WWMD?

Barring disaster on the part of Jimmie Johnson, just scratch his name on the trophy. Again.

Bah, Humbug. This year's Chase for the Sprint Cup hasn't been any fun. Well, except for last week when good 'ol JJ bounced off the wall. Seriously, you don't really think NASCAR fans across the country didn't laugh either in secret or just out loud? Probably the only ones who DIDN'T chuckle at least a little were my west coast friends Laura and Roberta and all the Jimmie fans.

I'll be honest about it. I was driving back from Gallipolis, Ohio when it happened. I was at the intersection of Route 2 and the I-64 connector. It's kind of like, "Where were you when: A. Kennedy died B. Earnhardt died C. Michael Jackson died?" I'll remember that one.

And I've said all along, I'd pay $20 cash money to any driver who took out pretty-boy Johnson So, I suppose I should send Sam Hornish the payoff, er, I mean, donation to his foundation. Should I just address it: Sam Hornish, Defiance, OH 43512?

Now to the question of the day, maybe of the past 10 weeks. What would Martin do?

He could go whine to Rick Hendrick and say, "But I've been sooooo close soooo many times? Couldn't I trade Jimmie cars, just this one time? Maybe you could tell him to just go slow during the race?"

Here's a thought? "Hey, JR, if you get near the 48, could you walk him up the track into the wall? There's 20 bucks in it for you from a woman in West Virginia." That's believable. Oh, come on, you know it is - wrecking and taking out Johnson, not me sending him $20. Although I really would. Which brings about a whole other series of thoughts and questions about Junior for a later time. How many did he take out at Phoenix on Sunday, 4 or 5?

Mark could hire someone to play golf with Jimmie, no one have on a watch, "lose track of time," and keep him away from Miami Homestead on qualifying day so he'd have to start 43rd.

How about just goin' to JJ and saying, "Look pal, I deserve this. You KNOW I deserve this. Just let me win this one time. Please? (Dropping to his knees, hands clasped at his chin, eyes pleading toward heaven.) PLEEZE PLEEZE PLEEZE? I promise I'll retire for real this time."

So WWMD?

He'd be the fair-minded, clean-driving gentleman he's always been and congratulate his teammate on a good season, his 4th championship and say I'll see you on the stage at Las Vegas.

That's what Mark Martin would do. And probably will.

Did your picks make the HOF?

The votes have been tallied and the inaugural class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame has been announced. I find it interesting to compare the "professionals" versus the fan-based vote.

These are the official inductees, to be enshrined May 23, 2010. The 1st class is made up of Dale Earnhardt, Bill France Sr., Bill France Jr., Junior Johnson and Richard Petty.

The fans saw it basically the same, but nearly 700,000 fans cast their ballots to The King, The Intimidator, Cale Yarborough, Bobby Allison and Bill France Sr.

So how did my vote stand up? Fair. I picked Big Bill, Tim Flock, Richard Childress, Benny Parsons and Junior Johnson. I still don't think family members should be individualized. They should be a group. Like the France, Petty, Earnhardt, Jarrett, Waltrip families. You get the idea.

But I will reiterate, Petty said on several occasions, he didn't think he should be in the first group. I believe there were more deserving than Earnhardt. No offense to the dead, but that seems to be more of an emotional choice.

And how were your choices?

Hold the engraving tool...

Let's not be hasty and engrave Jimmie Johnson's name on the trophy just yet. After all, it ain't over 'till the chunky boy shuts down his engine and does the final burnout.

For the last two weeks, everyone seems to have been anxious to hand over the NASCAR trophy to a clean-shaven JJ. "No body can beat him," "It's that Hendrick equipment."

Let's not forget, Mark Martin drives Hendrick equipment. Tony Stewart's car is powered by Hendrick.

So maybe Hendrick stuff WILL be a factor in the Chase.

Well, if they can pass inspections. Ooops. Chad's at it again, maybe.

If I remember my tour of the NASCAR Research and Development Center in May, a place the public isn't welcome, but the NASCAR Members Club got to see, They haul in the top 3 finishers and 1 random selection, chosen before the race begins by pole position and announced to the crew chief of that car just prior to the start.

Here's a couple of shots in the display room of the R&D Center on my trip. There's me with a Fusion that can pass inspection, well, until the whole group puts it's hands on it, kicks the tires and takes photos. If you look in the background, there's a template on a Craftsman Truck Series vehicle.

The room has templates on examples of all three series cars. This photo is just before we went to the "secret places" at the center. Where they inspect cars and the really, really inner sanctum (well, we SAW it) where those "special" parts are kept under serious lock and key.


That would make it Stewart, Gordon and Greg Biffle, plus 1. Ah, but R&D also wants Jimmie's and Mark's cars for being "periously close" to infractions last week. So, they could be taking serious looks at Hendrick.

Which doesn't surprise me. On that R&D tour, the reporter in me tried several times to get an answer to "whose cars do you see the most in a season for 'issues' relating to potential illegalities?"

He didn't outright say it, but about 10 minutes later, totally out of the blue, he said, "Say we see, oh, Hendrick cars more than other teams in a season..." Yeah, hypothetical.

I just smiled. Thanks for the round-about answer.

We'll see what comes next for Hendrick and the boys. Now, remember, Tony's driving Hendrick engines. So, he's in the bunch, too.

Back to the Chase.

Call me sentimental, but Martin deserves the trophy - for sheer stick-to-it-ivness if nothing else. Come on, the dude's 50 years old and if he was a little taller, I bet he could whup up on Cousin Carl. I don't think 5'3" can truly stand up to Carl at 6'1". Heck, Carl's arms probably have a wingspan close to Mark's total height. But Carl IS on crutches with a broken accelerator foot.

Nevertheless. Back to Hendrick stuff.

Being honest, Jeff "dad-o" Gordon has been pretty quiet all season. And Junior. Well, Junior's a part of the team, but not a contender. Sorry JR Nation, he's had one more tough year. Seems like a nice guy, has fair business sense and two really cool dogs. That's Stroker Ace - like the movie - at the window. If you look deep inside the truck cab, there is the famous Killer, with his back turned toward the camera. I guess he's shy.

