Guest Column By Cathy Elliott
On the day Joie Chitwood III was born in Tampa, Fla., his father was not there. “My dad wasn’t at the hospital; he was driving a race car around Daytona International Speedway,” Chitwood says.
Like the famous sirens of seafaring lore, the call of the race track seems too powerful for the Chitwood family to resist. Joie’s grandfather was a Sprint Car champion who competed in the Indianapolis 500 seven times.
Perhaps a little closer to home for most of us, the senior Chitwood was also the originator of the aptly-named ‘Joie Chitwood Thrill Show,’ a stunt driving extravaganza that traversed the country for over 40 years, giving everyday Americans a taste of just how much fun watching cars could be.
In addition to being a racer himself, Chitwood’s dad, Joie Jr., continued to operate the Thrill Show after Joie Sr.’s retirement, and at the age of 5, Joie III joined the show and officially became part of the racing industry. Thirty-six years later, he’s still there – in August 2010, he was named president of Daytona International Speedway.
“I’m not sure this is ever where I thought I’d end up, but having been born and raised in Florida, having come here to Daytona when I was a teenager to watch the races, I think this job fits for me,” he says. “I get it. I think I understand the heritage and the history. I hope I can be a great caretaker for this property and do a good job. I’m excited every day that I get to come to work.”
While understanding the importance of the Daytona tradition, Chitwood also knows full well the necessity of having a clear vision for moving the track forward. As well he should – he took over his new position smack in the middle of DIS’ first repaving project in more than 30 years.
Construction and development are nothing new for Chitwood, who supervised the building of Chicagoland Speedway from farmland to its first checkered flag.
“I was named the vice president and general manager in April of 1999, the day before we closed on everything. It took us 22 months to build that property, and then I ran it for the first two seasons so I was intimately involved in everything related to Chicago. It was a heck of a learning experience for me,” he says.
That education was put to the test at Daytona, the most famous and revered speedway in the sport. The track’s new surface was probably the most closely-scrutinized asphalt in racing history. The process of pouring and smoothing it was even broadcast live on the Internet. In NASCAR terms, this is some seriously pivotal pavement.
“What we had to do at Daytona was fix something that was broken. There was no choice. We had a really tight window of opportunity to get it done, so there was no room for error,” Chitwood says. “At Chicago we had two years. We had time to make changes and enhancements and deal with issues, so the time stress wasn’t the same. You had room to operate. Here, I got named president, we were in the middle of the project, and a deadline is a deadline, so get it done.”
The project was done on time, but the work was not complete. The proof, you see, was in the pavement, and the final taste test, conducted by Goodyear in December, would determine whether or not the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers found the result pleasing to their competitive palates.
They did; the new surface proved to be fast and smooth, and everyone involved in the tire test predicted a barnburner of a Daytona 500 on Feb. 20.
The new track president, who had been holding his breath since summer, could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
“I cannot tell you how great it was to hear cars on the track. That sound, after four-and-a-half months, it was just like, ‘Yes.We did it,’” Chitwood says. “We still (had) to do GRAND-AM testing and motorcycle testing, but we passed the biggest hurdle. The biggest level of stress has left us. Now we just have to make sure all of the sanctioning bodies get their tire tests in so when they come back in the New Year they can put on a great show for the fans.
“That doesn’t mean we’re not still worried about things. But hearing those cars on the track put a big smile on my face.”
For speedway presidents, overcoming a particular obstacle offers only the briefest opportunity for celebration, because there is always a new challenge to take its place. The weather is unfailingly predictable in its unpredictability. Every hour of a race weekend throws you a curve ball, something you didn’t anticipate but must respond to quickly and correctly.
And in racing, there are no makeup dates. “That to me is always our biggest challenge – being on our game for our biggest day of the year, because we don’t get a do-over. The other ‘stick and ball sports’ have all those home games, so if you screw up an experience for someone, you can make it up to them by giving them tickets for the next game,” Chitwood says.
“That doesn’t work at Daytona. We work all year to make sure when we open our gates, we get this event right, every time. We have to be on our game all the time. We have to make sure we are doing a good job meeting our fans’ expectations, because I can’t wait 12 months to make it up to them. That’s our mantra; we have to make sure we do it right.”
Growing up as a stuntman in a family thrill show may seem an odd preparation for taking over the presidency of NASCAR’s landmark facility, but the two jobs are not so different when you really think about it.
As the Human Battering Ram, young Joie laid on the hood of a car, was driven at high speed toward a fiery wall, and would bust through the boards with his helmet.
As the Aerial Wing Walker, he stood on the side of a car while his dad drove it on two wheels. To prepare for the stunt, he says, he would practice climbing in and out of the window while the car was propped up on blocks, with his grandfather rocking it back and forth to simulate movement.
During one such practice, while young Joie was balanced on top of the car, his grandfather pushed it over on all four wheels, and he was thrown off. “I got up and looked at the chief – that’s what we called him – and said, ‘Hey, Chief, what’s going on with this?’ And he said, ‘You’ve got to learn that, too.”
These early stunt moves -- the willingness to attack a wall until you break through, to survive a trial by fire, to get back up after being knocked down, to find the right balance, and perhaps to be just a little bit hard-headed – gave Chitwood an invaluable start on important life lessons which would ultimately serve him very well.
Being in the motorsports business is not easy. Schedules are not typical so-called ‘business hours,’ because when other people’s entertainment is your job, it requires a lot of work. The caretakers of a venue as legendary as Daytona International Speedway must combine equal parts education, effort and enthusiasm in order to give fans the ultimate racing experience.
Fortunately, Joie Chitwood III not only understands his guests’ love of the sport; he shares it.
“I think it was safer risking my life as a stuntman as what I’m doing now,” he laughs, “but at the end of the day I’m so happy to be where I am. I get to be involved with a special sporting event, a sport people are so passionate about. Absolutely, I am a fan. I think if you would have told me 20 years ago that this was the opportunity I would have, I would have said you were crazy, and that you would have had better odds buying a lottery ticket. But here I am.
“I count myself lucky every day.”
RACE STATS REPORTS
CLICKON lOGO
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
2011 NASCAR Preseason Thunder At Daytona
2011 NASCAR Preseason Thunder At Daytona
* NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Teams To Test January 20-22 At Daytona International Speedway
* NASCAR Preseason Thunder Fan Fest At Daytona Coincides On Jan. 21-22
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 9, 2010) – Daytona International Speedway’s three-day NASCAR Sprint Cup Series test, known as NASCAR Preseason Thunder, is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 20 through Saturday, Jan. 22. Sunday, Jan. 23 is the rain date.
The 2011 edition of NASCAR Preseason Thunder will help teams acclimate to the new pavement, plus speed their preparation for the 53rd Daytona 500 on Feb. 20 – the series’ traditional season-opener.
The repaving project – only the second in track history and first since 1978 – began immediately after the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event on July 3.
"This allows everyone an equal opportunity to work on their setups and get everything in order leading up to Speedweeks and the running of the Daytona 500," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition. "Additionally, it gives the teams the chance to get accustomed to the new pit road and the added run-off areas on the backstretch. We’re excited about the new surface and believe it will only enhance the racing experience at Daytona."
All NASCAR Preseason Thunder sessions begin at 9 a.m. and end at 5 p.m., weather permitting. Each includes a lunch break from noon until 1 p.m.
Fans seeking to rev up their new year can do so at the NASCAR Preseason Thunder Fan Fest at Daytona – the companion event to the January test. Along with watching NASCAR Preseason Thunder track activity from Daytona’s Sprint FANZONE, fans can enjoy two Fan Fest sessions – from 5-9 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 21 and from 5-7 p.m., on Saturday, Jan. 22.
Driver question-and-answer and autograph sessions are planned. Tickets for the NASCAR Preseason Thunder Fan Fest are $20. Fans also can watch each day’s testing at no cost from a section of the Oldfield Grandstands.
"We’re looking forward to welcoming the stars of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series to our new racing surface in January," said Joie Chitwood, Daytona International Speedway president. "NASCAR Preseason Thunder will be an important test session for all teams as they acquire data from their first laps on the new asphalt at Daytona.
"The test is also going to serve as a great opportunity for fans to interact with their favorite drivers in advance of Speedweeks 2011 and the 53rd annual Daytona 500."
Teams from the NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series are expected to receive extra practice time during Speedweeks to get acclimated to the track’s new surface.
* NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Teams To Test January 20-22 At Daytona International Speedway
* NASCAR Preseason Thunder Fan Fest At Daytona Coincides On Jan. 21-22
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 9, 2010) – Daytona International Speedway’s three-day NASCAR Sprint Cup Series test, known as NASCAR Preseason Thunder, is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 20 through Saturday, Jan. 22. Sunday, Jan. 23 is the rain date.
The 2011 edition of NASCAR Preseason Thunder will help teams acclimate to the new pavement, plus speed their preparation for the 53rd Daytona 500 on Feb. 20 – the series’ traditional season-opener.
The repaving project – only the second in track history and first since 1978 – began immediately after the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event on July 3.
"This allows everyone an equal opportunity to work on their setups and get everything in order leading up to Speedweeks and the running of the Daytona 500," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition. "Additionally, it gives the teams the chance to get accustomed to the new pit road and the added run-off areas on the backstretch. We’re excited about the new surface and believe it will only enhance the racing experience at Daytona."
All NASCAR Preseason Thunder sessions begin at 9 a.m. and end at 5 p.m., weather permitting. Each includes a lunch break from noon until 1 p.m.
Fans seeking to rev up their new year can do so at the NASCAR Preseason Thunder Fan Fest at Daytona – the companion event to the January test. Along with watching NASCAR Preseason Thunder track activity from Daytona’s Sprint FANZONE, fans can enjoy two Fan Fest sessions – from 5-9 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 21 and from 5-7 p.m., on Saturday, Jan. 22.
Driver question-and-answer and autograph sessions are planned. Tickets for the NASCAR Preseason Thunder Fan Fest are $20. Fans also can watch each day’s testing at no cost from a section of the Oldfield Grandstands.
"We’re looking forward to welcoming the stars of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series to our new racing surface in January," said Joie Chitwood, Daytona International Speedway president. "NASCAR Preseason Thunder will be an important test session for all teams as they acquire data from their first laps on the new asphalt at Daytona.
"The test is also going to serve as a great opportunity for fans to interact with their favorite drivers in advance of Speedweeks 2011 and the 53rd annual Daytona 500."
Teams from the NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series are expected to receive extra practice time during Speedweeks to get acclimated to the track’s new surface.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Notebook: Todd Gordon named Keselowski’s Nationwide crew chief
Notebook: Todd Gordon named Keselowski’s Nationwide crew chief
Special to the Sporting News NASCAR Service
Penske Racing has named former CJM Racing and Baker Curb Racing crew chief Todd Gordon as its crew chief for defending Nationwide Series champion Brad Keselowski.
Gordon replaces Paul Wolfe, who will be Keselowski’s crew chief in Sprint Cup next year.
Gordon most recently served as race engineer for Diamond-Waltrip Racing in the Nationwide Series, which had Trevor Bayne, Martin Truex Jr. and Ryan Truex behind the wheel in 2010.
Keselowski is coming off a championship season that consisted of six wins, five poles and a series single-season record 26 top-five finishes.
“The chance to join Penske Racing and lead the championship-winning team with Brad next season is the opportunity of a lifetime,” Gordon said. “The No. 22 Dodge team had a special year in 2010, and I’m looking forward to coming on board and hopefully building on that level of success as we move forward.”
Mayfield will appeal drug case
Suspended driver Jeremy Mayfield, as expected, will appeal a judge’s decision that ruled in favor of NASCAR in his lawsuit over a May 1, 2009, drug test that he says was a false positive for methamphetamines.
Mayfield filed the notice of appeal last Thursday in federal court and has 40 days to file the actual argument for his appeal. Depending on how quickly briefs are filed in the case, a hearing could come in May in Richmond, Va., but more than likely it will come no earlier than September.
Mayfield has denied using methamphetamines and contends that the drug-test findings that prompted his suspension resulted from a combination of the prescription drug Adderall, which is used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and over-the-counter Claritin-D allergy medicine.
U.S. District Court Judge Graham Mullen ruled Mayfield had given up his right to sue through various waivers he had signed to compete in NASCAR and questioned whether Mayfield had the evidence to support his claims that NASCAR erred in ruling he tested positive for methamphetamines.
Mayfield asked for the court to reopen the case in June because he intended to introduce new evidence, and Mullen denied that request in August. Mayfield then asked again in September for Mullen to reconsider his ruling in light of NASCAR chairman Bran France’s former in-laws stating they had heard France order Mayfield to be black-flagged in the 2006 race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. France denied those claims and produced travel records that France said showed he wasn’t even with his former in-laws on the day of the race.
Mayfield was indefinitely suspended from NASCAR on May 9, 2009. He sued NASCAR for breach of contract, discrimination and defamation in an attempt to return to racing and for financial damages. He won an injunction to participate in NASCAR in July 2009 but never returned to competition.
The injunction was later stayed, pending appeal, and Mayfield eventually asked the court to drop the injunction so the case could proceed more quickly toward trial.
Special to the Sporting News NASCAR Service
Penske Racing has named former CJM Racing and Baker Curb Racing crew chief Todd Gordon as its crew chief for defending Nationwide Series champion Brad Keselowski.
Gordon replaces Paul Wolfe, who will be Keselowski’s crew chief in Sprint Cup next year.
Gordon most recently served as race engineer for Diamond-Waltrip Racing in the Nationwide Series, which had Trevor Bayne, Martin Truex Jr. and Ryan Truex behind the wheel in 2010.
Keselowski is coming off a championship season that consisted of six wins, five poles and a series single-season record 26 top-five finishes.
“The chance to join Penske Racing and lead the championship-winning team with Brad next season is the opportunity of a lifetime,” Gordon said. “The No. 22 Dodge team had a special year in 2010, and I’m looking forward to coming on board and hopefully building on that level of success as we move forward.”
Mayfield will appeal drug case
Suspended driver Jeremy Mayfield, as expected, will appeal a judge’s decision that ruled in favor of NASCAR in his lawsuit over a May 1, 2009, drug test that he says was a false positive for methamphetamines.
Mayfield filed the notice of appeal last Thursday in federal court and has 40 days to file the actual argument for his appeal. Depending on how quickly briefs are filed in the case, a hearing could come in May in Richmond, Va., but more than likely it will come no earlier than September.
Mayfield has denied using methamphetamines and contends that the drug-test findings that prompted his suspension resulted from a combination of the prescription drug Adderall, which is used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and over-the-counter Claritin-D allergy medicine.
U.S. District Court Judge Graham Mullen ruled Mayfield had given up his right to sue through various waivers he had signed to compete in NASCAR and questioned whether Mayfield had the evidence to support his claims that NASCAR erred in ruling he tested positive for methamphetamines.
Mayfield asked for the court to reopen the case in June because he intended to introduce new evidence, and Mullen denied that request in August. Mayfield then asked again in September for Mullen to reconsider his ruling in light of NASCAR chairman Bran France’s former in-laws stating they had heard France order Mayfield to be black-flagged in the 2006 race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. France denied those claims and produced travel records that France said showed he wasn’t even with his former in-laws on the day of the race.
Mayfield was indefinitely suspended from NASCAR on May 9, 2009. He sued NASCAR for breach of contract, discrimination and defamation in an attempt to return to racing and for financial damages. He won an injunction to participate in NASCAR in July 2009 but never returned to competition.
The injunction was later stayed, pending appeal, and Mayfield eventually asked the court to drop the injunction so the case could proceed more quickly toward trial.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES: TOP PERFORMANCES 2010
There certainly were some outstanding performances – both from a competition and racing standpoint – that took place during the recently completed 2010 NASCAR season. In fact, from a statistical standpoint, the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season goes down as the most competitive in the history of NASCAR. The following is a look back at some of those standout performers and memorable races, as selected from discussions with the national series director, competition department and NASCAR PR managers.
Top Drivers (in alphabetical order)
· Denny Hamlin – Finished a career-best second in the point standings and was the championship points leader heading into the season finale at Homestead-Miami … Posted a series-high eight victories on the season, including seven that came after early season knee surgery … Had 14 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes.
· Kevin Harvick – Turned in a resurgent season to finish a career-best third in the point standings after missing the Chase in 2009 … Was the points leader for 20 weeks … Won three times on the year … Had a series-best 26 top-10 finishes, which included 16 top fives … His average finish of 8.7 was the best in the series.
· Jimmie Johnson – Won an unprecedented fifth straight NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in come-from-behind fashion, overcoming a 15-point deficit heading into the season finale … Relied upon a solid second-place finish at Homestead-Miami to win the title by 39 points over Denny Hamlin … Was a six-time winner on the season … Posted 23 top-10 and a series-best 17 top-five finishes … Led a series-high 1,315 laps and also tallied a series-best 107.7 Driver Rating … His five championships now trail only NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt – both of whom won seven titles.
