OK, Jimmie rules

But at least Carl Edwards won the race.

I can't find the JJ flag, but I'm here to admit, he won. Three-peat. Exclusive category with the great Cale Yarborough.

The boy has the hardware to prove he is the best, three years running.

But I still think there should be an * with the champions in the Chase-era. They are only performing for 10 races. Albeit unlikely, someone could come on during those last 10 races and kick tailpipe. It's not probably, but it is possible.

Jimmie has been the real performer for Hendrick this season, there was a brief glimmer for Junior and Jeff needed a flashlight to find the steering wheel.

Even though not my favorite driver by a longshot, Jeff Gordon has been really disappointing for a couple of years now. That's kind of sad. He has such a loyal following, which I don't understand, and they've endured.

Former teammate Kyle Busch started out with a big flash in all three series, to essentially being invisible during the Chase. That, too, was sad. The Gibbs cars got some good press for Toyota.

Well, 2008 is over on the track. The big awards show in New York City is all that's left.

What will 2009 bring? Changes, that's for certain. No testing. Stewart-Haas Racing. Ganassi-Earnhart with what name, many suggest Chip 'n' Dale. Fox has a Gopher-Cam named Digger. Why not more furry animals?

And NASCAR itself always makes changes. Usually during a race. They do it all the time. And I'm sure it will continue to be that way.

Whatever comes, everyone has their favorites to pull for on the track. Jimmie, Junior, Carl, Tony, Mark, even a Labonte. It's a faithful and fun-filled adventure.

Why watch on Sunday?

There are three types of people who will be watching the NASCAR finale at Homestead on Sunday.

1. Jimmie Johnson fans.

2. Everyone hoping Jimmie Johnson finishes 37th or worse.

3. Folks hoping Roush drivers Jamie McMurray, Matt Kenseth or David Ragan will take out Jimmie Johnson, thereby letting Carl Edwards take the title and move The Biff to second place.

Hey, it's possible. The only thing for certain is I'm not in the #1 group. That being said, I'll give Jimmie his props - he's had a great three straight years. Love him or not, he's got the hardware to say "I'm a winner!" And, should he make it three straight, I'll get out the Jimmie Johnson car flag and a Lowe's Racing shirt and you'll see me with them on this blog, three-finger salute to the champ.

Seriously, why are we going to watch? As much as I love Flipper and The Biff, and considering Homestead is usually a ho-hum snoozer of a race, I'll probably flip on (no pun intended) a movie until church time Sunday night or take the dog for walkie and fetch the toy time.

I'll check in on the race from time to time on my Sprint cell phone with NASCAR application (thank you, Sprint).

Just in case.

No Late Models next year

Well, Kenny G., there will be on-track changes at Ona Speedway, and as I see it, there's a matter of economics for the drivers and teams.

The track spokesman, Susan Sparks, told me the Late Models are "economically unfriendly," and the Modifieds are expensive to race, too.

However, there will be a driver/director meeting in the near future to discuss how to make them more fiscally friendly.

Like you, I'll miss Late Models and the Modifieds, I have friends in both divisions and it's always special when you have a personal stake in a race. The other classes aren't so exciting (sorry, they really aren't usually).

At the end of the season a few weeks ago, many of the Late Models and Modified cars were up for sale. I don't know if that's normal at the end of the year, but drivers and teams were looking to sell off the goods.

Do you have any ideas on how to make both classes more affordable for the working men and women who own and drive these machines? I'm sure the drivers, owners and race director would be interested to have the input.

So all you gearheads, don't whine. Put those noggins together and be part of the solution. I'm an idea person, but not in that department. I can tell you how to appeal to people, make the place attractive and have fun around the track. But you serious car folks can help in the garage ideas. If you seriously want to keep the Late Models and Modifieds, make financial suggestions.

Voice your ideas for Ona Speedway, 2009

Well, racing is done for 2008 at Ona Speedway, and now you get a chance to tell owners Bill and Lynn Bauer what you think and make 2009 an even better season.

Their website, www.onaspeedway.com has posted a call out for you to have some input for next year.

“Do you have an idea or a suggestion for Ona Speedway? Now is a great time to let us know what you are thinking. We are always looking for ways to make your Speedway more comfortable, enjoyable, and FUN!”

Key words there, comfortable, enjoyable, fun. Comfortable is basically a no-brainer, but given the rural nature of the area around the track, might be tricky. Bathrooms. Plain and simple. Bathrooms. The portable potties are not pleasant in July and August and I never saw any hand sanitizer in them. (I took my own.)

Some paint, hammer and nails would make the bleachers feel a little more secure to me, and add another aisle somewhere in the middle. I don’t like having to climb over a bunch of folks to get out for nature’s call – to the portables or for a cold bottle of water.

Keep the kid bike races. I like the kid bike races. But I still say the little ones should be between turns 3 and 4 before the big kids take off.

Pre-race ridealongs in the track car – for a fee, of course. Maybe 5 or 8 laps.
A kids’ craft area – maybe sponsored by Home Depot – to make a racecar. Depot has a regular Saturday morning workshop to make a car, why not see if they’d bring it to Ona Speedway?

Bring in some vendors to make race apparel and other items available, and have a souvenir hauler for the local drivers to sell their own shirts.

If they are racing on the night of a big NASCAR event – Bristol, All Star, Coke 600 - periodic updates would be appreciated, and a big screen, while pricy, would be appreciated. Somehow tie into those races with special events.

So what are YOUR suggestions for next season? There are already requests for Junior’s National Guard car to come back. Other show cars would be nice, too.

There’s my two cents worth. How about it folks, make some suggestions.

Herd Racing has a sponsor!

It's not for the Nationwide car, but Herd Racing's foray into the Craftsman Truck Series in 2009 has a sponsor, Deist Industries.

The announcement was made Friday afternoon in Louisville, Ky., during the Green Industry and Equipment Expo. On hand for the announcement were team owner Dana Tomes and driver Brett Rowe.

Deist is a Pennsylvania-based manufacturer of the Switch-N-Go detachable truck body system, AmeriDeck hydraulic loading system for pickup trucks, and Buck's roll-off containers.

The Herd team will field a #75 Ford F-150 truck, in addition to the #75 Dodge Charger in NASCAR during 2009, and is still looking for sponsorship for the car, Dana said.

The fully decked-out truck will be on display Sunday afternoon at New Life Church's Fall Festival, beginning at 2 p.m. Driver Brett Rowe will also be at the event for photos and autographs. The Marshall University car will also be on display at the event.

Jake, Ona, fall festivals and Herd Racing

Well Kenny, I got the word on Jake Keaton straight from the driver's keyboard.

"We are planning on racing at Ona this weekend. We will have the three classic cars and the modified there. We may also race a few more dirt races this year. For next year we are planning on just racing the dirt modified. All of our asphalt cars are for sale. However, if we don't sell out the cars we might race a few races at Ona next year."

So Jakefans, get out to Ona in force this Saturday night! And for the big-time fans, here's a chance for serious memorabilia - own your own Jake Keaton car! NASCAR fans buy sheetmetal, hoods, tires, lugnuts, etc. Why not a whole car? (No, I'm not getting commission on any sales, either.)


Don't forget this Saturday is the big end of the season Halloween blowout at Ona Speedway.

Kids and kids in costume can trick or treat in the pits, getting candy from drivers. Yay! Candy! Yay! Costumes! Yay!

There is a kids' bike race to kick off the racing Saturday night. You know you love to watch the little tykes on bikes! I think if you are a real little person on a teeny tiny bike or have training wheels, you should get a head start all the way to turn three. Hear that Mike? Maybe to turn four. They need a chance to win at least one time this year. Yeah, all the way to turn four!

The WV Pumpkin Festival Queen will be at the track to present trophies and plaques to winners in all divisions for the season point standings.

Now, a merciless plug for my own activities this weekend...


The annual Fall Festival at New Life Church (1101 Cedar Crest Dr., Huntington) will feature Herd Racing's NASCAR Nationwide Cup #75 car and the new NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series truck. Brett Rowe will drive both in the 2009 season. He'll be at the festival to sign autographs and talk racing with fans.

The Nationwide car will be racing Saturday at Memphis Motorsports Park with Tim Weaver driving. Both the Herd Racing #75 and Faith Motorsports #89 will be sponsored by Lagina Plumbing, a Wisconsin-based company.

Brett will be in Louisville with Truck sponsorship commitments. That sponsor will be announced tomorrow in Louisville. The car won't be MU themed, but will have Herd signage. Both cars will be green and yellow themed.

Driver of the #89, Morgan Shepherd is currently 27th in Nationwide driver points and Faith Motorsports is 31st in owner points.

Well, I think that's everything for right now. More about Herd Racing's truck sponsorship when it happens tomorrow.

So, what's happening?

Sorry Kenny, I've been on vacation for a week or so. Until the other day, without access to the Internet at home.
However, I have access now. We never realize how much we use the Internet until you don't have it.
Like you, I've been a bit perturbed with the lack of updates at Super Cup, and even Davin's site (no pun intended).
It was several weeks to get the Ona photos and results on the Super Cup site. I'll tell you, it was harder to be a scorer than I thought for that race.
I've asked some of the Ona racers to come to my New Life Church's fall festival and join Herd Racing's NNS #75 - which needs sponsorship, a dilemma addressed in another post - and it's new Craftsman Truck on Sunday, Oct. 26. The truck has a sponsor, which will be announced Oct. 24 at Louisville, Ky.
What the drivers tell me is Oct. 25 is the final race of the year, and many drivers put their stuff up for sale. A month ago at Ona, I think it was Rodney Snodgrass' car and equipment was announced as up for grabs.
Some want to get out, some want to go to another division.
I can put in a call or e-mail to the Keaton folks and see if they'll answer, and say just what Jake is going to do - Super Cup, dirt or what.
Thanks, Kenny. Keep coming back.