I judge a man by the dog-company he keeps. How that explains my affinity for Tony, I don't understand. Little ankle biting, yapping chihuahuas.


So, do I think Hendrick will be on the stage in December. Yes. Which way, I don't know. Personally, I'm pulling for Tony out loud. What a story that would be, although last Tuesday he said it isn't quite what Alan Kulwicki accomplished in 1992 with a team built from scratch. Tony came in to an already established team. But it would still be cool.


Johnson, Gordon, Martin, Stewart. My money is on at least one of them inscribed on the trophy. But if you look at the photo, you can see where my heart lies.

NASCAR in the Great White North

Apparently, folks in Montreal love their NASCAR. They turned out in droves to watch the NASCAR Nationwide series qualifying on Saturday in the rain and again on Sunday for the race, partly in the rain.

But the race faithful in Canada got to see a great race, lots of caution flags fly, and our hometown representative in the NNS show a good finish.

Yeah. Let native sons of Canada lead lap after lap, then in the end, cars slide all helter skelter into each other, only to have an Australian and a guy from the US Heartland battle it out for the win.

And Jacques Villeneuve - son of the man for whom the track is named - finishes fourth.

If sentimentality won races, surely Villeneuve would have appeared in Victory Lane. Of course, if sentimentality counted for anything, Mark Martin would have a championship by now.

Actually, watching the waning laps of the caution-riddled race reminded of sitting in NASCAR simulators at Lowes Motor Speedway with two friends, squealing and laughing while we hit the walls, hit each other, drove over pretty much everything and proved we should never be allowed behind the wheel of a race car. As for me, well I may have come in last among the 10 simulators, but I protected the equipment. I drove most of the race through the grassy infield.

But, back to racing in the real world.

We in the Tri-State should be fairly proud of "our" car in the Nationwide race. After qualifying 37th, Herd Racing and driver Brett Rowe not only finished the race and protected the car, but came in 21st. Not bad for a Barboursville boy! Yay Brett.

He beat out my buddy Boris Said, the road course ringer, some say. I was pulling for both, but I was wearing my SaidHead shirt and earrings. Sorry, Brett and Crew Chief Dana Tomes. Tear at my loyalties, will you?

I've kind of joked about him driving a road course for a week or so. Think about it. Roads around Cabell County aren't exactly wide and straight now, are they?

Actually, I have a friend from Georgia that the first time she visited Wayne County to meet her future husband's parents, it was so twisty she got car sick.

So if a guy from this area is going to be a racecar driver, doesn't narrow with lots of turns make sense to you? It did to me.

Hey, I just like seeing a local fella do well and our Herd make a good showing - anywhere, anytime, in any sport. (Did the guys at Joan C. Edwards Stadium hear that?)

Notes from the stands

Bristol bash?

Well, it was for Mikey Waltrip. Ouch. You don’t really appreciate how steep the Bristol banking is until you look at a still photo of it. His late-race wreck was just off to my right, as the photo shows.

Then there’s something I haven’t seen at any other track – fistfight in the stands. Don’t have a clue as to what led up to it, but maybe adult beverages were involved and disparaging words about someone’s driver, or maybe girlfriend. Or maybe about their choice of adult beverage.

Which leads me to observe, Bristol is a circus-like atmosphere. Although, I will say the “show us your……” signs and Mardi Gras beads were missing on the drive in to the track. It was disappointing to the men on the bus, but a relief to the women. At the track however, there was plenty of skin showing. I didn’t realize women could cover their parts with a couple of blocks from a checkered flag.

And some men are better left covered up. Seriously guys, if you’re carrying a six-pack, consider whether it’s in your hands and inside your abdomen or on the outside of your abdomen. Leave your shirt on accordingly. Please. Seriously.


Occasionally, statements are made with clothing and accessories – like the guy with the Dale Junior hard hat. As you see, it’s uniquely decorated with a hangman’s gallows with a little Kyle Busch in the noose. He was quite popular with the crowd.


Inside, the pre-race ceremonies were proudly patriotic – American flags in the grandstands, a huge flag unfurled on the track and the ever-present card stunt in turns 1 and 2 of the flag. The American Flag was brought to the infield by paratroopers, which, too, is quite a sight to behold. Attack helicopters flew overhead after the flyover by military jets. I swear, it rattles your chest when the pass.

Then, there was a race. Gee I love the double-file restart! It sets up some beatin’ and bangin’ for position and a shootout for the win.


Sorry Mark Martin, it may have been your 1,000th start as a driver, but Kyle got past and won. Back to the “Shrub” as Tony Stewart calls him. We were waiting for the Busch Brothers to take each other out. They battled all night for position and a few times looked mighty close to contact. Back and forth, pass and pass. Well, maybe another time. But it’s gonna happen, you know it’s gonna happen. And they’ll be called to the Big Red Truck for a discussion.


Despite too much skin showing, too many adult beverages for some people, too many unkind words and the crowd's sentimental favorite losing, Bristol is fun anyway you look at it.

An offer hard to refuse...

The PT Barnum of NASCAR is retired, but here’s an offer worthy of Humpy Wheeler – the Victory Lane Club at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, which probably will again be known as Charlotte Motor Speedway. Lowe’s decided not to re-up the name licensing.

It’s kind of season tickets for the superspeedway alone. It includes the All-Star race, Coke 600 and the fall race, with a lot of perks. Best of all, you can purchase the package interest-free in 3 payments.

I got a promotion on this a week or so ago, but didn’t really look into it. Now, after reading the Web site and talking to the ticket office, it looks like a good plan.

Now, I'm not in the business of selling this stuff, but I do appreciate a good bargain. With the economy the way it's been the last couple of seasons, tracks are looking at ways to get the fannies in the seats. Apparently the $59 all-you-can-eat deal didn't draw enough takers, so it's gone. Of course the seats weren't that good (Diamond Tower) but the concept worked at Major League Baseball.

I still contend, what other sport gets 160,000 to 200,000 fans to a venue to watch it live? Granted, it took until last week to sell out the Bristol race this coming Saturday night. But, it sold out - 160,000 people at Thunder Valley.

Since I’ve talked at length to my LMS ticket agent Asa, here’s what I know.

