NASCAR Off-Season Week 1: Focus on Reed Sorenson

Reed Sorenson speaks with crew chief Jimmy Elledge
during his stint driving for Red Bull this summer.
(Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Throughout the NASCAR off-season, I am going to be posting a weekly look at a lesser-known driver from the Cup, Nationwide and Trucks Series. For week one, we will be taking a closer look at Reed Sorenson.

Being at the track as a toddler while his father raced, it is no wonder Sorenson found a love of racing. Reed first drove a racecar when he was 6 years old, behind the wheel of a Quarter Midget. He competed in Regional Quarter Midget racing for several years, most successfully in 1997. That amazing season found Reed finishing in the top 10 in 42 of his 43 starts, taking home the National Championship, 40 top fives and 22 wins. Anyone watching back then could have guessed we would someday see Reed in the Cup Series.

Sorenson's five years in Legend Cars were just as successful; he won over half the races he started during his rookie season. Reed posts totals including 84 wins and 152 top five finishes in 183 starts. By the time Sorenson graduated from high school in 2004, he had a developmental deal with Chip Ganassi Racing. The 2004 season found Reed in ARCA and Nationwide racing. Sorenson claimed top-five finishes in all three of his 2004 ARCA starts; his first start at Charlotte Motor Speedway found him in the fourth finishing spot and his second ARCA race found him in Victory Lane. In his 2004 Nationwide starts, Reed claimed one top five finish, three top 10s and led several laps in the October race at Atlanta.

2005 brought Sorenson to the Busch Series as a full-time driver and eligible for the Rookie of the Year award. He won his first race, ended his freshman season in fourth place, and second in the ROTY competition to Carl Edwards. Reed joined the Cup ranks on a part-time basis in 2006 while also running as a full-time Busch Series driver. With five top-10 Cup finishes and 14 top 10s in the Busch Series, Reed put together a solid year in which he finished 24th in the Cup standings, 10th in the Busch Series and fourth in the Cup Series ROTY. 2007 brought Reed his first pole start in the Cup Series, a third-place finish at his home track of Atlanta, and a fourth-place finish at Charlotte.

2008 brought trouble to the Sorenson camp; his fifth-place finish at the season opener in Daytona was the highlight of his year. In a quest for owners points, Reed found himself temporarily replaced by another driver, had a short day because of a wreck at Talladega, and found himself moving to Gillette Everham Motorsports for the 2009 season. As 2009 began it was announced that there would be a merger between Gillette Everham and Richard Petty to form Richard Petty Motorsports. In order to keep the team financially able to operate, Reed raced for free for part of the 2009 season to keep his crew members employed.

Reed finished the 2010 season in the 12th place in season standings in the Nationwide Series, and 39th in the Cup Series. Sorenson ran a limited schedule for Red Bull Racing as a replacement driver for Brian Vickers and in later stages of the season for Braun Racing. Sorenson posted just one top-10 finish in his Cup season, but 21 top-10 finishes, and nine top fives in the Nationwide Series in 2010. With an 11.6 average Nationwide Series finish, Reed has shown he knows how to handle a car. With the right equipment in a Cup Series ride, he could be a title contender within a few years.



Reed plans to run a full-time Nationwide schedule with Turner Motorsports in 2011. Sorenson will be driving the #32 Dollar General Chevrolet Impala with engine support from Hendrick Motorsports in Nationwide Series racing. During the few weekends that Sorenson isn't in a racecar, Reed enjoys fishing, boating, and spending time with family and friends. He purchased his first home a few years ago on a lake so he can fish, have a boat right outside the back door, and have plenty of space for visitors. This 24-year-old has an impressive resume, has been successful at multiple levels of racing, and looks like he will have better equipment in 2011 to work with on the track. Sorenson is definitely one driver who NASCAR fans should keep an eye on in the coming years.

*Next week ... Cole Whitt

Amy McHargue

http://ellipticalcurrents.blogspot.com/

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Clint Bowyer wins at Phoenix, so does Todd Bodine

Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR

In his first truck series start in three years, Clint Bowyer was the first to take the checkered flag in Friday night’s Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix International Raceway. He was very dominant all night, taking the lead from polesitter Austin Dillon early on.

His lead of 6.626 seconds was broken only by a caution on lap 52 because of fluid on the track. It was only the second caution of the night.

“Everybody back at the shop did such a great job building this thing,” he said. “They were excited about it before we came down here, and any time these guys get excited about building a truck back at the shop, you know as a racecar driver that you're going to have a good hot rod, and we certainly did.”

Enthusiastic as he was, Bowyer felt the pressure before the race.

“I had no idea Harvick won the last three (races at Phoenix). I was like ‘oh God, a little bit of pressure now.'”

He certainly did not break under the pressure, though. He managed to finish 1.039 seconds ahead of Kyle Busch. Johnny Sauter, Matt Crafton, and Aric Almirola rounded out the top five.

There was another celebration going on last night, though. Todd Bodine clinched the 2010 series championship.

In spite of clinching the title, Bodine was not pleased with his run or finish.

Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images
for NASCAR

“Well, tonight’s race was pretty bad. Our performance hasn’t been very good. You know, we fought the whole race and tried to make it better and we didn’t,” he said.

“Fortunately, we had enough cushion that we got it done in the points. That’s what we wanted, to come out of here with it locked up and be able to go to Homestead and enjoy it.”

Although it was enough for him to clinch the title, Bodine’s 12th place finish was unsatisfactory to him.

“In '06, we came out of here like 123 (points) ahead of Johnny (Benson). So we still had to race him at Homestead, and I was a nervous wreck. Now to be able to go to Homestead and enjoy it, that means a lot. But it never hit me to say ‘woo hoo, we won.' That didn’t happen actually ‘cause our performance was so bad, and what we’re about is racing good.”

In spite of the poor performance, he still came out as the 2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion.

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Sprint Cup Pole Report: Edwards Breaks Track Record Winning Pole

Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 99 Aflac Ford Fusion, broke Phoenix International Raceway’s track record with a lap of 26.395 (136.389 mph.) for the Kobalt Tools 500 during Friday's qualifying session. To finish out the front row is A.J. Allmendinger, only 0.027 behind Edwards in the Insignia HDTV/Best Buy Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports, who did not know what to expect for this weekend when it came to cars in which they would be racing. 

It is the second to last race of the season. Kurt Busch will be handing over the keys to the Miller Lite Blue Deuce to Brad Keselowski before taking over the No. 22 Pennzoil Dodge for Penske Racing starting in2011. Lots of teams though are trying to win before the end of the season to make a statement in the sport of NASCAR.  But after the race last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, you just never know what could happen.  

Now when it comes to the Chase, Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick are only 59 points within one another in the top three spots of the Chase. Who do you think of these three will win some major points in hopes to win the championship this weekend and next?

For all the racing action all weekend long, keep checking back Skirts and Scuffs under the events area on the main page of the site. You can catch the NASCAR Countdown on ESPN starting at 2 p.m. EST with the main race coverage starting at 3 p.m. EST with the green flag from Phoenix Raceway International at 3:15 p.m.!

