Herd racing at Nashville April 3

In a one–race deal with Herd Racing, DuVita corporation will sponsor the #75 Chevy Impala driven by Brett Rowe in the NASCAR Nationwide Series April 3 at Nashville Superspeedway.

Nice job for Dana Tomes and the Herd team. DuVita is based in the Nashville area, and the car will boast it’s logo for the race. DuVita is a home-based business opportunity for direct marketing of dietary supplements.

Other partners for that race are Ponderosa Steakhouse in Lebanon, Tenn., will host a fan appreciation event for Herd Racing from 5 to 7 p.m. April 1 at the restaurant.
The Ponderosa will also cater for the team at the track that Friday and Saturday of race weekend.

While in Tennessee, the Holiday Inn Express in downtown Nashville is the official lodging partner for the team. Brett will be in the hotel lobby from 9 to 10 p.m. on April 2 for autographs and photos.

The car was unveiled Tuesday in Huntington by the team and its sponsor.

Brett goes into Nashville in 66th place in the NNS, but remember, he’s not made a start yet this season. He will have to race his way into the field.

Here are a few shots of the car, Brett, DuVita owners Amber McAdams and Nelson Crowe II, and a fun challenge for the fans, being the tire changer. Dana kept ducking the cameras. The silent man behind the scenes? Yep.

Winners and losers, on and off the track

Jimmie Johnson, front, crosses the finish line in front of Tony Stewart, center, and Kurt Busch, back, to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' Food City 500 auto race at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., Sunday, March 21, 2010. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
*************************************************************************
A poll at MRN’s Web site asked if another Jimmie Johnson win diminished your interest in NASCAR. Of the respondents, 64 percent said yes.

Well, yes, yes it does. Although I thought (hoped and prayed) Smoke would keep the lead Sunday, he gave pretty-boy an opening. He took it and the win.

Tony was pretty gracious in post race interviews. But Kurt Busch, well, he probably said it best. There are drivers out there who probably feel the same way, but just haven’t spoken it out.

“There are 41 drivers out there I’d rather lose to than Jimmie Johnson.”

There you have it folks. Even drivers are tired of Jimmie’s winning ways.

And as an aside, what’s up with the beard? Has Rick Hendrick gone soft on good grooming? We expect a scruffy Dale Jr. What’s next, Jeff Gordon with a beard? Remember when he had a fuzzy lip? Looked a bit forced and didn’t last a long time. Like JJ’s beard, it just didn’t look right.

************************************************************************
Can we go back to the Cousin Carl fracas? Is he on ‘roids or something? Temper, temper Carl. Anger doesn’t become you. Now he whines the other drivers are like little schoolgirls, talking and whispering behind his back.

DUH! Everyone talks about the schoolyard bully behind his back. Yes, I said bully. That’s what he seems to have turned in to for the last couple years. He started out as a nice guy with his mommy at all his races. This is what he's become.


Remember this? Kevin Harvick (left) and Carl Edwards scuffle in the garage area at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2008. Photo by Nascar Illustrated.

Man up. Take responsibilities for your actions. Certainly every time you’ve bumped a car it wasn’t someone else’s fault. Every time you’ve yelled at, pushed, shoved, pulled a punch or tried to strangle another competitor, can’t be someone else’s fault. Oh, it’s NEVER you, it’s always. . .insert a name here. Any name. Heck, MY name.

You know, even Tony Stewart took responsibility for his misdeeds and run-ins in the past, and went for anger management.

If Jack Roush hasn’t considered sending you for help with anger issues, maybe he should. Or, maybe you and the family should talk it over and consider it without a recommendation from the boss or your sponsors. Just like Home Depot, eventually they’ll tire of this sort of attention.

I know I’m tired of watching you bully everyone. Seriously, grow up.

Over the line?

I'm all for good, hard racing. And bumping is just a part of it.

HOWEVER...