The Victory Lane Club is a perk of purchasing a ticket to all three races or renewing your ticket to all three races but it has to be to all three.

If you sit in the Diamond Tower, your cost is much lower (around $130 for the three events) than in the GM Grandstand at the start-finish line (my personal favorite spot, about that same price only for one race - so factor by three). Right now, it looks like I’ll be in GM Section H row 27 aisle seats. Not bad. Pricy, but not bad. You can see everything there – the garages, pits and of course, double wide restarts and the race winning moment.

This is a shot at last year's All-Star from those seats. Not bad, eh? Worth it, so totally worth it.


Now, here are the perks:

• One free ticket to either a Nationwide Series or Camping World Truck Series race. That’s one for the season, so choose wisely.
• Free pit pass to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, again choose wisely. I’m partial to the All-Star race, everyone is much more relaxed.
• Free entry to fan appreciation event on Friday of the Coca-Cola 600
• Free six-month dining privileges at the Speedway Club
• A complimentary breakfast on race day in the Nationwide Series garage
• Personalized Victory Lane Club hard card. This is not the NASCAR hard card with all access, essentially a membership card you need to get into the special events like the breakfast and Speedway Club.
• VIP reserved parking throughout the year, still being discussed as to location, but will probably be somewhere near your seats.
• Access to press conferences and exclusive events
• 10 percent off future ticket purchases
• 10 percent off merchandise at the Lowe's Motor Speedway gift shop

If this interests you, call the LMS ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS and speak directly to a ticket representative. I think Asa is a pretty good rep – call for him!

On FB, NASCAR and economics

Ya gotta love Facebook. About 5 p.m., I got a post from Roush-Fenway announcing Matt Kenseth has a new sponsor for next year.

No big surprise here, folks. With DeWalt declining to re-up with Roush-Fenway, Matt Kenseth needed a sponsor, and oh, my! Crown Royal stepped in to fill the void on da’ hood.

Like ya didn’t see it coming? The hard liquor company will sponsor 18 of Kenseth’s Cup races next year.

Matt said he likes being able to promote drinking responsibly. That’s been the message with Jamie McMurry while driving under the purple and gold hood, too. Well, duh. If you’re gonna drink, be responsible and don’t get yourself or someone else hurt or killed. Ya think? OK, I’ll get off the soap box. But I’ve had decent backpacks ruined by guys at the track drinking in the row behind me and knocking over (not back) a few brewskis. I'm not bitter. It was a brown, suede backpack with leather trim. But I'm not bitter.

“We will miss Jamie (McMurray) as he has been an amazing partner both on and off the track taking our ‘Be a champion. Drink Responsibly,’ campaign to new heights. We were lucky to have him as part of our team and whatever sponsor aligns with him will have a great person working on their behalf. We wish him well,” said Dan Sanborn, Sr. Director, Corporate Relations for Diageo, Crown Royal’s parent company.

And fans may miss McMurray, too. Roush-Fenway president Geoff Smith said the 4-car team will be Kenseth, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and David Ragan. The team is hoping to find a sponsor and transfer Jamie Mac’s and his ride to Yates Racing.

At’d be nice. Keep more Blue Oval presence on the track and the crews employed, especially after last year’s mega downsizing in the Charlotte area shops.

Now, personally, I like Jamie Mac. I have a life-size standup of him from a Coke Zero campaign. It’s scares friends of mine when they walk through the front doors of my house the first time. Yep, they’ve let out a screech or two. Heck, so have I on occasion. But we digress.

You hate to see any of these guys lose their ride, because you know that means job loss to not just the one, but dozens of people on the pit crew, hauler drivers, shop crew and support personnel in the immediate. Then there's the trickle down effect to service providers in the community. For every $1 spent in salary the multiplier is that it generates at least $7 more in the community.

So you guys at Roush-Fenway, listen here. Find the boy a sponsor and keep the money flowing through your community. No pressure, but a lot of lives are looking toward you right now.

So how much economic pressure is there on NASCAR right now? If you look in the stands, there are empty seats. But in a venue that will seat 200,000 people, and only 150,000 show up, what's that mean. How many basketball, football or baseball places will hold 200,000? Or, for that matter, 150,000? So really, 150,000 people putting down cash money for a 4- or 5-hour event isn't really so bad after all, is it?

It's a crunch we're all feeling. I've been to the All-Star, 600 and going to Bristol next month. But I'm probably not making the Bank of America race in Charlotte in October. A financial move, actually. I've had good deals to go to all the others through the NASCAR Members Club, group trips and the like. But the last one of the year is on my own. So, it may be a trip I don't take.

But there's local racing in a few spots, so the need for live racing gets filled. The local economy gets some stimulus and everyone leaves happy for the evening. Well, except for the guys who don't place first in the race. You know. Second place is just the first loser.

Everyone wins with Victory Junction

Want a chance to win an autographed diecast from Kasey Kahne, Dale Jr., Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin or Denny Hamlin? Then, there is my personal favorite, an autographed diecast of Tony Stewart’s Daytona winner Burger King car.

How about a race-used tire autographed by The King Richard Petty?

Kasey’s diecast has a certificate of authenticity and a special note from his mom, Tammy Kahne.

I really like Tammy. She’s so sweet and unpretentious. She’s called up club members to come over to Kasey’s new shop – before it opened to the public – and take a look around. She personally conducted a tour, showing the offices, machining shop, car floor and even Kasey’s Toy Room, where his “toys” will be housed – cars, dirt track cars, motorcycles, etc. You know, the fun stuff guys need.

Here she is with me and National Advisor Paul Mullins during All-Star week. Gee, I'm short.

The West Virginia chapters of the Official NASCAR Members Club are looking to raise enough money from this event to send a child to Victory Junction Gang Camp in Randleman, N.C. The cost for one week is $2,500 and no child or family is ever asked to pay for participation.

“This is an exciting time in NASCAR history. This fundraiser is about creating more smiles at a camp which dedicates everything they have to helping children who need it the most. With the enthusiastic grassroots program we have, I am 100 percent confident that our Chapters will successfully complete the goal,” said ONMC Charleston Local Chapter president, and National Advisor, Paul Mullins.