1. Carl Edwards
2. A.J. Allmendinger
3. Kurt Busch
4. Greg Biffle
5. Jamie McMurray
6. David Reutimann
7. Kyle Busch
8. Regan Smith
9. Aric Almirola
10. Joey Logano
11. Martin Truex, Jr.
12. David Ragan
13. Marcos Ambrose
14. Clint Bowyer
15. Matt Kenseth
16. Sam Hornish Jr.
17. Denny Hamlin
18. Paul Menard
19. Ryan Newman
20. Tony Stewart
21. Jimmie Johnson
22. Jeff Gordon
23. Elliott Sadler
24. Casey Mears
25. Kasey Kahne
26. Bobby Labonte
27. Scott Speed
28. Mark Martin
29. Kevin Harvick
30. Brad Keselowski
31. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
32. Dave Blaney
33. J.J. Yeley
34. Robby Gordon
35. Juan Montoya
36. Mike Bliss
37. David Gilliland
38. Travis Kvapil
39. Landon Cassill
40. Jeff Burton
41. Brendan Gaughan
42. Tony Raines
43. Terry Labonte

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Sprint Cup Pole Report: Sadler Has Big Day at Texas Motor Speedway

How do you top a big announcement concerning your future in NASCAR?  If you are Elliott Sadler who announced he will be driving full time next season in the Nationwide Series for Kevin Harvick Inc., you win the pole at Texas Motor Speedway.  Pretty darn good lap if you ask me, the numbers do not lie.  His lap of 27.636 (195.397 mph.) in the Stanley Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports.  To finish out the front row is Ford teammate and Chaser Greg Biffle who was only -0.249 behind Sadler in his American Red Cross Fusion.  A nice day all around for Ford who took five of the ten spots in the top ten which includes Edwards, Ragan, and Allmendinger. 

The eighth race in the Chase, what do you expect from the race?  Do you expect it to be the racers playing cowboys and indians or will it be a nice calm race?  All I know is that it will be interesting to see what comes next after the past couple races we have seen in this 2010 Sprint Cup Chase. 

For all the racing action and television schedules you can check out Skirts and Scuffs event schedule for the weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.  NSCS Countdown starts at 2 p.m. EST on ESPN and the racing action starts at 3 p.m. EST with the NSCS: AAA Texas 500!

1. Elliott Sadler
2. Greg Biffle
3. Carl Edwards
4. Juan Montoya
5. David Ragan
6. Kurt Busch
7. Clint Bowyer
8. Regan Smith
9. Mark Martin
10. A.J. Allmendinger
11. Tony Stewart
12. Paul Menard
13. Aric Almirola
14. Ryan Newman
15. Jeff Gordon
16. Jeff Burton
17. Jimmie Johnson
18. David Reutimann
19. Matt Kenseth
20. Joey Logano
21. Martin Truex Jr.
22. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
23. Scott Speed
24. Kasey Kahne
25. Jamie McMurray
26. Kevin Harvick
27. Sam Hornish Jr.
28. Trevor Bayne
29. Kyle Busch
30. Denny Hamlin
31. Bobby Labonte
32. Marcos Ambrose
33. David Gilliland
34. Joe Nemechek
35. Casey Mears
36. Brad Keselowski
37. Patrick Carpentier
38. Mike Bliss
39. Robby Gordon
40. Andy Lally
41. Travis Kvapil
42. Dave Blaney
43. Landon Cassill

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Cup Pole Report: Montoya on Target for AMP Energy 500 Pole

Juan Pablo Montoya, the driver of the No. 42 Target Chevrolet for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, claimed the pole for Sunday's AMP Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway with a lap of 51.863 (184.640 mph.) in the all-Chevy front row.  Clint Bowyer was only 0.040 of a second behind Montoya in the No. 33 BB&T for Richard Childress Racing during Saturday's qualifying session. Six out of the top 10 on the grid are Chevrolets. Could this mean a good weekend for Chevrolet once again at Talladega after Kevin Harvick won the race in the spring? 

A few new paint schemes will grace the track for the Halloween weekend. The one to be watching for in my eyes is Jamie McMurray's, who will being driving the Bass Pro Shops Dale Earnhardt Sr. Tribute car, which was announced back in May during the weekend of the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame class. Other ones to watch out for are Michael Waltrip back in the No. 55 in the Aaron’s 55th Anniversary Toyota and Dale Earnhardt Jr. in "The Legend of Hallowdega" Amp Energy Juice / National Guard Chevrolet. All of the schemes are definitely eye-catching!

For all the racing action, I would set your television on ESPN for 1 p.m. EST race! Happy Halloween to all of the race fans!

Starting lineup:

1. Juan Montoya
2. Clint Bowyer
3. Kurt Busch
4. Joe Nemechek
5. Jeff Burton
6. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
7. Dave Blaney
8. Ryan Newman
9. Casey Mears
10. Sam Hornish Jr.
11. Brad Keselowski
12. Jamie McMurray
13. Jeff Fuller
14. Kevin Harvick
15. Michael McDowell
16. Kasey Kahne
17. Denny Hamlin
18. Martin Truex Jr.
19. Jimmie Johnson
20. Michael Waltrip
21. David Reutimann
22. Chad McCumbee
23. Carl Edwards
24. Bobby Labonte
25. Joey Logano
26. Tony Stewart
27. Matt Kenseth
28. David Ragan
29. Scott Speed
30. Mark Martin
31. Jeff Gordon
32. Kyle Busch
33. Elliott Sadler
34. Greg Biffle
35. Marcos Ambrose
36. A.J. Allmendinger
37. Aric Almirola
38. Paul Menard
39. Regan Smith
40. David Gilliland
41. Robert Richardson Jr.
42. Robby Gordon
43. Bill Elliott

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Sprint Cup Pole Report: Hamlin Wins Pole for Tums Fast Relief 500

The Toyota Racing Team raced into the two front row positions for the Tums Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway for Sunday afternoons race, Denny Hamlin won the spot with a lap of 19.518 ( 97.018 mph.) in the Joe Gibbs Racing FedEX Camry.  The front line is completed with Marcos Ambrose in the No. 47 Dollar General Country Million Sweepstakes car with a lap of 19.521 (97.003 mph.) only 0.003 seconds behind Hamlin.  Only one third of the Chase drivers are in the top ten including Greg Biffle who considers Martinsville as one of his bad tracks, could this be a sign of good things to come? 

The other interesting thing for this race has to be Kasey Kahne driving the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota after being released from Richard Petty Motorsports late Wednesday night, Aric Almirola has replaced Kahne in the No. 9 Budweiser Ford for this weekend.  Do you think these last five races will get Kahne ready for his stint with Red Bull Racing for next season before he goes over to drive the No. 5 for Hendrick Motorsports in 2012? 

For all the racing action your best place to be next to being a Martinsville Speedway in person is in front of the television at 1 p.m. EST on ESPN!  To keep up on all the NASCAR coverage come back here to Skirts and Scuffs!