Money and racing

“Money makes the world go ‘round…That klinking, clanking sound.”
Or “Money makes the cars go ‘round.” Could that klinking clanking sound we hear be NASCAR shops closing the doors and locking up?
The Associated Press reported Thursday big-money sponsors of the past are rethinking in light of today’s economy. Major race teams have been taking on outside partners. That’s what’s happened to Roush Racing and Evernham Motorsports.
Have we noticed a dual sponsorship for Jack’s #99 – Office Depot and Aflac? Next season, Office Depot jumps off the Roush Fenway ship for Stewart-Haas to slap it’s name on Tony’s #14.
But even that will be a split sponsorship with Old Spice.
Army has been with Dale Earnhardt Inc.’s #8 driven by Mark Martin. They, too, are heading to another pasture, Stewart-Haas’ second car driven by Ryan Newman. And that’s only for 23 races. There are still 13 to sell.
Sponsorships have been getting harder to come by as their contracts with teams expire. They aren’t so fast to climb back on board.
More than that, people lose jobs. Ganassi Racing dropped 30 jobs shutting down Dario Franchitti’s car due to lack of sponsorship. When DEI took on Ginn Racing last year, 100 people at Ginn became unemployed.
A year ago, more than 50 cars would show up to qualify. Next year, who knows?
Gentleman Jeff Burton, recognized and respected as one of the leaders in the garage, said it’s a big sacrifice for fans to come to races with today’s expense. Tracks are making concessions by offering big time package deals like 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 sodas for a set price affordable to most racefan families.
Burton said it would be a shame to have folks come to a race, plunk down their hard-earned money and get a sub-par performance from the cars on the track.
He’s right.
We’ve been prophesizing the downfall of NASCAR for a long time. Fans may not want to admit it, but the proof is showing. Tracks with far less than sell-outs. Track presidents are offering serious deals to put fannies in the seats. There’s the all-you-can-eat section, the aforementioned family pack, which if I remember includes a coupon for a free 12-pack of Coke product from a convenient store for the trip home. Big-name pre-race concerts other than at the All Star Challenge.
Yes, tickets at the races are pricey. My friends joked I would rent a car, drive 5 hours, spend a couple of nights in a hotel and pay $130 for a seat to a race, but I refused to drive 1 hour in my own car, sleep at home that night and pay $90 to see the Eagles (an all-time favorite) in concert, an event of roughly the same amount of time.
Bringing a track-legal cooler of your favorite drink and putting snacks and a value meal from McDonalds or Wendy’s or wherever you like in your backpack help. But it’s still overall out of reach for many fans.
Step up, track presidents and marketing directors. If you get the fans in the stands, sponsorship for the cars becomes a little easier. Give corporate America the numbers – sets of eyes seeing the traveling commercials, and they will come.

Short visit, just like before

The #88 Dale Jr. car was at Ona Speedway last weekend, but it was a short visit. Sort of like Junior's visit there last summer. But it was a kinder, gentler visit, albeit over before the advertised time of 8 p.m.

There was a time mixup, and Sgt. James Holley of the WV Army National Guard was very apologetic.

But on the positive side, he took about 60 pictures of people with the car for folks who were there early enough. The hauler had to leave about 6 p.m. to make his next day's stop.

The Sergeant gave out a lot of hats, shirts and Hero Cards - which are way cool, changing as you move it, between Junior in the white National Guard firesuit, to two uniformed service members.

And also a positive, Sgt. Holley has already requested the car for opening day at Ona Speedway in April, 2009.

Don't forget, there are still a few more dates to race at Ona, ending up Saturday, Oct. 25 with the second Halloween blowout. No special details yet, but I figure the drivers will be going all out to rack up points for the season. I hope there are no mishaps - including the cars.

Keep on the Ona Speedway Website for information, www.onaspeedway.com.

Catching up with the Herd

Contrary to what some think, the Marshall NASCAR Nationwide Series car and Herd Racing LLC aren’t gone. They’re just getting ready for next season.

Always looking for sponsors, businesses can contact them and find opportunities for the 2009 season.



BUT, until then, Brett Rowe, Herd Racing and the #75 Dodge Charger will be making some appearances locally.

Closest is this weekend at the Chesapeake Flea Market Old Fashioned Days. Brett and the car will be there from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, signing autographs, showing off the big green and white machine and giving out new Herd Racing Hero Cards.

Brett and company will also be at the annual Fall Festival at New Life Church in Huntington on Sunday, October 26. Same kind of thing – pictures, see the car, sign autographs and give out Hero Cards.



But team owner Dana Tomes will add one more thing.

A NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series truck.

Yep, Truck Series is being added next season. Dana is also bringing that machine to the New Life Church Fall Festival.

The truck will be unveiled at a sponsor event at 2 p.m. Oct. 24 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Ky. Then two days later, make it’s appearance locally at the Fall Festival.

Another note on Rowe:

He and several other Christian drivers were featured in the August 2008 issue of Christianity Today, published by Christianity Today International, begun by Billy Graham in 1956. Other publications by that group include Today’s Christian Woman, and Men of Integrity.

#88 Showcar at Ona Saturday

Listen up, JR Nation - the #88 National Guard showcar will be at Ona Speedway from 1 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27.

The season at Ona is rapidly coming down to the checkered flag, with just a few more weekends of local action between now and the end of October.



There will be a full schedule of racing Saturday night, plus a kids' bike race before the motorized races begin. You gotta love the kids' races. Little ones get at least a half-track advantage. But the big kids still catch up, pass and win. Just one time I'd like to see one of the little girls win. They're so cute with their pink bikes and matching helmets, tassles on the handlebars flapping in the wind.

Well, we digress. Back to JR's car.

The appearance is sponsored by the West Virginia National Guard and members will be there answering your military questions and recruiting. They will also have giveaways, games and challenges for anyone so inclined.

And remember, the Sprint Cup isn't over yet, it's just getting started. JR's in 4th place, just 50 points behind co-leaders (?) Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards. It could still happen. Seriously. Well, maybe if he gets on a big-time major league hot streak. OK, maybe next year. But surely you haven't given up hope. I still believe Tony can win one for the coach this season. Well, maybe.

Speaking of Carl, what a finish Sunday at Dover. The Biff, Matt Kenseth and Flipper, a fight to the finish between the Roush boys. Jack actually smiled Sunday - a rare sight from the usually frowning Cat in the Hat, but it was back to back wins for Biff, so he must have been a little happy.

Who's the biggest fan?

There’s a new contest in NASCAR, the search for it’s biggest fan.

Remember the phrase, NASCAR, How bad have you got it? That’s what we’re talking about.

Sponsored by the NASCAR Members Club, you go to www.nascarbiggestfan.com and sign up for a free account. Create your video, upload it and you’re in it to win.

Top prize is $25,000 with second prize $10,000 and third prize $5,000. In fourth place, you get a $1,000 shopping spree at the NASCAR superstore online.

Now, Paul Mullins from St. Albans, W.Va., has entered his video. Paul is an ONMC National Advisor and helps all the West Virginia Chapters of the club. You can usually find him at Ona Speedway on race nights – the next being Sept. 27. More about that special day in another posting.

Here's a photo of Paul, this blogger and some folks in the ONMC with Rusty Wallace at an area appearance.


If you don’t want to create a video, you can vote for the winner. Same procedure as submitting an entry. Go to the Website, sign up for the free account, then vote. But you apparently can vote only one time. So make it count for Paul!

Here’s his link:
http://www.nascarbiggestfan.com/top_video.php?cat=all&sort=rated&page=4

Forget Obama, forget McCain, forget the hockey mom! VOTE PAUL!

Saturday night racing

A couple hundred people show up every other Saturday night at Ona Speedway to catch up with friends and see a night of local racing.

Last Saturday, fans got an added treat with the Super Cup stocks, which included local driver Jake Keaton. Yes, after a few weeks' absence, "Jake the Snake" was on Ona asphalt for three races.

Brenda Pitts, the Super Cup scoring director, said Jake's become her newest son. She also said at the series tryouts, the young man from Barboursville won, and gained a spot in the series.

After taking a position in my usual spot in the bleachers under the press/announcer box, looking around I didn't recognize anyone and they all had on R/E headsets with mouthpieces. Family members of the Super Cup drivers. Then, Brenda came up and asked if I'd like to be a scorer for the night. Sure, why not?

She handed me a clipboard with a name and car number. All it said was "Jake" and "10." Did I really need to ask who the driver was? Serendipity. The local blogger got the local driver.

It was not necessarily a good night for young Mr. Keaton. He DNF'd the Super Cup race around lap 50 of 100. Shoot. In front of the home crowd, no less.

He came back in the Modified race to finish 4th, and took the checkered flag in the Classics division. OK, it didn't toally redeem the night, but it ended better than it started.

Winner of the Super Cup race was a teenager, Todd Peck. It was his first series win, and obviously his first win at Ona Speedway. Keeping with tradition, when you take your first Ona checkered flag, you get to wear the Jester Hat of trackside reporter Mike Gue for a victory lane photo. But the hat's been altered. It now lights up. Yes, there are photos from Jim Ellis Photography on the Ona Speedway Web site.