Top Team Owners (in alphabetical order)
· Richard Childress – The owner of Richard Childress Racing saw all three of his drivers – Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick – advance to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup after being shut out of the playoff competition in 2009 … Harvick may have been the series’ most consistent performer on the season, notching 16 top-five and 26 top-10 finishes … Harvick was the points leader for 20 weeks, compiled three wins and finished a career-best third in the final standings … Bowyer finished 10th, while winning twice, and Burton finished 12th.
· Rick Hendrick – The leader of Hendrick Motorsports continued his assault on the NASCAR record books and further reinforced the fact that his organization is one of the most dominant and successful in all of sports … Johnson’s fifth straight NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship gives Hendrick Motorsports a record 13th national series owner title and a record 10th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series owner crown … The No. 48 team’s recent dominance in the sport can be likened to the great dynasties of the New York Yankees, Green Bay Packers and Boston Celtics.
Raybestos Rookie of the Year
· Kevin Conway – In 28 starts, he finished 35th in the point standings … His best finish was 14th at the July race at Daytona International Speedway.
Top Breakthrough Performer
· Jamie McMurray – After being out of a ride following the 2009 season, McMurray made the most of his opportunity driving for Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing in 2010 … His three wins included two of the sport’s most prestigious races – the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 … His third victory came at the October Charlotte race … McMurray finished 14th in points and posted nine top-five and 12 top-10 finishes to go along with his three victories.
Top Drivers (in alphabetical order)
· Denny Hamlin – Finished a career-best second in the point standings and was the championship points leader heading into the season finale at Homestead-Miami … Posted a series-high eight victories on the season, including seven that came after early season knee surgery … Had 14 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes.
· Kevin Harvick – Turned in a resurgent season to finish a career-best third in the point standings after missing the Chase in 2009 … Was the points leader for 20 weeks … Won three times on the year … Had a series-best 26 top-10 finishes, which included 16 top fives … His average finish of 8.7 was the best in the series.
· Jimmie Johnson – Won an unprecedented fifth straight NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in come-from-behind fashion, overcoming a 15-point deficit heading into the season finale … Relied upon a solid second-place finish at Homestead-Miami to win the title by 39 points over Denny Hamlin … Was a six-time winner on the season … Posted 23 top-10 and a series-best 17 top-five finishes … Led a series-high 1,315 laps and also tallied a series-best 107.7 Driver Rating … His five championships now trail only NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt – both of whom won seven titles.
Top Team Owners (in alphabetical order)
· Richard Childress – The owner of Richard Childress Racing saw all three of his drivers – Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick – advance to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup after being shut out of the playoff competition in 2009 … Harvick may have been the series’ most consistent performer on the season, notching 16 top-five and 26 top-10 finishes … Harvick was the points leader for 20 weeks, compiled three wins and finished a career-best third in the final standings … Bowyer finished 10th, while winning twice, and Burton finished 12th.
· Rick Hendrick – The leader of Hendrick Motorsports continued his assault on the NASCAR record books and further reinforced the fact that his organization is one of the most dominant and successful in all of sports … Johnson’s fifth straight NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship gives Hendrick Motorsports a record 13th national series owner title and a record 10th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series owner crown … The No. 48 team’s recent dominance in the sport can be likened to the great dynasties of the New York Yankees, Green Bay Packers and Boston Celtics.
Raybestos Rookie of the Year
· Kevin Conway – In 28 starts, he finished 35th in the point standings … His best finish was 14th at the July race at Daytona International Speedway.
Top Breakthrough Performer
· Jamie McMurray – After being out of a ride following the 2009 season, McMurray made the most of his opportunity driving for Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing in 2010 … His three wins included two of the sport’s most prestigious races – the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 … His third victory came at the October Charlotte race … McMurray finished 14th in points and posted nine top-five and 12 top-10 finishes to go along with his three victories.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
The Best Daytona 500 Finishes:Controversial 1959 Finish Perfect Jump-Start For New Event, Ambitious Facility
Note: This is the final installment in a five-part series on some of the best Daytona 500 finishes in the history of “The Great American Race.” Finishes were chosen based on the drama they created — and the historical value that resulted.
Today, we take a look at the inevitable No. 1 in the countdown: Lee Petty’s photo-finish victory over Johnny Beauchamp in 1959.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 12, 2010) – When choosing the best finish in Daytona 500 history, it is to hard look further than the race’s first year.
That’s because the whole thing transpired script-like. For the first Daytona 500 to end with a finish that took several days to sort out is hard to imagine, even 51 years after the fact.
But it’s also downright appropriate, because the fact that Daytona International Speedway even got built is hard to imagine, all these years later.
Lee Petty won that first 500 but only after NASCAR founder and president Bill France Sr. took several days perusing both film and photos of Petty and Johnny Beauchamp crossing the finish line simultaneously, a process made tougher by the fact that the lap-down car of Joe Weatherly was also in some of the images, on the outside of the two contenders.
When the race ended on the afternoon noon of Feb. 22, 1959, Beauchamp at first though he had won and so did many others. In fact, Beauchamp was even presented the trophy in Victory Lane. France soon got the trophy back, however, pending further review. When the review was complete, Petty was declared the winner.
Daytona was off and running, with the first 500’s theatre capping several preceding years of drama as France pieced together funding to finance construction of what would be the world’s largest stock-car facility. The construction process itself was complicated by the 31-degree banking in the turns, designed to enable stock cars to race at faster-than-ever speeds. The banking was devised through the re-purposing of “transition spiral” techniques first used by the nation’s railroad systems to create banked tracks.
The banking would serve two purposes: enable outlandish speeds, and enable spectators to see most of the action, thanks to a finished tri-oval that would create a 2.5-mile “cereal bowl” effect.
Acerbating the project further was the simple, fundamental challenges of the land the facility was being built upon. Part muck, part sand and shell, it required extensive preparation throughout the speedway’s construction.
Bill France Sr.’s dream of building a superspeedway in his adopted home town was not realized easily.
The finish of the first Daytona 500 was only following that template.
Friday, December 24, 2010
HANS device tested for astronauts
HANS device tested for astronauts: What do HANS device inventor Dr. Robert Hubbard, NASA and NASCAR have in common? All three are collaborating in an effort to improve crash restraints for astronauts. The first series of crash sled tests was recently undertaken at Wright Patterson Air Force Base using a dummy fitted with a prototype restraint for use during NASA launches and landings. Dustin Gohmert of the Crew and Thermal Systems Division of NASA directed the tests. The new head restraint resulted from a collaboration first undertaken in 2008 at Texas Motor Speedway, where officials from NASA's Johnson Space Center and Hubbard met with NASCAR officials to discuss the use of the sanctioning body's data base for assessing crash injury dynamics. NASCAR subsequently provided data taken from recorders in race vehicles, which facilitates the development of injury criteria for astronauts by using computer modeling in conjunction with the real world experience from NASCAR competition. The prototype HANS-type head restraint for astronauts is comprised of a round collar and yoke made from carbon fiber. The helmet and neck ring of the space suit fit to the round collar and yoke, a single unit to be held in place by an astronaut's shoulder belts.(NASCAR)(12-24-2010)
Thursday, December 23, 2010
The Best Daytona 500 Finishes:1976: Heavyweight Showdown Resulted In KO Win For Pearson
1976: Heavyweight Showdown Resulted In KO Win For Pearson
(Note: This is the fourth installment in a five-part series on some of the best Daytona 500 finishes in the history of “The Great American Race.” Finishes were chosen based on the drama they created — and the historical value that resulted.
Today, we take a look at No. 2 in the countdown: David Pearson’s victory over Richard Petty in 1976.)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 11, 2010) — Most NASCAR fans, when asked to name the greatest driver in the sport’s history, likely would choose either Richard Petty or Dale Earnhardt, who each won seven NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships in their career.
Petty himself always leaned toward David Pearson, when assigning best-ever status. Pearson, he said, was the best “pure” driver. Petty considered himself a better “racer.”
Driving, racing, bumping-and-banging, Petty and Pearson — it all came together on Feb. 15, 1976 in the Daytona 500, with one of the most thrilling finishes in the event’s history.
It also resulted in one of the weirder record book entries:
Margin of Victory: 50 yards.
But that was indeed about the best way to describe the finish to what fans saw that day, when a last-lap, Turn 4 clinch between the two heavyweights sent both of their cars slamming into the outside wall as they approached the start-finish line. The cars had touched as Petty was trying to complete an inside pass of Pearson.
“I’m not sure what happened,” Pearson said.
“We didn’t have spotters back then so I didn’t know I wasn’t clear,” Petty said.
The rest is NASCAR lore.
Petty’s No. 43 STP Dodge was headed toward the stripe but stalled out and rolled off the banking into the infield grass, coming to a frustrating halt.
Pearson’s No. 21 Purolator Mercury spun after slamming the wall, rumbling toward pit road, hitting another car on the way.
Pearson kept his car running — the story goes that he had the presence of mind to keep the clutch engaged throughout the incident, keeping the engine fired — and after getting straightened out, motored through the infield grass, past Petty, and cross the finish line at a snail’s pace to win the Dayton 500 for the very first time. Petty sputtered across not long afterward to finish second.
Pearson never won the 500 again, although he did win 16 other events to finish his career with 105 victories, the second-best total all-time behind Petty’s 200.
Petty would win the 500 two more times to establish another record — seven victories in NASCAR’s biggest race.
(Note: This is the fourth installment in a five-part series on some of the best Daytona 500 finishes in the history of “The Great American Race.” Finishes were chosen based on the drama they created — and the historical value that resulted.
Today, we take a look at No. 2 in the countdown: David Pearson’s victory over Richard Petty in 1976.)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 11, 2010) — Most NASCAR fans, when asked to name the greatest driver in the sport’s history, likely would choose either Richard Petty or Dale Earnhardt, who each won seven NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships in their career.
Petty himself always leaned toward David Pearson, when assigning best-ever status. Pearson, he said, was the best “pure” driver. Petty considered himself a better “racer.”
Driving, racing, bumping-and-banging, Petty and Pearson — it all came together on Feb. 15, 1976 in the Daytona 500, with one of the most thrilling finishes in the event’s history.
It also resulted in one of the weirder record book entries:
Margin of Victory: 50 yards.
But that was indeed about the best way to describe the finish to what fans saw that day, when a last-lap, Turn 4 clinch between the two heavyweights sent both of their cars slamming into the outside wall as they approached the start-finish line. The cars had touched as Petty was trying to complete an inside pass of Pearson.
“I’m not sure what happened,” Pearson said.
“We didn’t have spotters back then so I didn’t know I wasn’t clear,” Petty said.
The rest is NASCAR lore.
Petty’s No. 43 STP Dodge was headed toward the stripe but stalled out and rolled off the banking into the infield grass, coming to a frustrating halt.
Pearson’s No. 21 Purolator Mercury spun after slamming the wall, rumbling toward pit road, hitting another car on the way.
Pearson kept his car running — the story goes that he had the presence of mind to keep the clutch engaged throughout the incident, keeping the engine fired — and after getting straightened out, motored through the infield grass, past Petty, and cross the finish line at a snail’s pace to win the Dayton 500 for the very first time. Petty sputtered across not long afterward to finish second.
Pearson never won the 500 again, although he did win 16 other events to finish his career with 105 victories, the second-best total all-time behind Petty’s 200.
Petty would win the 500 two more times to establish another record — seven victories in NASCAR’s biggest race.
On NASCAR: The Power And The Story Of 2010
On NASCAR: The Power And The Story Of 2010
December 2010
Guest Column By Cathy Elliott
Mass media is fun to watch and listen to this time of year, as everyone you can imagine weighs in on who wore it, said it, sang it, played it or just generally did it the best – or the worst – during the preceding 12 months.
Basically, if you have a pulse and an opinion, you are A, a self-proclaimed expert; and B, laboring under the invariably misguided notion that anyone cares what you think.
looking at their watches when I open my mouth leads me to believe they aren’t exactly hanging on the words coming out of it.
But my pulse seems to be holding steady, and I do have an opinion on the subject of NASCAR 2010, so I guess you’ve already figured out what’s coming next.
My writer cohorts have already done a great job of recapping the highlights of the 2010 season, discussing the biggest stories, the best finishes, the hottest controversies, and the most impactful moments of the racing year gone by. There is no need for me to parrot their words, for they have said it better than I ever could.
Instead, I would like to share a couple of my personal perceptions of this season, the things that affected me most and that I will remember best.
Like most avid baseball fans, I have a keen interest in stats and numbers. This year, two numbers were particularly noteworthy. Kyle Busch won races in all three of NASCAR’s top series in a single weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway and – you may have heard about this one already – Jimmie Johnson won his fifth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. Neither of these things has ever been done before.
Although some people may not be fans of these two drivers for whatever reason, their talent is unquestionable and their accomplishments undeniable. I happen to like them both, not that it matters. What does matter is the fact that history is rarely made, and the important thing is the ability and the willingness to set our personal feelings aside and have the good sense to recognize something significant while it is actually happening.
Somewhere down the road when we’re watching ESPN Classic with our grandchildren, and they are rebroadcasting the race at Homestead-Miami Speedway where Johnson came from behind to clinch that fifth title, we can say, “I remember that. I watched it happen.” To feel you are a part of a groundbreaking achievement, however peripherally, is special. Not to mention pretty darned cool.
NASCAR celebrities seem to live such charmed lives that we sometimes forget they are human. That perceived immunity to the things that affect us ordinary mortals was alarmingly put to the test in May, when Red Bull Racing announced that its popular young driver, Brian Vickers, had been diagnosed with blood clots in his legs and around his lungs.
Vickers, still only in his 20s, was sidelined for the rest of the season as he underwent a rigorous treatment schedule and waited to learn what his future would hold. I couldn’t help but wonder about the other drivers’ reaction to this news. Although the cause of Vickers’s condition was undetermined, blood clots are often associated with altitude, and these guys are in airplanes on an almost-daily basis. The realization that your career and even your health can be snatched away in an instant is sobering, to put it mildly. Whether you are a superstar stock car driver or an average Joe, we are all just human when you get right down to it.
We lost some good friends in 2010, including Ed Shull, who smilingly kept us educated on our electrolytes for so many years through his work with Gatorade; Beth Tuschak, who originated this column and kept us interested in reading it; and NASCAR Vice President of Corporate Communications Jim Hunter, who kept us grounded, informed and entertained for decades.
But when we look around the garage in 2011 we will see some fresh, new faces changing the landscape -- Genevieve Johnson and Leo Gordon, Brooklyn Newman and Carter McMurray, Manuela Montoya and Wyatt Sadler are just a few of the babies who joined the racing ranks in 2010, and who will probably be competing in televised Trike Series races on SPEED in a year or two.
The NASCAR family continues to grow. Those who are gone can never be replaced, but it is comforting to watch the sport regenerate, filling up some of those empty spaces, and it will be fascinating to watch each of these new family members find the spot that fits them just right.
NASCAR 2011 is already looking like one for the record books, but 2010 gave us a lot. This season will be remembered for the most competitive and exciting competition we have seen in many a decade. We can remember the pride we felt in being a part of history as it happened. This was the year we realized the folly of ever taking good fortune for granted, and when we witnessed the delicate balance between loss and new beginnings, the past and future.
It was a special year indeed, not for the things we will remember, but for the ones we will never forget.
December 2010
Guest Column By Cathy Elliott
Mass media is fun to watch and listen to this time of year, as everyone you can imagine weighs in on who wore it, said it, sang it, played it or just generally did it the best – or the worst – during the preceding 12 months.
Basically, if you have a pulse and an opinion, you are A, a self-proclaimed expert; and B, laboring under the invariably misguided notion that anyone cares what you think.
looking at their watches when I open my mouth leads me to believe they aren’t exactly hanging on the words coming out of it.
But my pulse seems to be holding steady, and I do have an opinion on the subject of NASCAR 2010, so I guess you’ve already figured out what’s coming next.
My writer cohorts have already done a great job of recapping the highlights of the 2010 season, discussing the biggest stories, the best finishes, the hottest controversies, and the most impactful moments of the racing year gone by. There is no need for me to parrot their words, for they have said it better than I ever could.
Instead, I would like to share a couple of my personal perceptions of this season, the things that affected me most and that I will remember best.
Like most avid baseball fans, I have a keen interest in stats and numbers. This year, two numbers were particularly noteworthy. Kyle Busch won races in all three of NASCAR’s top series in a single weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway and – you may have heard about this one already – Jimmie Johnson won his fifth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. Neither of these things has ever been done before.
Although some people may not be fans of these two drivers for whatever reason, their talent is unquestionable and their accomplishments undeniable. I happen to like them both, not that it matters. What does matter is the fact that history is rarely made, and the important thing is the ability and the willingness to set our personal feelings aside and have the good sense to recognize something significant while it is actually happening.