To participate, call Paul at 304-553-4180 to donate to this worthy cause. 100 percent of the money raised will go to VJC and sponsorship of campers.
Donations are suggested at $50, but any amount is acceptable, and should be mailed to Paul by August 15 at PO Box 6823, Charleston, WV 25361 Attn: Victory Junction Gang, or call him at 304-553-4180. His e-mail is NascarMembersWva@yahoo.com.



Drawings will be held each Friday through August 22. So the faster you get the donation to him, the more drawings you’ll be eligible.



The Official NASCAR Members Club is the only official fan membership organization licensed by NASCAR. Membership enables fans to become Official Members of NASCAR, and thus enjoy VIP Insider status and access to exclusive events, information, merchandise, deals, discounts, and other benefits. The Club aggregates rewards and assets from the entire sport, enabling its members to get closer to the sport, and the sport to more accurately and efficiently connect with its fans.

Here are a few shots around the camp I took in May on my visit with the club. There are all sorts of neat things there to do and see. The bulldog butler dispenses sunscreen. There's mini golf with all sorts of animals around, and maze sponsored by Tony Stewart. The maze can be changed around by opening and closing parts of the fence. Sometimes, during play the patterns are tinkered with by the camp counselors.

On the road with Herd Racing

The #75 Herd Racing Chevy Impala SS will take on the upcoming NASCAR Nationwide Series road courses at Watkins Glen and Montreal during the month of August.

It's been a while since we've seen the #75 Herd car on the track, and it will be nice to see it again. The driver remains Brett Rowe of Barboursville, W.Va.

Brett, you will recall, has driven part time in the NNS the last three seasons, and was the 2005 ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series champion.

Now all you Chevy fans, listen up. The #75 will have a Richard Childress engine under the hood. OK, it's not a Hendrick, but it's pretty reputable.

And if you'd like your name or company name on the car somewhere, sponsorships are available for both races. Just call Brett at 304-617-1012 and he'll get you set up.

I think that would be pretty cool - somewhere in a nice script, my name and Official NASCAR Members Club chapter number. I know what my friends are thinking. I'm God's mighty woman of faith, but John 3:16 is already there. (Good job, Brett!) Why muddy the waters. Keep the message simple.

But I digress. Seriously, help a brother out, and if y'all love racing as much as everyone claims around here, call Brett and put some money into it. Sponsor a tire, the entry fee, or just a couple of feet on a quarterpanel.

And be sure to watch for Herd Racing at Watkins Glen on August 8 and at Montreal on August 29.

Go Herd!

Who belongs in the Hall of Fame?

NASCAR Hall of Fame: The First Class will be seen at 8 p.m. Thursday on SPEED, hosted by Ken Squier. The 25 nominees for the inaugural group of five will be made.

Making appearances on the program will NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France and NASCAR Hall of Fame historian Buz McKim.

The official opening of the Hall will be May 11, 2010. Buz said there will be a “soft opening” in April next year before the big blowout events. And, if the NASCAR Members Club has anything to do about it, next year’s annual convention will be at the Hall in mid-May.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame has announced May 11, 2010, as the official grand opening date for the state-of-the-art facility under construction in Charlotte.

OK, the leak from those who know, says DW and Bobby Allison are 2 of the 25 nominees. On NASCAR Live Tuesday, when asked if he deserved to be in the first HOF class, Bobby Allison said, “yes, I believe I do.” You gotta love honesty.

At the NASCAR Members Club convention in May, Buz McKim said The King, Richard Petty doesn’t believe he should be in the inaugural class. Does that surprise anyone? No, the Richard Petty we’ve met is a humble, grateful man.

I tried to get Buz to tell us his picks for the first group of enshrines and he threw the question right back at me. But then again, he IS a member of the selection committee. But I still want to know who he'd pick.


So, who would I pick? Remember, I’ve only paid attention to NASCAR for not quite 9 years now.

Bill France Sr. DUH! I would be tempted to lump the entire France family together as one member. Heck, they could fill the first class by themselves.

I’d go Bobby Allison. He’s already in four motorsports halls of fame and was NASCAR’s most popular driver six times.

Darrell Waltrip, yep, he’s a keeper here. Driver, owner, commentator and Emmy award nominee, and motivational speaker. Like Bobby Allison, named one of top 50 NASCAR drivers of all time.

There’s three. Who else?

Maybe the Petty family as a whole and certainly Richard Petty at least. Yeah, The King doesn’t think so, but plenty of people do.

OK, four. One more to go.

What about the RJ Reynolds Company. Winston Cup 1971 to 2004. The company certainly stepped up and promoted the sport to a new level. Buz said crew member, crew chief, driver, pretty much anyone related to the sport in any way. But I’d contend the tobacco company made a substantial contribution to stock car racing. Go ahead, say it, “tobacco’s not good for you, you’re promoting smoking.”

There you have it. That’s my five. Well, two were already givens, actually three including the France family individually or as a whole.

Who would you choose?

Where to place the blame?

Was it Tony Eury Jr. or was it Dale Jr.? That, my friends, is the question.

Dale Junior's dogs Stroker Ace, left, and Killer, right with his back to the camera, don't care as long as "daddy" brings home bonesmoney every week.

For months, shoot, a year at least, the JR Nation screamed to ditch Tony Eury Jr. and find a better crew chief. Now, with the help of Rick Hendrick, fans get their wish for NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver. Hendrick yanked the daunting duo apart earlier this week.

The pair of juniors have had tempestuous relationship over the last couple years – yelling at each other through the radio during races, countermanding each other’s suggestions in the pits and being just plain cantankerous.

But the next question is, will JR roll over and play possum on the track to say it wasn’t his cuz’s fault he couldn’t win. Of course if it wasn’t the cousin’s fault, that would mean Junior just couldn’t drive well enough to win.

All seemed well during All-Star week, when I visited JR Motorsports. His dogs were hanging around, there was a cool wax-likeness of Junior in the JR store and lots of stuff to buy to provide bonesmoney for the dogs, kibble for the cats and hay and grain for the cows Earnhardt keeps.

But back to the question...