Other winners at Ona on Aug. 16th were Hobby Stock, Gary Queen; Modifieds, Thomas Mays; Classics, Jake Keaton; Street Stock, David Bell; and U-Car, Keith Watson.

Racing continues Saturday, Aug. 30 at Ona Speedway, with a Kids Bike Race before the featured events.

Notes on the Glen

Give me a B-O-R-I-S!

Yep, despite the rain, my buddy Boris Said will be driving this weekend at The Glen for Petty Enterprises. Woo-Hoo!

Ford has given Boris the OK to run the Dodge for Petty. Like has happened so many other times in the 2007 and 2008 seasons, Boris’ chance to qualify or his awesome qualifying runs were doused by a rain-out, Friday was just the most recent.

In an article on Scene Daily this afternoon, Kyle Petty said he hopes Boris can get in their car and tell them how they need to tweak it for road courses. He’s looking for constructive comments, not positive and not necessarily a win, just how to make the package better.

They know who’s the go-to guy on the road course.

Now, since qualifying got rained out, that puts the other Kyle, Busch, that is, on the pole.

And that puts Tony Stewart at 9th. Not an impossible place, very probable, really.

Plus, he does have six road course wins, with four of those at The Glen.

It’s time to git-r-done, Tony! You’ve been close, so close, but not over that line first.

While on the subject of Tony, I would be remiss, and all you Tony-haters would claim prejudice, if I failed to mention the return of bad-boy behavior at Indianapolis.

He was his big-hearted, benevolent self early in the evening before the Silver Crown race, meeting with ill children and giving major help to the K-9 units of the Indiana State Police.

Then, he snapped, shoving a race official, ripping the electronics of his head and throwing it to the ground, going nose to nose and toes to toes. It’s quite the popular video on You Tube. And as they say in the hockey world, he probably spoke fluent French, too.

My thought is he’s a passionate guy when it comes to racing. He just couldn’t keep the beast completely under control.

Anger management classes (again) anyone?

News and notes from

If you noticed, there was no Keaton on the track at Ona Speedway last weekend.

Simple explanation. Jake Keaton has a ride in the Super Cup Stock Car Series and was racing at Lonesome Pine Speedway in Virginia.

Yep, Jake is now one of the registered drivers in the new series, which incidentally, will be making a stop at Ona Speedway Saturday, August 16, with a 100-lap feature race.

That night, all other classes will race, except the Late Models.

*****

Happy Birthday to #27 Late Model car owner R.Z. Hill – his 68th cake day. He got a pretty good ribbing all night long about it being his birthday, but he exacted his revenge on everyone when driver Eric Maynard bested Harvey Harrison and Shane Koontz for the win.

Not a bad present for Hill.

*****

And speaking of Shane Koontz, he put on quite the show Saturday night in what was the best race I’ve seen him drive to date.

Starting from the pole, he led a good bit of the race, but was passed by Maynard. Then, it was the battle for second with Harvey Harrison. So Shane finished 3rd, not quite 2.5 seconds behind Harrison and almost 4 seconds behind the race winner Maynard.

*****

And finally from Ona Speedway, you gotta love the Kids Bike Races. They’re just soooo cute – the bitty kids, sometimes with training wheels. They always get about a half-track lead before track spokesman Mike Gue lets the big kids take off. And yes, they catch up before turn three.

I don’t pull for the big kids, let their parents and buddies do that. I don’t have kids, just a pit bull. So I scream like crazy for the tiny riders. “Go little people, go!” or “Keep pedaling little riders!” and when they cross the start-finish line, they each get a big “woo-hoo!” from me, sitting underneath the press box.

Back in Indiana

I'm not one for "unnamed" or "sources close to the situation," but ESPN reported last night Ryan Newman has a verbal agreement with Stewart-Haas Racing.

Duh. Haven't we been saying that for two weeks now?

J.D. Gibbs said over the weekend they don't have sponsorship for a fourth car, so that flies out the window. But there were, and I suppose still are, possibilities at Petty Enterprises and Gillette Evernham.

But look at the advantages of Stewart-Haas.

First off, lots - and I do mean lots - of press coverage.

Next, it's two heartland racers getting together. One is pretty outspoken, but maturing. The other is grounded, quieter and already mature. One is streetsmart, the other seriously booksmart. That works well together.

The two Indiana boys are philanthropic, serious givers. Tony's we've discussed here already. Newman and his wife Krissie compiled and published Pit Road Pets, to benefit their foundation which focuses on animal welfare and no-kill shelters.

Both are poised and polished spokesmen for sponsors. Tony's done great commercials for Home Depot. Or Ryan and the Alltel spots calling other drivers to say the race is cancelled. And don't you hear the Gillette Young Guns yelling "New-man!" when you think about the name?

And for Newman, his buddy and former crew chief Matt Borland is competition director for Stewart-Haas. That's a good pairing, period, considering all but one of his wins has been with Borland. They were a hot team when I started watching NASCAR. I was greatly impressed by the gambles - and wins - on fuel mileage. Maybe they fudged the tanks, maybe not, but they won.

On the negative, there is pressure to succeed. Plenty of pressure to succeed, for both drivers.

All Hoosiers, all the time. Now if they could only run Hoosier tires...

Jimmie 'n Randy teaming up for Truck Series race at Bristol

Randy Moss has a seriously big name driver for his truck team Aug. 20 in the O’Reilly 200 at Bristol.

Jimmie Johnson will make his debut in the Craftsman Truck Series in the #81 Kobalt Tools Silverado.

Yes, that’s THE Jimmie Johnson, two-time, defending Sprint Cup Series champion.

OK, I’m impressed. The fleet-footed, sure-handed, high-leaping one has one of the the sport’s top drivers in his truck, with a sponsor. Lowe’s does has a vendors contract with Kobalt, and Jimmie and Chad made those really funny commercials for the tool company.

Before you get too excited, remember, Jimmie doesn’t race trucks and Jimmie hasn’t raced trucks. Anything could happen.


But this will get Randy Moss Motorsports some serious face time with the media and camera shots during the race.

So, tip of the hat, er ball cap, to Randy.

Photos thanks to the Associated Press and Lowe's Racing.

NASCAR auction to benefit Autism groups

The guys in NASCAR are always generous with their time and money. Some have taken time to autograph items for a benefit auction in Huntington.

Here is your chance to snag some collectibles and do good at the same time.

The local Autism Service Center, Autism Society and Autism Training Center at Marshall University, have a number of NASCAR items for auction – many autographed - to raise money for the groups. All money raised will remain in the Tri-State for services.

The auction will be 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2 at Adkins Auction on 14th Street West in Huntington.

You can also make bids by e-mail to Elaine and Bill Harvey at bandeharvey@comcast.com.
Two items have minimum bids, others are no reserve.

Take a look at the list and if you see something you like, contact the Harveys.

Autographed items:
Jeff Gordon, Inaugural 1994 Brickyard Official Truck 1:24 diecast, paired with 1994 Brickyard Official Pace Car (limited edition of 25,000, unsigned) Minimum bid: $200. (Pictured on this page)

Elliott Sadler, 2 Race for Hope (Autism) yellow hats. (Pictured on this page)
Greg Biffle, Army National Guard Jacket, size large. (Pictured on this page)
Casey Mears, Army National Guard Jacket, size large.
Casey Mears, 1:24 diecast #25 National Guard (Pictured on this page)
Dave Blaney, 1:24 diecast #22 CAT racing
Dale Jarrett, framed poster #28 Havoline car (Pictured on this page)

Unsigned items:
Dale Earnhardt #3 Career Commemorative Plaque. Minimum bid: $100 (Pictured on this page)

1:24 diecasts, limited editions of National Guard #25 and National Guard #16

1:64 diecast, National Guard #16
National Guard hats, #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
National Guard shirts, #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr., size large
Jim Beam Racing golf shirt, size large
Blue Lizard Racing shirt, size extra large
Old Spice Racing shirts, size extra large
Richard Petty shirt, white, size extra large
Richard Petty shirt, black, size small

There is also a National Guard muzzleloader rifle for auction, camouflage in color.

Tony Stewart Foundation, helping others

Tonight will be a special night at O’Reilly Raceway Park. There will be a USAC Midget and Silver Crown double header, PLUS a presentation by and for the Indiana State Police.

The Tony Stewart Foundation teamed up with Vest ‘N Police Dog Protection, www.vestnpdp.com, to provide customized bullet resistant and knife resistant vests for the dogs. Tony will present 30 of the vests to the ISP tonight. The photo of the K9 with a vest is from the Tony Stewart Foundation website, www.tonystewart.com.


An officer and his dog will demonstrate the vests and an attack on a perpetrator, who will be Tony’s sister, Natalie Repenning. And she volunteered to be the person attacked by the dog.

Say what you will about Tony – brash, outspoken, honest to a fault, speaks what’s on his mind and doesn’t care what you think. He may not care what I think, but I think inside, he’s a pretty good guy.

The TSF was also a sponsor and partner in the 2008 Mutt Strut at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in April. I’d been reading about that at www.IndyPaws.com. There are photos there from the Strut, too.

Tony’s mom, Pam, was grand marshal for the Strut and rode in the pace car ahead of the doggies. She waited at the start-finish line to personally greet all the walkers, quad- and bi-ped (4-footed and 2-footed). There were 3,500 people in the walk, which raised money for the Indianapolis Humane Society, www.indyhumane.org. Just pawesome!