Somewhere down the road when we’re watching ESPN Classic with our grandchildren, and they are rebroadcasting the race at Homestead-Miami Speedway where Johnson came from behind to clinch that fifth title, we can say, “I remember that. I watched it happen.” To feel you are a part of a groundbreaking achievement, however peripherally, is special. Not to mention pretty darned cool.
NASCAR celebrities seem to live such charmed lives that we sometimes forget they are human. That perceived immunity to the things that affect us ordinary mortals was alarmingly put to the test in May, when Red Bull Racing announced that its popular young driver, Brian Vickers, had been diagnosed with blood clots in his legs and around his lungs.
Vickers, still only in his 20s, was sidelined for the rest of the season as he underwent a rigorous treatment schedule and waited to learn what his future would hold. I couldn’t help but wonder about the other drivers’ reaction to this news. Although the cause of Vickers’s condition was undetermined, blood clots are often associated with altitude, and these guys are in airplanes on an almost-daily basis. The realization that your career and even your health can be snatched away in an instant is sobering, to put it mildly. Whether you are a superstar stock car driver or an average Joe, we are all just human when you get right down to it.
We lost some good friends in 2010, including Ed Shull, who smilingly kept us educated on our electrolytes for so many years through his work with Gatorade; Beth Tuschak, who originated this column and kept us interested in reading it; and NASCAR Vice President of Corporate Communications Jim Hunter, who kept us grounded, informed and entertained for decades.
But when we look around the garage in 2011 we will see some fresh, new faces changing the landscape -- Genevieve Johnson and Leo Gordon, Brooklyn Newman and Carter McMurray, Manuela Montoya and Wyatt Sadler are just a few of the babies who joined the racing ranks in 2010, and who will probably be competing in televised Trike Series races on SPEED in a year or two.
The NASCAR family continues to grow. Those who are gone can never be replaced, but it is comforting to watch the sport regenerate, filling up some of those empty spaces, and it will be fascinating to watch each of these new family members find the spot that fits them just right.
NASCAR 2011 is already looking like one for the record books, but 2010 gave us a lot. This season will be remembered for the most competitive and exciting competition we have seen in many a decade. We can remember the pride we felt in being a part of history as it happened. This was the year we realized the folly of ever taking good fortune for granted, and when we witnessed the delicate balance between loss and new beginnings, the past and future.
It was a special year indeed, not for the things we will remember, but for the ones we will never forget.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Avid fans are turning to digital media to connect with NASCAR
Avid fans are turning to digital media to connect with NASCAR
By Tripp Mickle
Special to the Sporting News NASCAR Service
Avid NASCAR fans increasingly turn to digital and social media for news, information and interaction around their favorite drivers, according to research conducted by marketing and public relations firm Taylor.
The study, which is based on a survey by Greenfield Online of 1,500 self-proclaimed avid fans, showed the share of avid fans seeking news about drivers from mainstream outlets like newspapers and TV stations declined from 43 percent to 35 percent between 2009 and 2010.
More than a third of respondents said they visit NASCAR-related websites for information, and only one in five NASCAR fans younger than 24 prefers receiving information on drivers through traditional media outlets.
Taylor, which is advising NASCAR on its new communications strategy, paid for the survey. It was conducted in September and shared with the firm’s brand clients, which include Diageo, Gillette and other NASCAR sponsors.
Taylor executives pointed to the pervasiveness of online content and decline of traditional media as the primary driver for the change in the way NASCAR fans consume news, and they say sponsors should consider it as they make activation plans to reach NASCAR fans.
“It’s a perfect storm, and the key takeaway is: Are brands that are involved in the sport reacting fast enough?” said Brett Jewkes, managing partner in Taylor’s Chicago office.
The survey also revealed:
-- Dale Earnhardt Jr. continues to be fans’ favorite driver, and Jeff Gordon remains the second favorite.
-- Kyle Busch is surging in popularity. When asked to name “all the drivers you cheer for” in 2009, fans in two of 12 demographics named Busch. But this year fans in seven of 12 demographics put him among their top five drivers.
-- Sprint and Kobalt made major strides in brand recognition. Sprint joined Budweiser, Coca-Cola, Home Depot and Lowe’s as the fifth-most-recognizable brand in the sport in 2010. The telecommunications giant and title sponsor of NASCAR’s top series was ninth on the list in 2009. Similarly, Kobalt, a Lowe’s hardware brand that appears on the No. 48 car driven by Jimmie Johnson, went from not appearing on the list in 2009 to being sixth on the list this year.
“What I think data like this and other research is calling for is a rebalance for how sponsors spend,” Jewkes said. “There are some real actionable nuggets that come out of this that we believe all marketers can use to hone their programs.”
Tripp Mickle is a reporter with SportsBusiness Journal.
By Tripp Mickle
Special to the Sporting News NASCAR Service
Avid NASCAR fans increasingly turn to digital and social media for news, information and interaction around their favorite drivers, according to research conducted by marketing and public relations firm Taylor.
The study, which is based on a survey by Greenfield Online of 1,500 self-proclaimed avid fans, showed the share of avid fans seeking news about drivers from mainstream outlets like newspapers and TV stations declined from 43 percent to 35 percent between 2009 and 2010.
More than a third of respondents said they visit NASCAR-related websites for information, and only one in five NASCAR fans younger than 24 prefers receiving information on drivers through traditional media outlets.
Taylor, which is advising NASCAR on its new communications strategy, paid for the survey. It was conducted in September and shared with the firm’s brand clients, which include Diageo, Gillette and other NASCAR sponsors.
Taylor executives pointed to the pervasiveness of online content and decline of traditional media as the primary driver for the change in the way NASCAR fans consume news, and they say sponsors should consider it as they make activation plans to reach NASCAR fans.
“It’s a perfect storm, and the key takeaway is: Are brands that are involved in the sport reacting fast enough?” said Brett Jewkes, managing partner in Taylor’s Chicago office.
The survey also revealed:
-- Dale Earnhardt Jr. continues to be fans’ favorite driver, and Jeff Gordon remains the second favorite.
-- Kyle Busch is surging in popularity. When asked to name “all the drivers you cheer for” in 2009, fans in two of 12 demographics named Busch. But this year fans in seven of 12 demographics put him among their top five drivers.
-- Sprint and Kobalt made major strides in brand recognition. Sprint joined Budweiser, Coca-Cola, Home Depot and Lowe’s as the fifth-most-recognizable brand in the sport in 2010. The telecommunications giant and title sponsor of NASCAR’s top series was ninth on the list in 2009. Similarly, Kobalt, a Lowe’s hardware brand that appears on the No. 48 car driven by Jimmie Johnson, went from not appearing on the list in 2009 to being sixth on the list this year.
“What I think data like this and other research is calling for is a rebalance for how sponsors spend,” Jewkes said. “There are some real actionable nuggets that come out of this that we believe all marketers can use to hone their programs.”
Tripp Mickle is a reporter with SportsBusiness Journal.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
The Best Of Daytona 500 Finishes:1999: Changing Of The Guard — For Good; Gordon Holds Off Earnhardt
1999: Changing Of The Guard — For Good; Gordon Holds Off Earnhardt
Note: This is the third installment in a five-part series on some of the best Daytona 500 finishes in the history of “The Great American Race.” Finishes were chosen based on the drama they created — and the historical value that resulted.
Today, we take a look at No. 3 in the countdown: Jeff Gordon’s .128-second victory over Dale Earnhardt, in 1999.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 10, 2010) — At the outset of the 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, the “changing of the guard,” so to speak, had already taken place for all practical purposes.
At that point, Jeff Gordon had won the series championship three times in the previous four years. Dale Earnhardt’s last title was but a speck in the rear-view mirror, having happened in 1994.
Gordon, the rookie of the year in 1993, winner of the inaugural Indianapolis event in ’94, had captured championships in ’95, ’97 and ’98.
In the 1999 Daytona 500, Gordon added some punctuation to that three-year run of domination which had ended an era and polarized the sport’s fan base. “Gordon vs. Earnhardt” had become a theme for each and every race, with the older racer typically getting the better end of the deal in terms of fan support. Gordon took to telling people he didn’t mind all the boos during pre-race introductions. “As long as they’re booing, I know I’m still winning; when they stop booing I’ll get worried,” Gordon would say.
Gordon, you see, had usurped a legend, much like Darrell Waltrip had done years before when knocking the “King”, Richard Petty, off his throne with three titles in the first half of the 1980s.
Any fans who weren’t convinced of that prior to the 1999 Daytona 500 had to be ready to agree after the race, which Gordon won by only .128-second over Earnhardt.
And while their duel over the race’s last 10 laps was memorable, it actually was somewhat overshadowed by Gordon’s charge to the front 11 laps from the finish. Riding below the yellow line to get past leader Rusty Wallace, Gordon had to squeeze his No. 24 Chevrolet between Wallace on his right and Ricky Rudd on his left, entering Turn 1; Rudd had just rolled off pit road to return to the race and was travelling considerably slower than the oncoming pack of cars.
Then, after staving off Wallace and Mike Skinner for the rest of the lap, Gordon held the lead for good. Earnhardt soon settled in behind him and tried a variety of passing attempts the rest of the way, none of them successful.
Said Gordon: “Trying to keep Earnhardt behind me was one of the toughest things I’ve ever had to do in a race car. He was setting me up every lap. I really thought he was going to get me.
“To pull off a big win like that is exciting, especially because of the way it came down to Dale Earnhardt and myself."
Note: This is the third installment in a five-part series on some of the best Daytona 500 finishes in the history of “The Great American Race.” Finishes were chosen based on the drama they created — and the historical value that resulted.
Today, we take a look at No. 3 in the countdown: Jeff Gordon’s .128-second victory over Dale Earnhardt, in 1999.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 10, 2010) — At the outset of the 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, the “changing of the guard,” so to speak, had already taken place for all practical purposes.
At that point, Jeff Gordon had won the series championship three times in the previous four years. Dale Earnhardt’s last title was but a speck in the rear-view mirror, having happened in 1994.
Gordon, the rookie of the year in 1993, winner of the inaugural Indianapolis event in ’94, had captured championships in ’95, ’97 and ’98.
In the 1999 Daytona 500, Gordon added some punctuation to that three-year run of domination which had ended an era and polarized the sport’s fan base. “Gordon vs. Earnhardt” had become a theme for each and every race, with the older racer typically getting the better end of the deal in terms of fan support. Gordon took to telling people he didn’t mind all the boos during pre-race introductions. “As long as they’re booing, I know I’m still winning; when they stop booing I’ll get worried,” Gordon would say.
Gordon, you see, had usurped a legend, much like Darrell Waltrip had done years before when knocking the “King”, Richard Petty, off his throne with three titles in the first half of the 1980s.
Any fans who weren’t convinced of that prior to the 1999 Daytona 500 had to be ready to agree after the race, which Gordon won by only .128-second over Earnhardt.
And while their duel over the race’s last 10 laps was memorable, it actually was somewhat overshadowed by Gordon’s charge to the front 11 laps from the finish. Riding below the yellow line to get past leader Rusty Wallace, Gordon had to squeeze his No. 24 Chevrolet between Wallace on his right and Ricky Rudd on his left, entering Turn 1; Rudd had just rolled off pit road to return to the race and was travelling considerably slower than the oncoming pack of cars.
Then, after staving off Wallace and Mike Skinner for the rest of the lap, Gordon held the lead for good. Earnhardt soon settled in behind him and tried a variety of passing attempts the rest of the way, none of them successful.
Said Gordon: “Trying to keep Earnhardt behind me was one of the toughest things I’ve ever had to do in a race car. He was setting me up every lap. I really thought he was going to get me.
“To pull off a big win like that is exciting, especially because of the way it came down to Dale Earnhardt and myself."
Friday, December 17, 2010
Daytona Stays True To Fast Tradition
On NASCAR: Back On Track, Daytona Stays True To Fast Tradition
December 17, 2010
Guest Column By Cathy Elliott
One of the most stress-inducing undertakings in racing is a track repaving project.
If you do it right, it can really cause your stock to rise with fans and drivers alike. But if you happen to get it wrong, you can literally turn a time-honored tradition upside down. And as we all know, in racing, upside down is bad.
So surely everyone, from NASCAR and track officials to competitors and fans, has been obsessively muttering, “Please don’t mess it up; please don’t mess it up,” as the sport’s most famous venue, Daytona International Speedway, underwent a massive repaving project during the latter months of 2010. The project began on July 5, immediately following the Coke Zero 400 weekend, and concluded on Dec. 10, as an actual checkered flag waved over the departure of the Lane Construction paving crew.
Repaving projects are tricky. Just like people, racetracks develop individual and unique personalities as they mature. Stripping a track back down to its bare dirt would be comparable to being stripped of your skin and being reconstructed from the skeleton outward. Your basic bone structure would be the same, but chances are good that the end result could look very different than the original. When dealing with Daytona, NASCAR’s most iconic track, this would be simply unacceptable.
DIS needed some sprucing up, to put it mildly. The World Center of Racing was last paved in 1978. To get some perspective, that was before NASCAR Sprint Cup Series superstars Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Brian Vickers and Kasey Kahne (to name a few) were even born.
The impetus for the project, which had been scheduled for 2012, was a pothole between Turns 1 and 2, which caused a delay of over two hours during the 2010 Daytona 500, the biggest, most highly-publicized race of the year.
Although Robin Braig, president of the speedway when the repaving work began, said,” We don't want to paint the whole house when all we have to do is a little touch up,” this turned out to be much more than a mere makeover. Temporary cosmetic work would not suffice. Nothing less than a complete facelift would restore the track’s smooth complexion, which had become pitted and rough after years of hard racing.
How do you go about reconstructing a legend? With precision, respect and a whole lot of asphalt. According to information released by the track, the five-month paving project, which in addition to the racing surface included pit road, the apron and the skid pads, required 50,000 tons of asphalt. Fifty truckloads of concrete were poured for the new pit stalls. All in all, over 1.4 million square feet of paving was completed.
The time had come at last to check the results, so Goodyear scheduled a tire test, which was held on Dec. 15 and 16.
How important is Daytona International Speedway to NASCAR?
Let me put it to you this way. Generally, when Goodyear visits a track to conduct a pre-event tire test, the company invites one team from the each of the four auto manufacturers – Chevy, Ford, Dodge and Toyota -- to participate. Information is collected from each of the four and taken back to the plant where a specific tire compound is created for each individual track.
But for the 2011 Daytona 500, four drivers just didn’t seem to be enough. So 18 showed up.
Individually and collectively, they drove high and low, fast and slow on the smooth new surface. Then, as drivers are wont to do, they said exactly what they thought about it.
“It’s a new attitude,” said 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kurt Busch. “You look at it and you smile, going, ‘Hey, they did the best job they could, we got the best product out there, now let's go and race …’ Looks like it got a great facelift.”“I think they did a lot like what happened at Darlington. When they redid Darlington, they kept Darlington. They kept it wide, didn't change the transitions. They kept the character of the racetrack,” said Richard Childress Racing driver Jeff Burton. “I think the same thing happened here. It's much smoother, has a tremendous amount more grip, but it's still Daytona. They didn't try to change the banking from the bottom to the top, do all that stuff. They just kept Daytona and put pavement on it. I'm glad that's what they did.
“Daytona … has its own history, its own heritage. It's entrenched in what our sport is all about. So keeping Daytona Daytona was a hundred percent the right thing to do.”
The 2000 Cup Series champ Bobby Labonte and defending Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray concurred with their fellow drivers, all of whom predicted close, competitive racing come February. “It's going to be a lot tighter packs … around Daytona than I've ever seen. So it's going to be more Talladega-type, really close restrictor plate racing,” McMurray said.
The high line is often popular at Daytona, but on Dec. 15 and 16, only the bottom line really mattered, and the tire test told the tale. The verdict?
They didn’t mess it up.
The 53rd running of the ‘Great American Race’ will be held on February 20, 2011. For more information, visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com.
December 17, 2010
Guest Column By Cathy Elliott
One of the most stress-inducing undertakings in racing is a track repaving project.
If you do it right, it can really cause your stock to rise with fans and drivers alike. But if you happen to get it wrong, you can literally turn a time-honored tradition upside down. And as we all know, in racing, upside down is bad.
So surely everyone, from NASCAR and track officials to competitors and fans, has been obsessively muttering, “Please don’t mess it up; please don’t mess it up,” as the sport’s most famous venue, Daytona International Speedway, underwent a massive repaving project during the latter months of 2010. The project began on July 5, immediately following the Coke Zero 400 weekend, and concluded on Dec. 10, as an actual checkered flag waved over the departure of the Lane Construction paving crew.
Repaving projects are tricky. Just like people, racetracks develop individual and unique personalities as they mature. Stripping a track back down to its bare dirt would be comparable to being stripped of your skin and being reconstructed from the skeleton outward. Your basic bone structure would be the same, but chances are good that the end result could look very different than the original. When dealing with Daytona, NASCAR’s most iconic track, this would be simply unacceptable.
