Points battles tighten in Trucks, Nationwide after Phoenix races … is Cup next?

Associated Press photo Carl Edwards has moved closer to Nationwide series points leader Clint Bowyer after winning Saturday at Phoenix, and hopes to catch up in a similar fashion to Jimmie Johnson in the Cup series after Sunday's race.While not as hyped as many of the other tracks on the NASCAR schedule, Phoenix International Raceway (where the late Alan Kulwicki debuted his famous Polish Victory

Barack Obama, Lewis Hamilton break race barriers in politics, motorsports in historic week

Associated Press photosLewis Hamilton (above) is the first black Formula 1 champion. Barack Obama (right) is the first black person to be elected U.S. president.More than 40 years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, and expressed the wish that everyone in the world could judge people by the content of their character, and not by the color of their skin.At the

2009 could bring short fields as sponsorship woes hit NASCAR hard

It used to be that making the field in a Cup race was very difficult.Every week, a half dozen teams would have to go home because of the large number of teams trying out for races on a regular basis.But that was during better economic times. Today’s economy has left the garage decimated as far as sponsors go. Longtime sponsors like Kodak and Texaco/Havoline are giving up on the sport, and teams

Daring fuel gamble by Edwards brings championship battle back to life

Things were looking pretty grim for Carl Edwards as the laps were winding down at Texas. Sure he’d led hundreds of laps and Jimmie Johnson was a lap down, but after several drivers took two tires to knock him back several spots in the running order, he looked to once again gain very little on Johnson despite a solid performance.Then, his crew chief told him something that he never thought he’d

Gordon snags first Texas pole … now look for him to take first Texas win

Associated Press photo Jeff Gordon makes his pole-winning run during qualifying Friday in Texas.It’s been over a year since Jeff Gordon -- a winning machine for most of his career -- has seen Victory Lane. During the past year, he’s had some good races, but he’s also had some terrible ones.Many have questioned his crew chief’s ability, and many more have begun talking about how Gordon is on the

The leader is in sight … do you wreck him to win?

Anyone who watched this past weekend’s Nationwide race at Memphis saw the dilemma David Reutimann faced as the final laps wound down.Passing was nearly impossible, and he was at Carl Edwards’ bumper. His only way to win was to knock Edwards out of the way … but he didn’t.After the race, Reutimann said, “I should’ve moved him,“ but went on to say that’s not the way he races.This brings up an

Edwards impressive in win, but Johnson steals show with amazing comeback

Associated Press photo Carl Edwards celebrates after winning Sunday's race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.The saying goes that when someone gives you lemons, you make lemonade.In coming back from a lap down in the back of the pack to a 2nd-place finish Sunday at Atlanta, Jimmie Johnson went one further … he took those lemons and made a SoCo and lemonade mixed drink that he ended up sipping while on

NASCAR teams angry they got caught, not that their people were cheating

When teams get caught cheating in NASCAR, they give the standard response.After a scapegoat is found, the team will issue a statement saying it was an isolated incident. They’ll fire or suspend some of the people involved (as long as they‘re not too important to the team) and act like they’re taking the high road. It happened this week at Red Bull Racing and earlier this year at Joe Gibbs Racing

Economy has Ford struggling … but their commitment to Roush, NASCAR stands

Henry Ford drove this car to victory in a 10-lap race in 1901 at the Detroit Driving Club in Grosse Pointe, Michigan.Anyone who has read the news lately knows that Ford Motor Company, as well as the rest of the automobile business, is not in the best shape right now.Sales are down by record numbers, billionaire Kirk Kerkorian is considering selling off his millions of shares in Ford on fears it

Johnson on pace to pass teammate Gordon in record books

Jimmie Johnson doesn’t know the meaning of the word parity.NASCAR has done everything it can to try to make the sport as equal as possible between teams -- a place where as large a number as possible of drivers and teams are regularly competing for race wins and championships.Jimmie Johnson and his #48 Hendrick Motorsports team has taken all those efforts and kicked them to the curb, all in the

Tough economy hitting DEI, many other NASCAR teams

Anyone who’s watched the news in the past few months knows the U.S. economy isn’t exactly in a good state. Layoffs are affecting thousands as the end result of a number of crises in the housing, credit and stock markets. Meanwhile, people are seeing all the money they’ve earned through investments over the years go down the toilet.When it comes to teams of NASCAR, the effect of this economy is

NASCAR fans, prepare for the possibility of just one U.S. automaker

For those of you who haven’t heard, it appears GM and Chrysler are engaging in somewhat serious talks about some sort of merger or acquisition, depending on the details that they might come to an agreement on.It’s no secret the entire auto industry is reeling due to the global economic downturn and sales numbers are way down, particularly in the U.S., and more and more people are being laid off

No shortage of excitement in ARCA finale

A four-way battle for the championship … Beating and banging among the series’ top leaders. … Drivers duking it out for the win as the race comes to an end.Now that’s what I call a great final race of the season … and it was great to see, because it’s nothing we’re likely to see in a Cup season finale anytime soon.For those of you who missed it, Penske developmental driver Justin Allgaier won his

No tires, no problem … Burton wins, boosts title hopes; Edwards likely out of picture