1. Denny Hamlin
2. Marcos Ambrose
3. Greg Biffle
4. Ryan Newman
5. Juan Montoya
6. Tony Stewart
7. Carl Edwards
8. David Reutimann
9. Jamie McMurray
10. David Ragan
11. Jeff Gordon
12. Paul Menard
13. Regan Smith
14. Scott Speed
15. A.J. Allmendinger
16. Martin Truex Jr.
17. Clint Bowyer
18. Jeff Burton
19. Jimmie Johnson
20. Casey Mears
21. Mark Martin
22. Joey Logano
23. Bobby Labonte
24. Sam Hornish Jr.
25. Brad Keselowski
26. Kyle Busch
27. Travis Kvapil
28. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
29. Kurt Busch
30. Landon Cassill
31. Elliott Sadler
32. Matt Kenseth
33. Kasey Kahne
34. Dave Blaney
35. Aric Almirola
36. Kevin Harvick
37. Joe Nemechek
38. Ken Schrader
39. David Gilliland
40. Tony Raines
41. Kevin Conway
42. Hermie Sadler
43. J.J, Yeley

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Denny Hamlin on "Bowyerpalooza"

On Friday, Denny Hamlin had his own opinions about Clint Bowyer and what Jeff Gluck appropriately calls "Bowyerpalooza."

After last Sunday's race at Loudon, New Hampshire, in which Clint Bowyer held Denny Hamlin off for the win, Bowyer's 33 car was taken in for further inspection. It was found that his car was illegal and NASCAR took action, since the 33 Hamburger Helper/ Cheerios team had been warned the week before that their cars was borderline legal. NASCAR fined both Bowyer's crew chief, and his car chief $150,000 each, deducted 150 points from both Bowyer's Chase points and Richard Childress' owner points, and suspended Shane Wilson, his crew chief for six weeks.

Denny Hamlin a bit to say about that by starting with "I'm not too discouraged with what we ended up with [at New Hampshire], but I know we were the fastest legal car."


In the media center, he continued, "NASCAR has been very, very lenient on this car. And they've given these guys chances. It's not Richmond, I think they should just be happy they're in The Chase at this point because they were warned, and they werre warned before Richmond. Everyone in the garage knows that, so they're the ones who wanted to press the issue to make sure they got in The Chase, they got in The Chase and got busted."

"One thing I can tell you is that my car- this is the car I had at Atlanta, we blew up at Atlanta, okay- they towed this car all the way in and they destroyed the trunk, the tow truck destroyed the trunk. But, we never replaced one thing on the tail of this car and it just went through inspection fine. So, my car went through way more destruction than what his did just getting a simple push and my car is fine. You know?" he continued on to say. Very valid point made by Hamlin.

"At this point, I think that they're just trying to salvage their season basically and they're going to do everything they can. I understand that. The whole appeal process that they're gonna go through."

"There has to be a point where it's not black or white and it's no longer grey. If they let them get away with this sixty thousandths of an inch, then when do you stop? When do you break it and say "Okay, now we have to penalize." because there has to be a point of tolerance. If you go past it, you're in trouble. If they're gonna let him go, they're gonna open up the entire field to do what they want."

He continues on to say that some teams play closer to that line than others, there are other things that happen out on the track that effect the car that could make you wrong, but you have to take that risk. He makes a valid point in saying that if you go out on the race track saying "I can't get one bump on this car." you're not going to do well. But, then came the shocking, "In the garage, everyone has known for months. This isn't two weeks old, this is something that's been going on for months. It's been going on for a long time. way before Richmond."

Here's my opinion on this whole matter. I do agree with Hamlin, but if everyone has known for a long time, then why didn't anyone go to NASCAR and say "Look, the 33 team is messing around with their car and it's on the borderline of being illegal." I suppose if I were a driver just outside The Chase bubble and I knew this information, I would go straight to the source.

Later yesterday, Denny adressed some more on Twitter. Here are the posts:

"sorry all RCR fans.. im not bashing clint, richard or anyone else.. just defending Nascar on this one.. all these teams work damn hard"
"we all want a level playing field. Nascar just has to make that happen and facts are facts.. they had no choice."
"richard might have a compelling enough case to convince them and this will all go away for them. nobody wants to be called a cheater"
"ok ive reached my twitter limit for the day.. its time everyone just worries about themselves.. me included..."

It was surprising to me that Denny defended NASCAR on this one. Especially after he was fined $50,000 after his commments about NASCAR on Twitter.

So, here's my question. What do you think about Denny's take on "Bowyerpalooza?" Leave your comments below and I would like to do follow-up article about your thoughts and opinions.

The views expressed in this post are those of the author and not necessarily those of the site or its administrators.

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Bowyer's Distraction

After it was announced that the #33 RCR Cheerios Team was losing 150 owner points, would pay a fine of $150,000, Crew Chief Shane Wilson would serve a six week suspension, Car Chief Chad Haney would serve a six week suspension, and driver Clint Bowyer was to lose 150 driver points the questions started to fly. Everyone was asking what the violation had been and NASCAR wasn't saying. Richard Childress was the first to announce that the penalty handed down was due to the rear of the chassis being sixty-thousandth of an inch outside of specified tolerances. Bowyer elaborated today and said that the rear quarter panel was the piece of the car outside of specifications.

Clint Bowyer put that measurement into perspective during Friday's Media conference. “Sixty-thousandths of an inch, folks. Grab a quarter out of your pocket. Less than the thickness of that quarter right there is worth a 150-point fine?” Not to mention the other penalties. Clint went onto say that he does not believe the team did anything wrong. He made it clear he was going on the record as saying that, and that he felt his fans needed to hear him say it.

To further make his feelings clear, Clint said “There's a lot of integrity that goes into this sport, I'm damn proud to be a part of this sport, I love this sport, and I wouldn't cheat to win a race in this sport. We have a lot more integrity in the race team and RCR.” Coming out of the media session, Bowyer headed to the first weekend practice at Dover International Speedway. Admitting that he has had trouble focusing on this weekend with the incident looming overhead as RCR awaits an appeal hearing in the next week or so, Clint went to the first practice session at Dover under extreme pressure.

The first practice session closed with Bowyer in fourth place on the leader board with a speed of 155.072, just .123seconds behind the fastest car in practice on Friday. Qualifications did not turn out as well. When qualifications wound down and found Jimmie Johnson atop the leader board, Bowyer was way back in 24^th place. Bowyer's speed of 153.997 was .261 behind Johnson, the 43 qualifiers were separated by less than nine-tenths of a second in Qualifications.

Bowyer now must come out during the two Saturday practice sessions and forget the happening of the past week and focus on what is going on this weekend – a race to gain invaluable lost points. With an average finish at Dover of 14.7 Clint will have to come out on Sunday and perform better than average to make up some of the lost ground. Although the appeal is in process and will be heard before officials sometime, hopefully in the next week Richard Childress made it clear that the team is not counting on winning the appeal. Childress said “...in the history of RCR don't think we have been but to maybe three appeals. We didn't win any of them."

Amy McHargue

http://ellipticalcurrents.blogspot.com

*The views expressed in this post are those of the author and not necessarily those of the site or its administrators.

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Team Focus on Richard Childress Racing

Team History and Richard Childress
Debuting in 1969 at the Talladega 500 Richard Childress Racing entered the NASCAR scene during a boycott by the majority of drivers due to a lack of tire grip from the Goodyear tires. Other drivers not a part of the Professional Drivers Association stepped in to race on that September day in Alabama, including Richard Childress where Childress finished 23rd out of 36 drivers in his first race in his own car.


Over twelve years of racing at the Cup level in NASCAR Richard Childress competed in 285 races. Beginning in 1969 and closing in 1981 Childress earned 76 top ten finishes, six top fives, and no wins. In 1981 Childress handed some of the driving over to drivers Dale Earnhardt and Kirk Shelmerdine. 1982 brought Ricky Rudd to RCR but the first win for the team did not occur until 1983 with Rudd behind the wheel. Dale Earnhardt took over full-time driving rights for RCR in 1984 and won 67 races for Richard Childress Racing over the next 18 seasons.