DIS needed some sprucing up, to put it mildly. The World Center of Racing was last paved in 1978. To get some perspective, that was before NASCAR Sprint Cup Series superstars Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Brian Vickers and Kasey Kahne (to name a few) were even born.
The impetus for the project, which had been scheduled for 2012, was a pothole between Turns 1 and 2, which caused a delay of over two hours during the 2010 Daytona 500, the biggest, most highly-publicized race of the year.
Although Robin Braig, president of the speedway when the repaving work began, said,” We don't want to paint the whole house when all we have to do is a little touch up,” this turned out to be much more than a mere makeover. Temporary cosmetic work would not suffice. Nothing less than a complete facelift would restore the track’s smooth complexion, which had become pitted and rough after years of hard racing.
How do you go about reconstructing a legend? With precision, respect and a whole lot of asphalt. According to information released by the track, the five-month paving project, which in addition to the racing surface included pit road, the apron and the skid pads, required 50,000 tons of asphalt. Fifty truckloads of concrete were poured for the new pit stalls. All in all, over 1.4 million square feet of paving was completed.
The time had come at last to check the results, so Goodyear scheduled a tire test, which was held on Dec. 15 and 16.
How important is Daytona International Speedway to NASCAR?
Let me put it to you this way. Generally, when Goodyear visits a track to conduct a pre-event tire test, the company invites one team from the each of the four auto manufacturers – Chevy, Ford, Dodge and Toyota -- to participate. Information is collected from each of the four and taken back to the plant where a specific tire compound is created for each individual track.
But for the 2011 Daytona 500, four drivers just didn’t seem to be enough. So 18 showed up.
Individually and collectively, they drove high and low, fast and slow on the smooth new surface. Then, as drivers are wont to do, they said exactly what they thought about it.
“It’s a new attitude,” said 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kurt Busch. “You look at it and you smile, going, ‘Hey, they did the best job they could, we got the best product out there, now let's go and race …’ Looks like it got a great facelift.”“I think they did a lot like what happened at Darlington. When they redid Darlington, they kept Darlington. They kept it wide, didn't change the transitions. They kept the character of the racetrack,” said Richard Childress Racing driver Jeff Burton. “I think the same thing happened here. It's much smoother, has a tremendous amount more grip, but it's still Daytona. They didn't try to change the banking from the bottom to the top, do all that stuff. They just kept Daytona and put pavement on it. I'm glad that's what they did.
“Daytona … has its own history, its own heritage. It's entrenched in what our sport is all about. So keeping Daytona Daytona was a hundred percent the right thing to do.”
The 2000 Cup Series champ Bobby Labonte and defending Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray concurred with their fellow drivers, all of whom predicted close, competitive racing come February. “It's going to be a lot tighter packs … around Daytona than I've ever seen. So it's going to be more Talladega-type, really close restrictor plate racing,” McMurray said.
The high line is often popular at Daytona, but on Dec. 15 and 16, only the bottom line really mattered, and the tire test told the tale. The verdict?
They didn’t mess it up.
The 53rd running of the ‘Great American Race’ will be held on February 20, 2011. For more information, visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Drivers: Daytona is now more like Talladega
Drivers: Daytona is now more like Talladega
Speeds during the Goodyear tire test at Daytona International Speedway have reached 197 mph in the draft, and drivers say they expect more Talladega-style racing on the newly paved Daytona International Speedway.
Drivers were comfortable with those speeds, although NASCAR might decrease the size of the restrictor plate for the full test Jan. 20-22. Of the 18 Sprint Cup teams that attended the test Wednesday, 14 remained for the second and final day of the test on the 2.5-mile oval.
The restrictor plate used during the test had 15/16th-inch holes, which were 3/32nds of an inch smaller than the plate used last July at Daytona but the same that was used at Talladega.
“You’re doing the same speed (as in the past), but you’re doing it in a completely different way,” Jeff Burton said. “You don’t even think about having to lift unless you’re trying to keep from wrecking.
“In the past, there was quite a bit of throttle control to get your car to go around the racetrack. … I don’t anticipate (a change) just based on the speeds we’ve seen. If there is one, it will be minimal, but I have a hard time believing there will be a plate change.”
Restrictor plates regulate the air flow through the engine, and NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton said NASCAR will continue to monitor speeds.
“Right now we’re the same as Talladega (which was repaved in 2006), and we’ll further evaluate,” Pemberton said. “We’re not sure—we may need to come down a little bit off of that, which would be like a 64th of an inch or something (in the hole diameters). We’ll have to get back and talk to the teams.”
Pemberton said drivers and teams gave good reviews to the new nose on the cars as well as the new fuel. All the cars had the revised nose, and teams were given the option whether to use the 15 percent ethanol blend that will be used in 2011.
Speeds during the Goodyear tire test at Daytona International Speedway have reached 197 mph in the draft, and drivers say they expect more Talladega-style racing on the newly paved Daytona International Speedway.
Drivers were comfortable with those speeds, although NASCAR might decrease the size of the restrictor plate for the full test Jan. 20-22. Of the 18 Sprint Cup teams that attended the test Wednesday, 14 remained for the second and final day of the test on the 2.5-mile oval.
The restrictor plate used during the test had 15/16th-inch holes, which were 3/32nds of an inch smaller than the plate used last July at Daytona but the same that was used at Talladega.
“You’re doing the same speed (as in the past), but you’re doing it in a completely different way,” Jeff Burton said. “You don’t even think about having to lift unless you’re trying to keep from wrecking.
“In the past, there was quite a bit of throttle control to get your car to go around the racetrack. … I don’t anticipate (a change) just based on the speeds we’ve seen. If there is one, it will be minimal, but I have a hard time believing there will be a plate change.”
Restrictor plates regulate the air flow through the engine, and NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton said NASCAR will continue to monitor speeds.
“Right now we’re the same as Talladega (which was repaved in 2006), and we’ll further evaluate,” Pemberton said. “We’re not sure—we may need to come down a little bit off of that, which would be like a 64th of an inch or something (in the hole diameters). We’ll have to get back and talk to the teams.”
Pemberton said drivers and teams gave good reviews to the new nose on the cars as well as the new fuel. All the cars had the revised nose, and teams were given the option whether to use the 15 percent ethanol blend that will be used in 2011.
DAYTONA: TIRE TESTING AND REPAVING PASSES
12/16;/10
Two-Day Session Confirms Tire Compound For 2011 Daytona 500
Drivers, Goodyear, NASCAR And Daytona International Speedway Officials Pleased With Results
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 16, 2010) – As sunshine warmed Daytona International Speedway’s new racing surface on Thursday, so did the expectations and excitement levels for the 53rd Daytona 500 on Feb. 20.
Thursday marked the second day of a two-day Goodyear tire test in preparation both for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ traditional season-opening event and the track’s new asphalt.
The repaving project – only the second in track history and first since 1978 – began immediately after the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event on July 3 and ended last week. With this week’s test open to all series teams, a number took advantage, filling the frontstretch side of the NASCAR Sprint Cup garage with their haulers.
“I think it has gone really well,” said Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet). “Everybody is happy with the surface. The tire combination seems to be really good.”
“It's just a new attitude,” said Kurt Busch (No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge). “This is what 2011 will bring to start off our Sprint Cup season. Big, exciting time. I'm proud to be able to say I got a chance to race on the surface when it was redone.”
Busch and Burton, along with reigning Daytona 500 champion Jamie McMurray (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) and Bobby Labonte (No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Toyota) all visited the infield media center during Thursday’s lunch break. NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton, Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III and Goodyear Director of Racing Greg Stucker also participated in the midday press conference.
“Good communication all along between the folks here at Daytona, Joie, Goodyear, the race teams, the series directors, everybody that had input,” Pemberton said. “It's nice to know you can show up at one of these things, have so many different things that we faced and challenges over the last year to get ready for this. Looks like the plan came together nicely.”
Burton was heartened that Daytona’s repave – while cutting-edge – respected the venue. He cited the 2007 repave at another historic NASCAR venue, Darlington Raceway, as a positive example.
“It's much smoother, has a tremendous amount more grip, but it's still Daytona,” Burton said. “They didn't try to change the banking from the bottom to the top, do all that stuff. They just kept Daytona and put pavement on it. I'm glad that's what they did.”
Although the focus remains on the racing surface, McMurray noted details like a wider pit road.
“They did a really good job, not only on the racetrack, but widening pit road,” he said. “It's really nice to get that little bit of extra room on pit road. Pit road speeds are really fast when you come to [restrictor] plate tracks. Typically we have the smallest brakes on the car that we run all year long, so pit road is also trouble. So the fact they widened that 10 or 12 feet is really nice.”
Media and fan interest also is accelerated. A portion of Daytona’s grandstands was open for public viewing both Wednesday and Thursday and television cameras weren’t the only ones being wielded.
“It's real important,” Labonte said of public and media fanfare. “They have a section open for the fans. They can come down here and see us drafting. I'm sure they've got their cameras out showing video to their buddies now on who-knows-where it's all at. It's the first time we've been to the new facility. That's exciting.”
It’s worth noting that this week’s test was confirmation, not a search process. Stucker said a tight calendar meant Goodyear officials did the bulk of their compound research testing at Daytona’s sister track, Talladega Superspeedway, also the only other restrictor-plate track on NASCAR’s three national series’ calendars.
Drivers, teams and track and NASCAR officials all draw natural comparisons off Talladega, which was repaved prior to its fall 2006 event. The completion of a test asphalt strip at Daytona allowed Goodyear officials to gather additional data, which Stucker said was compared to August’s test results at Talladega.
“We're well into production for the 500,” Stucker said. “In fact, we're just about done. We've come down here and really confirmed that all those decisions we made were the right ones. Very glad to hear that all the guys are comfortable with our setup and really everything we've seen so far has been very good from our perspective, very consistent, a lot of good comments from the drivers.”
Chitwood said the repaving project only enhances the allure of the Daytona 500.
I think when we market Daytona, we market the fact that this is the biggest event we have on the calendar,” he said. “This is how you make NASCAR stars – you win the Daytona 500. It's going to be a great surface out there for all of them to put on a great show.”
NOTE: The next on-track activity for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be January’s three-day test at Daytona. The session, known as NASCAR Preseason Thunder, is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 20 through Saturday, Jan. 22. Sunday, Jan. 23 is the rain date.
The 2011 edition of NASCAR Preseason Thunder will help teams further acclimate to the new pavement, plus speed their preparation for the 53rd Daytona 500 on Feb. 20.
All NASCAR Preseason Thunder sessions begin at 9 a.m. and end at 5 p.m., weather permitting. Each includes a lunch break from noon until 1 p.m.
Fans seeking to rev up their new year can do so at the NASCAR Preseason Thunder Fan Fest at Daytona – the companion event to the January test. Along with watching NASCAR Preseason Thunder track activity, fans can enjoy three Fan Fest sessions in Dayton’s Sprint FANZONE – from 5-7 p.m., and 7-9 p.m., on Friday, Jan. 21 and from 5-7 p.m., on Saturday, Jan. 22.
Driver question-and-answer and autograph sessions are planned. Fans also can watch each day’s testing at no cost, beginning at 9 a.m.
Two-Day Session Confirms Tire Compound For 2011 Daytona 500
Drivers, Goodyear, NASCAR And Daytona International Speedway Officials Pleased With Results
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 16, 2010) – As sunshine warmed Daytona International Speedway’s new racing surface on Thursday, so did the expectations and excitement levels for the 53rd Daytona 500 on Feb. 20.
Thursday marked the second day of a two-day Goodyear tire test in preparation both for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ traditional season-opening event and the track’s new asphalt.
The repaving project – only the second in track history and first since 1978 – began immediately after the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event on July 3 and ended last week. With this week’s test open to all series teams, a number took advantage, filling the frontstretch side of the NASCAR Sprint Cup garage with their haulers.
“I think it has gone really well,” said Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet). “Everybody is happy with the surface. The tire combination seems to be really good.”
“It's just a new attitude,” said Kurt Busch (No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge). “This is what 2011 will bring to start off our Sprint Cup season. Big, exciting time. I'm proud to be able to say I got a chance to race on the surface when it was redone.”
Busch and Burton, along with reigning Daytona 500 champion Jamie McMurray (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) and Bobby Labonte (No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Toyota) all visited the infield media center during Thursday’s lunch break. NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton, Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III and Goodyear Director of Racing Greg Stucker also participated in the midday press conference.
“Good communication all along between the folks here at Daytona, Joie, Goodyear, the race teams, the series directors, everybody that had input,” Pemberton said. “It's nice to know you can show up at one of these things, have so many different things that we faced and challenges over the last year to get ready for this. Looks like the plan came together nicely.”
Burton was heartened that Daytona’s repave – while cutting-edge – respected the venue. He cited the 2007 repave at another historic NASCAR venue, Darlington Raceway, as a positive example.
“It's much smoother, has a tremendous amount more grip, but it's still Daytona,” Burton said. “They didn't try to change the banking from the bottom to the top, do all that stuff. They just kept Daytona and put pavement on it. I'm glad that's what they did.”
Although the focus remains on the racing surface, McMurray noted details like a wider pit road.
“They did a really good job, not only on the racetrack, but widening pit road,” he said. “It's really nice to get that little bit of extra room on pit road. Pit road speeds are really fast when you come to [restrictor] plate tracks. Typically we have the smallest brakes on the car that we run all year long, so pit road is also trouble. So the fact they widened that 10 or 12 feet is really nice.”
Media and fan interest also is accelerated. A portion of Daytona’s grandstands was open for public viewing both Wednesday and Thursday and television cameras weren’t the only ones being wielded.
“It's real important,” Labonte said of public and media fanfare. “They have a section open for the fans. They can come down here and see us drafting. I'm sure they've got their cameras out showing video to their buddies now on who-knows-where it's all at. It's the first time we've been to the new facility. That's exciting.”
It’s worth noting that this week’s test was confirmation, not a search process. Stucker said a tight calendar meant Goodyear officials did the bulk of their compound research testing at Daytona’s sister track, Talladega Superspeedway, also the only other restrictor-plate track on NASCAR’s three national series’ calendars.
Drivers, teams and track and NASCAR officials all draw natural comparisons off Talladega, which was repaved prior to its fall 2006 event. The completion of a test asphalt strip at Daytona allowed Goodyear officials to gather additional data, which Stucker said was compared to August’s test results at Talladega.
“We're well into production for the 500,” Stucker said. “In fact, we're just about done. We've come down here and really confirmed that all those decisions we made were the right ones. Very glad to hear that all the guys are comfortable with our setup and really everything we've seen so far has been very good from our perspective, very consistent, a lot of good comments from the drivers.”
Chitwood said the repaving project only enhances the allure of the Daytona 500.
I think when we market Daytona, we market the fact that this is the biggest event we have on the calendar,” he said. “This is how you make NASCAR stars – you win the Daytona 500. It's going to be a great surface out there for all of them to put on a great show.”
NOTE: The next on-track activity for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be January’s three-day test at Daytona. The session, known as NASCAR Preseason Thunder, is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 20 through Saturday, Jan. 22. Sunday, Jan. 23 is the rain date.
The 2011 edition of NASCAR Preseason Thunder will help teams further acclimate to the new pavement, plus speed their preparation for the 53rd Daytona 500 on Feb. 20.
All NASCAR Preseason Thunder sessions begin at 9 a.m. and end at 5 p.m., weather permitting. Each includes a lunch break from noon until 1 p.m.
Fans seeking to rev up their new year can do so at the NASCAR Preseason Thunder Fan Fest at Daytona – the companion event to the January test. Along with watching NASCAR Preseason Thunder track activity, fans can enjoy three Fan Fest sessions in Dayton’s Sprint FANZONE – from 5-7 p.m., and 7-9 p.m., on Friday, Jan. 21 and from 5-7 p.m., on Saturday, Jan. 22.
Driver question-and-answer and autograph sessions are planned. Fans also can watch each day’s testing at no cost, beginning at 9 a.m.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Smoother Daytona greets Cup drivers in first day of testing
Smoother Daytona greets Cup drivers in first day of testing
Special to the Sporting News NASCAR Service
(December 15, 2010)
The newly repaved Daytona International Speedway surface, as expected, has more grip than the rough, aged one that had gone 32 years without a repaving.
Sprint Cup drivers got their first chance to drive racecars on the new surface Wednesday, the first day of a two-day tire test for Goodyear. Eighteen teams elected to participate, while more than 40 are expected for the NASCAR open test scheduled for Jan. 20-22 at the 2.5-mile oval.
Drivers apparently were comfortable going three-wide around Daytona, which is narrower than Talladega and typically featured two-wide with only occasional three-wide racing in the past.