Goodness knows, it couldn’t be the Hendrick equipment. Everyone else in the stable has won – even the “Old Man,” Mark Martin. And Stewart-Haas hasn’t showed poorly on-track with Hendrick equipment under it’s hoods.

There are three choices to place the blame – the equipment (not likely), the crew chief (probably) or the driver (maybe). You make the call.

In search of the Holy Grail

A Hall of Fame is the place were rare artifacts are housed and the NASCAR HOF will be no different. Buz McKim is the Historian and spoke recently to the NASCAR Members Club annual convention.

There are already so many things loaned and donated to the Hall, some exhibits will be rotated on a two-year basis, he said. He estimates 95 percent of the items are on loan.

This man is a walking, talking, breathing history of racing - all racing - with a memory like a steel trap. I mentioned we only had one asphalt track in West Virginia and he finished my sentence with, "Ona Speedway." We think we're not an integral part of race history. Lots of people blow off Ona as a track and make fun of it. Not Buz McKim, he can tell you who raced there and when.

And he was a big help as a ringer in the final quiz event on my Yellow Flag "Lucky Dawg" team in the Chase for the Championship. That's him second from the right, a couple of the Lucky Dawgs flanking him. That's me with him a little further down the blog.

But back to the Hall.

One of Buz's favorite things is Dale Earnhardt's handwritten application to NASCAR, dated 1975. It was found in Daytona. It revealed he was living with his mother, Dale Jr. was three months old, he had been a high school wrestler, his superstitions were the color green and peanuts, and asked about his ambition beyond racing, answered, "none."

Well, alrighty, then.


The one thing he really, really, really wants for the Hall is what he termed his "Holy Grail." He's not even certain it still exists, but he wants to find this in a big way.

The 1954, gold-plated NASCAR card, numbered 1, belonging to Bill France Sr., is that one single item they want more than just about anything.

So if you are in possession of that artifact, that special card, that Holy Grail, let him know.

But who's going in as the first class of 5 in the HOF? Who knows and Buz wouldn't say his favorites. He did say everyone from every aspect of racing will be considered for induction. It's about what that person brought to the sport, the impact they made, not their name or if they were a driver.

The guy driving every Saturday night at a dirt track, living out of his car, splitting a cheeseburger, small fry and small Coke with his girlfriend because he didn't win is eligible. (That's a Tony Stewart story, documented in several articles and books.)A crew member, crew chief or pretty much anyone related to racing in any way can be nominated and included.

Well, look around your garage and attic for that #1 card, or if you don't have that, anything that might be rare or unusual and let Buz know at the HOF.

It opens next April with the official big opening in May, 2010.

For more about the NASCAR Hall of Fame, log on to:

http://www.nascarhall.com

Tires, drugs, the COT and aggression

Yep, here we go again, the never-ending discussion about tires and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

There will be tire testing June 1-3 and June 15-16, according to Robin Pemberton, NASCAR Director of Competition. He spoke at the 4th Official NASCAR Members Club convention last week in Charlotte.

And Stewart-Haas Racing will be in it, just not Tony testing the tires. Ryan Newman will participate in the test. Tony's been, shall we say, a wee vocal about Goodyear and their tires?

Pemberton said the track is diamond ground and it the toughest surface in racing, and that's why it's so tough on tires. Fine, it's hard and wears hard on tires. Just build a tire that can go more than 10 or 12 laps, OK Goodyear?

Last year's Brickyard was a waste of time, money and racing.


On to other topics with the Director. . .

The drug testing policy has been up for discussion recently. Actually, while we were at the convention it hit the news head on and in a big way. Thank you Jeremy Mayfield.

The policy has become more aggressive than the in the past, Pemberton said. Drivers, crew members and NASCAR officials are subject to randomly-generated testing. The 60 people chosen and tested weekly are scrutinized for over-the-counter drugs, prescription drugs and (duh)illegal substances.

It's just one of them racin' things, aggressive driving versus good, hard racing.

"It's a fine line," Pemberton told the crowd of nearly 100 racefans gathered Friday morning at Joe Gibbs Racing. "We don't want to micromanage, and I don't want to make that call."

So how do you tell the difference? With all the cameras and monitors he looks at during the races, you can see every expression on a driver's face. "You can see the whites of their eyes and facial expression and see their intent."

"It's all about winning and points," he said of the COT. The COT provides an annual savings of at least $1million per team.

Everyone has the opportunity to run with the COT, making a more level playing field. (Note to self: yeah, more level. Roush and Hendrick $$$ versus everyone else. Sure.)

The need for different cars for different tracks is less. Small changes in the wing and endcaps allow adaptation to different tracks, he said. The wing can be changed up to 6 degrees.

"The cost to building a car was like a runaway train," Pemberton said.

Well, that's our talk with Robin Pemberton. There's still a discussion with Buz McKim, Historian of the under construction NASCAR Hall of Fame, and our trip to the Research and Development Center.

Not a bad time at all

There are some advantages to being in the NASCAR Members' Club. Last week was the 4th annual convention of the club and those attending had access to people and places most fans don't.

The NASCAR Research and Development Center is a magical place that inspects every racecar, declares some illegal and comes up with safety strides to better protect drivers and fans. It's also the place where those questionable parts are stored under serious lock and key and cars placing first and second in each race, plus a randomly chosen one are taken weekly for inspection. The Members' Club was there for a tour. The public can't go there at all.


Without special contact, going to the All-Star stage for driver and team introductions doesn't happen. The Members' Club was there. OK, you get sprayed with Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Miller Lite, and ash and gritty particles of fireworks rain down on you, sticking to your skin and in your hair.

Ever want to give Robin Pemberton, NASCAR Director of Competition, a piece of your mind or ask questions about the whys and why-nots? For 30-minutes, he stood in front of the more than 100 members seated in Joe Gibbs Racing's dining room and answered everything asked. He addressed the white line, drug testing and a plethora of other issues.

Or, ever want a private tour of a driver's shop? Tammy Kahne, mom of Kasey "blue-eyed Budman" Kahne, did just that. The members who ventured to his newly-completed shop got a tour by his mother. Staffers were working hard to get photos hung, shop areas organized and Kasey's favorite things moved in before the big opening this week. As most moms are prone to do at times, she divulged little - if at all - known information about her famous son.