Associated Press photo Jeff Burton takes the checkered flag Saturday in Charlotte.Every race counts in the Chase, and no one knows that better than Jimmie Johnson.Every year when the playoffs start, the man appears to be made of stone, and nothing can budge him from his weekly top-5 and top-10 runs. When wrecks happen in front of him, he always manages to dodge them. And mechanical failures

NASCAR too quick to cancel qualifying, should be more flexible with schedule

The qualifying session for Saturday night’s Bank of America 500 was going to be an interesting one.Three drivers -- Scott Speed, Brad Keselowski and Bryan Clauson -- were going to attempt to make their first ever start in a Cup race. Also, where would the Chase contenders line up on Saturday night?But Mother Nature stepped in, and tonight’s qualifying session was rained out.I’m fully aware NASCAR

Parts are in place, now Stewart’s team faces steep challenge in 2009

The parts are coming together perfectly, just like a jigsaw puzzle, for Stewart-Haas Racing.-- Drivers? Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman, who I would qualify as great and solid drivers, respectively.-- Sponsor money? Plenty of that, too, with Old Spice and Office Depot backing Stewart and Army soon to be announced as Newman’s sponsor.-- Crew chiefs? Darien Grubb will come over from Hendrick

Rule gives Stewart the win, but that doesn’t mean the rule is fair

Associated Press photo Regan Smith leads Tony Stewart Sunday at the finish of the AMP Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Ala. Smith passed Stewart below the yellow line and was penalized by NASCAR.It was another classic Talladega finish ... Tony Stewart and Regan Smith (that’s not a typo) battling side-by-side for the win on the last lap in the last corner. And the winner was ...

Dega is best chance for Dale Jr. to make a points move

This is Dale Jr.’s track.Talladega has been very kind to Dale Jr. since he started in NASCAR’s top division. He has five wins, seven top-5s and 10 top-10s in 17 starts at the track, and has led a total of 616 laps.He picked up right where his dad left off. Most fans remember Sr.’s breathtaking drive in fall of 2000 when he passed 16 cars in four laps to take his final career win. Soon after that,

Does anyone retire anymore? … Rusty talking comeback; Petty may go elsewhere if forced out

The hottest new rumor, brought to the masses by his own brother Kenny, is that Rusty Wallace -- inspired by the success of fellow sports elders Mark Martin and Brett Favre in their recent comebacks -- may be back in the Cup series next season, probably with DEI.Rusty apparently believes he can outrun at least half the drivers currently racing, and he’s probably right. He’s a legend who still

Chase has been disaster for Gibbs teams

Associated Press photoTony Stewart gets off course during Sunday's race at Kansas Speedway.Two things are crystal clear to me after today’s race at Kansas Speedway, after by some miracle I managed to stay awake until the end.First, after seeing Carl Edwards wreck his car on purpose in an attempt to win the race with a move he said he learned from video games, I’m convinced there is very little he

Enough with the cookie cutters: We don’t need a second race at Kansas City

Kansas Speedway is pushing hard to get another date at their track on future NASCAR schedules. This is the same track that is owned by the International Speedway Corporation, a “separate” entity from NASCAR, which coincidentally is also run by the France family. (Let’s see … they own tracks, and they also decide who gets races. Nothing fishy there. No sir, not at all.)Though I know this will do

Analyzing Dale Jr.’s radio chatter misses the point … problems much deeper at #88 team

Associated Press photoDale Earnhardt Jr. talks to crew chief Tony Eury Jr. during a test session Tuesday at Lowe‘s Motor SpeedwayIn the minds of many, this was supposed to be his year … the year he finally followed in his father’s big footsteps.Joining the powerhouse that is Hendrick Motorsports was supposed to be the key that NASCAR's favorite son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., needed to unlock his true

Keselowski a true talent, will leave his mark in Cup series

Mark my words. This kid is a winner.I’m talking about Brad Keselowski the 24-year-old from Rochester Hills who grew up in a family that has long been one of the great mom-and-pop operations in NASCAR.Brad (pictured at right in an Associated Press photo after winning at Nashville) grew up in that atmosphere, learning from his father Bob Keselowski, a Truck Series race winner, and uncle Ron

Biffle wins exciting 3-way battle as Kyle Busch’s title hopes go Kaboom! at Dover

Associated Press photoCarl Edwards, Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth battle for the lead near the end of Sunday’s race at Dover. Biffle came out on top for his second straight winNow that’s what I call a race.All the naysayers who have claimed that the COT has ruined NASCAR don’t have much to say today after one of the most exciting races of the year went all the way down the wire at Dover.Dover’s

Jeff Gordon will return to form at Dover; Part-timer Martin will take the win

There’s one thing Jeff Gordon has always done well in his Cup career -- and that is win.But 2008, to be kind, has been a difficult year for the four-time champion.He and his crew chief, Steve LeTarte, have had serious trouble figuring out the COT, and the 2008 numbers for the winningest driver of the past 15 years are not kind.He has zero wins and his average finish is 15th. For most drivers,

A look at the Chase ... through Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon'

I’ve been a fan of the group Pink Floyd for longer than I’ve followed NASCAR. As a tribute to Pink Floyd’s keyboardist Richard Wright (pictured with Pink Floyd in this Associated Press photo from 1967, at far right), who lost his life to cancer yesterday at age 65, I‘m going to offer a glimpse of what you can expect from the Chase, and what drivers need to do to win it, via the song titles from