The Tony Stewart Foundation raises and distributes funds to help care for chronically ill children, drivers injured in motorsports activities and other charitable groups protecting various animal species.

We all know how much money Smoke raises and gives to Victory Junction Gang Camp, but he does much more. He’s hosted Make A Wish kids in his Turn 2 Suite at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He’s built playgrounds with his sponsor Home Depot. The list just keeps going.

You can be a part of this giving heart with gifts to the Foundation. You can find out more about the Foundation at www.tonystewart.com.

Friday media conference

According to RacingOne.com and SPEED, Tony Stewart has called a press conference for Friday morning at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to reveal his new car, number and sponsor.

The article at RacingOne.com also reiterates what a lot of folks have said for the last 10 days, Office Depot (sorry Jack, find another sponsor), Old Spice and the number 14. And once again, Tony says he hasn't decided on a second driver yet, but hopes to soon.

No word yet on TV coverage from SPEED or streaming at NASCAR.com.

I's still picking Tony to win The Brickyard. Teammate Kyle "bash 'em" Busch should be a contender, but Tony is focused on winning at home.

Next up, Indianapolis

The #81 in the Craftsman Truck Series and Randy Moss Motorsports will be driven by Landon Cassill of Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday in the Power Stroke Diesel 200 at O’Reilly Raceway Park, Indianapolis.

There is no sponsor announced as of Tuesday night. This could get to be a pretty expensive venture pretty fast.

You can catch the race beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday on SPEED.

Other thoughts on Indianapolis...

Like lots of others, I'm waiting for Tony Stewart to call a media conference to talk about his second driver for next season. I'm still banking on it being another Hoosier boy, Ryan Newman.


I have a friend in Oklahoma at Bible college and she's a SERIOUS Ryan Newman fan. We always pull for the other's driver, but how cool would it be if they were both on the same team?

Once again, I have to pick my favorite Hoosier boy, Tony, to win at The Brickyard. Climb that fence one more time, boys!


Hey, he's got to have that first win of the season somewhere, and it is his time of the year. Might as well be at a track he deeply loves.

(Thanks to the Associated Press for the file photos of Ryan and Tony)

Randy's truck debut

Well, it looks as though Randy Moss Motorsports has made a decent start in the Craftsman Truck Series.

In the debut of the #81 Chevy truck, driver Willie Allen qualified 20th and finished 15th.

Good enough for first time out. The truck was sponsored by country music artists Rascal Flats.

Rascal Flats and Randy Moss. Who'd a thunk it? Not me.

But then again on www.therealrandymoss.com there's a Q&A with the fleet-footed sure-handed one where he calls himself just a "country boy." Somehow I've never thought of Randy Moss as a country boy.

Anyway. He goes on to say he'd like to see a NASCAR track in West Virginia.

Wouldn't we all?

Well, let's see what happens and who the truck's next sponsor will be, when it will run and where.

Stay tuned.

Watch out for Petty!

The Chick-Fil-A Kyle Petty Charity Ride will make a stop Wednesday in Grayson, Ky., at the Pilot Travel Center.

Fans are encouraged to show up to meet and greet Petty and the other riders. Or, ride down there and join in for the trip between Grayson and Huntington or Teays Valley or Charleston.

Or just hang out along the route, smile and wave and cheer them on their way! But do so safely, please.

The ride began Sunday in Traverse City, Mich., and will end Saturday, July 19 in Savannah, Ga., a trip of 3,000 motorcycle miles.

On Wednesday, the journey will be from Lexington, Ky., to White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. They're overnighting at The Greenbrier. Tough going. The route is I-64 to Charleston then I-77 to Beckley and on to White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.

Since 1994, more than 5,700 riders have helped raise more than $10 million for children’s charities. In the last four years, the main beneficiary of the ride has been the Victory Junction Gang Camp, founded by Kyle Petty and his wife Pattie, in honor of their son, Adam, who was killed on the racetrack in 2000.

Located in Randleman, N.C., the camp provides a fun, memorable, physically safe and medically sound experience for children with chronic or life-threatening illness. They are planning to expand to a second location in the midwest.

Because of sponsors and fund-raising activities such as the motorcycle ride, children can attend Victory Junction Gang camp at no charge. It costs an estimated $3,000 for one child to go to camp for a week.

For more about the camp, to donate, sign up your child or to volunteer, visit www.victoryjunction.org.

You can follow the ride at www.kylepettycharityride.com and sign up for a virtual ridealong on the various legs of the trip.

What's the buzz?

Where to begin?

For all you Brett Rowe fans out there, he's parted company with Day Enterprises to focus on Herd Racing. The Marshall car will run under the number 75 when it gets back on the tracks, and owner Dana Tomes is hopeful there will be a couple of races in the Nationwide series this summer they can enter.

But it will be go or go home for Brett. He'll have no points.

But I told you that a couple of weeks ago. Some people must have overlooked it.

Ah, Davin Scites next up.

The schedule on JR Motorsports hasn't gone past early June and Davin's site doesn't seem to be updated. A e-mail inquiry to his folks a couple of weeks ago has been unanswered.

On to the really local scene.

The Any Car class at Ona Speedway has been renamed Street Stocks. Same thing, different name.

And the Late Model race last Saturday was full of fireworks. Actually it got down right ugly and a warning was issued to one of the drivers. OOOPS!

The #27 of Eric Maynard got into the back of another racer. Eric seemed to take exception to the incident and got a little snarky. He threw his car into reverse, pulling off bumpers on both cars and his hood. Then he proceeded to put the PRNDL back into drive and take off around the track into the pits only to reappear a few minutes later for the restart - minus pretty much the front end and hood. Looked like something out of Mad Max.

Yeah, he got a warning for that. I wonder where the speedway's equivalent of NASCAR's Big Red Truck is?

Youngsters are getting a nice start there at age 13 in the Junior U-Car class. They do a respectable job, too.

I've already lobbied Race Director Jerry Skeens to keep the Australian something or other race, I've forgotten what it was called. Nevertheless, it's a progressive passing race where if you get passed, you're out. It was the most fun of the night and the fans where screaming to invert the field when it got down to two and the second place car just couldn't catch up.

Well, more racing Saturday at Ona. The green flag drops around 7 p.m. Come on out and support your local track.

Randy Moss Motorsports?

Randy Moss, football, basketball, basesball, NASCAR?

Yep, Randy Moss has formed Moss Motorsports with the intention of fielding a Craftsman Truck Series entry in the second half of this year and plans to go full time in 2009.

Why not? He’s mellowed and matured since his days at Marshall and the early years with the Minnesota Vikings. We see him doing more with and for youth in the Huntington – Charleston region, both on his own and with buddy Chad Pennington’s 1st and 10 Foundation. Although I still have issues with the whole RandyUniversity comment and some things he said a few years ago about the Marshall football team of 1970. But, in my eyes, he’s proving to be a more mature and involved man as years go by.

Sometimes you just never know who is a gearhead, and Moss says he’s one of us. His Website www.therealrandymoss.com notes he’s been a NASCAR fan for several years and sponsors a local dirt track program. It doesn’t say where, but that’s what it says. We’ll send an e-mail to his folks to find out, though.

Other football legends have gotten into NASCAR. Troy Aikman for one. Not that we’re saying Moss is legend yet, but he is a pretty fair football player and I expect to see him in Canton, Ohio someday.

Brett Rowe update

OK racefans, here's the Brett Rowe news you're seeking.

HerdRacing's Dana Tomes tells me Brett has left Day Enterprises to concentrate on the MU car and building sponsorship and the team for 2009.

The MU car may get to race a few times this season in the Nationwide Series, and Dana said hopefully that will be at Indianapolis on July 26. And here and on out, it will carry the memorial number, 75 on it's side.

Recently, the car made an appearance at the grand opening of the NAPA store in east Huntington. Here is a shot from that appearance. And thanks to Dana, Brett and the Website for the car photo.

Brett also has a new website, www.brettroweracing.com. Check it out. Hop on the message board and leave him a note.

You have questions,

I may have answers.

Hi Ralph, nice to hear from you. Gee, I've missed your sunny and optimistic disposition. I've had a cast on my arm for the last six weeks, but it came off today. I'm almost caught up at the job that pays the bills, so I'll have a little more time for racing now. I've got a 40-hour-a-week job, so I can't surf the Internet all day long, IM my BFFs or chat.

As for the 05 car...They put the number on the Marshall car for the sake of points. I understand the reason, I may not have liked not having the memorial number on the car, but I understand. If he can get back on the track, finish some races, he may not fall into the go or go home category for next year. Maybe late this year, even.

I missed seeing the car on the track at Charlotte during the 600 weekend. Brett had just crashed in qualifying when my friends and I got inside the gates. Long story of a bus trip that wanted to go to the hotel first to check in, ditch their luggage, rest and freshen up, not take the racefans to the track. But back to racing.

And the Marshall car wasn't ready for Kentucky last weekend, I'm told.

Right now, Brett Rowe is 42nd in the Nationwide standings with 613 points in 10 starts.

He's not listed as an entry in this week's race at the Milwaukee Mile. We'll see what we find out for his future for you, Ralph.

Listen up, millionaires…

The car’s too hot, the car doesn’t handle well, the season’s too long and so are the races.

Give me a break.