“It is going to make for more exciting racing, more aggressive racing,” Jeff Gordon said. “I don’t think we’re going to see the two-car bump-drafting (for separation from the pack) like we saw at Talladega, but I think you’re going to see a lot of three-wide racing, which here typically in the past, getting more than two-wide, you could only do it for a short period of time.
“You’ll be able to see us race here three-wide lap after lap after lap.”
Teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the first driver to take to the new surface during a day of single-car runs as well as drafting.
“They smoothed out all the bumps,” Earnhardt said. “The track is real smooth. It’s got a lot of grip. The track reminds me a lot like Talladega was like when they first finished it (a few years ago)."
Travis Pastrana gets first taste of driving stock cars
Travis Pastrana began the process of learning how to go fast in a stock car this week.
Pastrana, a supercross, freestyle motocross and Rally star, turned his first laps in a stock car Monday and Tuesday as he tested a K&N Pro Series East car at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway.
Pastrana plans to compete in seven Nationwide races in 2011 and hopes to make his NASCAR debut in an East car by qualifying for the Toyota All-Star Showdown next month at Irwindale, Calif.
“This is the biggest challenge that I’ve ever had,” Pastrana said Tuesday. “It’s going to take a lot of time. I’m willing to put the time in. There’s going to come a time when I need to focus on this more, and that time is quickly approaching. I’m not taking it easy this first year, but to kind of understand and get a background of the entire sport.”
Pastrana, 27, has partnered with Michael Waltrip Racing to form Pastrana Waltrip Racing.
During the test two-day test, Pastrana turned about 350 laps under the guidance of Nationwide Series crew chief Jerry Baxter and driver coach Matt Crafton.
“My main goal is not look like an idiot this year and hopefully next year we can come in with a better game plan and really start doing well,” Pastrana said.
Special to the Sporting News NASCAR Service
(December 15, 2010)
The newly repaved Daytona International Speedway surface, as expected, has more grip than the rough, aged one that had gone 32 years without a repaving.
Sprint Cup drivers got their first chance to drive racecars on the new surface Wednesday, the first day of a two-day tire test for Goodyear. Eighteen teams elected to participate, while more than 40 are expected for the NASCAR open test scheduled for Jan. 20-22 at the 2.5-mile oval.
Drivers apparently were comfortable going three-wide around Daytona, which is narrower than Talladega and typically featured two-wide with only occasional three-wide racing in the past.
“It is going to make for more exciting racing, more aggressive racing,” Jeff Gordon said. “I don’t think we’re going to see the two-car bump-drafting (for separation from the pack) like we saw at Talladega, but I think you’re going to see a lot of three-wide racing, which here typically in the past, getting more than two-wide, you could only do it for a short period of time.
“You’ll be able to see us race here three-wide lap after lap after lap.”
Teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the first driver to take to the new surface during a day of single-car runs as well as drafting.
“They smoothed out all the bumps,” Earnhardt said. “The track is real smooth. It’s got a lot of grip. The track reminds me a lot like Talladega was like when they first finished it (a few years ago)."
Travis Pastrana gets first taste of driving stock cars
Travis Pastrana began the process of learning how to go fast in a stock car this week.
Pastrana, a supercross, freestyle motocross and Rally star, turned his first laps in a stock car Monday and Tuesday as he tested a K&N Pro Series East car at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway.
Pastrana plans to compete in seven Nationwide races in 2011 and hopes to make his NASCAR debut in an East car by qualifying for the Toyota All-Star Showdown next month at Irwindale, Calif.
“This is the biggest challenge that I’ve ever had,” Pastrana said Tuesday. “It’s going to take a lot of time. I’m willing to put the time in. There’s going to come a time when I need to focus on this more, and that time is quickly approaching. I’m not taking it easy this first year, but to kind of understand and get a background of the entire sport.”
Pastrana, 27, has partnered with Michael Waltrip Racing to form Pastrana Waltrip Racing.
During the test two-day test, Pastrana turned about 350 laps under the guidance of Nationwide Series crew chief Jerry Baxter and driver coach Matt Crafton.
“My main goal is not look like an idiot this year and hopefully next year we can come in with a better game plan and really start doing well,” Pastrana said.
The Best Daytona 500 Finishes: No.51993: Dale Vs. Dale Results In Father-Son Moment
1993: Dale Vs. Dale Results In Father-Son Moment
(Note: This is the second installment in a five-part series on some of the best Daytona 500 finishes in the history of “The Great American Race.” Finishes were chosen based on the drama they created — and the historical value that resulted.
Today, we take a look at No. 5 in the countdown: Dale Jarrett’s scant .16-second victory over Dale Earnhardt, in 1993.)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 8, 2010) — The 1993 Daytona 500 provided a photo-finish fit for a family album, provided that family was the Jarretts.
In the record book, the result reads cold and concise — a .16-second margin of victory by Dale Jarrett over Dale Earnhardt. But this was a result with ramifications beyond the checkered flag, as it became one of NASCAR’s signature moments, memorable to say the least.
On the Daytona International Speedway tri-oval, the competition evolved into a fantastic “Dale vs. Dale” battle, with Jarrett chasing down Earnhardt in the closing laps. Jarrett was trying to win his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Earnhardt was trying to finally win the Daytona 500 on what was then his 15th attempt.
Up in the television booth, Ned Jarrett had his own battle ongoing — to keep his composure. The invariably unflappable CBS commentator found himself torn between doing his job and cheering his son down the stretch. CBS’s Bob Stenner black-flagged protocol in deciding to see if the father could somehow do both. Stenner told play-by-play man Ken Squier to “lay out,” television lingo for basically getting out of the way and letting a situation develop naturally.
And develop it did.
Jarrett, a 36-year-old driver with the then-fledgling Joe Gibbs Racing organization, had the audacity to horn in on another late-race duel, that one involving Earnhardt and a heralded rookie named Jeff Gordon. Using an aerodynamic boost from longtime Earnhardt adversary Geoff Bodine, Jarrett went from third to first, getting past Earnhardt after their cars bumped in Turn 3.
Coming out of Turn 4, entering the DIS tri-oval and finish line, the nation’s television viewers heard Ned Jarrett at his finest.
“Come on Dale! Go, baby go! He’s gonna make it … Dale Jarrett’s gonna win the Daytona 500!”
Moments after that memorable call, the cameras found Martha Jarrett, Dale’s mother, crying her eyes out, happily. As for Ned, he was having the same experience, and became the welcome recipient of a box of tissues in the booth.
Dale Jarrett had delivered car owner Joe Gibbs his first NASCAR Sprint Cup win — in the sport’s biggest race, no less. There was serendipity at work; Ned Jarrett won two series championships in the 1960s but never won the Daytona 500. Interviewed post-race, Dale dedicated the victory to Ned and the rest of his family.
The 1993 Daytona 500 finish was NASCAR at its finest.
(Note: This is the second installment in a five-part series on some of the best Daytona 500 finishes in the history of “The Great American Race.” Finishes were chosen based on the drama they created — and the historical value that resulted.
Today, we take a look at No. 5 in the countdown: Dale Jarrett’s scant .16-second victory over Dale Earnhardt, in 1993.)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 8, 2010) — The 1993 Daytona 500 provided a photo-finish fit for a family album, provided that family was the Jarretts.
In the record book, the result reads cold and concise — a .16-second margin of victory by Dale Jarrett over Dale Earnhardt. But this was a result with ramifications beyond the checkered flag, as it became one of NASCAR’s signature moments, memorable to say the least.
On the Daytona International Speedway tri-oval, the competition evolved into a fantastic “Dale vs. Dale” battle, with Jarrett chasing down Earnhardt in the closing laps. Jarrett was trying to win his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Earnhardt was trying to finally win the Daytona 500 on what was then his 15th attempt.
Up in the television booth, Ned Jarrett had his own battle ongoing — to keep his composure. The invariably unflappable CBS commentator found himself torn between doing his job and cheering his son down the stretch. CBS’s Bob Stenner black-flagged protocol in deciding to see if the father could somehow do both. Stenner told play-by-play man Ken Squier to “lay out,” television lingo for basically getting out of the way and letting a situation develop naturally.
And develop it did.
Jarrett, a 36-year-old driver with the then-fledgling Joe Gibbs Racing organization, had the audacity to horn in on another late-race duel, that one involving Earnhardt and a heralded rookie named Jeff Gordon. Using an aerodynamic boost from longtime Earnhardt adversary Geoff Bodine, Jarrett went from third to first, getting past Earnhardt after their cars bumped in Turn 3.
Coming out of Turn 4, entering the DIS tri-oval and finish line, the nation’s television viewers heard Ned Jarrett at his finest.
“Come on Dale! Go, baby go! He’s gonna make it … Dale Jarrett’s gonna win the Daytona 500!”
Moments after that memorable call, the cameras found Martha Jarrett, Dale’s mother, crying her eyes out, happily. As for Ned, he was having the same experience, and became the welcome recipient of a box of tissues in the booth.
Dale Jarrett had delivered car owner Joe Gibbs his first NASCAR Sprint Cup win — in the sport’s biggest race, no less. There was serendipity at work; Ned Jarrett won two series championships in the 1960s but never won the Daytona 500. Interviewed post-race, Dale dedicated the victory to Ned and the rest of his family.
The 1993 Daytona 500 finish was NASCAR at its finest.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
2010 MARIO ANDRETTI AWARD FINALISTS
SPEED™ NAMES 18 FINALISTS FOR 2010 MARIO ANDRETTI TROPHY
RACERS FROM 10 DIFFERENT SERIES VIE FOR SPEED PERFORMER OF THE YEAR TITLE
RACING GREATS ANDRETTI, GURNEY & MOSS LEAD SELECTION PANEL
The 100-pound bronze Mario Andretti Trophy, designed by artist Elie Hazak and presented annually to the SPEED Performer of the Year, celebrates the wide variety of cars Andretti piloted to victory in his decorated career, and this year that same range of talent is on display as SPEED reveals its list of finalists for the honor – 18 racers from 10 different disciplines.
Representing both four-wheel and two-wheel efforts across the globe, the Mario Andretti Trophy goes to the racer who puts a premium on winning races, shines on his/her sport’s biggest stages and does it all with a measure of sportsmanship and class.
This year, Jimmie Johnson -- five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and a three-time Mario Andretti Trophy winner -- joins 17 other racers in their quest for the honor, including: Sebastian Vettel (F1), John Force (NHRA), Jorge Lorenzo (MotoGP), Dario Franchitti (IndyCar), Larry Dixon (NHRA), Denny Hamlin (NASCAR), Ryan Dungey (Supercross), Joey Saldana (WoO), Bryan Clauson (USAC), L.E. Tonglet (NHRA), Scott Pruett (Grand-Am), Will Power (IndyCar), Jamie McMurray (NASCAR), Fernando Alonso (F1), Sebastien Loeb (World Rally), Valentino Rossi (MotoGP) and Kyle Busch (NASCAR).
The 2010 SPEED Performer of the Year is selected by a panel including racing legends Andretti, Dan Gurney and Sir Stirling Moss, "Wind Tunnel" host Dave Despain , veteran broadcasters Bob Varsha , Ralph Sheheen and Leigh Diffey, SPEED.com writers Robin Miller and Tom Jensen , versatile racers Tommy Kendall and Dorsey Schroeder and a select group of SPEED motor sports producers.
Former Mario Andretti Trophy winners and runner-ups:
2006 – Jimmie Johnson, NASCAR. Nicky Hayden, MotoGP
2007 – Jimmie Johnson, NASCAR; Donny Schatz, WoO
2008 – Jimmie Johnson, NASCAR; Tony Schumacher, NHRA
2009 – Tony Schumacher, NHRA; Jimmie Johnson, NASCAR
Nine additional “fan chosen” SPEED Performance Awards are open for voting at www.speedperformanceawards.com through Dec. 19, with winners being announced as part of a one-hour television special in February.
About SPEED™
SPEED, anchored by its popular and wide-ranging coverage of NASCAR, is the nation’s first and only cable television network dedicated to automotive and motorcycle racing, performance and lifestyle. Now available in more than 82 million homes in North America , SPEED, a member of the FOX Sports Media Group, is among the industry leaders in interactive TV, video on demand, mobile initiatives and broadband services. For more information, please visit SPEED.com, the online motor sports authority.
RACERS FROM 10 DIFFERENT SERIES VIE FOR SPEED PERFORMER OF THE YEAR TITLE
RACING GREATS ANDRETTI, GURNEY & MOSS LEAD SELECTION PANEL
The 100-pound bronze Mario Andretti Trophy, designed by artist Elie Hazak and presented annually to the SPEED Performer of the Year, celebrates the wide variety of cars Andretti piloted to victory in his decorated career, and this year that same range of talent is on display as SPEED reveals its list of finalists for the honor – 18 racers from 10 different disciplines.
Representing both four-wheel and two-wheel efforts across the globe, the Mario Andretti Trophy goes to the racer who puts a premium on winning races, shines on his/her sport’s biggest stages and does it all with a measure of sportsmanship and class.
This year, Jimmie Johnson -- five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and a three-time Mario Andretti Trophy winner -- joins 17 other racers in their quest for the honor, including: Sebastian Vettel (F1), John Force (NHRA), Jorge Lorenzo (MotoGP), Dario Franchitti (IndyCar), Larry Dixon (NHRA), Denny Hamlin (NASCAR), Ryan Dungey (Supercross), Joey Saldana (WoO), Bryan Clauson (USAC), L.E. Tonglet (NHRA), Scott Pruett (Grand-Am), Will Power (IndyCar), Jamie McMurray (NASCAR), Fernando Alonso (F1), Sebastien Loeb (World Rally), Valentino Rossi (MotoGP) and Kyle Busch (NASCAR).
The 2010 SPEED Performer of the Year is selected by a panel including racing legends Andretti, Dan Gurney and Sir Stirling Moss, "Wind Tunnel" host Dave Despain , veteran broadcasters Bob Varsha , Ralph Sheheen and Leigh Diffey, SPEED.com writers Robin Miller and Tom Jensen , versatile racers Tommy Kendall and Dorsey Schroeder and a select group of SPEED motor sports producers.
Former Mario Andretti Trophy winners and runner-ups:
2006 – Jimmie Johnson, NASCAR. Nicky Hayden, MotoGP
2007 – Jimmie Johnson, NASCAR; Donny Schatz, WoO
2008 – Jimmie Johnson, NASCAR; Tony Schumacher, NHRA
2009 – Tony Schumacher, NHRA; Jimmie Johnson, NASCAR
Nine additional “fan chosen” SPEED Performance Awards are open for voting at www.speedperformanceawards.com through Dec. 19, with winners being announced as part of a one-hour television special in February.
About SPEED™
SPEED, anchored by its popular and wide-ranging coverage of NASCAR, is the nation’s first and only cable television network dedicated to automotive and motorcycle racing, performance and lifestyle. Now available in more than 82 million homes in North America , SPEED, a member of the FOX Sports Media Group, is among the industry leaders in interactive TV, video on demand, mobile initiatives and broadband services. For more information, please visit SPEED.com, the online motor sports authority.
Monday, December 13, 2010
2010 Season In Review: A Look Back At The Quotes Of The Year
2010 Season In Review: A Look Back At The Quotes Of The Year
December 13, 2010
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 13, 2010) – There were some outstanding and colorful quotes madeduring the recently completed 2010 NASCAR season. The following is a look back at some of those words – with audio and video – in chronological order as selected by NASCAR PR managers.
1/21/10 NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton at NASCAR’s Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C., setting the tone for the season.
“As it relates to the Sprint Cup Series, there's been a lot of debate and talk over the winter time, as everyone knows. The bump drafting as we’ve known it at Daytona and Talladega over the past few years will be totally eliminated. We’re gonna put it back in the hands of the drivers and ‘Boys, have at it and have a good time,’ that's all I can say.”
1/31/10 Hurley Haywood, five-time GRAND-AM Rolex 24 winner, on his final lap as a pro racer in the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla.
“The guys at Brumos are all big stock car fans and one of them said, 'If you get close to Jimmie Johnson, I want you to run with him and see if you can pass him,' so I got on his tail and we were having a pretty good time and that's where the (1:42.2) lap came from so it was fun and Jimmie's a class act. He's not only a great stock car driver, but he's also a very good sports car driver so it was a pleasure to be able to race with him on my final lap (as a professional sports car driver.)”
2/14/10 Jamie McMurray after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla.
"It's unbelievable. I can't really put it into words the way it feels. I talked to Christy my wife this morning. She was like: 'You know, what would it mean to you if you won this race today?' I told her it would be like a dream come true. I'm trying to be genuine and as sincere as I can and not sound cliché. As a kid growing up, this is what you dream of, of being able to win the Daytona 500."
2/21/10 Kevin Harvick on the No. 48 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team after losing to Jimmie Johnson in the Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.