Broken part makes Kyle Busch just another Chase contender

Associated Press photoKyle Busch spins out Sunday during the Sylvania 300 in New HampshireIf sports teaches us anything, it’s that no matter how mighty and successful somebody is, they’re always on the brink of failure.Think about the New England Patriots heading into the Super Bowl last year. Nobody thought they’d lose … but they sure did. And this year, the Patriots have fallen on even harder

New Hampshire Truck Series race turns into fight night

For those of you who missed the Truck Series race today, you missed not only a race, but a post-race rumble. After some on-track bumping left Todd Bodine in the fence courtesy of David Starr (who dumped quite a few trucks during the race), Bodine gave him a little shove after the race, and then the crews of the two teams went at it on pit road at a level I haven’t seen in a while in NASCAR.Bodine

Logano’s career will go the route of Jeff Gordon, not Casey Atwood

The meteoric rise of Joey Logano to the Cup series, delayed one week by the weather, should get under way at New Hampshire on Sunday.Logano will be driving the #96 car, so don’t expect him to finish in the top 10 like he did in his Nationwide debut. That car, even with a great driver, isn’t going to do much better than a top-20, barring a fuel mileage finish.But as the Chase begins, many eyes

Stewart shows he's a sore loser by throwing his team under the bus

There are certain things you don’t do in sports … period. One of those things is be a bad loser and insult your teammates after a tough loss. On the contrary, you work together to fix whatever cost you the win and hopefully come out on top next time.Apparently Tony Stewart didn’t get that memo.After a tough battle with Jimmie Johnson, Stewart had to settle for second place at Richmond this

Stewart has win within his sights, but Johnson shuts the door

There’s a reason Richmond is among the favorite tracks of both NASCAR drivers and fans. The three-quarter-mile track is designed to create exciting racing around the track all night (or day if a hurricane shows up) long whenever the Cup guys pay a visit.Let’s just contrast today’s race with last week, when Jimmie Johnson pretty much led every lap and there was no competition for the lead

Dale Jr. needs to get his mojo back at Richmond, before Chase starts

Paging Dale Earnhardt Jr.Please report to the Richmond garage with the championship form you were showing a few months ago.After starting the season strong with consistently good finishes that culminated with his fuel mileage win at Michigan in June, Jr.’s season has been the definition of mediocre -- a word not often associated with Hendrick Motorsports and one that does not indicate that a

Franchitti returning to Ganassi in 2009 ... in Indycar

Another one bites the dust.It looks like the massive open-wheel influx into NASCAR spurred by Juan Pablo Montoya has officially crashed and burned. Dario Franchitti had a tough year, to be kind, driving for Chip Ganassi (and the often-forgotten Felix Sabates) in the #40 Cup ride until lack of funds caused that team to shut down. Since then, he’s done well in a few Nationwide races, but didn’t

Don’t forget the champ: Johnson serves notice with dominating win

Sunday night’s race at California was similar to a bad blind date.Heading into the date, there is lots of excitement: What’s going to happen? Will Edwards and Busch have another exciting battle? Will there be any big changes in the Chase standings?But just like a bad blind date where you realize your date is more boring than C-SPAN, shortly into the race fans started to realize only one thing

Stewart lets out rare dose of lurid honesty in Rolling Stone interview

Rarely in today’s NASCAR do drivers give truly candid interviews or offer any the media any true insight into their real lives. Everything usually sounds processed and is basically a string of sound bites.But Tony Stewart recently allowed a reporter from Rolling Stone to follow him around for a while and offered a rare glimpse into how he talks and acts, and it wasn’t all rated PG. Let’s just say

Bud Shootout changes take away value of winning poles

The Bud Shootout used to be a battle between all the drivers who had won a pole position the previous year. With new changes announced by NASCAR this week, it will now become a battle between the top 6 drivers for each manufacturer.Under the new rules, Michael Waltrip, David Reutimann and Travis Kvapil will race in the event, and I’m not quite sure that makes much sense. Waltrip has had a

NASCAR shouldn't allow Childress to buy his way into top 35

It used to be that when a new team started up in NASCAR, it had to earn its way into the first few races. This was the case when Tony Stewart’s #20 team first hit the track, when Jimmie Johnson’s #48 team made its debut, and so on. (In fact, I distinctly remember thinking Stewart's team was going to tank and miss the Daytona 500, based on his spotty Busch Series record ... he started second in

Given his past actions, Busch has no right to be offended

NASCAR drivers, like many people in this world, often have severe cases of selective memory.The other guy is always to blame for driving dirty when they end up turned around at the end of a race, but if they do the turning, it was simply an innocent mistake or no big deal. It’s hypocrisy with a capital H.Kyle Busch, who led more than 400 laps of Saturday night’s race at Bristol until Carl Edwards

Keselowski shows up the Cup drivers; Kahne will take checkered at Bristol

If there was a class called NASCAR Math, lesson No. 1 would be the following:NASCAR + Bristol = Pure excitement.It’s already been a great week at Bristol, starting with the caution-filled yet competitive Truck race, won by (guess who?) Kyle Busch.But Friday night was even more impressive, with some very exciting racing throughout the field in the Nationwide and, SHOCKER, a Nationwide-only driver