RCR has raced during 37 seasons; over those years the team has seen 1,985 starts at the Cup Series level as of the start of today's Truck Series Race. RCR's starts have resulted in 92 wins, 399 top five finishes, 818 top tens, and 42 starts from the pole. The team has won over $218 Million through its 41 seasons and has an average finish of 15.7th place. RCR drivers have driven more than three-quarters of a million miles at the Cup Series level. After having all three Sprint Cup drivers for 2010 make the Chase to the Championship there is a strong possibility that RCR will have another Championship to add to the previous six that RCR drivers have earned at the Sprint Cup level.


Kevin Harvick (Cup #29)

The #29 car has been sponsored by Shell/Penzoil for 2010 but will be bringing Budweiser on board for 2011. Harvick has 10 seasons under his belt in Cup Level Racing and posts 14 wins, 72 top five finishes, 147 top tens, and has started from the pole seven times.


Harvick and wife DeLana started Kevin Harvick Incorporated in 2007 for the NASCAR Trucks Series, although Kevin had raced his own truck in prior years. KHI Racing now has entries in both the Truck Series and Nationwide Series. Harvick has proven himself to be effective as both a driver and team owner through his accomplishments in Cup Series racing and through his KHI Team performance in other series racing. Truck Series driver Ron Hornaday brought home the Championship for KHI in 2009 and Kevin has made the Chase for the Championship in Cup level racing for RCR in four of the last five years.


Jeff Burton (Cup #31)

Racing at the Cup Series level since 1993 and full-time since 1997 Jeff has 573 starts, 21 wins, 127 top five finishes, 235 top tens, and has started from the pole six times. Burton is another driver for RCR who has made the Chase for the Championship four of the last five years. A solid performer in 2010 Jeff has 13 top ten finishes and starts the Chase in the 10th spot with a 12.7 average finish thus far in 2010.


Clint Bowyer (Cup #33)
2010 is Bowyer's 7th season at the Sprint Cup level, his 6th year as a full-time Cup Series driver. Clint has posted season finishes in the top twelve three of the last four years, his best season being 2007 when he finished third in season points. Over his 171 Cup Series starts Bowyer has claimed two wins, 24 top five finishes, 75 top tens, and two starts from the pole.

Bowyer also has a full-time dirt track late model team that races under Clint Bowyer Racing. Carrying over momentum from this year's Sprint Cup Series successes, dirt driver Dale McDowell posted a win just two weeks ago for Clint Bowyer Racing, earning a $20,000 check at the Pepsi 75 River Days Rumble at Portsmouth Raceway Park in Portsmouth, Ohio on September 4th. It was McDowell's third win of the season for Clint Bowyer Racing.  It seems that Bowyer is a success both on and off the track.

#21 Nationwide Series Car

The #21 car has had Clint Bowyer, Morgan Shepard, Scott Riggs, and John Wes Townsley behind the wheel in 2010 and has earned seven top ten finishes in 2010, no top fives, and no wins. The #21 car for RCR has been in the Nationwide Series, at least on a part-time basis since 2000. At the end of August the team developed a partnership with Morgan Shepard to form Shepard Racing Ventures to keep the #21 car on the track for the remainder of the season.


Austin Dillon (Trucks #3)

The Grandson of Richard Childress, Austin Dillon is in his rookie season in the Camping World Truck Series. An impressive start in his first full-time season Dillon has one win, five top five finishes, 12 top tens, and is 6th in season points standings. Austin participated in four different series in 2009 as part of his development from RCR; Dillon raced in the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series along with K & N Pro Series starts and ARCA races. With wins in the Nationwide, Camping World Truck Series, and K & N Dillon has proven he can be competitive in various series and his freshman year in the Camping World Truck Series has shown he can hold his own on the track with the more experienced drivers.

Development and the Future of RCR
The future is taken seriously at Richard Childress Racing. From the #21 Zaxby's car in the Nationwide Series down to dirt track racing RCR involvement with many talented drivers to step up into the higher series' as their skill is developed. Names to watch for in the future with Richard Childress Racing include Ty Dillon, Ryan Gifford, Blake Koch, and Tim George, Jr.

Richard Childress Racing announced earlier this year that the team will be adding a fourth car to its Sprint Cup Series stable with driver Paul Menard; this addition will come with Menard's Sponsorship. Menard will be joining RCR veteran drivers Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, and Clint Bowyer. With just the three cars guaranteed starting spots based on owner's points carryover from 2010, Menard will have to qualify in on speed to begin the 2011 season. Next year will prove to be another pivotal year at RCR with the strong 2010 season to answer to.

Amy McHargue
http://ellipticalcurrents.blogspot.com

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Clint Bowyer: News Conference Notes

Morning practice for the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Richmond found Clint Bowyer on top of the leader board. Clint has hopes that he can carry this morning's practice speeds into Nationwide Qualifying later today and into Cup practice and Qualifying later this afternoon. Pulling double-duty this weekend, Bowyer is in the precarious 12th Cup Chase spot and needs a good showing in Cup Series racing. With an average finish at Richmond International Raceway of 10.2 and 44% of his Cup starts at RIR ending in top ten finishes Bowyer should feel confident going into the Cup race that the 12th Chase spot will be his at the end of Saturday night.

At Clint's morning media session at Richmond International Raceway he came in with a smile on his face. Bowyer opened with comments that he has had fun at RIR so far and has a great Nationwide car. He says he is fairly comfortable with his lead over the 13th spot in Cup Points and if something happens to keep him out of the Chase “it was just not meant to be.” With a 117 point lead over Ryan Newman, Bowyer does have a bit of a cushion going into this weekend's Cup event although he is definitely not assured of a Chase spot quite yet.

Bowyer said that the team's struggles in the middle of the Atlanta race were rough but when they got the car straightened out by the end of the race for a 7th place finish it was a big sigh of relief to widen the gap between Clint's 12th spot and Newman's 13th spot in Points. One media member present said that he had spoken with Bowyer's Crew Chief Shane Wilson earlier in the morning. Wilson had stated that he thought Clint was more nervous than himself going into this weekend. Clint laughed and said he is nervous but he has a good feeling going in with a 100+ point lead. Bowyer went on to say that “being part of the Chase is very relieving, very gratifying, it's a pretty elite crowd.”


When asked if drivers can try any harder than they have all season when they have nothing to lose Clint talked about taking chances on tire and fuel strategy. Bowyer says that he expects teams to take chances at the end of the race Saturday night but that every driver at this level gives 110% at every track.

Shannon Spake from ESPN asked Clint how nervous he is compared to how confident he is that he will be in the Chase Bowyer answered that anything can happen. He said he was nervous about running Nationwide the past few weeks because he wasn't sure how it would affect his Chase performance but that he has been pleasantly surprised how well the two compliment one another. Bowyer also said he thinks that he has a shot at “winning this thing tonight.”

When asked about the have-at-it-boys policy Bowyer said “Respect goes a long way in this sport. I feel like I respect drivers on the race track and they respect me back...I'm proud of that.” Clint said he is looking forward to a good race; he is here to win the race. He said RIR is his favorite race track. Short-track racing is an opportunity for Clint to run well and to have a good time doing it, as he says that Short-track racing is fun for him, as it is for most drivers.

