Wicked fast

Have you seen the lap times at Las Vegas? Around the track in under 30 seconds.

Tony told NASCAR.com this: “It’s just so fast around the bottom. I mean we’re running ridiculously fast speeds. It’s stupid to be running this fast in a Cup car, I think. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to me why we’re running mid- to low 29-second laps in a 3,400-pound stock car around here.”

Once again, Smoke makes it plain.

Scott Riggs turned in a 183.511 mph Monday morning.

By Tuesday, cars were even faster around the 1.5-mile track. Paul Menard at 188.370 mph/28.667 seconds; Elliott Sadler and David Gilliland running at 187.188 mph/ 28.667 seconds and 186.896 mph/ 28.848 seconds respectively.

Back in the saddle again, Ricky Rudd posted at 29.009/186.149 and his buddy Tony Stewart clocked 29.047/185.906.

By the way, the top Toyota was Mike Skinner, ninth-fastest at 29.184/185.033.

Ryan Newman had no qualms about the speed at Vegas. He said the Goodyears are pretty hard so you can go a lot faster.

On Tuesday, the wall was a popular place for Greg Biffle (again), Kasey Kahne and Reed Sorensen.

Speed doesn’t mean necessarily good racing. It’s harder to get side-by-side. I’m not a big fan of single file racing, are you? Give me a good ‘ol short track anyday.

More on Toyota

Well, we ended last week with Roush on Toyota.

Let’s start this week with Toyota on Toyota.

At the Bank of America 500 last October in Charlotte, another of the guests of the Official NASCAR Members Club was Ty Norris, General Manager of Michael Waltrip Racing.

“People always resist change,” Norris said to the members, adding the manufacturer is trying to be respectful to NASCAR.

There’s no way around it, Toyota has arrived. And Norris said, a day will come the Camry will kick tail and take names on the track.

Ty has been with Mikey from the ground up at MWR, and jokes he’s responsible for “everything but the driving.” The Speed Channel and ESPN have both followed him around during the building process and aired one special each about the team (which includes Dale Jarrett and David Reutimann and sponsors UPS, Domino’s Pizza and Burger King.)

“Not many companies and certainly not many teams grow this fast,” Norris said. Norris’ expertise comes from many years at Dale Earnhardt Inc. He left the company in frustration three years after The Intimidator’s death. Had frustration not set in, Norris said “I’d still be in silver, red and black.”

Mikey, a perennial fan favorite, will open his raceshop in mid-May, Norris said. Hopefully in time for the ONMC Convention and the All-Star Challenge in Charlotte.

The raceshop will be fan-friendly, Ty said, noting at DEI you can press your nose to the glass and watch what’s happening.

At the Waltrip place, you’ll be coming all the way into the shop. “You experience it. You get educated to all phases of the operation.”

The shop is at exit 28 on Interstate 77 at Cornelius, N.C.

See ya there!

Hit me with your best shot

Roush Racing without Mark Martin is one thing, but Roush Racing partnered with Fenway Sports Group is something else.

That something else is confusing. I always thought Jack Roush (photo by NASCAR.com) had everything at his disposal he could possibly need – big business in his own right and some good sponsors for the cars.

He says the move is to put a hurt on the new kid in Cuptown, Toyota.

Roush will make an announcement Feb. 14 in Daytona Beach, Fla. Roush Racing may take on a new name with the partner who could have up to 50 percent of the racing division.

Change the name if you will, Jack, but I’m still a Roushgal, Roushette, Roushketeer or Kitten in the Cap.

Some owners don’t seem to think Toyota is going to be a threat in the Nextel Cup. The automaker expands the playing field and bring in advertising dollars. Some say another manufacturer will increase the opportunities for new teams. Chip Ganassi says Toyota coming to town is forcing teams to look ahead and possibly increase wages and benefits for his employees.

Jack Roush, not a fan of imports in any sense of the automotive word, told NASCAR.com on Wednesday that he doesn’t plan to roll over and wither up like teams in other race series’ have done faced with the Japanese giant.