NASCAR should have parked Gibbs cars for cheating

NASCAR threw the book at Joe Gibbs Racing’s Nationwide teams on Wednesday, blasting them with a laundry list of penalties after magnets were found under the gas pedals of the teams two Nationwide cars during a post-race dyno test, in an effort to disguise the team’s true horsepower numbers.-- Drivers Joey Logano and Tony Stewart will each lose 150 points, and are on probation until the end of the

House of Roush intact after Edwards holds off Busch, defends Big 3 territory

It was on the verge of happening.A Toyota was about to take the checkered flag at MIS on Sunday, leaving the Big 3 with a lot of egg on their faces.Then, as has happened so often in the past, Jack Roush’s drivers showed the intruders at their track who is boss, and Carl Edwards took yet another win for his boss, a Livonia native, and swept the weekend’s races at MIS.Over the past 14 races in

Kyle Busch’s competitors weigh in on his dominating year

BROOKLYN, Mich. -- One question has been on the mind of NASCAR fans and competitors all season -- How did Kyle Busch go from occasional contender to field-killer in the course of one year.If you ask 2-time champ Jimmie Johnson, it’s about maturity and taking better care of his equipment.“I have worked with him as a teammate and have always known that he’s a special, special talent,” Johnson said.

Dale Jr., Gordon stay positive despite criticisms

BROOKLYN, Mich. -- A couple of Hendrick drivers have seen their teams take a lot of heat this week after their performances at Watkins Glen.For Jeff Gordon, his team was just off. In what used to be a rare thing, but is now more common, the #24 car was simply not very strong and finished 29th. After watching Gordon run up front for more than a decade, weeks like this have his fans scratching

Burton: More than 43 cars bad for NASCAR

BROOKLYN, Mich. -- Jeff Burton raised some eyebrows this weekend at MIS when he suggested that NASCAR not allow more than 43 teams to compete for the right to race on Sunday.Responding to a question about sponsorship issues, here’s what he said.“Forty-three cars that are assured of being in the field is the best scenario for our sport,” Burton said. “Professional golf being the exception, we are

Toyota win at Michigan would be painful for Big 3

BROOKLYN, Mich. -- There’s always something more upsetting about losing on your home turf. All the fans are watching and you hate to let them down.With the distinct possibility that Toyota could win at Michigan, you can bet GM, Ford and Chrysler are praying that doesn’t happen. Toyota has already claimed the pole position, so you can bet some of their cars will be up front during the

Newman announcement has Stewart smiling, hopeful for future

BROOKLYN, Mich. -- Grinning from ear to ear, Tony Stewart was downright giddy, playful and relaxed as he spent about a half hour answering questions from the media after the long-anticipated announcement that he has chosen Ryan Newman to drive the second car next season at Stewart-Haas Racing.Yes, I’m talking about Tony Stewart, who is not usually the chummiest with the media. It appears this

Dawning of Logano era in Cup is nearing

It’s not officially announced, but it might as well be … the Joey Logano era in Cup is about to begin.The kid who broke into NASCAR’s top ranks this season like no one else I can remember will likely make his Cup debut very soon, at Richmond, then run several more races this year in preparation for a full season in the #20 for 2009 for Joe Gibbs.Logano, who just became a legal voter, has been

NASCAR’s new road race king is Kyle Busch

We’re long past the point where the doubters can question Kyle Busch’s talent and give all the credit to his Joe Gibbs Racing cars and Toyota engines.After yet another dominating performance on a road course, Busch won at Watkins Glen to take his eighth win of the season and sweep the road races this year in Cup (not to mention his Nationwide win on the Mexico City road course, and second place

Harassment lawsuit heading down ugly road

It wasn’t pretty to start with, but this could get even uglier.The $225 million lawsuit filed by former NASCAR official Mauricia Grant, claiming repeated racial discrimination and sexual harassment during the time she was employed by NASCAR, just got more interesting, as it was revealed that she has some issues in her past that could reflect on the case.A former boyfriend once filed a restraining

Not Earnhardt, not Petty ... Pearson is NASCAR’s greatest driver of all time

With a somewhat quiet week in Cup, I’d like to revisit an old debate that everyone seems to have an opinion about -- who is the greatest driver of all time in NASCAR?The choices are pretty clear. Many will say there’s no denying the title to Richard Petty, who amassed an amazing 200 victories in his career … a mark that will never be passed. In addition, he also took seven Cup titles. These

Old-timer Martin gives notice to Young Guns

For a while on Sunday, Mark Martin looked like a man possessed behind the wheel of his #8 car, as he was putting an old-school whooping on all these young kids who were still in diapers when he made his first Cup start.Then, as has happened far too often through his career, Lady Luck came up and bit him you-know-where. The first setback was a couple of slow pit stops that put him back further in

NASCAR makes history, thrills fans by using rain tires at Montreal

All I can say after watching the Nationwide race from Montreal is … WOW!Over the years, having watched many great Formula 1 races run in the wet, I never thought I would actually see it with stock cars in a points race. But Saturday, it actually happened … more than a decade after the first use of rain tires during an exhibition race in Japan.Watching these stock cars make their way around the