Asked if there is any strength in numbers with teammates also in the Chase, Clint answered “Absolutely.” He said that learning from teammates can be a big advantage and that he needs to finish better like teammate Kevin Harvick. Bowyer also said that if all three drivers can put it together and learn from one another during the last ten races RCR has a real shot at winning the Championship.

“Consistency always wins Championships”, Bowyer stated. He made a comment that “Superman” (referring to Jimmie Johnson) has struggled and he expects that going into Homestead there will be four or five cars in contention. According to Bowyer finishing consistently well will be the key to winning the Championship. Clint closed with comments that going into the Chase in 12th place he has no where to go but up; Bowyer will be racing to gain spots from here on out in the 2010 season.

Amy McHargue
http://ellipticalcurrents.blogspot.com/

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NASCAR to revamp communications department

NASCAR Managing Director of Corporate
Communications Ramsey Poston

Managing Director of Corporate Communications Ramsey Poston will leave department after this year and will move into consulting role; search under way for chief communications officer

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 30, 2010) – Following a comprehensive review of its communications function and public relations activity across the industry, NASCAR announced it will move immediately to create an Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) department that will better position the sanctioning body to lead best practices and provide overall thought leadership in the communications space for the entire industry.

“Our sport has unique challenges and very diverse constituencies and it has become clear that NASCAR must be a catalyst in this space to help all stakeholders find greater value,” said Brian France, NASCAR’s chairman and chief executive officer. “This is a major investment for the company at a critical time and represents an elevation of this highly-important function for NASCAR and the industry. We are confident this evolved approach will yield immediate and long-term value for NASCAR, its media and business partners and the industry as a whole.”

The new communications structure will allow NASCAR to be even more effective on the competition aspects of the sport, an area where NASCAR was regularly cited in the review as being among the best when compared to other major league sports by media in all genres. It also positions the sanctioning body to take a much more strategic and offensive approach to selling the sport in a constantly-evolving traditional, digital and social media landscape.

Three areas that will see greater communications resourcing and organizational focus moving forward include: brand and consumer marketing; digital and social media strategy and activation; and strategic collaboration with industry stakeholders.

NASCAR IMC will be led by a chief communications officer who will become part of the senior leadership team, reporting directly to NASCAR Chief Marketing Officer Steve Phelps, with a direct line to Brian France. A global search, led by Korn/Ferry International, to identify and secure top-level talent to fill the position and other critical roles within the planned IMC structure is under way. It is expected the leadership of NASCAR IMC will have broad consumer marketing communications experience with global brands, strong familiarity with integrated marketing communications and, preferably, deep experience in sports and entertainment marketing.

Current Vice President of Corporate Communications Jim Hunter will continue to play a significant role in this evolution. NASCAR expects Hunter’s valuable experience and insight into the inner workings of the sport to continue to be important assets not only in this transition, but also to the new CCO for years to come. At the end of this season, Hunter will assume a new role as vice president of Special Projects.

Managing Director of Corporate Communications Ramsey Poston has elected not to pursue a role within the new structure, but Poston will continue to lead the department on a day-to-day basis through the balance of 2010. He will then move into a consulting role for the sanctioning body.

“As the communications review accurately revealed, Jim and Ramsey have done a fantastic job of moving the competition aspects of our operation to an elite level,” Phelps said. “The strong foundation they’ve built has positioned NASCAR to expand this operation to meet the needs of the future and we are confident their combined experience, expertise and passion for NASCAR will be strong assets in that process.”

NASCAR also has retained Taylor to provide on-going strategic counsel throughout this process. That engagement will be led by Taylor Managing Partner Brett Jewkes, who has deep experience with NASCAR, in the sport and working with top brands that operate with an IMC model.

It is anticipated the framework of the department and new leadership team will be in place by the start of the 2011 season with implementation of the new structure and approach accelerating throughout the balance of 2010.

TEXT AND PHOTO FROM NASCAR MEDIA

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NASCAR Anonymously Fines Two Top Drivers

News broke late yesterday about NASCAR fining two drivers for comments made that were degrading to the sport or to the fans. Granted, I don't know who these drivers are I can certainly speculate who they might be.

Coming off a season last year that was very vanilla, aside from the Keselowski/Hamlin Nationwide feud, I have to say I was excited this season to hear what drivers really thought and somewhat catch a glimpse of just who these guys we cheer for week in and week out really are.

At the same time I am hypocritical in my own thoughts. It's for these very reasons I have been known to discourage my three year old from cheering for Kyle Busch, because of the things he has said and the way he acts. I can understand NASCAR's feeling of trying to protect their product as I am trying to protect my child from the words and actions of an outspoken and passionate driver.

However, I don't see how putting a muzzle on drivers is good for the sport. It's the passion and heart of these guys that a lot of people I know tune in on the weekends to see. I think NASCAR is taking a big risk in trying to protect the integrity of the sport by somewhat limiting what the drivers are allowed to say to their fan base. In feeling this way about NASCAR's attempt to keep the drivers quiet, I know I have to let up on my son and let him cheer on the very outspoken Kyle Busch!

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Keselowski and Edwards Not Backin' Down

First we heard from NASCAR and their decision on penalties for both Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards. Now both drivers have said their peace in different media sessions in Indianapolis.

Just like always, these two racers see one incident in a very different light. What's even more confusing, Brad seems to be "happy" about NASCAR's decision to also place him on probation the rest of the year. Keselowski says it "takes away the pressure of retaliation." While I tend to agree with him, after hearing Edwards' comments in the media center I still believe this feud is far from over.


Brad's interview was pretty typical for a driver who is looking beyond Gateway and just ready to put it behind him. He was pretty adamant that he "slipped a tiny bit" getting into Carl, which seemed to give Carl justification for the retaliation he lashed out coming to the checkers. Brad also stands behind his actions, saying he wouldn't do anything differently as he clearly believes what he did was not intentional but just hard racing.

Carl's opinions on Saturday night's race could not have been more different. Carl insists he is not the one "initiating" the run-ins he has had with Keselowski. He also says he's "done a better job at keeping the car under control." He also feels that Brad's "slip up" was not a mistake but moreso intentional.

The irony in all of this is Brad was right in his interview on Saturday night when he said Carl would play the "good guy." This was displayed by Carl apologizing to all the teams involved that shouldn't have been when Brad went spinning. I was really even more confused when Carl said he would rather finish second than get a win the way he did Saturday night. I think I must've missed something, because the major events that took place Saturday night that he is so "sorry" for were caused by his revenge-seeking actions.

Either way, both the Nationwide and Cup series have moved on to Indianapolis and it's time to focus on the race at hand. However, I honestly believe we have not seen the last of the clashes between these two just yet.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.
__________________
Photo: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR

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Danica – Racing Into History or Spinning the Wheels?

I have been struggling for almost a week on this post. I wanted, very dearly, to be able to offer some real, positive facts regarding Danica and her NASCAR racing, but every time I began to check a fact or statistic, I had to reevaluate my position. As a result, it’s been difficult to determine my own feelings and opinions on the subject.