Want to visit the NASCAR infield garage area? Members went there while tech inspection was happening. They dodged crews and racecars for nearly 45-minutes, watched work in progress on the cars. That's a pretty chaotic place during inspection.


And there was a private party for members at Dale Junior's public nightclub, Whiskey River. Everyone can go there any night of the week, but this was just for the members, and mechanical bull riding ensued, as did raising money for Victory Junction Gang Camp.

There's more on all this to come in the next few days. The nitty-gritty, so to speak.

It was a great half-week of activities, making new friends and renewing friendships from previous years.

It will happen again during All-Star Week 2010. The club staff will have a hard time topping 2009, but they will try.

And by the way, members went to a race, too. Oh, yeah, Tony Stewart won - his first as owner-driver.

Not a bad time for a Tony fan. Not bad at all.

All-Star notes

Here's your invite to the All-Star festivities:

There’ll fun, fun, fun before the NASCAR All-Star Race next week.
The Pennzoil Victory Challenge will pit drivers against each other to see who can provide the fans with the smokin’-best burnout.

In the contest are DW, Happy Harvick, The Biff, Rowdy Busch, “Budman” Khane, Clint Bowyer and Jeff Gordon. They have 30 seconds of freestyle demonstration.

Judges for the event are Ric Flair (WOOO!), the Mountain State’s own Randy Moss, Jimmy Spencer and Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry (Montgomery Gentry).

NASCAR drivers are well known for their causes off-track and All-Star week is a great time for the fans to get involved.

The Martin Truex Jr. Foundation, Second Harvest Food Band and the Ryan Newman Foundation will be collecting canned goods, non-perishable food items and pet food.

The drivers’ foundations will be set up across from the entrance to Lowe’s Motor Speedway to receive items. Fans taking part will be eligible to register for the ultimate fan basket with merchandise from the two drivers.

There are guided shop tours available from several companies, including Lowe’s Motor Speedway, departing the Z-Max Dragway at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. beginning Wednesday, going to Ganassi, JR Motorsports, Roush-Fenway and Hendrick.

It’s been lots of fun hearing Nature Boy Ric Flair be the spokesman for the All-Star Race, bringing his own style of excitement to the promotion. A Charlotte resident, Flair said on NASCAR Live last week you can’t live in Charlotte without being a racefan.

The race is being promoted like a prize fight, going so far as to give drivers nicknames just like wrestling. Dale “Wahoo” Junior, Kasey “Night Train” Khane, Kurt “Vegas Violator” Busch, Clint “The Destroyer” Boyer.

We can feel fairly safe in saying the depictions of most drivers their heads on someone else’s body. Except maybe Tony Stewart. That one’s plausible, a little doughy with strong arms. Possible. Judge for yourself.

Seriously, it was a joke!

Let's address this one last time. I don't want to hear it at the track, get stopped in church and asked this again, or overhear it at another table in a restaurant.

President Obama has no bearing on NASCAR. He is not forcing any car manufacturer out of NASCAR. He probably won't even know NASCAR exists until next year when he hosts the champion for a 15-minute photo op. Sorry, he doesn't strike me as the type of person who has a clue about stock car racing, he seems pretty mainstream on sports.

Seriously. It was a joke in Car and Driver.

I'll admit, when Crime and Courts reporter Curtis Johnson sent it to me April 1 (people, first clue), I was incredulous. Then I re-read it. Above the byline was Happy April 1 (second clue). We know the President has been throwing his weight around with the automakers, getting one CEO to resign. But really, declaring two carmakers can't race in NASCAR? Seriously. You really think the France family, Richard Childress or Rick Hendrick would give it a second thought?

Seriously, it was all a joke. Here's the link to Car and Driver and the coverage the story got in the days after April Fool's Day.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_lists/high_performance/motorsports/obama_orders_chevrolet_and_dodge_out_of_nascar_car_news

Biff loses...to a girl?

It was a tough day for Greg Biffle in Akron on Wednesday.

He lost a really big, important race to a girl. Not just any girl, but a 15-year-old girl, at that.

Well, she WAS the 2007 Stock Division Soap Box Derby World Champion, Tyler Shoff of Akron.

It didn't matter Biff was the NASCAR Truck and Busch series champion.

Hey, Biff, blame it on the tires, they were Goodyears and it was the Goodyear Fuel Max Challenge.

She got four new Goodyears, you didn't.

It was the tires, I'm telling you. It was the tires.

Thanks to the Associated Press and Goodyear for the photo of a happy Tyler and smilin' Biff.

It's racin' in the Tri-State

Get ready, the local 2009 race season is already underway at Rocky Top, and Ona Speedway gets added to the schedule beginning this weekend.

Let's review. A few changes at Ona, where Late Models will race one time monthly.

We'll name the drivers and cars in each class, one group at a time.

At Ona, drivers in Elite Modified, plus their car numbers will be:
#3H Hubie Hatfield
#3R Roger Dilly
#4 Brian Jacobs
#6 Gary Chapman
#10 Jake Keaton
#12 Brandon Stickler
#17 Steve Mills
#20 Mike Cooper
#22 Tracy Berry
#27 Eric Maynard
#28 Shane Koontz
#32 David Grass
#55 Chad Bailey
#72 Jerry Graley
#93 Thomas Mays

Driving Modifieds at Rocky Top are, along with car numbers:
#7R JD Ritenour
#8 Dave “Fireball” Pinkerton
#10 Jake Keaton
#11F CJ Ferguson
#20 Jason Perry
#56 Chuck Yeley
#80 Daley Lyons

You gotta love the Rocky Top Website. Each driver has a little bio box which includes name, where they've won what, technical info about their car and who the sponsors are.
Sounds like practice for interviews with response like, "well, I tell ya, the Altoids #20 Chevy...I want to thank my sponsors....." and reel them off in a New York minute.

Rocky Top races this Friday night and testing day is Saturday at Ona.

Get out there and enjoy some local racin'!

Meet me in Charlotte

The annual convention of the Official NASCAR Members Club will be in Charlotte, N.C., the few days prior to the All-Star Race.