I don’t often agree with NASCAR officials, certainly not with Mike Helton, but this time, he actually has a point.

I drive a 10-year-old Ford Taurus, the air conditioning hasn’t worked in a couple of summers and the heat is iffy at best in the winter. But, it’s free and clear and gets me where I need to go.

Your million-dollar race car is too hot. Wah.

I live in a 60+year-old house, albeit a bit rebuilt from a fire four years ago. It has good heat in the winter. Cooling, well, I have windows to open and fans to operate, along with one small room air conditioner to keep me and the dog comfortable in that single room living space in the summer.

It’s not a mansion on Lake Norman, but like my car, it’s free and clear.

I work 52 weeks a year, well OK, a few less if you factor in vacations and my broken wrist. I don’t make a six-figure salary, let alone get a SEVEN-figure payday. You drivers couldn’t live one day on what most of us make in a year.

Heck, your designer sunglasses cost more than what we earn (gross pay) in a week. For some of you, your shoes cost more than what we make in a month.

Grow up!

You chose the life of a NASCAR superstar. You didn’t have to select jumping in a car and driving 300, 400, 500 or 600 miles in one day. I really don’t want to hear you whine about your job.

Yeah, yeah, we know. "But I raced for years with $100 payouts on dirt tracks across the country and had to sleep in my car because I couldn't afford a room. I shared a Happy Meal with my girlfriend because we didn't have the money for a full meal." Some of us will have to work until we're 70 or 75 to be able to retire, too.

It takes a year of saving for most of the 100,000 people a week who come see you on a Sunday afternoon get out there and do what you do so well.

You’d better appreciate what the working folks do.

They are the ones supporting your multi-million dollar homes wherever. They are the ones providing the means for you to keep megabuck sponsors on your cars. They make possible those jets that take you back and forth so you can race Trucks, Nationwide and Cup in one weekend. They buy the products, t-shirts, gasoline and tickets.

Seriously. Don’t whine about your job, at least not were we can all hear you. And certainly don’t be sarcastic about it all when someone reminds you how much you should appreciate getting to do what you do.

If you don’t like the job or working conditions, quit. Find something more to your delicate liking. Go back to sweeping floors, road construction or whatever else (if there ever was anything else) you did to earn money. Or let mom and dad support you. See how long you can keep that lifestyle you've become accustomed to living.

Continue grousing about the job, and the fans may not show up in the numbers you've been enjoying.

Say what you will about Tony

Big mouth, big ego, even bigger heart.

Yep, that's Tony Stewart. Here is our driver at a NASCAR Members Club event I attended in Charlotte. He's doing a question and answer session for about 500 members at Lowe's Motor Speedway. He didn't have to, he had a race in just a few hours.

His latest big-hearted, just-a-teddy-bear-inside, act was to donate his winnings from Sunday's race to the American Red Cross in his hometown, Columbus, Ind. The town has been underwater for about 10 days now, as has much of the midwest.

Check it out at www.therepublic.com.

Say what you will about Tony Stewart, he is one of the most charitable people in NASCAR.

On Monday, Scene Daily quoted Tony as saying this:
"But we got a good top-five and raised a lot of money for the people in Columbus, and that's the main thing. … When it's your own community and your own neighbors, it's good to generate a good amount of winnings for our community." www.scenedaily.com.

He sends millions to Victory Junction, and even let his buddy Kevin Harvick pay cash money for Operation Wax Smoke on his weekly Sirius Radio show. Tony is a pretty hairy guy and he agreed have his back waxed if Harvick would pony up six figures for Victory Junction. Check out the photos at www.sirius.com/tonystewart. Looks painful to me!

When Morgan Shepherd was a call-in guest to his radio show a few weeks ago, Tony commented today's young drivers don't appreciate Morgan and his generation of drivers and what they've done for the sport.

Then Tony provided tires for Shepherd's "Racing With Jesus" entry in the Nationwide series race. Shepherd drives a car without a corporate sponsor and he relies on God to provide what he needs to stay out on the track week in and week out.

As part of The Home Depot's Kaboom! program, Tony rolls up his sleeves and helps build playgrounds for kids. Here's an Associated Press photo of Tony helping the Kaboom! projects.



OK, Tony's brash, outspoken, brutally honest and says what everyone is thinking but won't verbalize.

But you have to admit, he's a multi-series champion, can pretty much drive anything, even a woman's horse trailer stuck in a ditch in rural Indiana (read that one in NASCAR Illustrated a couple of years ago). He's devoted to his family and hometown and shows the utmost respect for the elder statesmen of his sport.

And has a heart as big as as all outdoors.

Good job, Tony. Good job.

Your good works don't go unnoticed.

I'm back, injured, but back

Hey, anonymous, thanks for noticing I've been gone a while.

I had an encounter with some pavement and broke my wrist on May 15. I'm still in a cast, but back nonetheless.

How's this for dedication - I went to the Coke 600. Had tickets on the start/finish line, and no sidewalk was going to get the best of me. Met lots of good race fans in Concord and got to see Humpy Wheeler retire. It was a might uncomfortable with a cast on the right paw, but folks I'd never met were always quick to help out.

As for the races, Brett Rowe and the Marshall car wrecked in qualifying for the Carquest, and Tony had a tire go down to lose the 600. And he'd have climbed the fence right in front of me. Words on the team radio weren't especially nice and I was jumping up and down screaming, "No! No!" Kasey Khane (whoo!) won the race. That wasn't so exciting, but I did pick him in the pool among my friends. And I still say he has the nicest mom in NASCAR. Tammy is a sweetheart. Here's a pic of me with her about a year ago.



Back to the Nationwide event on Saturday. Big brawl at the end of the race. You KNEW it was going to happen when out of the corners of your eyes you saw entire pit crews going over the wall and racing toward the middle of pit road. Brad Keselowski's from one end, Denny Hamlin's from the other. The Charlotte Observer ran a nearly half-page above the fold photo of the tussle. I'm scrapbooking that pic!

Well, nevertheless, I'm back at the helm. More stuff to come when I get caught up on work and racing locally.

Thanks for being patient!

Lee Ann will be out for awhile

Folks,

Lee Ann will be out of the office for awhile. She will resume posting as soon as she returns.

Thanks for reading!

Andrea Copley-Smith
online editor

Should I stay or should I go?

To coin a Clash phrase.

Should Tony stay at Gibbs Racing or should he go?

Seriously. Sports Illustrated is reporting Smoke is in talks with Haas CNC Racing to join them and move back to Chevrolet.

Really? There's not a named source in the entire article, which also claims Tony would have an owner's-stake in the team.

Let's look at this for a moment. Tony and Gibbs have won two titles together. Tony's won 32 races and two Brickyards. Of course, every bit of that was with General Motors cars.

How's Toyota been for JGR?

Let's see. Denny Hamlin's won. Kyle Busch's won. Tony hasn't. If I was ol' Smoke, I'd be a little torqued over that fact. But he's been pretty gracious overall about his teammates taking the checkered flag before him in the new, new cars.

He's not said much about Toyota performance. Tires yes, Toyota no. It's pretty well noted he's a fan of GM as a manufacturer.

Tony's contract runs through 2009, and he's said several times this year he wants to concentrate on driving and hopefully the contract thing will be settled mid-season.

As for being an owner in Sprint Cup? I remember him saying that wasn't something that he was espeicially interested in being. He was happy with Eldora, World of Outlaws and his other ventures.

He's the one in the driver's seat in more ways than one. It's his name on the champion's trophies. He's marketable. He's someone you either love or love to hate. When you see orange, Home Depot or #20, you think Tony Stewart. He's outspoken. And very, very charitable.

Maybe SI can get something from a named source, like maybe Tony himself or J.D. Gibbs.

Some things just aren't right

This isn't about motorsports, but it is about vehicles, horsepower and paint schemes.

Some things just aren't right.

At first it was the Cadillac Escalade. We both know there is no way someone with enough paycheck to buy a Cadillac is going to be driving through a mud bog.

Really. I'm just saying. They aren't the off-road types in general.

Same thing goes for the Porsche - yes, Porsche - SUV or Cross-over parked in downtown Huntington the other day. That's a speed breed, not something you should be taking cross country.

Then I saw a pink Jeep Cherokee. Pale pink, but still pink. Picture that off-road. It wasn't a Mary Kay car. Just a pink Cherokee. But yes, Mary Kay does put out a pink Cadillac SUV for its folks. A pretty, pearlized pink. Very feminine color.

And by the way, have you seen the Pepto-pink Hummer? That's just wrong on every level. A Pink Hummer. If I was going to pay that kind of money for a huge, tank-like, gas-guzzling, get outta my way, serious emissions damaging the environment vehicle, I sure wouldn't want it the color of a stomach medicine. I don't have issues with the type of vehicle and the carbon footprint you leave behind. Just the color. Black, Gunmetal Gray maybe, but not pink in any way, shape or form.

And let's not get into the stretch-Hummer limosine. What must gas for that cost? My Taurus tank carries a hefty enough price tag.

This isn't a criticism of any of these car owners. I'm certain these folks love their vehicles and seriously considered the purchases.

OK, I'm done. Thanks for letting me rant about vehicles that just don't make a lot of sense to me.

New site for Scites

www.davinscites.com has a new look.

I was navigating around it today. His handler Francine said last week it was getting a facelift. And a nice facelift it is. It's got Davin in his new firesuit, some more photos and an expanded message board. It's easier to navigate. Current year photos are on the way.