While I am certainly not the lead trumpet player on the Danica bandwagon, I like Danica. I like her focus, her competitive nature, and her desire to do well, despite the tremendous pressures. While watching the ARCA race at Daytona in February, I was extremely encouraged. Danica finished a respectable 7th, even after a free slide down the front stretch. She asked questions, improved her technique, and generally brought the car home with little damage. Not a bad day’s work in the world of stock car racing.

Her Nationwide stint has not impressed me as much, regardless of her gender, which I will be the first to admit should not be a factor. In short, she’s had 4 starts, all of which she finished in the low to mid 30’s. Twice she was involved in wrecks, whether of her own making or not, meaning she has a 50% record of finishing a race on the track. And, there’s little numerical difference between the finishes on the track and the finishes in the garage. She arguably has one of the best rides in the Nationwide series, and this is the best she can do?

I understand about learning curves. I totally ‘get’ that she’s jumping from one style of racing into another. But, at times, I can’t help but wonder if she even has a clue about NASCAR. Has she ever actually watched a race as a spectator? Furthermore, this is her JOB. When I find myself in unfamiliar waters at my job, I study, investigate, collect data, ask questions, turn to more experienced colleagues and finally, I do my freaking homework. As a driver, how can she seriously expect to be competitive if she doesn’t understand some of the more simple concepts (at least to me) of stock car racing? I have seen footage of drivers and crew chiefs watching reruns of race after race to gain information and a potential advantage. Some very prominent drivers have admitted using video games to familiarize themselves with tracks. Danica’s chatter on her radio at Louden makes me question her commitment and basic understanding. Don’t believe me? Check some of the articles out there. I suppose I should mention that she IS asking questions – relevant questions. I can’t help but wonder if a little study and prep could have eliminated the need for rudimentary questions and driving, thus allowing her to perform better. I don’t expect top 5 or top 10 finishes. I do expect someone with a racing license and incredible hype, male or female, not to perform at a level equal to pulling a random fan from the stands and throwing them in the car.

As I stated in my first paragraph, I’m having personal difficulty reconciling Danica’s performance, or lack thereof. A part of me wonders if she is perpetuating the myth that women can’t hack racing with the “big boys”, thereby bringing more harm than good. Is she honestly there because she’s petite and pretty and possesses a racing license, or because she can drive the heck out of a car? How will these impact current and future attempts by women to be taken as serious racing competitors? The current numbers don’t look good. Danica is 63rd in the points, and if you’re out there checking women drivers in the Nationwide series, the next closest (and only other) is Chrissy Wallace in the 82nd points position. Chrissy, however, has competed in only 2 races this season, more due to a lack of money and sponsorship than as a reflection of her driving abilities. Obviously, there are currently no women competing in the Sprint Cup series.

One potential bright spot is Jennifer Jo Cobb. Cobb is about to compete through a 4 race deal in the Nationwide series ride previous held by Greg Biffle, who brought the #27 car to 3 top 5s and 7 top 10s in 10 starts. Obviously, Jennifer has an amazing opportunity. This is a proven machine and garage. Respectable finishes will go a long way to bringing a different, more positive focus on women drivers in NASCAR.

Regardless of the outcomes, I’ll be watching with great interest, as I do every weekend.

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Does My Age and Sex Really Matter? I'm A NASCAR Fan!

Being a 17 year old girl most would think I have crushes, but I’ve never been the kind of girl to go crazy over someone who I will never have a chance with. Granted, I do find certain celebrities cute, but I never understood the fascination people have with them. 

A negative point about being young and a fan of anything is certain people don’t see you as someone who could like something for what it is; but for who’s in it. The people who have these opinions about young fans get their thoughts from the girls who let their crushes move over into obsessions, and ruin it for those of us who actually like the sport for what it is. I have seen girls and guys alike only watch NASCAR, football, or like bands because of the guys, or girls involved in it. It’s not just young people who do this either, I’ve seen women as old as 50 “fan girl” over Joey Logano online. 

For me, I enjoy watching NASCAR because of all the strategy involved, how the relationship between a crew chief and a driver needs to be close to perfect in order to make the right decisions to have a winning or top 5 car. I do have to admit, it’s definitely a plus to have something nice to look at, but you don’t see the drivers for multiple hours in between start and finish. How is there a point to watching for the good looking guys if you can’t even see the good looking guys?

Maybe I’m just not your average girl, but I say if you’re going to enjoy something enjoy it for what it is. Pay close attention to your driver; or in some cases drivers, and watch what it takes for them to get their car where it needs to be.

____________

The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and may not reflect those of this site or its other contributors. 

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I Love My NASCAR Driver (Series)

Here is another fantastic and truly admirable story of a fan and a new insight into a driver! Hope everyone enjoys and truly wonderful inspirational story.

Abrasive. Argumentative. Arrogant.

Ask a NASCAR fan to describe Nextel Cup driver Kyle Busch and those are some of the adjectives you might hear.

When Kyle entered the Cup series full time, many fans painted him with the same broad brush as older brother Kurt, who perhaps had done more to earn those epithets in the early years of his career than Kyle did.

And it didn’t help that Kyle was driving for Hendrick Motorsports, making him a teammate of Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson – two drivers that many fans already loved to hate.

But there are many positive attributes that should come to mind when you hear the name Kyle Busch – among them: Accomplished.

In fact, looking at Busch’s resume, it’s hard to believe that the racing phenom is still just 22 years old.

A regular in the NASCAR Nextel Cup series since 2005, Busch already has a remarkable list of achievements: He was Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Busch series in 2004 and in the Nextel Cup series in 2005. Busch became the youngest driver to win a Truck Series race at the age of 20 years, 19 days, and is the youngest-ever winner in the Cup Series at 20 years, 125 days.

In addition, Kyle is the youngest driver to make the NASCAR Chase for the Championship and the youngest pole sitter in Cup history. He has four wins in the Nextel Cup series, ten in the Busch series, and six in the Craftsman Truck series.

But aside from his abilities on the race track, another word that describes Kyle Busch may be the one that race fans would least suspect: Altruistic.

A case in point — 14-year-old Margaret Ann Jennette is a big NASCAR fan. She’s even a bigger Kyle Busch fan, choosing him as “her” driver back in 2004, his rookie season, when she was just 11.

In fact, young Margaret is such a devoted fan that she named her dogs Kylie and Rowdy in honor of Kyle and his racing nickname, “Rowdy” Busch.

The Jennette family attends several NASCAR races each year, including the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, where they celebrate Margaret’s birthday. They also take in Darlington and Martinsville, and this year added Bristol to the itinerary.

Shortly before the Bristol race in August, Margaret’s mother observed that her normally active daughter was unusually tired.

“We really noticed it at the race when we spent the week in Bristol,” Kathy Jennette told me. “She always loves to do everything at the track, but that week she did not care if she went over to the track. She only went to the races and nothing else. All she wanted to do was stay in the camper and stay in bed.”

It was certainly uncharacteristic of Margaret who, as a seventh-grader, sent Valentine’s Day cards to all the Hendrick drivers, and who dreams of attending college to study Motorsports Management.

When the family got home from Bristol, they took the soon-to-be high school freshman to the doctor and, after a series of tests, learned that Margaret had juvenile diabetes. There, she was told that she will be insulin-dependent for the rest of her life.

The stunning diagnosis meant an immediate and drastic change of lifestyle for the previously healthy teenager.