Members have some terrific activities on tap. If you aren’t a member and would like to get in on the events, there is still time. Join by April 25 and register for the convention by April 26, and you’re in.

On Wednesday, May 13, members visit Victory Junction and participate in the 2nd annual ONMC Bowling League Open.

There’s also the ONMC 500 – a kart race between members at the NASCAR Speedpark!

Thursday, we really gear up with a tour of the NASCAR Research and Development Center and shop tours around town. Personally, I want to head straight for Stewart-Haas and the Childress Vineyards.

Friday night is the big convention event and the Ultimate Tailgate.

Of course, we always take in the NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Time Warner Cable Arena. Members can get $5 off tickets for the fun of watching crews battle it out. It will be shown at 9 p.m. on SPEED.

You also get discounts for tickets to the All-Star Race on May 16 and the Coca-Cola 600 on May 24. ONMC gets 20% off Pit Passes to each race.

In addition, and this is really cool, you get a track garage tour on Friday (free!) and access to driver introductions to the All-Star Race (free again!).

In addition, and this is really cool, you get a track garage tour on Friday (free!) and access to driver introductions to the All-Star Race (free again!). Oh, by the way, there’s a trip to JR’s place, Whiskey River and shop tours include JR Motorsports and Gibbs Racing and two more. (Crossing fingers, Stewart-Haas, Stewart-Haas, Stewart-Haas.)

But you have to be a member! And be registered for the Convention.

If you are interested in that, and discounts and special VIP events at every NASCAR track in the country, visit www.nascar.com and click the ONMC tab. Read over member benefits. If you are interested go to the chapter locate and search for Huntington, WV. Chapter number is 257052. You can get a discount on membership at the Huntington or Charleston, WV sites.

Membership is $59 for one year through the site, $25 off the regular price of $89. Convention is $99 for all three days, or $69 for just Friday. The full convention cost includes five meals.

Then, you’re on your way to be the envy of your racing friends.

Man or machine?

First off, props to Jeff Gordon for winning at Texas on Sunday. He's got the hat and guns of the winner.

There are some pretty neat gifts for winning at various tracks - grandfather clocks, guns, a bear statue. And, they get a trophy and money to boot!

On to today's question.

Winning. Is it the in the hands of the man, or under the hood of the machine. Good question.

Like I've always said, I don't know Jack about what makes a car go other than Sunoco fuel and a pedal inside the vehicle. But let's look at a few instances.

Mikey Waltrip. Had good cars at DEI, won a few. Strikes out on his own and can't buy his way into most races. I'm 50-50 on this one. Could be him, could be the car. Could be some questionable acquisition of parts. (ooops! Sorry Cat in the Hat)


Joey Logano, or J-Lo. (Better nickname than sliced bread.) OK, he's young, real-ly young and inexperienced in the Cup car. He fares better in the Nationwide Series. The Gibbs cars have to be good, look at stablemate Kyle "Rowdy" Busch. Here, I have to go driver.


Then, startup owner/driver Tony Stewart. Startup is the key. Granted, he's using Hendrick power plants, and they are now Chevy (ah, that's a happy Smoke in a Chevy.) I'm looking for Smoke in Victory Lane shortly after NASCAR broadcasts leave FOX network and Digger-cam for 2009. Ditto on this, driver. Yes, we know it's 2-time Cup Champion Tony Stewart, not to mention all the other titles in various divisions. But He drove last year at JGR. Ergo, driver makes the difference, I think.

In short, probably the driver makes the difference.

But that doesn't explain Gordon's loooooong time between wins. That's a toss-up.

Thanks to Getty Images and the Associated Press for the photos.

Pancakes, NASCAR and fund raising

While all eyes are focused on Texas this weekend, a little bit of NASCAR can be found closer to home here in West Virginia, along with good cookin'.

There will be a pancake breakfast at Max and Erma's in downtown Huntington Saturday from 8 to 10 a.m., to benefit the Walk for Autism coming up April 25. Tickets are $5 and will be available at the door.

How does that relate to NASCAR? If you have to ask, you've never been to one of the group's local events or never met Bill Harvey. His business dealings send him to tracks on the east coast and he gets many limited items and has them autographed.

As a fund-raiser for the Autism Society - which, by the way, is a cause near and dear to the hearts of Elliott and Hermie Sadler.

Hillbilly Hot Dogs will host the annual Autism Auction on May 9. A couple of items up for bid will be on display Saturday morning at the pancake breakfast.

Elaine Harvey and her husband Bill are tireless workers for the Autism Society and he has quite the NASCAR collection. A few of his awesome autographed items are on the block, and hopefully they'll send along photos so you can see them.

Namely, a signed Dale Jr. display hood and a construction hard hat with approximately 20 autographs.

For more information about the items up for bid, the Walk for Autism or the local Autism Society, you can call the Autism Services Center at 304-525-8014
or the WV Autism Training Center at 304-696-2332.

Snoozer

Did anyone besides me fall asleep during the Food City 500 Sunday at Bristol?

The cars hypnotized me and over I fell on the couch. It just wasn’t the usual bump and go, squeezing through the middle of three-wide or passing to get to the front Bristol we’ve come to love.

It was one more day of “Rowdy” Busch. Wait a minute. Change that. One more weekend of Kyle Busch. He’s won at least one race every weekend this season in the Camping World Trucks, Nationwide Cup or Sprint Cup.

Of course, he started out this way last season, too. Eventually, other drivers got to play with the trophies.

You may disagree with me - and I’m sure you will strictly on principle – but this boy can drive, and has the hardware to show. It's just a matter of time before the big one comes his way.

Everyone took a deep breath last year when Smoke said he’d be striking out on his own, leaving Busch to become the experienced and vocal driver at Joe Gibbs Racing.

Hopes were high for Denny Hamlin taking on that role, but we haven’t heard much from him yet in 2009. Kyle is loud and proud. He can throw stuff – this time a HANS device - as well as Tony. He can tell off his crew pretty well, too. Right ladies? He called his pit crew ladies.

It’s just like with Tony. The boy can drive. He speaks his mind and you know exactly where you stand with him.

Love him or hate him. Little brother is eclipsing his older sibling.