I couldn't find a racing schedule for Davin, but one of the message board posts from him said he's racing the schedule at Motor Mile this season, and if memory serves me correct - and on a Friday after a week of writing obituaries for The Herald-Dispatch, it may not - he should be racing there this weekend.

So be sure to check out his Web site for a post at the race from Francine.

I haven't heard from the MM Race Director this week, so I would tend to believe Davin's win stands. The race director had to take a part to NASCAR for inspection after the second place finisher lodged a protest.

So, go Davin, go!

Everyone check out his new website - same address, just a new look.

Test day set, season ready at Ona

The annual test day at Ona Speedway will be Saturday, May 3.

Admission is $10 per person at the gate, which opens at noon.

Pre-tech begins at 12:30 p.m. and practice starts at 1 p.m. Everybody is out by 8 p.m., and race director Jerry Skeens says all safety rules will be enforced.

If you have questions, call Jerry at 304-523-2808 or 304-634-0925.

An update on special events at Ona:

Regular racing will begin May 10 and continue through Oct. 25.

Dates for racing are May 10 and 24
June 7 and 21
July 12 and 19
August 2, 16 and 30
September 13 and 27
October 11 and 25

There will be a Demolition Derby on the frontstretch asphalt on May 31, beginning at 4 p.m., presented by Demolitioninc (Demolition Inc.)

General admission is $7 for adults and kids age 7 and younger get in free. Season passes are $91.

Pit passes are $20 for adults, $10 for kids 8 through 12 years, and 13-years and older are adult price. Kids 7 and under free. Season pit pass is $260 for 13-years and up, and $130 for kids ages 8 through 12.

Pit gates open at noon, general admission gates open at 5 p.m. Hot laps run at 1 p.m. and the green flag drops at 7 p.m.

In the event of rain outs, races will be scheduled on Sunday the following day, gates open at noon, racing at 4 p.m.

One win, one out

Sorry, Ralph, I thought I had published your last comment. Unless you're rude, crude and socially unacceptable, I'll publish it. You have a right to opinions and comments, and I for one won't stifle it. It's a First Amendment thing.

On to the weekend news.

Davin Scites wins! Woo-hoo!

The Saturday race was rained out at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Va., and rescheduled for Sunday.

Davin qualified fifth and went on to smoke the field and bring home the win!

His Web site, www.davinscites.com is getting a new look this week, according to his PR folks. So let's all be sure to check it out later this week.

As for Brett Rowe, he was once again out of the running. It sounds like you guys believe it's the equipment, and it probably is.

He finished 38th, out after 40 laps due to overheating. Given more money and better equipment, he could probably do much better. But that's the issue $$$$$$$, and I'm sure his age getting up to this level could factor in it, too. There are drivers much older than Brett that qualify and run in the Nationwide series, so other than money and equipment, there's no reason he can't have a long career on the track.

Update on Brett Rowe

Brett Rowe is entered in Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series O’Reilly 300 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Today (April 3) is qualifying and practice for Brett and his car.

Air time for the race is 2:30 p.m. Saturday on ESPN2.

Brett will drive the #05 31-W Insulation/ CertainTeed Chevrolet for Wayne Day and Day Enterprises. Sorry the photo is from his former team, Revelocity, but it's the best photo we have of Brett.

Right now, he ranks 37th in five starts, and is 551 points behind Nationwide Series leader Clint Bowyer.

At some point this season, hopefully at the end of May, Brett will get to roll out in the Herd Racing Marshall University car. Keeping our fingers crossed and prayers going out it will be at Lowe's Motor Speedway May 24.

Drive on, Brett, drive on.

Davin and JR team up

Go Davin, Go!

Wayne native Davin Scites has entered into an agreement with a premier NASCAR driver, Dale Earnhart Jr. and JR Motorsports for the 2008 season.

Davin will drive the late model #06 Champion Chevrolet (no relation to Champion Industries and The Herald-Dispatch) this season throughout the Southeast section of the country.

Here’s what Junior had to say about Davin in a statement.

"Davin is a great race car driver and a great friend,” Earnhardt. said. “He worked out of a shop near my house last year and I was impressed with the number of wins he racked up during the season. It seemed like every time I walked into the shop there was a new trophy Davin had won over the weekend.

“With all his success, JR Motorsports is proud to be associated with Davin Scites Motorsports for the 2008 season. I'm looking forward to seeing Davin put the No. 06 Champion Chevy in Victory Lane."

Davin’s 2008 campaign starts Saturday at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Va.

Last year, Davin racked up five wins, 15 top-five finishes and 18 top-10 finishes, in addition to setting a Martinsville track qualifying record in late models last September.

He moved into JR Motorsports’ HUGE Mooresville, N.C. facility at the end of 2007.

In case you’ve forgotten, Davin got his start at Ona Speedway, you know the slogan, “Where Legends are Born.”

He also took part in the ill-fated “Racin’ for a Livin’” proposed reality show, which I don’t think ever aired, did it? Although, he garnered many, many votes and led voting frequently from fans.

Hey, that’s water under the bridge, or asphalt under the tires, so to speak.
He’s at JR Motorsports with NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver! And Roush Racing thought Davin was a little long in the tooth a couple of years ago to get into their Gong Show.

You show ‘em Davin, you show ‘em.

Glad for a chaplain's visit

Motor Racing Outreach has done a tremendous job for NASCAR teams as well as the sport’s fans since it’s inception in 1988.

It conducts regular Bible studies for drivers and team members, on-track prayer with teams and during opening ceremonies, organizes and conducts chapel services at each track before races and has outreachs at the tracks to the fans.

My encounter with MRO came a couple of years ago when I was hospitalized in Charlotte before the All-Star Challenge.

My friends here in Huntington contacted MRO in North Carolina, and one of it’s volunteer chaplains visited me in Northeast Medical Center.

On Sunday, MRO’s founder, Max Helton, 67, died of brain cancer at home in Huntersville, N.C.

Although I never had the privilege on earth to meet him, I know I will someday and tell him how much that chaplain’s visit meant to a girl five hours from home, who only knew two people in town who were involved in a very young, very busy ministry and working a couple of full-time secular jobs each.

Helton is one of those folks who will find out in Heaven exactly how many lives he touched through that ministry.

The story is that in 1988 working at a Glendora, Calif., church, he met Darrell and Stevie Waltrip and told them he believed God had a ministry for him in racing. The rest, as they say, is history.

My thoughts are like the song says, “Thank you for giving to the Lord, I am so glad you gave.”

The 2008 vote

I’d seen this on Trinity Broadcasting Network in January, but honestly had forgotten.

Painter Thomas Kinkade is creating the officially licensed commemorative portrait of the 50th running of the Daytona 500. He created eight sketches and two paintings at the Speedway during Speedweeks 2008.

You can vote for your favorite until Saturday, March 15 at www.thomaskinkade.com

Everyone who votes is in the running to win a Limited Edition print of the selected portrait.

This kind of painting is not exactly what we know Thomas Kinkade to create. Normally, they are Christian themed, with lights, lighthouses, cottages and pathways, trees and the like.

Some of the offerings for Daytona are good, the others, so-so. I made my selection, so I’ll wait to see if it’s the fan favorite.

Get on that site and vote for your favorite. If you don’t win the print, you can always purchase it through the site or any of the licensed galleries.

Chihuahuas?

When you get to a certain age, having stared death in the face and come back, and you have major money to boot, you can say pretty much anything you want. Kind of like Kathy Bates said in “Fried Green Tomatoes,” “Face it girls, I’m older and have more insurance.”

Jack Roush didn’t mince words when the subject of Toyota Racing Development officials complaining the discrepancies in Carl Edwards’ car post race in Las Vegas created a horsepower and downdraft advantage.

During a press conference at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday, Jack made it pretty plain.

“I was not complicit,” Roush said. “Carl Edwards was not complicit and I’m gonna treat Lee White and Toyota for their accusations in USA Today today like they were an ankle-biting Chihuahua and be done with it.”

And we say Tony Stewart has a big mouth. Wait, he drives a Toyota. Wait, doesn’t he have two Chihuahuas?

Hmmmmm.

We all know there’s no love lost between Jack Roush and Toyota. Or any foreign manufacturer for that matter. He won’t even drive a rental that’s foreign made, I read in “Men and Speed.”

Roush Fenway President Geoff Smith called for NASCAR to investigate TRD, which admitted in the USA Today article to having tested a car with the modification of no oil reservoir lid and achieved considerable addition downdraft and added horsepower.

Who says they only drop the gloves in hockey?

It's not whining this time

Normally, after a Jeff Gordon crash, and listening to his comments, I’d say something like “whiner.”

This time, he has a point. If the COT is supposed to be sturdier and safer, and the soft walls instituted by NASCAR are meant to make the track safer when drivers hit the wall, why did his car come apart the way it did?

Oh, yeah, I forgot. The opening and portion of the inside wall Gordon hit didn’t have the SAFER barriers, or soft wall.

What? The safety innovation didn’t cover the entire wall? Don't anyone dare say "cost factor." Tickets are priced high and these tracks certainly aren't poor. I think they can afford it.

Here’s what Gordon said to NASCAR.com reporters in a story posted today.

“I'm really disappointed right now in this speedway for not having a soft wall back there, and even being able to get to that part of the wall shouldn't happen,” Gordon said after emerging from the track's care center. I'll tell you what, a few years ago, those types hits, you wouldn't be standing here.”