“I’m just going to say that nobody’s frightened. We’re going to war with them, and they should give us their best shot.”

You tell ‘em, Jack.

I (heart) NASCAR

Admit it, you have it baaaad. You count the days to Daytona (24), know the field of 43 cars by sponsor, driver and number, and plan vacations around raceday. You might even have a NASCAR room in your house. You drink Coca-Cola (or Pepsi), Budweiser (or Miller), eat at Rally’s and make sure shirts and memorabilia have the hologram to assure you it is the real thing. Your e-mail tells off who you like on the track.

You get the idea.

Well, The Herald-Dispatch wants to know who you like and why, and any race-related story of which you may have been a part. Did you meet Junior somewhere? Run in to Zippy in the pits? Have your photo taken in front of your driver’s home? Did you or someone in your family go to Victory Junction Gang Camp as a camper or volunteer? Or are you an old-timer with ties to a driving legend like Richard Petty, DW or BP, maybe you met Rex White.

We’re working on a story and photos to run Sunday, Feb. 11, kind of a NASCAR-Valentine’s Day- boogity, boogity, boogity let’s go racin’ thing.

Blog it here, e-mail it to news@herald-dispatch.com or mail it to The Herald-Dispatch, 946 5th Ave., Huntington, WV 25701 attn: NASCAR

Just can’t leave it alone

NASCAR just can’t leave well enough alone.

Toyota. Car of Tomorrow. The Chase.

Now they tinker with the All-Star Challenge. One day after you think they’ve finished changing the rules (ha!) they mess with the All-Star format. Good grief, it took until after midnight last year to finish the race. But then again, there was entertainment by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

At least it's still a $$$$$$$ race. No points. Just good old fashioned bumpin' and bangin' swappin' paint and kissin' the wall racin'.

Woo-Hoo!

Of course, fans can make a whole 10 days of it. The NASCAR Members Club convention is held the two days before the race, and a week later is the Coke 600. Might as well stay a while.

The Hall of Fame is coming to town, there are lots of raceshops to visit and the shopping isn’t too shabby, either. I’m mapping out a week’s worth of things to do. Why bother making the 5-hour drive down and 5-hour drive back on Wednesday/Sunday and Friday/Sunday?

OK racefans, in order of preference, which team shops to visit?
For me, Roush, Gibbs, Childress, Hendrick. And let’s not forget Childress Vineyard (interesting tour).

Where do YOU want to go at Charlotte and the surrounding area?

Woe is me...

I may be in the dark ages, but I don't have cable.

For a NASCAR fan in that situation, June 10 to Sept. 16 is a l-o-n-g time.

Thankfully, Hillbilly Hotdogs in Huntington will let us racefans occupy some space to watch the race. They hosted the local Official NASCAR Members Club last season, and we got to view it on a couple of large flat-screen TVs.

If you're in that situation, where will you go to watch racing? It's time to set up some raceviewing get-togethers, so give us some ideas of where you like if you can't be trackside live (pun intended). You don't have to be a Member to attend, but you're eligible for some prizes and there are lots of perks to the club. I'll address those in a few more days (in plenty of time to join before the season gets underway.)

Hey! 25 days to Daytona! If you won't be at the race, where will you watch?

You knew they would...

No big surprise, NASCAR is changing the rules......again.

At least it wasn't in the middle of something, like a season. It's only 26 days before the season starts.

Just as we predicted, they tinkered with the Chase. Brian France made the announcement during a Monday afternoon press conference at the Research and Development Center for NASCAR.

Forget the 400-point line, the top 12 drivers in points make the post-season chase.

At the Chase, the top 12 drivers reset points to 5,000 and then get a 10-point bonus for every win in the regular season. The drivers then get seeded, like the NCAA does in basketball.

France said it will make winning races the focus.

"It will strike the best balance between winning and consistency," France said.

Using Kasey Kahne as the top example, he qualified for the chase in 10th place. He'd won 5 races during the season. In the new format, KK would have been top qualifier.

It puts weight on winning and will be helpful for drivers who hit a hot streak late in the season (like Tony Stewart).