“They're really good, but they're really, really lucky, too. I mean, Jimmie is a good friend of mine, but there's no way of getting around how lucky they are. You don't win four championships and do all the things they've done. They did a good job today in winning the race, but they have a golden horseshoe stuck up their ass. I mean, there's no way to get around that.”
3/21/10 Kurt Busch after losing to Jimmie Johnson, who claimed his 50th career victory and first at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn. in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Food City 500.
"I'd rather lose to any of the (42) cars out there than this No. 48 car. I thought we had them beat. I gave it my heart, but to come up short ... it's a shame we didn't bring it home for a victory.”
4/25/10 Jeff Gordon after Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson made contact with the No. 24, for the second consecutive week at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Ala.
“The ‘48’ (Jimmie Johnson) is testing my patience. I’m hard to get mad, and I’m pissed off.”
5/8/10 Denny Hamlin as he crossed the finish line first in the Showtime Southern 500, one of his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season-best eight wins, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C.
“All we do is win!”
5/11/10 NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France at the opening of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C.
“I see a lot of our fans are out here, right in this corner in particular. They're the big benefactor from all over the country and all over the world to come into Charlotte, stay in the community, go to the events in May and October and, most importantly, walk through and take in the history of this sport. Get to know it. Get to know their drivers a little bit better through the things you’re going to see. And so for that, I want to tell our fans, you have the best Hall of Fame in the world right here in Charlotte.”
5/14/10 Jeff Gordon on NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing in 2010 at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del.
The think right now the sport’s selling itself because the racing has been phenomenal. We’ve seen some of the closest finishes, most action, not only at the end of the race, but throughout the race everywhere we’ve been. The double-file restarts, the green-white-checkers, the spoiler – there’s just a lot of reasons right now why I think we’re putting the best show in sports out there each and every weekend.”Audio:
5/14/10 Former NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Carl Edwards on the new NASCAR Nationwide Series car that made its debut with four races in 2010
“Those Mustangs look great. I think that’s one of the neatest things that NASCAR’s done for a while, for us to run those cars. That’ll be cool. I’d love to be the first guy to win in a Mustang in a NASCAR race. That’d be really neat.”
5/23/10 Richard Petty inducted into NASCAR Hall of Fame’s inaugural class in Charlotte, N.C.
“The fans then is what it's all about, guys. We wouldn't be here without the fans. There wouldn't be a Richard Petty. There wouldn't be a NASCAR. But the press was telling the fans about NASCAR. The fans came. So the fans developed a love, a real love, for it...”
6/6/10 Joey Logano after an on-track incident with Kevin Harvick in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 presented by Target at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa.
“Racing the 29, and he let me go in the middle of the straightaway and decided to dump me in the next turn. I don't know what his deal is with me. It's probably not his fault. His wife wears the firesuit in the family and tells him what to do, so it's probably not his fault.”
7/3/10 Dale Earnhardt Jr. after winning the first NASCAR Nationwide Series new car race in his final run in a No. 3 car at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach. Fla.
“I'm really happy with what NASCAR did the first time out with this car. They will work on it, improve it, learn a lot from it. But the first go-round I think was a great success.”
9/9/10 Carl Edwards about the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup at Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Va.
“I can’t pick a favorite as a fan looking at it and I can’t say who’s gonna be the favorite and I don’t think you can say what rivalries are going to build. I think this is going to be the best Chase we’ve ever had.”
10/24/10 Denny Hamlin after starting the second half of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with a win in the TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va.
“Who said it was over? Told you it wasn't over.”
10/31/10 Kevin Harvick on Jimmie Johnson after the AMP Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Ala.
“No offense to him, but somebody else needs to win. Everybody but them wants somebody else to win. I like Jimmie as good as anybody. But for the sake of the sport, one of the two of us needs to make something happen.”
11/7/10 Mike Ford on the No. 48 team after the No. 11 team’s eighth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win of the season at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas.
“You've watched them play mind games with people in the past, and I'm completely immune to that. I could care less. I'll be right in their face saying, ‘It doesn't matter.’ I think our race team is better than their race team, and I'm not going to tiptoe around them because of where they're at. I'm going to do what it's going to require for us to win a championship and beat them. Not that I'm playing dirty by any means, but take what's ours, and I'm not afraid to go toe-to-toe with them.”
11/21/10 Jimmie Johnson after winning a fifth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla.
“People tell me they hate me, but they respect me, and that's always cool. A guy that had an "I hate 48" t-shirt on when I was on the SPEED stage, but was giving me a thumbs-up and said congratulations. So in the moment, it's tough I think for fans to maybe look at what we have accomplished, because they want their guy to win and I understand that. But I know what we’ve done today is respected sports-wide, not just in our little bubble we live in, but sports-wide…”
December 13, 2010
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 13, 2010) – There were some outstanding and colorful quotes madeduring the recently completed 2010 NASCAR season. The following is a look back at some of those words – with audio and video – in chronological order as selected by NASCAR PR managers.
1/21/10 NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton at NASCAR’s Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C., setting the tone for the season.
“As it relates to the Sprint Cup Series, there's been a lot of debate and talk over the winter time, as everyone knows. The bump drafting as we’ve known it at Daytona and Talladega over the past few years will be totally eliminated. We’re gonna put it back in the hands of the drivers and ‘Boys, have at it and have a good time,’ that's all I can say.”
1/31/10 Hurley Haywood, five-time GRAND-AM Rolex 24 winner, on his final lap as a pro racer in the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla.
“The guys at Brumos are all big stock car fans and one of them said, 'If you get close to Jimmie Johnson, I want you to run with him and see if you can pass him,' so I got on his tail and we were having a pretty good time and that's where the (1:42.2) lap came from so it was fun and Jimmie's a class act. He's not only a great stock car driver, but he's also a very good sports car driver so it was a pleasure to be able to race with him on my final lap (as a professional sports car driver.)”
2/14/10 Jamie McMurray after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla.
"It's unbelievable. I can't really put it into words the way it feels. I talked to Christy my wife this morning. She was like: 'You know, what would it mean to you if you won this race today?' I told her it would be like a dream come true. I'm trying to be genuine and as sincere as I can and not sound cliché. As a kid growing up, this is what you dream of, of being able to win the Daytona 500."
2/21/10 Kevin Harvick on the No. 48 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team after losing to Jimmie Johnson in the Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.
“They're really good, but they're really, really lucky, too. I mean, Jimmie is a good friend of mine, but there's no way of getting around how lucky they are. You don't win four championships and do all the things they've done. They did a good job today in winning the race, but they have a golden horseshoe stuck up their ass. I mean, there's no way to get around that.”
3/21/10 Kurt Busch after losing to Jimmie Johnson, who claimed his 50th career victory and first at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn. in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Food City 500.
"I'd rather lose to any of the (42) cars out there than this No. 48 car. I thought we had them beat. I gave it my heart, but to come up short ... it's a shame we didn't bring it home for a victory.”
4/25/10 Jeff Gordon after Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson made contact with the No. 24, for the second consecutive week at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Ala.
“The ‘48’ (Jimmie Johnson) is testing my patience. I’m hard to get mad, and I’m pissed off.”
5/8/10 Denny Hamlin as he crossed the finish line first in the Showtime Southern 500, one of his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season-best eight wins, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C.
“All we do is win!”
5/11/10 NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France at the opening of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C.
“I see a lot of our fans are out here, right in this corner in particular. They're the big benefactor from all over the country and all over the world to come into Charlotte, stay in the community, go to the events in May and October and, most importantly, walk through and take in the history of this sport. Get to know it. Get to know their drivers a little bit better through the things you’re going to see. And so for that, I want to tell our fans, you have the best Hall of Fame in the world right here in Charlotte.”
5/14/10 Jeff Gordon on NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing in 2010 at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del.
The think right now the sport’s selling itself because the racing has been phenomenal. We’ve seen some of the closest finishes, most action, not only at the end of the race, but throughout the race everywhere we’ve been. The double-file restarts, the green-white-checkers, the spoiler – there’s just a lot of reasons right now why I think we’re putting the best show in sports out there each and every weekend.”Audio:
5/14/10 Former NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Carl Edwards on the new NASCAR Nationwide Series car that made its debut with four races in 2010
“Those Mustangs look great. I think that’s one of the neatest things that NASCAR’s done for a while, for us to run those cars. That’ll be cool. I’d love to be the first guy to win in a Mustang in a NASCAR race. That’d be really neat.”
5/23/10 Richard Petty inducted into NASCAR Hall of Fame’s inaugural class in Charlotte, N.C.
“The fans then is what it's all about, guys. We wouldn't be here without the fans. There wouldn't be a Richard Petty. There wouldn't be a NASCAR. But the press was telling the fans about NASCAR. The fans came. So the fans developed a love, a real love, for it...”
6/6/10 Joey Logano after an on-track incident with Kevin Harvick in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 presented by Target at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa.
“Racing the 29, and he let me go in the middle of the straightaway and decided to dump me in the next turn. I don't know what his deal is with me. It's probably not his fault. His wife wears the firesuit in the family and tells him what to do, so it's probably not his fault.”
7/3/10 Dale Earnhardt Jr. after winning the first NASCAR Nationwide Series new car race in his final run in a No. 3 car at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach. Fla.
“I'm really happy with what NASCAR did the first time out with this car. They will work on it, improve it, learn a lot from it. But the first go-round I think was a great success.”
9/9/10 Carl Edwards about the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup at Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Va.
“I can’t pick a favorite as a fan looking at it and I can’t say who’s gonna be the favorite and I don’t think you can say what rivalries are going to build. I think this is going to be the best Chase we’ve ever had.”
10/24/10 Denny Hamlin after starting the second half of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with a win in the TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va.
“Who said it was over? Told you it wasn't over.”
10/31/10 Kevin Harvick on Jimmie Johnson after the AMP Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Ala.
“No offense to him, but somebody else needs to win. Everybody but them wants somebody else to win. I like Jimmie as good as anybody. But for the sake of the sport, one of the two of us needs to make something happen.”
11/7/10 Mike Ford on the No. 48 team after the No. 11 team’s eighth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win of the season at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas.
“You've watched them play mind games with people in the past, and I'm completely immune to that. I could care less. I'll be right in their face saying, ‘It doesn't matter.’ I think our race team is better than their race team, and I'm not going to tiptoe around them because of where they're at. I'm going to do what it's going to require for us to win a championship and beat them. Not that I'm playing dirty by any means, but take what's ours, and I'm not afraid to go toe-to-toe with them.”
11/21/10 Jimmie Johnson after winning a fifth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla.
“People tell me they hate me, but they respect me, and that's always cool. A guy that had an "I hate 48" t-shirt on when I was on the SPEED stage, but was giving me a thumbs-up and said congratulations. So in the moment, it's tough I think for fans to maybe look at what we have accomplished, because they want their guy to win and I understand that. But I know what we’ve done today is respected sports-wide, not just in our little bubble we live in, but sports-wide…”
The Best Daytona 500 Finishes 2007: Harvick Nips Martin In Down-To-The-Wire Duel
(Note: This is the first installment in a five-part series on some of the best Daytona 500 finishes in the history of “The Great American Race.” Finishes were chosen based on the drama they created — and the historical value that resulted.)
Today, we take a look at No. 4 in the countdown: Kevin Harvick’s dramatic, last-second victory over Mark Martin, in 2007.)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 9, 2010) — Finishes don’t get much closer than the 2007 Daytona 500.
In fact, as the 2010 edition looms, only a handful are closer than that which separates 2007 Daytona 500 champion Kevin Harvick from second-place finisher Mark Martin.
Harvick’s .020-second margin of victory is NASCAR’s ninth-closest since the advent of electronic timing and scoring in May 1993. Ricky Craven’s epic March 2003 win over Kurt Busch at Darlington Raceway leads the list (.002 seconds).
You can’t blink that fast.
But decimal points only hint at drama. Harvick didn’t just swoop down on Martin at the last minute that day.
He rallied from 29th to first over the race’s final 20 laps.
As night blanketed Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 18, 2007, Harvick found himself up front with Martin, one of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ most respected, veteran competitors. Martin, trying to win his first Daytona 500 on his 23rd try, had dialed back to a part-time schedule for 2007, but “part time” hardly describes his or Harvick’s efforts that night.
Both dueled for the lead on their final sprint down the superspeedway’s backstretch, joined by then-second-year driver Clint Bowyer, one of Harvick’s Richard Childress Racing teammates, and another RCR teammate, Jeff Burton. Also in the mix: Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch and Greg Biffle.
Only Burton saw the finish.
Just behind the leaders, sheet metal touched, sparks flew and Kenseth, Biffle, Busch and Bowyer went for a spin. Blurred together, Martin and Harvick raced for the finish line, seemingly reaching it in tandem with Burton in tow and hundreds of media members springing to their feet in the press box.
Seconds later — Bowyer took the checkered flag on his roof, with flames spouting from the underside of his car. He was credited with an 18th-place finish on the lead lap.
The caution flag, which flew as Martin and Harvick bore down on Daytona’s finish line, added more sparks. Some media and garage pundits claimed Martin would’ve won had the flag flown a touch earlier, but the drama and the historical significance of Harvick’s win eclipsed controversy.
It was the first RCR victory at Daytona since Dale Earnhardt’s win in the 1998 Daytona 500, plus, the first since his death on a last-lap crash there in 2001. Harvick, who succeed Earnhardt at RCR, was not unaware.
"I got so excited at the end of the race, and I knew we had won," he said. "I just didn't realize how excited I was, and I punched the dang mirror out of the car. Just overexcited, I guess. Knocked the mirror right out."
Thursday, December 9, 2010
RACING**HELLONWHEELS 2010 TOP FIVE
Our first top five mention of the drivers ,we believe ,not only with statistics, wins ,loses top fives and so on
Brought us to our seats because of the things that brought them fame and gave us the Wow Factor.
Number 1 - Jamie Mcmurray
Not one of the most impressive runs this year but he caught our eye by winning two of
Nascar's best of the best races.
Taking the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400
He showed in these races when it comes to speed and having the guts and know how
To tame these tracks he has to be in the top five of the best drivers at those venues.
Number 2- Kevin Harvick
Taking his car from the back of the field on more than one ocassion to be in the front at the end of the race showed his skills as a driver unrelentless in his pursuit of the title racking up a fantastic 26 top tens in 2010 and finishing third in the standings at the end of the season.
His desire led to be points leader most of the year losing it basically entering the chase under those rules.
Number 3- Jimmie Johnson
Johnson making history with five in a row championships couldnt let us overlook him.
Be it said winning in the Chase era is his book to write ,with his team he has the setup everyone desires even knowing that if there was no chase his chances wouldve been slimmer we cant take away from him that his desire to win is great and with making the fewest mistakes on any given track has in our opinion put him in the top 50 of all time greats number three in titles and number five in "one of the best ever" he has a long way to go to be called the greatest but it looks like he's on his way.
Number 4-Clint Bowyer
Yes we know you might not agree at all on this choice .Bowyer has fought his way to the top of this season even with all the troubles he has had . Bowyer has to be one of the drivers that will be around for a long time and we expect him to really take action with wins and top tens in 2011 ,if he can just stay out of trouble with Nacsar.We believe his rcord next year will put him in one of the spots for a top ten driver in our current play book
Number 5- Jeff Gordon
What can you say about a four time champion except that with going winless he managed to stay in the top five pounts standings until the very end .
We cant really figure out whats wrong with the performance factor and niether can Hendricks but the fire in the eyes are still there and he helped give us great racing for a long time and in 2010 !
His performance reminds us of Mark Matin in the sense he is always in the top ten it seems and you have to race him ,he doesnt pull over for anyone period ,ask Jimmie
So there's are top five drivers for 2010 and NOW
The Best of the Rest for his Skills =KevinHarvick
A marvick that showed that he has the intense desire and the skills to be One of the Best in Nascar
Brought us to our seats because of the things that brought them fame and gave us the Wow Factor.
Number 1 - Jamie Mcmurray
Not one of the most impressive runs this year but he caught our eye by winning two of
Nascar's best of the best races.
Taking the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400
He showed in these races when it comes to speed and having the guts and know how
To tame these tracks he has to be in the top five of the best drivers at those venues.
Number 2- Kevin Harvick
Taking his car from the back of the field on more than one ocassion to be in the front at the end of the race showed his skills as a driver unrelentless in his pursuit of the title racking up a fantastic 26 top tens in 2010 and finishing third in the standings at the end of the season.
His desire led to be points leader most of the year losing it basically entering the chase under those rules.
Number 3- Jimmie Johnson
Johnson making history with five in a row championships couldnt let us overlook him.
Be it said winning in the Chase era is his book to write ,with his team he has the setup everyone desires even knowing that if there was no chase his chances wouldve been slimmer we cant take away from him that his desire to win is great and with making the fewest mistakes on any given track has in our opinion put him in the top 50 of all time greats number three in titles and number five in "one of the best ever" he has a long way to go to be called the greatest but it looks like he's on his way.