Earlier in the day, Tony Stewart took a hit he said was the hardest he’d had in a while. After 10 or 15 minutes, he was helped from the car and held on to it to stand up and talk to emergency workers. Normally, he probably could have stood up on his own on that banking. Every speck of the wall he came in contact with had the SAFER barriers.

Thankfully everyone is OK, probably sore, but OK.

Safety is paramount in the minds of drivers and their families, owners, crews and fans. When you drive around a track at speeds of 180 miles per hour, it must be.

The sport is safer now than it has ever been, but it still falls short in some areas.

Engineering can only do so much. It’s up to the sport to corral the speeds.

Show some support

Yesterday we discussed sponsorship of the #75 Marshall car for upcoming NASCAR Nationwide Series races.

Today, let’s get to the local track – Ona Speedway.

There are sponsorship opportunities there for the entire season, in addition to sponsoring a single night of racing.

Lest we forget, the green flag drops at Ona on May 10 and continues every other Saturday night through October.

Single night sponsorships are either $1,500 or $2,000 and include tickets, t-shirts, hats, billboards, advertising and banners, along with being photographed with the race winners at the trophy presentation (with the trophies bearing your name).

Full season opportunities include things such as track entrance signs, press box banner, perimeter billboards, schedule magnets, and winner’s circle sponsors.

To find out more, contact Bill Wallace at Ona Speedway, billw@onaspeedway.com or call him at 304-617-1966.

Ready to roll

It’s been out there for a month or so, but the #75 Herd Racing Nationwide Series car was on display at the Capitol in Charleston earlier today.

(Thanks to Jeff Gentner and the Associated Press for the shot of Gov. Joe Manchin and driver Brett Rowe at the WV Capitol with the car!)

The team also plans to be ready to enter the NASCAR Nationwide race at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 15.

The car and crew members will also be at the World of Wheels this coming weekend at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena in Huntington and you can get an up close view of the car.

We’ve discussed the car here before, but now, it’s ready to roll and if there’s funding available, i.e. sponsors, it will be entered at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 15.

And so local fans can get in on the track action, Herd Racing will be offering charter bus trips to Bristol, Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Kentucky Speedway and O’Reilly Raceway Park (Indianapolis), for prices beginning at $95. ROAD TRIP!

Visit the team Web site for more information, www.herdracing.com.

All you business owners who would be so inclined to sponsor that green #75 car, boasting Marshall University, there are packages available for as little as $1,000.

Team president Dana Tomes said there are four sponsorships on the back quarterpanels of the car available for the Bristol race, at $3,000 each. With that comes 10 seats on a charter bus for the race along with tickets and Herd Racing shirts. Driver Brett Rowe will visit with your folks pre-race if time is available.

Again, visit the Web site for more information.

Get out of the house this weekend, drive to the Big Sandy Superstore Arena in Huntington, put down your $7 admission and walk in to see some serious horsepower.

Back to normal

Well, it seems that two seasons of a kinder, gentler Tony Stewart is enough.

His hair is longer and his temper and sarcasm are back.

Yes! Personality returns!

Did he or didn't he punch out Kurt Busch in the big red truck Saturday night after the Bud Shootout? Who cares, just the thought of it makes me giddy. I still harbor some ill feelings toward the older Busch boy after the pit road incident involving the #2 car and Tony's jackman.

Doesn't the younger Busch brother fit in with Tony? When questioned before the Bud Shootout about what happened in the truck, Kyle's comments turned to his sponsors, NOS energy drink and M&Ms.

Next comes Smoke's comments to the Associated Press about a Gibbs-Hendrick showdown. Priceless. Vintage Tony.

"It's going to be the epic battle, and it should be the battle of a lifetime and the century. There may not be another battle of this proportion for trhe rest of my life, my career, for the century."

Can't you see the smirk on his face? The sense of urgency in his voice?

Yep, Tony's back in full form - swinging, slapping, making fun of stupid questions.

Want to guess how long it takes him to get fined? Although, the powers that be only sanctioned a probation for six races to both Tony and Kurt. Maybe they're going to let the boys out of the cages.

Bring it on, it's going to be a fun season if Speedweeks is any indication.

Hit the road

The season is underway and it’s time for a ROAD TRIP!

NASCAR fans have options opening up locally to travel and watch the big boys race.

Open to the world, up to 88 spots on two busses, a weekend special for the Coca Cola 600 in Charlotte, offered by Around the World Travel in Charleston, W.Va. Cost is $294 per person based on double occupancy. It includes tickets to the Nationwide and Sprint races on May 24 and 25 (Diamond Tower) deluxe motorcoach bus round trip, and two nights in the LaQuinta Hotel (breakfast included). Call Lisa at the travel agency, 304-345-1212.

If one bus gets filled and there is enough people wanting to go, Lisa said she can do the second bus.

One of our racing friends, Susan Linden in St. Albans, W.Va., is unable to attend the spring race at Bristol this year and she’s looking for someone to purchase her second set of season tickets at face value. There are two seats for the Nationwide and Sprint races in March. Located in the Waltrip tower section EE (turn 3). Serious inquiries can contact her thorough this blog.

Personality to return?

In NASCAR Scene Daily, there is this entry:



"Ticket sales are flat or they are below [previous years]," (Lowes Motor Speedway’s H.A.) Wheeler said Thursday during the final stop of the annual NASCAR Sprint Media Tour. "And [TV] ratings are down, and it's not because we get 300 channels. It's because we need to get back to our roots. We need to make this car of tomorrow work ... [Do] whatever NASCAR's got to do to make it work, and get us back to racing, [to] where we were putting black donuts on the side of the cars and not making felony offenses out of 'em.

Good for you Humpy! Racing the last few years has become sanitized to the point where a friendly bump or hand wave brings down the six-figure wrath of NASCAR. I know these guys can afford the penalties, but that’s not the point.

Personality is lacking out there both on and off the track.

Fast cars, fast tempers and the occasional fisticuffs made NASCAR popular with fans over the last 50 years. There is a line between good racing and recklessness; between smart driving and stupidity. Most (I said MOST) drivers know where that lies.

NASCAR has gotten bor-ing in the six years I’ve been watching. I went to Bristol last season, a COT (yawn) race. All they did was zip around the track pretty much single file. It was kind of like watching Matchbox cars on a snap-together track. The only “personality” was Carl Edwards’ backflip after winning.

Humpy and his colleagues at Speedway Motorsports Inc. certainly should wield enough collective weight to influence the sport and CEO Brian France.

He says he’ll “stay on it” until something happens.

Also during the media tour, Tony Stewart addressed the personality issue with NASCAR.com’s Ron Lemasters Jr. for the weekly e-newsletter to the Official NASCAR Members Club folk.

RLJ: There's been a lot of talk, as there always is, about driver personalities and people that are boring and how they can show more personality and everything like that. Obviously you don't have a problem with that, but my question is, is it worth it for people to show their personalities given that there's such a firestorm sometimes when you do, if you make comments that people don't like?



TONY STEWART: Yeah, I don't think it's worth it to be honest. And the thing is most of the people you deal with on a weekly basis, nine out of the 10 get it and know what you mean, but the 10th person that doesn't get it or is trying to find an angle to make it the way they want it to come out makes it not worth it. It's just a lot easier just to be kind of plain-Jane and know that when you leave the track Sunday night you don't have to go to work Monday and Tuesday putting out fires.

Tony always makes it plain.

It’s 23 days to Daytona. Let’s see what this season holds.

Bring on the Herd!

Showing Herd pride, fans will see the schematic of the #75 Marshall Dodge Charger, sanctioned by NASCAR, during the Capitol City Classic tonight.
The car isn’t complete yet, said Herd Racing LLC majority shareholder Dana Tomes, but he’s hoping and believing to have it ready realistically for the Nationwide Series (formerly Busch) by California, Las Vegas and Phoenix, Feb. 24, March 10 and April 20 respectively.

“It all comes down to money,” Tomes said. The plan is to raise $1.5 million from Marshall University alumni and another $1.5 million from shareholders. The university has signed on to allow the team to use the Marshall name, logo and slogan, “We Are Marshall.” The school is not a financial sponsor, Tomes said.

Car sponsorships range in price from $200,000 for the entire car for one race, to $1,000 to put your company or name on the sidepost for a race.

There is a potential audience of at least 60,000 fans at the tracks, and another 1 million viewers on television, Tomes estimates.

Because of his Marshall University ties, Brett Rowe, 40, of Barboursville has been chosen as the car's driver. Rowe formerly drove in the Busch Series for Revelocity Racing and Day Enterprises. In 2007, Rowe had eight starts, finishing as high as 21st in the Gateway 250. He ran 22 in the Pepsi 300, and had six DNF's.

As money comes available, at least $300,000 per race for car, driver, crew and transportation, Herd Racing will enter the fields. Also a part of the decision of where to race will be proximity to Huntington. Accessibility for the local fans would include Kentucky Speedway, and tracks in Tennessee and Virginia, Tomes said.

Fortunately for the team, they are not having to build a car from the chassis up. With the premier series, Sprint Cup (formerly Nextel Cup), moving to the Car of Tomorrow, hundreds of standard race cars are available. Herd Racing has purchased cars from Yates Racing, Tomes said, and as funding is available, will continue to do so.

Another advantage the Herd team has is partnering with Faith Motorsports with raceshops in Hickory, N.C., in which Tomes is a backer of driver Morgan Shepherd.