Petty shows signs he’s ready to hang up his helmet

Kyle Petty burst onto the NASCAR scene in 1979 at a time when his dad was the biggest name in the sport.The young bushy-haired teenager won the first race he ever entered on the big stage -- an ARCA race at Daytona in 1979, the same year of the infamous backstretch fight and his father coming from third to win as a result of the accident that spurred the fight.In the three decades since, Petty

Postponing Brickyard until Monday would have been best option

Tony George, owner of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, is hopping mad.After days of hearing about how his track’s “abrasive surface” is part of the reason Sunday’s event turned into something less than a race, George came out Tuesday and said: “The problem is solely (NASCAR‘s), and by that I mean it’s theirs to figure out. It’s not going to come with anything we do to the track.”Then George threw

Goodyear should be ashamed after Brickyard charade

Shame on Goodyear.That’s all I can say after forcing myself to sit through the event Sunday afternoon that masqueraded as the Brickyard 400, which left drivers, team owners, NASCAR itself and fans everywhere disgusted and disappointed.Goodyear’s lack of preparation and bringing such a terrible tire to this historic racetrack created a situation as embarrassing as the Formula 1 debacle in 2005

What’s the truth about Truex?

Silly Season is an exciting and enjoyable time for us in the media, but it can also cause a lot of trouble for journalists eager to get a scoop.A reporter from that famous 4-letter network put out a story Saturday saying that Martin Truex, Jr. had agreed in principle to a 2-year deal to stay with Dale Earnhardt, Inc., according to “multiple sources” close to the deal.But hold the phone. When

Brickyard long on history, short on excitement

With all due respect to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home to a century of great motorsports moments, it’s probably one of the worst tracks on the schedule when it comes to providing exciting Cup racing.During Brickyard week, all you hear is the NASCAR drivers fawning over the track and saying how it’s right up there with the Daytona 500 on the list of races they want to win each year. The

Toyota rule change unnecessary, un-American

In my experience, nobody likes a whiner. But apparently, enough of it will lead to an unnecessary NASCAR rule change.The cries grew to deafening levels from fans and drivers about how NASCAR needed to do something to slow down the Toyotas, who are putting on a clinic in all three top series. The critics were focusing on the Nationwide series, where the Toyota entries (more specifically, the Joe

Indycar catfight highlight of Cup off-week

The women of Indycar (yes, there is more than one) apparently aren’t getting along very well.A mostly uneventful off week for the Cup series was livened up by an interesting encounter between Danica Patrick and Venezuelan driver Milka Duno. Duno, who is slow every time she competes, apparently pulled some blocking moves on a clearly faster Patrick during a practice at Mid-Ohio this weekend and

Woes of Big 3 U.S. automakers could eventually lead to exits from NASCAR

Imagine this: A Cup series involving competitors driving Toyotas, Hondas and Nissans.The thought of this induces nightmares and sends chills down the spines of many NASCAR fans, who love the sport in part because of its all-American history. The top three U.S. automakers -- GM, Ford and Chrysler -- have been the backbone of the sport we all love since it started. When Toyota began fielding cars

Zipadelli made right move by staying with Gibbs

No one was surprised when Tony Stewart announced he was leaving Joe Gibbs Racing at the end of the season to become partial owner of the newly named Stewart-Haas Racing.But one major question remained -- would his longtime crew chief Greg Zipadelli go with him and stay loyal to his driver, or would he stay loyal to Joe Gibbs, the team owner who has given him the opportunity for so much success in

Championship-caliber move gives Busch win No. 7

I can only imagine how happy Jimmie Johnson must have been as he passed Kyle Busch late in the race at Chicagoland, thinking someone had finally tamed the beast that Kyle Busch is this year. The two-time defending Cup champion probably could feel the checkered flag in his hand as he did something so few have done this season … passed the seemingly unstoppable Busch so late in a race.And then, the

It's hard to bet against Busch at Chicagoland

Heading into tonight’s race at Chicagoland, there’s really no question about the likely outcome. Kyle Busch is the man to beat. Even the fans booing him relentlessly have to admit that his hot streak is showing no sign of ending, and I see no reason he won’t leave the field in his dust as we return to the cookie-cutter track in Joliet.One possible spoiler could be Greg Biffle, who’s had a great

Dominoes will start to fall now that Stewart move is official

The worst-kept secret in racing became official Wednesday, as Tony Stewart has been released from Joe Gibbs Racing, and will become part owner of Hass-CNC Racing. Rumor is Ryan Newman will be his teammate in 2009.Now Silly Season can really get under way, and this year a ton of drivers will announce they are on the move to a new team.First off, there’s the 20 car. It’s very likely 18-year-old

Blame Teresa’s ego for rumored demise of DEI

What was unthinkable just over a year ago is on the verge of happening, as Dale Earnhardt Inc. will likely be sold off to investors by Teresa Earnhardt, basically ending the company Dale Sr. started so many years ago with the intention of leaving it to his children.Max Siegel, president of global operations at DEI, is talking with major investors about buying DEI. Rumblings are that Teresa would

Earnhardt had car to beat, but Busch steals another one

After watching the first 100 laps of Saturday night’s race at Daytona, during which Dale Earnhardt Jr. put on his usual clinic for the other drivers, two things entered my mind.The first was, “Wow, this is a very boring race.” There was way too much single file racing, and I was far from intrigued.The second was, “The demolition derby will begin soon.” Sure enough, my prediction came true far too