Number 4-Clint Bowyer
Yes we know you might not agree at all on this choice .Bowyer has fought his way to the top of this season even with all the troubles he has had . Bowyer has to be one of the drivers that will be around for a long time and we expect him to really take action with wins and top tens in 2011 ,if he can just stay out of trouble with Nacsar.We believe his rcord next year will put him in one of the spots for a top ten driver in our current play book
Number 5- Jeff Gordon
What can you say about a four time champion except that with going winless he managed to stay in the top five pounts standings until the very end .
We cant really figure out whats wrong with the performance factor and niether can Hendricks but the fire in the eyes are still there and he helped give us great racing for a long time and in 2010 !
His performance reminds us of Mark Matin in the sense he is always in the top ten it seems and you have to race him ,he doesnt pull over for anyone period ,ask Jimmie
So there's are top five drivers for 2010 and NOW
The Best of the Rest for his Skills =KevinHarvick
A marvick that showed that he has the intense desire and the skills to be One of the Best in Nascar
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
NASCAR's sponsorship revenue growing by 10 percent
NASCAR's sponsorship revenue growing by 10 percent
By Tripp Mickle
Special to the Sporting News NASCAR Service
NASCAR has finalized eight of 12 renewals and added two new partners, a combination that increases its total annual sponsorship revenue by 10 percent in 2011.
The sanctioning body has renewed two-thirds of the sponsorship deals due to elapse this year, signing renewals with Toyota , GM, Dodge, Unilever and DirecTV. Three other extensions are agreed to and currently being finalized, said Jim O'Connell, NASCAR vice president of corporate marketing.
Tylenol, Tissot and Nicorette all declined to extend their agreements, and the sanctioning body is still negotiating with insurer Aflac, which has one year left on its sponsorship of Roush Fenway's No. 99 Sprint Cup car driven by Carl Edwards.
The sanctioning body added partnerships with Drive 4COPD, a national public health campaign, and Growth Energy, an American ethanol interest group. NASCAR's marketing partnerships generally range from $2 million to $10 million a year.
"For any property to be up 10 percent given the economy and tight corporate budgets shows there's still a lot of value there," O'Connell said. "We've done a good job of finding new categories, and that's helped."
NASCAR announced the Growth Energy agreement last week in Las Vegas . It is NASCAR's first marketing partner in the green, environmental category, and its biggest new marketing deal since signing its Nextel/Sprint title sponsor in 2004.
NASCAR brought Growth Energy on in concert with its official fuel provider, Sunoco, which will provide Sunoco E15 fuel at the track. Growth Energy will be strictly a marketing partner and will use the NASCAR rights to promote American ethanol.
Unilever signed a multiyear extension for the first time in more than five years, ensuring that it will continue to use NASCAR to promote Hellman's mayonnaise. DirecTV's renewal ensures it will continue to provide " Hot Pass ," a service that provides an in-car view of the race from four cars.
Tylenol and Nicorette decided to exit NASCAR because of different challenges facing their respective businesses. Tylenol faced multiple product recalls last year, and Nicorette's market share has decreased because of new competition. The two had been partners of NASCAR since 2006 and 2005, respectively.
Tissot decided to discontinue its four-year-old relationship as NASCAR's official timekeeper in order to shift all of its motorsports marketing spending to become the primary sponsor of Danica Patrick's Nationwide Series car, owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports.
"It's a win-win," said Sharon Buntain, Tissot's U.S. brand president. "We get to be tied to the Earnhardt family and we're on Danica's car. It's a home run."
NASCAR has three key renewals due in 2011 with Mars, Bank of America and UPS. It already has begun negotiations with those partners and is looking to add new partnerships in the timekeeper, consumer electronics and salted snacks categories. It plans to be more aggressive in seeking additional green partnerships, too.
"The traditional categories are tougher and tougher," O'Connell said. "We'll need to create new opportunities to keep growing."
Tripp Mickle is a reporter with SportsBusiness Journal.
By Tripp Mickle
Special to the Sporting News NASCAR Service
NASCAR has finalized eight of 12 renewals and added two new partners, a combination that increases its total annual sponsorship revenue by 10 percent in 2011.
The sanctioning body has renewed two-thirds of the sponsorship deals due to elapse this year, signing renewals with Toyota , GM, Dodge, Unilever and DirecTV. Three other extensions are agreed to and currently being finalized, said Jim O'Connell, NASCAR vice president of corporate marketing.
Tylenol, Tissot and Nicorette all declined to extend their agreements, and the sanctioning body is still negotiating with insurer Aflac, which has one year left on its sponsorship of Roush Fenway's No. 99 Sprint Cup car driven by Carl Edwards.
The sanctioning body added partnerships with Drive 4COPD, a national public health campaign, and Growth Energy, an American ethanol interest group. NASCAR's marketing partnerships generally range from $2 million to $10 million a year.
"For any property to be up 10 percent given the economy and tight corporate budgets shows there's still a lot of value there," O'Connell said. "We've done a good job of finding new categories, and that's helped."
NASCAR announced the Growth Energy agreement last week in Las Vegas . It is NASCAR's first marketing partner in the green, environmental category, and its biggest new marketing deal since signing its Nextel/Sprint title sponsor in 2004.
NASCAR brought Growth Energy on in concert with its official fuel provider, Sunoco, which will provide Sunoco E15 fuel at the track. Growth Energy will be strictly a marketing partner and will use the NASCAR rights to promote American ethanol.
Unilever signed a multiyear extension for the first time in more than five years, ensuring that it will continue to use NASCAR to promote Hellman's mayonnaise. DirecTV's renewal ensures it will continue to provide " Hot Pass ," a service that provides an in-car view of the race from four cars.
Tylenol and Nicorette decided to exit NASCAR because of different challenges facing their respective businesses. Tylenol faced multiple product recalls last year, and Nicorette's market share has decreased because of new competition. The two had been partners of NASCAR since 2006 and 2005, respectively.
Tissot decided to discontinue its four-year-old relationship as NASCAR's official timekeeper in order to shift all of its motorsports marketing spending to become the primary sponsor of Danica Patrick's Nationwide Series car, owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports.
"It's a win-win," said Sharon Buntain, Tissot's U.S. brand president. "We get to be tied to the Earnhardt family and we're on Danica's car. It's a home run."
NASCAR has three key renewals due in 2011 with Mars, Bank of America and UPS. It already has begun negotiations with those partners and is looking to add new partnerships in the timekeeper, consumer electronics and salted snacks categories. It plans to be more aggressive in seeking additional green partnerships, too.
"The traditional categories are tougher and tougher," O'Connell said. "We'll need to create new opportunities to keep growing."
Tripp Mickle is a reporter with SportsBusiness Journal.
Media Selects Jimmie Johnson As Top Story Of 2010
Media Selects Jimmie Johnson Winning Unprecedented Fifth Consecutive Championship As Top Story Of 2010
December 6, 2010
NASCAR’s “Boys, Have At It” Philosophy Finishes Second In Press Poll
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 6, 2010) – Jimmie Johnson winning an unprecedented fifth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in come-from-behind fashion was voted the sport’s top competition story for 2010 by members of the media.
Members of the media ranked the top competition stories of the 2010 NASCAR season on NASCARMedia.com. The media poll was active from Tuesday, Nov. 30 until Monday, Dec. 6 at noon. There were 21 top competition storylines listed in the poll. First-place votes received 21 points, with second-place votes receiving 20 points, third-place votes 19 points and so forth down to one point for a 21st-place vote.
Johnson’s historic accomplishment of winning five straight NASCAR Sprint Cup Series titles while overcoming a 15-point deficit in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway garnered 49 first-place votes and finished with 1,449 points. NASCAR’s“Boys, have at it” philosophy – communicated last January, setting the tone for exciting and hard-fought racing – finished with 17 first-place votes and 1,294 points.
Denny Hamlin battling back from early-season knee surgery, challenging for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship, winning a series-high eight races and finishing a career-best second in the point standings ranked third in the poll.
Kyle Busch claiming 24 national series victories, including an unprecedented sweep of all three national series races (NASCAR Sprint Cup, NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series) at Bristol Motor Speedway in August, was selected the fourth top story. Jamie McMurray’s breakout season, that saw him win the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and Bank of America 500, was voted the fifth top story.
The rest of the top 10 highlights of 2010, according to the media, are: Richard Childress Racing returning to prominence with all three drivers qualifying for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup; the return of the spoiler to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars; the introduction of a maximum of three restart attempts prior to the white flag under NASCAR’s green-white-checkered flag finish; Brad Keselowski winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series title, providing owner Roger Penske with his first NASCAR championship; and the most competitive season in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history, with records for lead changes and leaders.
December 6, 2010
NASCAR’s “Boys, Have At It” Philosophy Finishes Second In Press Poll
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 6, 2010) – Jimmie Johnson winning an unprecedented fifth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in come-from-behind fashion was voted the sport’s top competition story for 2010 by members of the media.
Members of the media ranked the top competition stories of the 2010 NASCAR season on NASCARMedia.com. The media poll was active from Tuesday, Nov. 30 until Monday, Dec. 6 at noon. There were 21 top competition storylines listed in the poll. First-place votes received 21 points, with second-place votes receiving 20 points, third-place votes 19 points and so forth down to one point for a 21st-place vote.
Johnson’s historic accomplishment of winning five straight NASCAR Sprint Cup Series titles while overcoming a 15-point deficit in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway garnered 49 first-place votes and finished with 1,449 points. NASCAR’s“Boys, have at it” philosophy – communicated last January, setting the tone for exciting and hard-fought racing – finished with 17 first-place votes and 1,294 points.
Denny Hamlin battling back from early-season knee surgery, challenging for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship, winning a series-high eight races and finishing a career-best second in the point standings ranked third in the poll.
Kyle Busch claiming 24 national series victories, including an unprecedented sweep of all three national series races (NASCAR Sprint Cup, NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series) at Bristol Motor Speedway in August, was selected the fourth top story. Jamie McMurray’s breakout season, that saw him win the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and Bank of America 500, was voted the fifth top story.
The rest of the top 10 highlights of 2010, according to the media, are: Richard Childress Racing returning to prominence with all three drivers qualifying for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup; the return of the spoiler to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars; the introduction of a maximum of three restart attempts prior to the white flag under NASCAR’s green-white-checkered flag finish; Brad Keselowski winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series title, providing owner Roger Penske with his first NASCAR championship; and the most competitive season in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history, with records for lead changes and leaders.
Monday, December 6, 2010
2010 NASCAR HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY
NASCAR HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY SET FOR MAY 23, 2011
December 6, 2010
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Dec. 6, 2010) – The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) announced today that the 2011 Induction Ceremony for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s second class will be held on Monday, May 23.
Joining the inaugural class of Dale Earnhardt, Bill France Sr., Bill France Jr., Junior Johnson and Richard Petty will be Bobby Allison, Ned Jarrett, Bud Moore, David Pearson and Lee Petty. The Induction Ceremony is open to the public and will be held the evening of May 23, 2011 at the Charlotte Convention Center’s Crown Ballroom, which is connected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Tickets will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis and interested fans should visit NASCARHall.com for more details on next year’s class, upcoming appearances, ceremony details and the Induction Dinner on May 18.
“The 2011 class contains some of the most iconic names in our sport’s rich history,” NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France said. “The 2011 Induction will be a very special ceremony and we look forward to honoring these five NASCAR legends in front of their friends, family and fans.”
The 2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame class was determined in October by the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel, consisting of members of the Nominating Committee along with 31 others representing all facets of the NASCAR Industry. In addition, a nationwide fan vote was conducted through NASCAR.COM which accounted for the 53rd and final vote.
Highlighting the Class of 2011:
Bobby Allison
Allison, winner of the 1983 NASCAR premier series championship, ended his career with 84 victories, tied for third on the all-time list. In 1972, he won 10 races, had 12 second-place finishes and was the NASCAR premier series runner-up (to Richard Petty). Allison captured the NASCAR Modified Division the following two years. In 1998, Allison was named one of NASCAR’s “50 Greatest Drivers.”
Ned Jarrett
Jarrett was a two-time NASCAR champion (1961 and 1965) and two-time Sportsman Division champion (1957 and ’58). Through his career he totaled 50 premier series wins, tied for 11th all-time. In 1998 he was named one of NASCAR’s “50 Greatest Drivers.” After retiring in 1966, Jarrett helped grow the sport through his second career as a broadcaster.
Bud Moore
A decorated World War II infantryman, Moore became a successful NASCAR Sprint Cup owner almost immediately upon fielding a team in 1961. Moore won back-to-back championships in 1962-63 with Joe Weatherly. Earlier, in 1957, Moore – who referred to himself as “a country mechanic” – was crew chief for champion Buck Baker.
David Pearson
Pearson is a three-time NASCAR champion whose career total of 105 victories is second on the all-time list. Pearson won his titles in 1966, ’68 and ’69. He also won the sport’s biggest event, the Daytona 500, in 1976. In 1998 Pearson was named one of NASCAR’s “50 Greatest Drivers.”
Lee Petty
Petty became the sports first three-time series champion after winning titles in 1954, ’58 and ’59. He was also the winner of the first Daytona 500 in 1959. His 54 career victories stands ninth on the all-time list and he never finished lower than fourth in points from 1949-1959. In 1998, he was named one of NASCAR’s “50 Greatest Drivers.” Petty is the founder of Petty Enterprises and as an owner had more than 2,000 starts and 268 wins.
December 6, 2010
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Dec. 6, 2010) – The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) announced today that the 2011 Induction Ceremony for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s second class will be held on Monday, May 23.
Joining the inaugural class of Dale Earnhardt, Bill France Sr., Bill France Jr., Junior Johnson and Richard Petty will be Bobby Allison, Ned Jarrett, Bud Moore, David Pearson and Lee Petty. The Induction Ceremony is open to the public and will be held the evening of May 23, 2011 at the Charlotte Convention Center’s Crown Ballroom, which is connected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Tickets will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis and interested fans should visit NASCARHall.com for more details on next year’s class, upcoming appearances, ceremony details and the Induction Dinner on May 18.
“The 2011 class contains some of the most iconic names in our sport’s rich history,” NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France said. “The 2011 Induction will be a very special ceremony and we look forward to honoring these five NASCAR legends in front of their friends, family and fans.”
The 2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame class was determined in October by the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel, consisting of members of the Nominating Committee along with 31 others representing all facets of the NASCAR Industry. In addition, a nationwide fan vote was conducted through NASCAR.COM which accounted for the 53rd and final vote.
Highlighting the Class of 2011:
Bobby Allison
Allison, winner of the 1983 NASCAR premier series championship, ended his career with 84 victories, tied for third on the all-time list. In 1972, he won 10 races, had 12 second-place finishes and was the NASCAR premier series runner-up (to Richard Petty). Allison captured the NASCAR Modified Division the following two years. In 1998, Allison was named one of NASCAR’s “50 Greatest Drivers.”
Ned Jarrett
Jarrett was a two-time NASCAR champion (1961 and 1965) and two-time Sportsman Division champion (1957 and ’58). Through his career he totaled 50 premier series wins, tied for 11th all-time. In 1998 he was named one of NASCAR’s “50 Greatest Drivers.” After retiring in 1966, Jarrett helped grow the sport through his second career as a broadcaster.
Bud Moore
A decorated World War II infantryman, Moore became a successful NASCAR Sprint Cup owner almost immediately upon fielding a team in 1961. Moore won back-to-back championships in 1962-63 with Joe Weatherly. Earlier, in 1957, Moore – who referred to himself as “a country mechanic” – was crew chief for champion Buck Baker.
David Pearson
Pearson is a three-time NASCAR champion whose career total of 105 victories is second on the all-time list. Pearson won his titles in 1966, ’68 and ’69. He also won the sport’s biggest event, the Daytona 500, in 1976. In 1998 Pearson was named one of NASCAR’s “50 Greatest Drivers.”
Lee Petty
Petty became the sports first three-time series champion after winning titles in 1954, ’58 and ’59. He was also the winner of the first Daytona 500 in 1959. His 54 career victories stands ninth on the all-time list and he never finished lower than fourth in points from 1949-1959. In 1998, he was named one of NASCAR’s “50 Greatest Drivers.” Petty is the founder of Petty Enterprises and as an owner had more than 2,000 starts and 268 wins.
The Cool Down Lap: Is 2011 the last hurrah for Earnhardt?
The Cool Down Lap: Is 2011 the last hurrah for Earnhardt?
By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
During a week that honored NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and the other 11 drivers in the Chase, Dale Earnhardt Jr. made his inevitable cameo appearance in Las Vegas.
Inevitable? Of course. For the eighth straight year, Earnhardt was named NASCAR’s most popular driver, garnering the lion’s share of more than 1.5 million votes cast online by fans of the sport.
Earnhardt’s popularity rendered his appearance at Thursday’s Myers Brothers Luncheon at Bellagio more than a mere sideshow to Johnson’s coronation as the winner of five straight Cup championships.