Margaret was hospitalized in South Carolina where, mom Kathy says, “she learned to check her own blood sugars, give herself her insulin, and learned to calculate the carbs. She has to check her blood sugars before every meal, at bedtime and any other time during the day that she feels that they are high or low. She takes insulin after every meal and after every snack that has 15 carbs or more, plus she has another insulin that she takes every night at bedtime.”

All the testing, the needles, the careful meal planning, and general fear of the unknown took its toll on the active girl who had played on her middle school basketball team. “She was relieved to finally find out why she was feeling so bad, but she did not like the fact that she was going to have to stick herself as much as she does,” said Kathy. “After her release from the hospital she was scared. She spent many nights crying and asking me, ‘Why did this have to happen to me?’ “

While other girls her age were making carefree plans to go to the mall or sleep over at a friend’s house, Margaret learned that she would have to carry her insulin and diabetic supplies with her wherever she goes. “She did not want to go anywhere or even out to eat after she came home (from the hospital),” Kathy said. “She had to adjust to taking her blood sugar in public. She was afraid that she could not accurately count her carbs and get her units of insulin correct. She was afraid to go back to school because she was worried that something would happen and no one would know what to do.”

In the hopes of boosting her daughter’s sagging spirits, Kathy contacted Becky Hopkins in Kyle Busch’s office and asked if Kyle could send Margaret a card or a note – just a little something to take her mind off her health problems for a few moments.

The following day, Kathy received a call from a local florist wanting to schedule a delivery. She was on her way to work and asked that the flowers be delivered to her husband’s workplace. “At this point in time, we had no idea who they were for, or who they were from,” recalls Kathy.

The flowers that arrived were spectacular – a huge, colorful bouquet with a teddy bear on the front of the vase. But the most important part was the enclosed card, which was addressed to Margaret:

“Keep smiling, keep your chin up. I will be cheering you on the same way you cheer me on. Love, Kyle Busch.”

Recalls Kathy, “I started crying. I hung up from him and called my girlfriend and told her – then she started crying.”

That afternoon, Kathy picked Margaret up at school and drove her to her dad’s workplace, where Margaret saw the most beautiful bouquet she’d ever seen and learned they were from her favorite NASCAR driver.

“You wouldn’t think that a driver with his busy schedule would do something like that,” Margaret glowed. “Most people think that Kyle Busch wouldn’t do something like that. When I saw that the flowers were from him, I felt like I was on top of the world. Just knowing that he sent me the flowers and that he cared is what helps me keep on top of my diabetes.”

Despite the passage of a few months’ time, Kyle clearly remembered Margaret when I asked him about her this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway.

“She’s a great little character,” he smiled. “She’s a very sweet little girl. She’s got a good head on her shoulders and we sent her flowers and hopefully raised her spirits a little bit.”

But the story doesn’t end there. Becky and Kyle had another surprise in store for Margaret – a personal meeting between the driver and his biggest fan prior to the October Martinsville race.

The Jennettes were told to be at the entrance to the driver’s motor home lot at 10:50 a.m. on race day in Martinsville. Kathy’s plan was to wait until the last minute to let Margaret know why they were there, telling her only that they were going to meet Becky. But waiting at the gate, Kathy recalls, “I could not stand it any more. I had to tell her at that point that she was going to meet Kyle one-on-one. She had the biggest smile on her face! She lit up like a Christmas tree with 10,000 lights on it.”

Kyle’s driver picked up the family at the gate and took them to Kyle’s motorhome, where Margaret met the driver she adores. “I tell you, when Kyle stepped out of that motorcoach, I think she went into shock,” said Kathy. “They talked for awhile, then he signed her coat and a diecast that we had bought her that weekend – it was the raced version of his win at Bristol, the first COT win.”

After taking time to chat and pose for photos, Kyle was off to the drivers’ meeting.

Kyle recalls the meeting fondly, too. “Becky had been keeping in touch with her a little bit and I had been, too,” he said. “We wrote her back and I finally met her at Martinsville. She’s trying to do what she can with the illness she’s got and we’re just trying to make her feel a little bit better.”

To hear Margaret tell it, “a little bit better” is a huge understatement. “After I met Kyle, I was really happy,” she chirped. “We met him on a Sunday when he had lots of things to do. I was shy and I couldn’t believe that I was meeting Kyle.”

I asked Kyle about his affinity for helping kids like Margaret, as well as those he assists through the Kyle Busch Foundation which benefits children in residential homes throughout the country. “A couple of years ago I went to the St. John’s Home in Michigan and met the kids there. They were great. They asked more legitimate questions than some adults do, so I was impressed. It was cool to spend some time with them and I decided that this would be a good namesake for the Kyle Busch Foundation. Then we picked up a home in Charlotte and we just picked up a home in Las Vegas, too.”

“It’s not that it necessarily makes me feel better. It’s about making other people feel better and giving back to the community, and helping kids who’ve had a tougher life than you.”

Which leads to another descriptor that you may not have associated with Kyle Busch: Admirable.

But perhaps you will now.
By:

Becca Gladden

This is a story that happen about three years ago! Kyle Busch is my hero and his is a main reason why I try my best to stay on top of my diabetes!

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I Love My NASCAR Driver (Series)

This series is going fantastic and hearing the amazing fan dedication has gotten me thinking about the dedication to my driver. Mr. Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr. I know its a big suprise seeing how he is the Most Popular Driver. I mean don't get me wrong every driver out there is great and there isn't a driver I dislike, however Dale Jr has my heart.

Amanda:
I was 11 years old when I found out about Earnhardt Jr. Unlike many fans I wasn't a fan of the Intimidator. I knew he was amazing I just wasn't necessarily a fan. To be honest I really wasn't a hardcore fan of racing. Before then I cheered for Darrell Waltrip simply because my parents did. I can't remember when exactly I noticed Junior but it was love at first sight. Driving that red No.8 Bud car with that blond hair. I knew we were going to marry soon.

Then I watched him drive and Dale Earnhardt Jr is one of the people I can thank for becoming obsessed with NASCAR. There was just something about him that stuck with me for eight years and counting. It may sound cliched but he is my honest to god inspiration. To watch him lose his father and his fathers team and redeem himself so well. Then to watch him hit some rough patches but never give up. He had his ups and downs and continues just to keep on pushing foward. I've gotten in heated arguments defending him through his down moments because he never once gave up.

I'm pushing for the day I get to meet my real life famous super hero. I've entered in tons of contests and am so afraid that the moment I meet him I'll cry.

Mr. Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr, you're my driver, my hero, my inspiration and my man.

Oh and if he would've just trimmed the beard. I was digging it. But he could shave his head or dye it black and well he would still be my favorite driver.

A special shout out to Joey "Sliced Bread" Logano who I have became a new fan of!"

Pictures: One pictures is from a contest I entered of me with some of my Junior collection. I have boxes and boxes of it in my attic, this is just the real special stuff. The other picture is of me next to Juniors pit box in Richmond during the Pit tour. That was so exciting. The next picture is of me at Jr Motorsports in North Carolina. That was the most amazing trip of my entire life!


Have a special you want to share about your favorite driver. Send me an email at missmander88@hotmail.com, and I will give you more information.