Ona schedule expands

After a season of every-other-week racing, Ona Speedway will go back to a schedule of weekly events. There will, however, be a week off every month.

Here's the lineup:
May: 2, Test and Tune, noon to 6 p.m., admission $10 per person; 9 and 16, racing; 23 week off; 30, racing including Late Models.
June: 6, racing; 13, week off; 20, racing; 27 racing including Late Models.
July: 4 and 25, weeks off; 11, racing; 18, Super Cup and Mini Cups.
August: 1, 8, 15, racing; 22, week off; 29, racing including Late Models.
September: 5, week off; 12, 19, racing; 26, racing including Late Models, also the final points race for 2009 season.
October: 3, week off; 10, racing including Late Models and the 2009 end-of-the-season event.

Now here's the classes running 2009 at Ona Speedway: Classics, Hobby Stock, U-Car, Junior U-Car, Elite Modifieds, Street Stock and once a month, Late Models.

Admission will be $8 for adults, kids 7-years and younger free. Gates open at 5 p.m. for general admission and races start at 7 p.m.

Now let's compare to the big boy schedule - OK, my All-Star trip keeps me away from Ona on May 16 and they don't race the weekend of the Coke 600. The Brickyard in July, no racing at Ona. Bristol in August is no problem, weekend off. Ona's done by the Bank of America 500 in October.

Here's my Bristol seat view. It's a trip with 50 of my new closest friends - it's a fund raiser for the Alum Creek (W.Va.) Lions Club. Being a good Lions Club president in Huntington, of course I go on that trip. These folks are also members of the Nascar Members Club and in the center is National Advisor Paul Mullins of St. Albans, W.Va.



Hmmmm. I sense a pattern here. Either the drivers all want to go to the 600, the Brickyard and Bristol or the owners realize those are the races of interest to local folk. No problem from me!

The All-Star is no points, but a lot of fun to watch! Wonder who'll be the musical entertainment, now that Humpy Wheeler is retired...And I wonder if they'll still blow up stuff before the races?

Time to race again!

Greetings race fans. Hard to believe it's race time again. Of course, with races in Florida, California and Las Vegas, then time off again, it doesn't seem like the season has really started.

So, let's talk local racing.

We've discussed the big change at Ona Speedway with Late Models. Well, there WILL be late model racing, just not all the time. Once a month late models. That gives guys time to fix any damage that may have happened to their cars and possibly, a little better on them financially.

I know we've been promised improvements the last few years that have not manifested. However, Bill Wallace assures me a septic system is being put in to place as we blog. That means - you got it racefans - real bathrooms at Ona Speedway! Yay! The portapotties will be replaced by the season opening.

Another on-track change will be some of the cars. Bill has built a new Classic to race and his dad is supposed to be the wheelman for Bill's former car. We'll believe that when we see him make that right turn onto the track from the pits. And Bill has sponsors, besides himself and family business ventures - Shogun Japanese Steakhouse.

Moving up the highway to Kanawha Valley, it will drastically change over the next few years - adding a paved track that will be rated for the NASCAR Truck series and a road course to the existing drag strip and motocross course. It will be a long-term project, estimated to take 3 years to complete.

Here's a photo of the plans, but it isn't the best quality for the blog. World of Wheels was a lot of fun and lot of information.

And here's one more shot, just for fun. That's me and Lou Santiago, formerly of Muscle Cars on SPIKE network. He was there, too.

Here we go again

Well, as DW says, Boogity, boogity, boogity. . .NASCAR has officially started for 2009, and I’m going to give this blog another shot.

Honestly, some of you have been so snarky toward me personally, and called local drivers really ugly names, I have issues with that. I would throw up my hands and say "nimyh, nimyh, aargh!" Then, I'd swear off this blog thing again.

I'm not the all-knowing great OZ. I have a couple of jobs to work. I have a life. Time is sometimes limited.

I’m not into the particulars of engines, car bodies, camber, toe, (heard those phrases yesterday) tires and all those kinds of technical things I hear on TV or elsewhere. If it has wheels and there is competition involved, I’m happy. I don’t care if it a unicycle, bicycle, tricycle or an 18-wheeler. I like competition. Yeah, that’s pretty shallow, but I guess that’s me.

So here’s a ground rule – and it won’t change in the middle of the season or a race, as NASCAR is prone to do.

Don’t make personal attacks. I’ll just reject the comment. I don't care if it's about me or someone. I still believe in your right to have an opinion, but don’t tell me I’m stupid, call me, or anyone else for that matter, mean names or cast aspersions on my heritage.

My realm of auto knowledge is how to put the pernerndl (PRNDL) in gear, check the oil and air pressure in the tires, how to pump gas, vacuum the carpet and wash the exterior. Other than that, I call the mechanic or AAA. Enterprise Rent A Car is on my cell phone contact list.

I can tell you what’s happening around the area and special events coming up, who wins what races where – when they update their websites regularly - what’s going on with some local racers, and make a few comments, observations and even jokes about things nationally.

Honestly, I have more fun at the local tracks than I do most of the time at NASCAR races. There’s more camaraderie and enjoyment at local NASCAR Members Club viewing parties that live at the track. I don’t know how many autographed photos and limited edition poster prints we gave away yesterday at the Daytona 500 party for guessing lap leaders, who’d cause the first caution and who’d be the first Lucky Dog.

When my friends and I go to NASCAR races, what happens inside the track is usually anticlimactic to the tailgating, friendship, fellowship and food outside in the parking lot and playing the games around the haulers.

The fun inside is generally pre-race on pit road or in the stands meeting new people. Last year at the Coke 600, we met some firefighters from New York City at their first race who were seated beside us. They looked over and asked if we could show them how to use the TrackScan radio. From then on, we were their best buddies for the day. I think they wanted to take my race buddy back to NYC with them.

So see, to me, racing is more about having fun, watching some good (hopefully) competition and taking in the experience. Yes, we have favorites and we are happy when they win and upset when they lose. We proudly wear their colors, patronize their sponsors and immediately bond with others wearing the same colors.

That said… Let’s go racin’! And, BTW, did you EVER think you’d hear this?

“And Elliott Sadler takes the lead in the Daytona 500.”

I thought so. Me neither.