ll take my toys and cement trucks elsewhere, where they WANT to play with me”… Next thing you know, there are street signs pulled down and replaced with his name on them. Kentucky to have a Cup date in 2009? That’s just as right as rain and whoever Humpy has naked pictures of in his safe box.
CREW CHIEF SCAPEGOATS
Dennis says…
Apparently Doug Richert is an idiot! Then again since Dale Earnhardt Inc let him go that means he just doesn’t know much about motorcycle racing or the music industry. When an organization gives up on one of the most brilliant minds up on the pit box it shows a lack of leadership! You can blame team chemistry all you want for the move but the reality in that situation is very simple. REGAN SMITH IS NOT A CUP LEVEL DRIVER! Junior Johnson, Smokey Yunick, and Ray Evernham could have put their collective heads together to come up with a solution and it wouldn’t keep Smith from being a 32nd place driver!
Lori says…
You know the deal on catch-and-release fish? You have the fun of fishing but allow the fish to carry on with its life, procreate and life in the reeds? That’s how I feel about Doug Richert right now. FINALLY he can use his talent when he’s reunited with Greg Biffle at RCR when they make up that ever elusive 4th team everyone keeps chattering about. And don’t be so hard on Regan Smith because after all, Mark Martin picked him to replace him and also had a say in the Ricky Carmichael deal so if you’re going to be disappointed in anybody, consider Mark Martin’s poor judgment. BUT, if Evernham was on the pitbox, Erin would be providing Smith with the balls; If Junior Johnson was to work with Smith, he’d tell him, “the car don’t know what track its at boy, just drive the &^%$ out of the &^% thing”… and if Smokey Yunick were calling the shots, Smith would be winning and we wouldn’t know why because somewhere in the golden NASCAR rulebook, “it never said you couldn’t.”
| | | Permalink | Comments (0) | | | | | |  Each week Lori Munro (LAM) and Dennis Michelsen (DMIC) will face off on some of the hot topics from the world of racing. We guarantee there will be some cage rattling and the black flag will be flying frequently! Sit down, strap in, and get ready to sound off as Doin’ Donuts radio show joins the blogosphere! Let Lori and Dennis know your opinion on the topics below then tune in Monday night at 8pm ET on RaceTalkRadio.com for more “Doin’ Donuts.”
DJ’S MOMENT MISSED BY SPEED TV
DMIC says…
Thanks SPEED for totally botching our chance to finally see Dale Jarrett drive the truck! For the past seven years this crazy advertising campaign has entertained us race fans and this was OUR chance to see him drive the truck. Unfortunately SPEED TV felt it was more important for us to go faster rather than see DJ honored. I wonder if the coverage would be different if Jarrett worked for FOX instead of ESPN? DJ should have stayed in that truck for the race because Michael Waltrip Racing is re-writing the rules on being pathetic!
LAM says…
The way I see it, if you want feel-good Disney stories, go to Blockbuster and rent Bambi. Racers are supposed to be rough and tumble athletes going head to head with their competition, sucking on a rag for hydration and walking with swagger and a chip on their shoulder. DJ knew what kind of organization he was getting involved with when he signed with Michael Waltrip Racing and none of it involved a guarantee that he’d be at the front of the pack every weekend. As for him driving the truck, that whole deal is a fantasy drawn up from a television commercial that was done well by UPS. The only way to “drive the truck” right was not as a side-show act at Lowes, but to get a Ford F-150 or Toyota Tundra or Chevy Silverado, decorate it with all the brown and gold UPS signage it can carry and REALLY race the #@% truck in the Craftsman Truck Series.
ROWDY BUSCH STEALS THE SHOW
DMIC says…
The Rowdy Busch phenomenon is almost as entertaining as the racing itself! When Kyle Busch came out for driver introductions at the Craftsman Truck Series wearing the original “Rowdy Gaines” helmet I jumped out of my seat. This kid gets it that he is in the entertainment business! Cascades of boos will only make him do more goofy things and race harder. Curious how the same race fans that wanted to hang Kyle when he wrecked Dale Earnhardt Jr thought the same move in a Truck race was just good old-fashioned hard racing. A little advice to Kyle…do not follow in your brother’s footsteps and become boring when you win the title!
LAM says…
Who the hell is Rowdy Gaines? It’s ROWDY BURNS for Pete’s sake! Nobody does “bad-boy” better than our favorite NASCAR “Wild-Thing”: Kyle Busch. He’s the one that fans love to hate, yet his colleagues can’t say enough good things about his driving ability. I understand that the sport needs white hats and black hats but geez… I think a lot of the fans would like to see this kid laid out on a spit with an apple in his mouth turning very, very slowly… with them all throwing more coals on the fire! Wouldn’t it be so nice to have a field of 43 Eddie Haskell’s every weekend saying all the right things and being so polite and politically correct that it turns your stomach? Oh yeah… fans aren’t happy with the “scripted” Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon comments either. Pass me the black hat baby…..
DOG TRACKING GOOD OR BAD FOR NASCAR
DMIC says…
Leave it to NASCAR Crew Chiefs to find a way to massage the rules to make their cars go faster! The absurdity of the No. 77 car racing sideways will make NASCAR change the rules before these guys are racing with the numbers leading the way. The old “Twisted Sister” car looked that way naturally. Teams can’t cheat the bodies but they sure can twist the back ends around. If NASCAR does make a rules change they better give these guys a few weeks notice.
LAM says…
Watching Sam Hornish and his #77 at Lowes this past weekend thrilled me to no end. I love the fact that there are still people in this world who are ingenious enough to squeeze out an advantage with the COT and still be within NASCAR’s rules. If NASCAR does indeed decide to make a rule change in regards to the “crabby” COT, then it just confirms that the sanctioning body still doesn’t have a complete handle on the brains of the geniuses that walk the garage areas every weekend!
MAKING UP ALL STAR AS WE GO
DMIC says…
What is next for the All Star event, letting Humpy Wheeler throw a caution when he wants? In this day and age of being cynical I wonder if the “Fan Vote” winner won based on how much his sponsor was paying on the race broadcasts instead of how many people voted for him! I never thought I would see an All Star race without a caution flag. Humpy won’t let that happen next season even if he has to hire snipers to shoot out tires! Speaking of tires, why does Goodyear use Fred Flintstone to design tires?
LAM says…
Fred Flintstone forgot to pay his union dues to Portland Cement so found himself laid off, trying to raise Pebbles properly, put her through University and buy her a new Mazda Miata so she and her friends can hit the beach on weekends, all the while trying to appease the desires of Wilma who has such a crush on Tony Stewart that Fred purposely injected air-entrained quick-crete into his weekly selection of Goodyear rubber. Fred is a jealous bastard when it comes right down to it.
Look up “Fan Vote” in the dictionary. It does not involve driving talent at all, but land-sakes, it sure made Sprint, NASCAR and the fans look good this past weekend!
CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES REWIND
DMIC says…
It doesn’t matter which track they race on or what tires or what rules…the Craftsman Truck racers always put on the best show! How cool to see Matt Crafton and one of the lower funded teams finally win at this level. If only took Matt 178 races to become an overnight sensation! I have been a big fan of his since he got screwed over by Kevin Harvick Incorporated. A little advice…don’t let that guy that tried to do the break in on the commercial over the weekend try to steal Crafton’s trophy! That could get ugly!
LAM says…
Matt Crafton in victory lane was indeed a long time coming. However, teams usually don’t “screw over” drivers if they actually bring something to the table. I hate to point a finger at KHI when there’s likely more that went on than we know, or are privy to, or even deserve to know about. If after 9 (NINE), that’s spelled n-i-n-e years y | | |