Martin doing his best Brett Favre impression

Remember a few years ago when Mark Martin said he was tired of the Cup grind, wanted to spend more time with his family and would move on to racing in the Truck Series.If case you didn’t notice, that plan didn’t quite work out. Martin has spent the last couple years doing part-time schedules for Ginn Racing/DEI, and announced Friday that he will do one more full-time season in 2009 -- this time

Franchitti's fall shows talent is often not enough

Racing can be a humbling sport, and Dario Franchitti’s experience this year in NASCAR is the ultimate example.Just last fall, less than one year ago, Franchitti won the Indy Racing League championship on the very last lap of the last race of the season. Shortly after claiming the title, the Indy 500 winner began his switch over to NASCAR to race in Cup for Chip Ganassi, where he would be driving

NFL’s Randy Moss won’t have easy road with new Truck team

Randy Moss is a superstar by any definition. He’s thrilled fans with his performances on the football field, and offended many at the same time with his antics through the years.But now he’s taking on a whole new challenge … owning a team in NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck Series. He’s not the first person from the ‘big 4 sports’ to venture into the racing world as an entrepreneur, but history has shown

You can't win if you don't gamble

First things first … Kurt Busch had a terrible car and had no business winning Sunday’s race at Loudon.But guess what … that doesn’t matter. He was the one in Victory Lane holding the trophy, and the day’s dominant drivers only have themselves to blame for their disappointing finishes.Often, you must take chances to win, and the drivers who stayed out figured the rain was coming quickly, and it

New Hampshire lineup is deceiving

For those of you who looked at the lineup for Sunday’s race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and thought we might get a surprise winner this week … think again.A rain delay changed track conditions in the middle of qualifying, and that’s about the only scenario that would give Patrick Carpentier a pole position. Bobby Labonte, Kevin Harvick and Scott Riggs are in spots 2 through 4, but out of that

Stewart should look to Kulwicki for inspiration

When Alan Kulwicki won the 1992 Winston Cup championship as an owner/driver, he stunned the NASCAR world. He was battling with Junior Johnson driver Bill Elliott and Robert Yates driver Davey Allison, yet somehow used his do-it-yourself, never-say-die attitude and extreme, sometimes fanatical, dedication to perfection to will himself to win that title, shortly before his tragic death in a plane

Jr. may follow his dad's path to Cup team ownership

As rumors spread Monday about the future of the 5 car, one interesting possibility came about. It’s possible Mark Martin will split time in the car next year with Rochester Hills native Brad Keselowski, who currently drives for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the Nationwide series.This would be the natural lead-in to a full-time Cup ride at Hendrick in that 5 car for Keselowski for the 2010 season. It

It’s Kyle Busch’s world … the other drivers just live there

Kyle Busch has been called a lot of things over the years … great road racer was never one of them.Until Sunday that is.NASCAR’s trip to wine country was not the usual battle between the typical favorites.Jeff Gordon struggled all day, and lucked into a top-3 finish. Robby Gordon was a contender all race, until Kurt Busch pulled a bonehead move and wrecked him. Juan Pablo Montoya contended, but

R.I.P. Scott Kalitta

I have to take a moment to offer my condolences to the family, friends and fans of the latest member of the motorsports community to lose his life while doing his job.Scott Kalitta, a veteran and two-time NHRA champion, died in a terrible, fiery wreck Saturday while driving his Funny Car during the final round of qualifying for the Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park

And the winner is ... one of the Gordons

On a normal race weekend, if I told you Gordon was going to win, we'd all know I was talking about Jeff.But this is not a normal weekend, it's a road course weekend. So this is one of two weeks each year when I can legitimately say that Robby is almost as likely to win as Jeff. True, his car may not be of Hendrick quality, but Robby is quite possibly the best road racer in the field. And he has

Doubters should give road course racing a chance

When the Cup series takes its annual treks to Sonoma and Watkins Glen, fans are usually divided into two distinct groups -- those who love to see the guys turning right, and those who absolutely hate it. The doubters find the racing at these tracks boring compared to the ovals, and hope for a day when their spots on the schedule will be replaced by oval tracks.Count me in the other group. I look

'Big Brother' NASCAR should let drivers speak their minds

Do you remember earlier this year when NASCAR let the fans know they were going to allow drivers to speak their minds more this season, and not police their words as much?Well, that didn’t last very long.‘Big Brother’ NASCAR is at it again, having called all the drivers to a special meeting last Friday morning at Michigan Speedway to tell them to stop criticizing the so-called ’Car of Tomorrow’

Monkey off Jr.'s back

Don’t be surprised if you’re still hearing a chorus of screams every time you open your windows.That’s just the echo of Jr. Nation celebrating their driver’s first win in a points race in more than two years, after a brilliant fuel management performance that literally took him to his last drop of fuel.While many people like to discredit victories that come from fuel mileage, being able to save

Busch’s reign of terror continues; The Logano era begins

After watching the Truck Series race at MIS Saturday, I’ve come to one conclusion: Kyle Busch is doing this on purpose. I think he wants every driver in every series to hate him. That’s the only logical explanation for his childish actions this year in all three series.In the first part of yet another triple-duty weekend (though this time at only two tracks, and with much less flying), Busch,