At least it puts the emphasis on winning. You always remember the winner, not the second place driver.

Happenings

As we blog, NASCAR is having a press conference at Charlotte to make several announcements.

Lots of things are anticipated, and as soon as I get the news, we'll get it out there and comment.

Could there be changes in the Chase?

Is there a sponsor yet for the IROC Series?

Will Anheuser-Busch extend it's contract?

I don't know, but I can't wait to find out!

What is a fan?

What makes a NASCAR fan?

Among the points of being a good fan are R-E-S-PECT; appreciation; passion for motorsports; and friendliness.

. I may not necessarily like a driver, but if he’s got the hardware, he’s got my respect. I may not like a driver, but if he’s a good driver and contributes his talent for a good race, he’s got my respect.

I think we all appreciate where drivers have come from and made it to, along with how they give back to the sport.

As an adult, the first races I watched were NASCAR, but since then, I’ve discovered a whole world of motorsports. There was a time if you said World of Outlaws, I’d have thought motorcycle club.

Age doesn’t matter, occupation doesn’t matter, and financial status doesn’t matter.

What is important is learning about the sport and it’s history and setting a good example at the track and off.

Real fans don’t boo drivers, cheer at wrecks or throw things toward the track.

Real fans cheer good driving and are concerned for the safety of those in wrecks.

And NASCAR fans are the friendliest group of fans in the country. At races I’ve made new friends. We keep in touch by e-mail and make plans to get together for a tailgate at the track. They’re nice folks. If you’re stuck in a parking lot and traffic is at gridlock, you hang out and talk, throw a few brats on the grill and wait it out together.

What do you think makes a good racefan? Let’s hear about it.

Spunky Said

Is it just me or are Borat and Boris Said twin sons of different mothers?

I like Boris. We know he’s a serious road race threat, but at last year’s Pepsi 400, he took the pole. And he wasn’t too far from winning (fourth). If he could have held off Tony Stewart those last two laps, he would have driven to victory lane.

And the Said Heads are just plain fun to watch. I didn’t know there were so many curly wigs in the country! Those guys hog face time on-camera and have a great time wherever they go.

In this world of 3-, 4- and 5-car teams, being a one-car operation is a hard spot, Boris said. (I had to write that.) The team only has five full-time employees.

You can’t say the SoBe No Fear team isn’t trying. He may have to race his way into the Daytona 500, but Boris is determined to make seven Nextel races this season.

Ya gotta love spunk.

Good luck, Boris!

One of a kind

For the second time this year, NASCAR dives into mourning.

Benny Parsons died Tuesday in Charlotte. He’d been in the hospital since the day after Christmas with complications from treatment of his lung cancer. Although declared cancer free in October, he lost use of the diseased lung, and developed a blood clot in the other.

BP, who as a racer listed his occupation as taxi driver, won two ARCA titles (1968 and 1969), won 21 races and 20 poles in the Cup series and was the first to break 200 mph in qualifying for the 1982 Winston at Talladage. He’s in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and the National Motorsports Press Association’s Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame.

It was always fun to listen to his weekly radio show, Fast Talk. And he was honored with a Cable ACE Award for his sports analysis.

Darrell Waltrip summed it up like this, “there will never be another Benny.”

Whose name will it be?

So glad you mentioned the sponsorship problems facing NASCAR.

Nextel Cup is going to be odd-enough with the addition of Sprint to the communications company. The Sprint-Nextel Cup?

Immediately there is the issue of the IROC Series. Crown Royal is gone, so a sponsor is desperately needed.

The IROC season is on hold because there is no sponsorship. There'll be no IROC at Daytona in February. Series president Jay Signore is hopeful of getting a title sponsor soon enough to run the full four-race season.

And just in case you didn’t know, the Anheuser-Busch sponsorship of the secondary series is ending at the close of this season.

What will it become? The NASCAR Wal-Mart Series? After all, there is a NASCAR office in Bentonville, isn’t there?

What’s the problem? Any ideas out there?

Anyone got the $$$$ to sponsor the series?