Can Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus find a way to win a sixth title in 2011? Who knows? The more pressing question is whether a change of crew chiefs can help return Earnhardt to victory lane for the first time since 2008—and what will happen if it doesn’t.
Earnhardt won his only points race with Hendrick Motorsports at Michigan in June 2008, his first year withthe organization. In May 2009, he changed crew chiefs, from cousin Tony Eury Jr. to Hendrick stalwart Lance McGrew.
Winless since then, Earnhardt will start 2011 with Steve Letarte on his pit box, the result of a massive shakeup at Hendrick that left only the combination of Johnson and Knaus intact. Letarte has been Jeff Gordon’s crew chief since late 2005, and in fairness, Gordon has won exactly as many races as Earnhardt has in the past three years—one.
The difference is that Gordon has been in position to win on a far more frequent basis.
As Christmas approaches, however, Earnhardt looks at the coming season with anticipation.
“It’s a real good feeling at the very beginning,” he said after receiving the most popular driver award. “You look at it as a clean slate and a chance to see if this new package, new chemistry will produce better results. The anticipation to get to the track is more, and you’re ready to go to work and want to go run laps and see speed and see lap times and see adjustments and feel new cars and what they’re doing and how their reacting to changes that the new crew chief is making and the new engineer if producing.
“You want to be able to go see—it’s like knowing what you’re getting for Christmas and not being able to mess with it until that morning. It’s a lot of anticipation. I think it’s healthy. We needed this to happen, and I needed this to happen, and hopefully this is a good position. Hopefully this will get me back to winning races, running in the top five and running in the top 10.”
From a numbers standpoint, Earnhardt likely will have a better chance to make the Chase in 2011—but so will everyone else. NASCAR is leaning toward expanding the Chase from 12 drivers to 15, with subsequent eliminations paring the field over the final 10 races.
The numbers aside, perhaps Letarte can be the tonic Earnhardt needs in order to recover a sense of confidence eroded by repeated lack of success. NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France certainly hopes so. He’s on record saying how important a few Earnhardt victories would be to the sport.
Earnhardt has two years left on his current contract at Hendrick Motorsports, but next year is critical to his career there. He’ll have his third crew chief in four years, and at some point, the driver has to step forward. After all, team owner Rick Hendrick isn’t likely to pair Earnhardt with Knaus.
At some point—preferably in the new year—the level of Earnhardt’s performance must intersect with the level of his popularity.
Absent that, it might be time to try something different.
By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
During a week that honored NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and the other 11 drivers in the Chase, Dale Earnhardt Jr. made his inevitable cameo appearance in Las Vegas.
Inevitable? Of course. For the eighth straight year, Earnhardt was named NASCAR’s most popular driver, garnering the lion’s share of more than 1.5 million votes cast online by fans of the sport.
Earnhardt’s popularity rendered his appearance at Thursday’s Myers Brothers Luncheon at Bellagio more than a mere sideshow to Johnson’s coronation as the winner of five straight Cup championships.
Can Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus find a way to win a sixth title in 2011? Who knows? The more pressing question is whether a change of crew chiefs can help return Earnhardt to victory lane for the first time since 2008—and what will happen if it doesn’t.
Earnhardt won his only points race with Hendrick Motorsports at Michigan in June 2008, his first year withthe organization. In May 2009, he changed crew chiefs, from cousin Tony Eury Jr. to Hendrick stalwart Lance McGrew.
Winless since then, Earnhardt will start 2011 with Steve Letarte on his pit box, the result of a massive shakeup at Hendrick that left only the combination of Johnson and Knaus intact. Letarte has been Jeff Gordon’s crew chief since late 2005, and in fairness, Gordon has won exactly as many races as Earnhardt has in the past three years—one.
The difference is that Gordon has been in position to win on a far more frequent basis.
As Christmas approaches, however, Earnhardt looks at the coming season with anticipation.
“It’s a real good feeling at the very beginning,” he said after receiving the most popular driver award. “You look at it as a clean slate and a chance to see if this new package, new chemistry will produce better results. The anticipation to get to the track is more, and you’re ready to go to work and want to go run laps and see speed and see lap times and see adjustments and feel new cars and what they’re doing and how their reacting to changes that the new crew chief is making and the new engineer if producing.
“You want to be able to go see—it’s like knowing what you’re getting for Christmas and not being able to mess with it until that morning. It’s a lot of anticipation. I think it’s healthy. We needed this to happen, and I needed this to happen, and hopefully this is a good position. Hopefully this will get me back to winning races, running in the top five and running in the top 10.”
From a numbers standpoint, Earnhardt likely will have a better chance to make the Chase in 2011—but so will everyone else. NASCAR is leaning toward expanding the Chase from 12 drivers to 15, with subsequent eliminations paring the field over the final 10 races.
The numbers aside, perhaps Letarte can be the tonic Earnhardt needs in order to recover a sense of confidence eroded by repeated lack of success. NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France certainly hopes so. He’s on record saying how important a few Earnhardt victories would be to the sport.
Earnhardt has two years left on his current contract at Hendrick Motorsports, but next year is critical to his career there. He’ll have his third crew chief in four years, and at some point, the driver has to step forward. After all, team owner Rick Hendrick isn’t likely to pair Earnhardt with Knaus.
At some point—preferably in the new year—the level of Earnhardt’s performance must intersect with the level of his popularity.
Absent that, it might be time to try something different.
JEFF GORDON DRIVE FOR HUNGER PAINT SCHEME
Drive to End Hunger (DTEH), an initiative of AARP and AARP Foundation to end hunger among older Americans, today unveiled the design of four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevy for the 2011 season.
“Of the nearly 51 million Americans who face the threat of hunger every day, nearly six million are seniors who must make the heart-breaking decision between a nutritious meal and other necessities,” said Gordon, 39, winner of 82 career Sprint Cup races. “By combining the power and generosity of the NASCAR community with such a deserving cause, we can make a difference in this country and solve this problem.”
Gordon will drive the car for 22 races annually over the next three years to raise awareness of and help solve the growing problem of hunger among older Americans. The DTEH car is candy apple red fading down to black, with dominant white DTEH logos. DTEH is helping millions of older Americans who are facing hunger across the United States.
As part of the No. 24 sponsorship, DTEH, Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports will engage the NASCAR fan base, corporations and charitable organizations via a text-to-donate program; activation at racetracks across the country; further research on the causes and consequences of hunger in older Americans; and an innovative national grant program that will provide resources to address the problem at a local level.
“We have a unique opportunity to harness a hugely popular sport and drive attention to a problem that too often goes unnoticed,” said Jo Ann Jenkins, AARP Foundation president. “We’re thrilled to join with Jeff to shine a light on the causes of hunger in this country and work with his team and millions of fans to end it.”
For more information, please visit www.DrivetoEndHunger.org.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
DALE EARNHADRT JR: MOST POPULAR
How long can anyone adore a person in a sport that makes popularity a conditon on driving skills mostly,come Texas it'll be 100 races he hasnt won ,his top fives and top tens are almost nonexsistence and he looks so bored with his popularity he seems to want to crawl under a rock and hide most the time, and its the same old story ,Yes i can see things getting better for me and this great new team Rick Hendricks has put together RIGHT !!.
18 Wins 91 top fives 150 top tens a good record BUT in the last two years ,
there's no wins five top fives 13 top tens thats not a top drivers statistics by any means and there's drivers out there considered out of the top 20 drivers in Nascar that has better records .
Jimmie Johnson,.Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin,Tony Stewart,Matt Kenseth just to name a few that deserve the award alot more than Junior
How long can this farce of a nomination go on with fans behind him because he's someones son ,you didnt see it with Kyle Petty or others .
I have nothing at all against Junior ,im writing this because at best Junior is a 18th to 30th place driver no better then the ones already listed in that bunch,which there's nothing wrong with that .but to be adored for nothing except a name, well I can see why he's so frustrated to a point he''ll never do better
Than what he is doing now
I dont believe the changes made a Hendricks will help ,we can only hope so maybe he'll deserve the award some day for his accomplishments and not his name
So for now I pick Kevin Harvick as Most Popular 2010 because of his hard work his teams hard work and one of the best records of 2010
By:Paul Denton
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Childress, Hamlin win Sporting News awards
Childress, Hamlin win Sporting News awards
CHARLOTTE—Richard Childress, who oversaw a resurgence of Richard Childress Motorsports, is the Sporting News owner of the year, the magazine announced Wednesday.
Denny Hamlin is the 2010 Dale Earnhardt Tough Driver. The top driver and crew chief will be announced Thursday. All four awards were voted on by Sprint Cup drivers, crew chiefs and owners.
RCR made a remarkable turnaround in 2010. After all four of Childress’ drivers missed the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in 2009, the organization consolidated to three teams this year with drivers Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer. All three qualified for the Chase, and Harvick was in contention for the Cup championship until the final lap at Homestead . Bowyer won two of the 10 Chase races, at New Hampshire and California .
“It was all about the people,” Childress said.
Childress traced his team’s woes and subsequent rebound back to the 2007 season, when the team made changes that led to all three RCR cars making the 2008 Chase.
“At the end of 2008, the cars were really running good, and we started the (2009) season out with it, and it just wasn’t working for everybody. We didn’t get behind; we went down the wrong path (with the engineering of the cars), and it took us until the last eight or nine races of 2009 to turn it around.”
Hamlin’s peers pointed to his come back from knee surgery. A day after winning at Martinsville in March, Hamlin had surgery to repair the ACL in his left knee, which he had injured playing basketball in the offseason. Hamlin didn’t miss a race after the operation. Instead, he drove through the pain and completed the next race on the schedule at Phoenix . The following week, he won at Texas and launched a title drive that fell just short. He won a season-high eight races and finished second to Jimmie Johnson in the standings.
Hamlin’s grittiness and commitment left an impression on the owner of his team, Joe Gibbs, who has seen toughness in NASCAR and the NFL, where he coached the Washington Redskins to three Super Bowl titles.
“He refused to get out of the car (at Phoenix ) and stayed in there knowing we weren’t going to have a good day,” Gibbs said. “And I think that said a lot to his team and all the guys around him. And I think from that point on is kind of where—I think that had a lot to do with our year.
“And yes, athletes—I’ve coached some, to be quite truthful, that you could have two injuries almost exactly the same, one guy can play and one can’t, and that comes down to mental toughness.
“These drivers are athletes. They’re in those cars, they’re measured in different ways over here. Rarely is it the injury, but it is being in there and being able to think for 500 grueling laps and go 200 mph six inches from somebody.”
By Reid Spencer and Bill Marx
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
(December 1, 2010)
Denny Hamlin is the 2010 Dale Earnhardt Tough Driver. The top driver and crew chief will be announced Thursday. All four awards were voted on by Sprint Cup drivers, crew chiefs and owners.
RCR made a remarkable turnaround in 2010. After all four of Childress’ drivers missed the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in 2009, the organization consolidated to three teams this year with drivers Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer. All three qualified for the Chase, and Harvick was in contention for the Cup championship until the final lap at Homestead . Bowyer won two of the 10 Chase races, at New Hampshire and California .
“It was all about the people,” Childress said.
Childress traced his team’s woes and subsequent rebound back to the 2007 season, when the team made changes that led to all three RCR cars making the 2008 Chase.
“At the end of 2008, the cars were really running good, and we started the (2009) season out with it, and it just wasn’t working for everybody. We didn’t get behind; we went down the wrong path (with the engineering of the cars), and it took us until the last eight or nine races of 2009 to turn it around.”
Hamlin’s peers pointed to his come back from knee surgery. A day after winning at Martinsville in March, Hamlin had surgery to repair the ACL in his left knee, which he had injured playing basketball in the offseason. Hamlin didn’t miss a race after the operation. Instead, he drove through the pain and completed the next race on the schedule at Phoenix . The following week, he won at Texas and launched a title drive that fell just short. He won a season-high eight races and finished second to Jimmie Johnson in the standings.
Hamlin’s grittiness and commitment left an impression on the owner of his team, Joe Gibbs, who has seen toughness in NASCAR and the NFL, where he coached the Washington Redskins to three Super Bowl titles.
“He refused to get out of the car (at Phoenix ) and stayed in there knowing we weren’t going to have a good day,” Gibbs said. “And I think that said a lot to his team and all the guys around him. And I think from that point on is kind of where—I think that had a lot to do with our year.
“And yes, athletes—I’ve coached some, to be quite truthful, that you could have two injuries almost exactly the same, one guy can play and one can’t, and that comes down to mental toughness.
“These drivers are athletes. They’re in those cars, they’re measured in different ways over here. Rarely is it the injury, but it is being in there and being able to think for 500 grueling laps and go 200 mph six inches from somebody.”
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Johnson entering conversation as greatest ever
Johnson entering conversation as greatest ever
By Official Release, NASCAR.COM
DECEMBER 2010
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- There is no question Jimmie Johnson has built a dynasty with five consecutive Sprint Cup Series championships.
So what's left for the driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet to accomplish? A few scribes have already posed the question: Is Johnson on track to become the best driver in the history of NASCAR?
NASCAR takes Vegas by storm While only time will tell if Johnson can eventually hold that title, he is certainly on pace to do so.
Johnson has put his name near the top of the two most important lists when discussing "best all-time" -- championships and wins. His five titles are just two short of NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for most all-time. His 53 wins rank 10th all-time, and most likely, he will stand alone in eighth by the end of next season (Rusty Wallace is currently eighth, with 55. Johnson has won three or more races in each of his nine full-time seasons).
Johnson's pace on a number of other statistics suggest he could one day catch the usual names already included in the "all-time best" debate.
Championships: Johnson needed 327 starts to win his fifth championship. Dale Earnhardt needed 390 to get to five and Richard Petty took 655 starts to collect his fifth title.
Wins: Only three drivers reached 53 wins faster than Johnson, who reached it in 319 races: Jeff Gordon (260 starts), Darrell Waltrip (288) and David Pearson (309).
Two other "win" stats to consider: Johnson has a winning percentage of 16.2 percent, sixth-best all-time. Those ahead of him are members, inductees or nominees of the NASCAR Hall of Fame: Herb Thomas (21.1), Tim Flock (20.9), Pearson (18.3), Petty (16.9) and Fred Lorenzen (16.5).
Here is another compelling stat: Johnson has at least five wins in each of the past five seasons. Only three other drivers have accomplished that feat: Petty (10 consecutive seasons with five or more wins), Waltrip (eight) and Gordon (five).
His ability to be at his best during crunch time has set Johnson apart. Here are his statistics during the 70 Chase events: 19 wins (second-best is Carl Edwards with eight); 40 top-fives (second is Gordon with 27); 54 top-10s (second is Gordon with 45), 3,423 laps led (second is Matt Kenseth with 1,715) and a Driver Rating of 110.1 (second is Gordon with a 98.4).
By Official Release, NASCAR.COM
DECEMBER 2010
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- There is no question Jimmie Johnson has built a dynasty with five consecutive Sprint Cup Series championships.
So what's left for the driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet to accomplish? A few scribes have already posed the question: Is Johnson on track to become the best driver in the history of NASCAR?
NASCAR takes Vegas by storm While only time will tell if Johnson can eventually hold that title, he is certainly on pace to do so.
Johnson has put his name near the top of the two most important lists when discussing "best all-time" -- championships and wins. His five titles are just two short of NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for most all-time. His 53 wins rank 10th all-time, and most likely, he will stand alone in eighth by the end of next season (Rusty Wallace is currently eighth, with 55. Johnson has won three or more races in each of his nine full-time seasons).
Johnson's pace on a number of other statistics suggest he could one day catch the usual names already included in the "all-time best" debate.
Championships: Johnson needed 327 starts to win his fifth championship. Dale Earnhardt needed 390 to get to five and Richard Petty took 655 starts to collect his fifth title.
Wins: Only three drivers reached 53 wins faster than Johnson, who reached it in 319 races: Jeff Gordon (260 starts), Darrell Waltrip (288) and David Pearson (309).
Two other "win" stats to consider: Johnson has a winning percentage of 16.2 percent, sixth-best all-time. Those ahead of him are members, inductees or nominees of the NASCAR Hall of Fame: Herb Thomas (21.1), Tim Flock (20.9), Pearson (18.3), Petty (16.9) and Fred Lorenzen (16.5).
Here is another compelling stat: Johnson has at least five wins in each of the past five seasons. Only three other drivers have accomplished that feat: Petty (10 consecutive seasons with five or more wins), Waltrip (eight) and Gordon (five).
His ability to be at his best during crunch time has set Johnson apart. Here are his statistics during the 70 Chase events: 19 wins (second-best is Carl Edwards with eight); 40 top-fives (second is Gordon with 27); 54 top-10s (second is Gordon with 45), 3,423 laps led (second is Matt Kenseth with 1,715) and a Driver Rating of 110.1 (second is Gordon with a 98.4).
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