Look for a Roush team in victory lane at MIS

Jack Roush’s name is big around these parts. The controversial team owner is from Livonia and his racing business started decades ago as an offshoot of his successful automotive engineering and road-racing equipment business, based in Livonia.He won back-to-back Cup titles with Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch, and his drivers have taken more than 100 Cup victories over the years. Many people hate him

Don’t stereotype all NASCAR fans as racist

The issue of racism has been lurking in the background for a long time in NASCAR.The sport started in the South, a place that -- whether justified of not -- many people associate with racism to this day, and there have been a small number of minority drivers in its 60 years of existence.When NASCAR’s greatest black driver, Wendell Scott, won a race in Jacksonville, Fla., in 1963, the sport was so

Battle royale for Chase spots; Local boy Keselowski gets first win

First things first, Kasey Kahne did a masterful job or driving through the field after a pit road penalty to continue his hot streak and make another trip to Victory Lane. He’s on a roll, up to 9th in points, and has elevated himself back to where he was a couple years ago -- a legitimate title contender.But the biggest story to come out of Sunday’s race, in my mind, was the bunching up of the

Gibbs drivers will lead the pack at Pocono

Pocono has always been a mixed bag for me.There have been some great races there, including the one in 2000 when Jeremy Mayfield knocked Dale Earnhardt out of the way to take the checkered flag, then used Earnhardt’s own line about “just wanting to rattle his cage” in the post-race interview. But too often, I have found myself eager to nap during the races at this big triangular track.Pocono is a

Stop complaining and give Toyota credit

One of the biggest stories in NASCAR this year has been the rise of Toyota from a manufacturer whose teams could barely qualify for races last year, to the likely make of the series champ this season.This meteoric rise echoes Toyota’s success in the Craftsman Truck Series, where they are contenders for the win every week. The haters (including Jack Roush and Kevin Harvick) have already started to

Does anyone have any Kryptonite?

I predicted Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle would battle for the win and one of them would take the checkered flag at Dover. Three-quarters of the way into Sunday’s race, my prediction was holding up.Then something happened. That something was … no surprise … Kyle Busch. A combination of fast pit stops and his crew fixing whatever was ailing his car vaulted him to the lead. Not only did he win, he

Montoya on the move?

One of the most interesting rumors circulating in the garage area is that Juan Pablo Montoya, a driver who is used to winning and is clearly not happy with the performance of his current Ganassi ride, may been on his way to another team next year. Montoya let his boss know face-to-face this week that he is upset with the way the team is running, and is not happy with all the recent crew chief

Odds and ends

Now that the hoopla of two weeks in Charlotte has ended, and NASCAR begins its summer grind leading up to the Chase, it seems like a good time to reflect on some of the smaller stories that have slipped through the cracks.-- Tony Stewart and his girlfriend, Krista Dwyer, have give their pet patas monkey, named “Mojo,” to the Louisville Zoo. That’s right, Tony Stewart has long had a pet monkey,

Return to form

Every year at Charlotte, the stars usually shine bright on one driver. This year, without a doubt, that driver is Kasey Kahne. He won the All-Star Race after being voted in by the fans, then took the checkered flag in the 600 after Tony Stewart had a tire issue with just two laps left in the race. He ended a 53-race losing streak, and jumped into the final spot in the Chase.Once a regular

A race fan's dream weekend

Some people view Memorial Day weekend as a chance to relax for three days and eat BBQ ribs and hamburgers until you can’t fit anything else in your stomach.I view it as a great weekend for racing, though I’m not opposed to eating BBQ ribs and hamburgers.First, let me touch on the Indy 500. Many say this event has lost its luster over time, and they are right. The CART-IRL split made this event a

Hold on, Jr.

In a move that could prove quite distracting to Dale Earnhardt Jr., still trying to win his first race in over two years and achieve his first championship, he has alluded to the fact he is considering bringing his ownership of JR Motorsports up to the Cup Series from the Nationwide Series -- presumably with talented young driver Brad Keselowski -- as early as next season.While I applaud his

All-Star Snoozer

Something very strange has happened. It’s the day after NASCAR’s All-Star Race, a usually very exciting race that I still like to call “The Winston,” and I have very little to talk about. For a while, it looked like a good battle was shaping up between Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards, but Busch dropped out with mechanical problems and Edwards ended up falling back in the pack. There were

Separation anxiety for Kenseth

Many drivers are not doing as well as they would like this year, but the driver who is perhaps most disappointed with his results is Matt Kenseth, a former champion who is used to running up front and making the Chase.This year, he has fallen to 20th place in the standings, 153 points out of the Chase. To put that in perspective, he is only about 110 points ahead of former teammate Mark Martin,

Super-Kyle

The race may have ended late Saturday night, but the Darlington track workers no doubt are still painting over the nearly continuous streak of black paint lining the track’s walls, following a typically exciting race at the track no one can tame, except apparently Kyle Busch.I realized during this race that Kyle Busch can at this point only be stopped by Kryptonite. He was penalized for a missing

No beginners allowed

It's time to separate the men from the boys as the circuit reaches its sole visit to the historic Darlington track, a place that up until recently was the home of the famous Southern 500 Labor Day weekend race, something that should have never been taken away.The track is known as the Lady in Black, because the drivers have to learn to respect her. Newly repaved, this 1.366 mile track will be

Short-track tempers

Kyle Busch proved one thing to me Saturday night -- He’ll do anything to win, including wrecking the most popular driver in NASCAR when he is about to get his first win in two years.To be honest, I’m surprised Busch didn’t end up a bloody stump after taking out Earnhardt at the end of the Richmond race, which allowed Clint Bowyer to sneak by and take the win. He must have had a great security

Time to win, Jr.