Home Sweet Home

During a question and answer session with Kasey Kahne’s mom Tammy, at Charlotte, she said her son wanted a snowmobile for Christmas.

She spent some time with the Official NASCAR Members Club the day of the Bank of America 500. That's me pictured with her (a perk of the Club.)

No word on the snowmobile, but Kasey spent Christmas in Australia at a Sprint Car race, far, far away from home.

He thought it would be fun, doing something different for the holidays.

Sounds like John Grisham’s “Skipping Christmas,” which was made into the film “Christmas with the Kranks.”

In a break at Daytona this week, he told NASCAR.com "Once I was there, I realized I was wrong. It was not the right thing to do. From now on, if I go to Australia or anywhere else, I'll go maybe on the 26th [of December] instead of the 20th and stay at home for Christmas."

Dorothy said it best.

“There’s no place like home.”

Hey! 37 days to Daytona!

All in the "family"

All doesn’t sound well in Camp DEI.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his stepmother Teresa Earnhardt are in contract negotiations and things sound a little contentious.

She was quoted in the Wall Street Journal around Christmas time as saying Junior needed to decide if he wants to be a driver or personality.

Ouch. I'm of the opinion he's pretty good at both. Tony Stewart seems to do well at both. Elliott Sadler isn't too bad at it, either. Neither is Kasey Kahne - don't you love his commercials? (More on Kasey tomorrow.)

During a break at Daytona on Monday, Junior gave his own opinions.

Junior told NASCAR.com his contract is on his mind, he likes driving the red Bud No. 8, and to do that you have to drive for DEI. He also said his relationship with Teresa “ain’t a bed of roses.”
You can read it at the website for yourself. It’s um, insightful.

Well, Junior wants what every driver wants – the best car, the best people and Victory Lane.
Which makes me wonder if he’s had not exactly the best equipment and people, and how that might have happened.

Just thinkin’.

Feb. 18 is coming fast!

Community spirit

NASCAR drivers, owners and fans have a great sense of community spirit and show up in big ways to support worthy causes.

Seemingly every driver has a foundation and they all support Victory Junction.

Well, right here at home, NASCAR fans turned out the first weekend of December to support the Huntington Downtown Lions Club by purchasing chances on a pair of Chrysler Tower Section A tickets to the May 19 All-Star Challenge at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte

The money raised will be used to pay for eye examinations and purchase glasses for folks needing help to do so.

Debbie Tabor of Proctorville, Ohio, was the lucky one and she’ll be watching the race from just shy of the start/finish line.

As president of the downtown club, I got to hand over those tickets to Debbie, and was thrilled to do so. I’ll be at that race, too. In the same section, just not next to Debbie.

In fact, I’ll be in Charlotte most of that week at the second annual convention of the Official NASCAR Members Club. You’ll be hearing from me about the Members Club in the near future on this blog.

Only 38 days to Daytona!

In memory...

Today’s post comes with a sad heart. Longtime driver and 2004 Craftsman Truck Series champion Bobby Hamilton died Sunday at his Tennessee home at the age of 49.

In an interview with NASCAR Scene in late October, Hamilton was speaking optimistically of his fight with neck and head cancer.

You can send messages to his family at www.nascar.com.

The NASCAR website also reports Benny Parsons remains in Intensive Care at Carolinas Medical Center with complications of his lung cancer. He was hospitalized Dec. 26.

You can continue to send BP some encouraging words by e-mailing him at bp@goprn.com. He’s received thousands of messages there from fans wishing him well and urging him to keep fighting.

Meet the new NASCAR blogger

Power, pride, passion. Those are the watchwords of the NASCAR Members Club and that’s how I feel about racing.

Growing up, my mother took me along to Riverside Drag Strip and the track at Ona. As I grew up, I grew away from that interest, but it’s been renewed in the past five or six years.

I hope that we can all have a healthy exchange of news and thoughts about racing along with local track happenings. We have lots of local racers and hopefully, they’ll jump in with some comments and keep us all up to date with their activities.

Well, I can’t wait to get going, so start your engines and I’ll see you At the Track.

-LeeAnn