“We want this to be something in which the alumni and Huntington can take pride,” Tomes said.

Local racing starts in May

The question was posed a few days ago, “Will Ona Speedway open in 2008?”

The answer is “Yes!"

A tentative race schedule is up on their website, and they will run every other weekend.

Dates are May 10 and 24; June 7 and 21; July 12 and 19; August 2, 16 and 30; September 13 and 27; and October 11 and 25.

General Admission gates open at 5 p.m.; racing begins at 7 p.m. Pit Gates open at noon. No word yet on admission prices, though.

Drivers can register their Elite Modified, Late Model, Hobby Stock, U-Car, Any Car and Classics now.

There are lots of opportunities for racefans to attend events locally. You don’t have to go to Bristol, Martinville, or even Kentucky Speedway. We’ll take note of them as we get the information.

Hoosier daddy?

Damion Gardner of Pittsboro, Ind., won the A-Main event at this year’s Chili Bowl in Tulsa, Okla.

By the way, it’s an INDOOR event. A reader actually complained we didn’t mention it was an indoor event. Have you been to Tulsa in January? Even the most remote thought of anything being done outdoors in Tulsa in January is absurd. Ice, wind, cold, storms that knock out electricity for up to 2 weeks. Need we say more? Didn’t say it was an indoor event.

Since there was no story run in the Sunday edition of The Herald-Dispatch, here’s the A-Main highlights.

The top 10 finishers were a flurry of Hoosiers. With the exception of Kevin Swindell of Tennessee, Brady Bacon of Tulsa suburb Broken Arrow and Nathan High of Arizona, it was all Indiana. Two time (and defending) champion Tony Stewart finished eighth.

Proving NASCAR names don’t mean anything in Midgets, Jason Leffler came in 17th, and Kasey Kahne (whoo!) finished 22nd. Jason still wants his own Golden Driller, but this year, the three time USAC Midget champ settles to be the owner of the winner. The blue-eyed Kasey won Belleville Midget National titles in 2000 and 2001, and a USAC Midget championship in 2000. You can go home again, Tony proves that.

But alas, the Golden Driller eludes both young men. Jason and Kasey will just have to wait until next year, again.

Here are the results of the 50-lap A-Main final, thanks to the official Chili Bowl website, www.chilibowl.com

1. #71G Damion Gardner, Pittsboro, Ind.; 2. #9X Dave Darland, Walton, Ind.; 3. #1ST Shane Cottle, Kokomo, Ind.; 4. #67 Bryan Clauson, Noblesville, Ind.; 5. #05S Jon Stanbrough, Avon, Ind.; 6. #39 Kevin Swindell, Germantown, Tenn.; 7. #99 Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, Okla.; 8. #20 Tony Stewart, Columbus, Ind.; 9. #21 Tracy Hines, Newcastle, Ind.; 10. #12JR Nathan High, Goodyear, Ariz.; 11. #20J Levi Jones, Olney, Ill.; 12. #29L Jesse Hockett, Warsaw, Mo.; 13. #71 Cole Whitt, Alpine, Calif.; 14. #73 Josh Ford, Oxnard, Calif.; 15. #33 Davey Ray, Loves Park, Ill.; 16. #7F Aaron Fiscus, Sun Prairie, Wis.; 17. #71K Jason Leffler, Long Beach, Calif.; 18. #11 Jerry Coons Jr., Tucson, Ariz.; 19. #11W Terry McCarl, Altoona, Iowa; 20. #12W Billy Wease, Noblesville, Ind.; 21. #49JR Bobby Michnowicz, Torrance, Calif.; 22. #91 Kasey Kahne, Enumclaw, Wash.; 23. #71X Brad Kuhn, Avon, Ind.; 24. #67A Gary “Bubba” Altig, Mechanicsburg, Ill.

Racing's Super Bowl and BCS Championship in one

When is “midget” not a derogatory term? At the Chili Bowl where more than 250 of the country’s best midget car drivers show up to earn the Golden Driller trophy and the prestige that goes along with it.

To defending champion Tony Stewart, the Chili Bowl is “one of the coolest races of the year.” He’s got a point. Kasey Kahne just calls it "exciting."

Yeah, Daytona’s great and the Coke 600 is OK, but the Chili Bowl is racing’s answer to football’s BCS Championship or the Super Bowl.

A mere 10,000 spectators is small in terms of capacity, but it’s an amazing four nights of racing. I have racing friends in Tulsa and hope they get tickets.

Among this year’s line up this week:

Wednesday night Danny Lasoski and Joey Saldana will take to the clay oval. Thursday night’s entrants include J.J. Yeley.

Friday night entries find some Sprint Cup heavy hitters (take that any way you want), in Kasey Kahne, Jason Leffler and Tony Stewart, the defending A-Main champion.

“Smoke Johnson” as he has entered in previous years, will be defending his Chili Bowl title, which he also won in 2002. That was a pretty good year for Smoke between the Winston Cup and the Chili Bowl.

If it has wheels and there’s at least one other racer, Tony’s there. He’ll race anything and be successful.

Leffler has been a winner at the Chili Bowl, not as a driver, but a crew member for Sammy Swindell in 1992. Now a four-time winner, Swindell will be back to try for a fifth. Jason is looking for his first as a driver. He's a three-time USAC Midget champ and has been chasing the Golden Driller for a number of years on the track.

You can catch Saturday’s final on pay-per-view or live streaming Friday night at www.nascar.com.

Go Boris, go!

When you drive at a superspeedway, car temperatures get pretty hot.

When you skid down a bobsled run, temperatures get pretty cold.

Boris Said can take ‘em both.

Over the weekend, Bobsledder Boris won the Chevy Geoff Bodine Bobsled challenge in Lake Placid, N.Y.- again. It was his third win in the four years of the Challenge.

For practice day last Friday, it was -8 in the morning and warmed up to -4 in the afternoon.

Since 1993, Geoff Bodine has been heading up Bo-Dyn Bobsleds for the U.S. Olympic team. He began building bobsleds after learning the U.S. Team had to purchase equipment from Germany. Now, the sleds are American made.

The event, which pitted NASCAR drivers against NHRA drivers, raised money for the U.S. Bobsled team.

Spunky, spunky, spunky

James Hylton says this will be his final Daytona 500 bid.

The 73-year-old almost made it last year, but missed the mark with a flat tire in one of the Duels stopped that run.

If you will recall, Hylton was the 1966 Rookie of the Year and made an attempt in 2007 to be the oldest participant in the Daytona 500.

Wouldn’t it be cool if he made it this year, with it being the 50th anniversary of the Great American Race and all?

I look at it like this. Most people shouldn’t drive at the age of 73, but Hylton doesn’t seem to have a problem on the track. Well, except that flat tire thing last year.

I’ll be pulling for him to make the race, how about you?

Drive forward, look back

As the new year begins, let’s take a look back at the stories and issues that captivated our attention, shall we?

Junior. Teresa. Bud. Pepsi. Farewell to the red #8 Bud car and DEI. Long live the #88 Amp/National Guard car and Rick Hendrick. The lady in black (isn’t it time to give that up yet? It's been almost 7 years) came off looking like something out of the Wizard of Oz, and I don’t mean Glinda the good witch.

And along that conversation, how’s the JR Nation coming to grips with having the glamour boys for teammates? I think we’re looking at a powerhouse, but I still see shirts proclaiming “8 Reasons I hate 24.” Will the rough and rugged Mr. Earnhardt fit in with the Armani suits? Off track, I’m not so sure. His demeanor, his party-boy image and (sorry to say) sometimes his command of grammar don’t necessarily fit with the slick, polished duo of Jimmie and Jeff. On track, given good equipment, I think he’ll be just fine.

Next issue. Teammates. We’ve already glanced at the 3J’s, now let’s turn our thoughts to JGR, Tony, Denny and Kyle. Interesting, and volatile combination. That’s three strong-minded, strong-willed and strong-opinionated men behind the wheel of a nearly two-ton car driving oh, anywhere from 90 to 200 miles per hour, depending on the weekend. I hope Joe and J.D. Gibbs know what they’re doing.

And more than teammates, business partners. Racing requires big money. That means taking on partners. Roush teams up with Fenway Sports. Ray Evernham sidles up with the the National Hockey League. DEI and Ginn still boggles my mind. As team owners need to come up with more cash, there will be more mergers.

Toyota. I’m still having issues with that. But JGR and Tony, Denny and Kyle will become the poster boys for Team Toyota. I’m looking for a much better showing from the Toyotas in 2008 with those three at the helm. And we KNOW Tony won’t drive anything he can’t win with. Gibbs has two seasons to make Toyota a winner with Tony, who’s contract will be up at the end of 2009 and there’s no extension yet.

While that leads to another foreign issue – the open wheel waltz. Juan Pablo has fared well. He’s not made any friends among the drivers with his on-track antics, manhandling of the cars and not understanding respect for other drivers, but he did win a race. Patrick Carpentier and Jacques Villeneuve have made a decent showing so far. Dario Franchitti will move up to the Sprint Cup (that name is another topic for another day), after a brief stint in the Busch, er, Nationwide Series (ditto on the topic).

No matter how you look at it all, 47 days to Daytona. Let’s hope for an exciting one, at least at the end. Although, you have to admit, it was pretty interesting at the finish in 2007, inches to win – poor Mark Martin. And Clint Bowyer made jaws drop, too.

Vroom, vroom, vroom, as the song says.

Bring it on NASCAR, bring it on.