My look ahead to Saturday night's race at Richmond will be short and sweet, just like the track itself. In plain English, Dale Earnhardt Jr. needs to win a race ASAP, as it's been an unbelievable two full years since he last visited Victory Lane. Now that he is in a strong Hendrick car, he has no excuse if he can't pull out a win or two this year. Richmond has always been a great track for him,

Red Bull team gets wings

If I’ve learned anything this year, it’s that life after Hendrick Motorsports can be good. Kyle Busch wore out his welcome there last year and soon signed on with Joe Gibbs Racing, whose future was uncertain amid a switch to Toyota. Anyone who’s watched NASCAR this year knows he’s the hottest thing on wheels right now, and he is no doubt thanking his lucky stars that he moved on from Hendrick.But

Smoke on the move?

As we head into Talladega this weekend, I should be talking about the race and what might happen. So let me get that out of the way quickly -- Dale Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and maybe Kyle Busch will be up front all day and one of them will win the race.Now that we’re done with that, let’s move on to my friend and yours , Mr. Stewart. Everyone’s favorite motorsports lightning

Ditch the plates

There are some questions to which I can never seem to find an answer. What exactly is in McDonalds’ chicken McNuggets, how do so many 80s hair metal bands somehow still have enough fans to keep on touring, and, most importantly, how is it possible that NASCAR can not find any better way than restrictor plates to slow down their cars at Daytona and Talladega? Talladega is upon us, and once

The First Lady

She’s no longer just that girl who drives Indycars.Fifty races into her career, Indy Racing League superstar Danica Patrick can finally call herself a winner, after playing a smart fuel mileage strategy into a victory in Japan.Unfortunately, nobody saw it, as it was a rain-delayed event that was broadcast in the U.S. at 10 p.m. on a Saturday night on ESPN Classic -- Not exactly your best bet for

South of the Border

While the Cup series takes a week off, the Nationwide drivers head down Mexico way this weekend to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez for a road course event.I am very excited about this event for several reasons. First of all, unlike many NASCAR fans, I love road course racing. These events are always a joy to watch, as they are demonstrations of pure driving skill, not just strong cars. When you

How the mighty have fallen

Of all the major sports in America, NASCAR is arguably the one that most cherishes its heroes and past greats. It is risky to your health to speak ill of legends like Dale Earnhardt while out at the track. Richard Petty and David Pearson’s legendary battles from 30-plus years ago are forever burned in the minds of longtime fans, and those who have seen the tapes replayed endlessly on cable

The old man still has it

Mark Martin is probably the greatest driver ever who has not won a championship in NASCAR’s top division. He has finished second in the point standings four times, and the most heartbreaking time was in 1990. That year, he lost to Dale Earnhardt by 26 points, but had been docked 46 points earlier in the season for using an illegal carburetor spacer. That part, which didn’t even help him improve

Heroin lies the rub

Most people under the influence of heroin would probably have trouble tying their shoelaces.But somehow, amazingly, former Craftsman Truck Series driver Aaron Fike drove his truck to a top-five finish at Memphis last summer while he was high on heroin.The only thing stopping this man, high on a powerful drug, from taking the checkered flag that day was a field full of former series champs like

Tony Stewart is a loudmouth jerk … and NASCAR is better off for it

Remember back in grade school how there was always one kid -- maybe it was you -- who couldn’t follow directions as well as all the other kids. He always wanted to cut in line, talk out of turn and do everything that annoyed the authority figures in his life. In NASCAR, that kid is Tony Stewart. Since leaving the Indy Racing League in the late 1990s and joining NASCAR, the driver of the No.

Carl Edwards -- hero or bully?

Carl Edwards has two faces. One face belongs to a true American success story, a country boy with a true dedication and love for racing. There’s a famous story about how, when out of a ride in his younger days, he would hand out business cards that read "Carl Edwards, race car driver," and that he bought ads in racing trade magazines that said, "Put me in your race car this weekend, have helmet

Wide open weekend at Texas

Texas Motor Speedway is a rarity in modern-day NASCAR, in that there are no clear favorites to win at the track. In the 14 races held so far at the super-fast track, only one driver, Jeff Burton, has taken the checkered flag more than once. He won the inaugural race in 1997, and didn't get back to Victory Lane until last spring.If history is any lesson, Roush Racing has won several races at the

Don't count Hendrick out just yet

Over the last 15 years in NASCAR, one thing has been consistent: Hendrick Motorsports wins races and championships. From the time Jeff Gordon joined NASCAR's top series with a silly mustache and a rainbow car to last year's dominating performance by Jimmie Johnson, this team has been very good, much to the chagrin of many fans. Between Gordon, Johnson and Terry Labonte, Hendrick has taken