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The Shockers, The Knockers and The Rockers at Texas Motor Speedway

Fans got a double dose of racing on Monday as both the Sprint and Nationwide were canceled and rescheduled for Monday. It was a good thing though, it was a race worth watching for sure.

The Shockers:
Well let's start with the shockers of the race. Dale Earnhardt Jr. started ninth and eventually got all the way up to the front to lead some laps. After consistently staying in the top 10 and some of the greatest pit stops by the No. 88 team we have seen in almost two years, an eighth-place finish was a great morale booster for the team and fans alike. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is now seventh in points.

How about a big old round of applause for Mr. Jeff Burton. On lap 136 he went all the way up to 18th after restarting at the tail end of the field and by lap 150 he climbed all the way up to 14th. Burton made it to a high of fourth and ended up finishing a solid 12th place. He is currently eighth in the points standings. Great job for the No. 31 team.

The Knockers:
In case you didn't know the knockers are the ones who did a little bit of bumping and knocking on the cars around them. Let's start with Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon, teammates and also contenders for the win. They had a little bump and run ... and well it got a little out of control. Each driver said they were disappointed by the spat and Gordon said they will be sure to talk about it cause they are, "good enough friends, good enough teammates." They were both disappointed in how they raced each other, but each claimed they "got over it." Johnson was smiling afterward, however, for finishing in second place, and well, Gordon, not so much.

My next knocker is Tony Stewart, who ran a great race and claimed causing an accident. Stewart responded with, "It was my fault. Feel bad about it, about doing something stupid like that. I didn't plan on getting loose, but it is 100 percent my fault." I think I can also put Stewart in the Shocker category for growing up so much and taking responsibility even if it didn't seem to be his fault 100%. It seems to most that Carl Edwards' No. 99 bumped Stewart, which got him loose and ended up causing quite the pileup and taking out some of the best cars in the field. It was ultimately a product of hard racing with around 20 laps to go.

The Rockers:
Of course the No.1 rocker is Denny Hamlin, who held off Jimmie Johnson enough to win. Hamlin had a decent car and raced slow and steady to eventually get to the front. About two weeks after having surgery on his knee, this just goes to show the dedication of athletes. These are the athletes who make the sport, the ones who overcome obstacles and go on to be the winner. A big congrats to Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 FedEx team.

Now my other rockers are these drivers involved with the red flag wreck at the Samsung Mobile 500. These drivers included Clint Bowyer, Juan Pablo Montoya, Paul Menard, Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Joey Logano and Jamie McMurray. Five out of the seven drivers went on to do double duty and race in the Nationwide series afterward as well. Logano went on to finish second after finishing 28th in the first race of the day. McMurray went on to finish sixth in his first Nationwide race for JR Motorsports after finishing 30th in the Sprint race. Paul Menard finished a solid 10th after finishing an unfortunate 35th in the Samsung Mobile 500. Redemption was sung proud and loud for those drivers.

And there you have it, the Shockers, Knockers and Rockers of the TMS weekend. Let's roll it on out at Talladaga and see what surprises are in store!

"Photo courtesy of Creative commons/flickr/Mike D.Merrill"

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The Lugnut Report: Clint Bowyer Grabs Top Ten in Phoenix

It was an unexpectedly busy weekend at Phoenix International Speedway for Clint Bowyer. Coming into the first Saturday night race of the season, Bowyer was ninth and points and ready to put all his focus on the Subway Fresh Fit 600.

On Friday, Bowyer practiced his No. 33 Cheerio's/Hamburger Chevrolet in both Sprint Cup practices, putting the No. 33 sixth and 13th on the speed charts.

During the only Nationwide Series practice of the day John Wes Townley had a hard wreck and Richard Childress Racing announced Bowyer would take over the No. 21 car for Friday's Nationwide race.

After Cup practices were over, Bowyer qualified the Nationwide car 21st, and headed back to the Cup garage to qualify his No. 33 25th.

Despite rumors in the garage, Bowyer said before the Basha's Supermarkets 200 began that he had no intention of driving the Zaxby's Chevrolet for the rest of the year, and that Townley was "a good kid from a good family."

Trouble for the No. 21 team came on lap 31 when Bowyer hit the wall. However, Bowyer spent most of the race successfully battling his way toward the front.

Late in the race, Bowyer managed to escape a multi car wreck, caused by leader Kyle Busch's bad restart, with minimal damage.

Bowyer would finish the race just outside the top ten, in 11th.

On Saturday night, Bowyer started mid pack but he and teammates Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton were all in a hurry to get to the front.

Upon the lap 22 restart Clint Bowyer, in the midst of traffic, spun the 2010 Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray, bringing out the second caution of the night. The No. 33 escaped with no damage, while McMurray had to bring his Chevy down pit road for repairs.

By lap 71, Bowyer had cracked the top ten and stayed there the majority of the night. He didn't make much noise there, however, until late in the race. He and Jeff Gordon had an intense side by side battle for third on lap 361, but Gordon ultimately prevailed.

Bowyer continued to challenge in the top five, but the pit stop prior to the green white checkered back tracked on Bowyer's momentum, and he fell back out of the top five. He finished ninth.

The finish,though, shot Bowyer three spots up to sixth in points. Next up for Bowyer is the Samsung Mobile 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 18, 3 PM ET on FOX.

Thanks to Racing Reference, NASCAR.com, NASCAR on FOX, ESPN2, Jayski, ClintBowyer.com, SceneDaily.com, and NNSRacing.com for the information, quotes and stats used in this post.

For Patti Rodisch's Lugnut Report on Martin Truex, Jr. click here.

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The Lugnut Report: Jeff Gordon Nearly Wins, but Finishes Third

When you come to Martinsville you think of two drivers, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon. Gordon leads the field in active drivers with the most wins with seven. He has not won at Martinsville since 2005, but was looking to end that streak on the rain postponed event, Monday.

Gordon had a fast car all weekend long. They were going with a different setup than they had used at Martinsville in the past.

With rain affecting the qualifying on Friday, Gordon was to start 11th on Monday.

Gordon quickly made his way to the front. On lap 59, Gordon took the lead and pulled away from second place. His car was handling good but he cautioned the track conditions will be changing.

The team made some adjustments on the car but it hurt the handling of the car. The outside lane was not the lane to be in on the restarts. Repeatedly, Gordon was on the outside lane and ended up losing positions on the restarts.

They were getting it done on pit road for Gordon on every stop. Crew chief Steve LeTarte, was making solid adjustments on the car. That being said the team still struggled on the long runs, something that we see often at Martinsville.

Gordon was running fourth when Jeff Burton cut a tire with less than 20 laps to go. When leader Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch pitted, Gordon inherited the win with just ten laps to go.

Gordon was pulling away on the restart but a caution for Busch with the field just coming to take the white flag. They were going to a green, white checker finish.

On the restart Gordon had the lead but got hit from behind from Kenseth, sending him up the track. Kenseth and Gordon banged off each other meanwhile Hamlin took the lead with Joey Logano sliding behind him.

Gordon finished in third and Hamlin took the win. Gordon was upset with how Kenseth raced him on the restart.

Gordon and LeTarte both have said they are being aggressive this season, no more settling for top five finishes. I think early on this season we have saw that, both on the track and on pit road.

Gordon now heads to Phoenix, where he has only one win but expect to see the same strategy we saw this week.

With his top five finish at Martinsville he moved up to seventh in the standings.

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