You can take the intentional "love tap" too far, and Carl Edwards did just that Sunday in Atlanta. Yes, let the other guy know you didn't appreciate his bump but don't take him out when he's racing in the top 10 and you're running, oh, I don't know, 150 laps down!

Last May, in conversation with Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition, he said he could tell a driver's intentions during an incident. There are so many cameras in, on and around the cars, you can see it in their eyes, Robin said.

Well, not only did the veep see Cousin Carl's intent, but so did the entire FOX viewing audience.

In a similar battle last season, Carl and Kyle Busch had a tet-a-tet on-track. I don't recall the race but it was during the waning laps for the win as Mr. Fitness took out the Vegas Kid.

I'll admit to a chuckle or two when asked post race about that one as Carl said yes, yes I hit him. If the situation was turned around, he (Kyle) would have done the same thing. Edwards has also wrecked his own teammates. Just how stupid is that? And how costly to Roush-Fenway in terms of money and morale? Do you think his teammates trust him to have their backs or help them during races?

Carl obviously knows his anger is showing because he admits to his deeds.

And we talk about Tony Stewart's temper? Well, OK, Tony's temper is pretty famous, smacking tape recorders and cameras from reporters' hands. But how long before Carl Edwards takes that next step? Although he said it was all in jest and fun last season, he drew back a fist on teammate Matt Kenseth, if you recall. Matt didn't seem to think Carl was joking in the least.

I'm not suggesting for one minute to stop bumping and banging, but use the gray matter inside your skull. Realize the futility of some retaliations at that moment and just be patient.

Or, just wail on each other as soon as you get out of the car. What the heck, get the pit crews involved, too. Although, #99 versus anyone in a physical fight probably isn't exactly a fair fight. (Note to any opponent, don't take off your helmet.)

Now the question for NASCAR is, since you said let 'em have at it on the track, how far is too far and where are you going to draw that line? Was this the extreme? Or just the front end of the infraction? You have set a standard for punishment, so what about the next guy and what if Edwards does it again? A three-race probation for this incident? Is that severe enough, or is it merely a tap on the hand?

Just think everyone, Bristol is the next race on the schedule. Oughta be a good one.

This blog has moved

This blog is now located at http://herald-dispatchblogs11.blogspot.com/.
You will be automatically redirected in 30 seconds, or you may click here.

For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions to
http://media.herald-dispatch.com/blog/nascar/atom.xml.

Daytona curse?

Wasn't that a wonderful celebration with Jamie Mac on Sunday at Daytona? That young man was thrilled to win. Heck, he was thrilled just to have a Sunday ride!

Six months ago he was chopped from the Roush-Fenway team, a casualty of downsizing. Not by Jack's idea, but of NASCAR's. Anyone surprised by that? Didn't think so. Seems people took exception to the Cat in the Hat fielding five Cup teams, and all five getting into the Chase in 2005. That would have been Mark Martin, Jamie Mac, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch and Greg Biffle. Shoot, if he's got the money, I say let Jack have all the teams he can afford!

Flash forward. Jamie is pickup by his old buddy Chip Ganassi (Earnhardt Ganassi) and voila! Got a ride for 2010.

HOWEVER, Daytona winners haven't always fared well the season they hoisted that trophy. The last two winners - Kenseth and Ryan Newman - failed to make the Chase the year they took Daytona.

Then there's poor Kevin Harvick. He's a personal fave of my Lion's Club pal Homer Jimison. Happy Harvick hasn't made a trip to Victory Lane in the Cup Series SINCE winning the 2007 Daytona 500.

Furthermore...

It's been rain-shortened twice (2003 and 2009).

And in 2001, it ended with, well, you know, THAT crash.

This was the year of the pothole, making for one of the longest races we've watched - then listened to the end, because it was how many hours long? Nap-mats anyone? Honestly, you could lose a pace car in that hole.

Don't get me wrong, it was a good race, an exciting race at times, especially the end, if you lasted that long. And no, I don't believe anyone was telling their drivers to hold off and let JR pass. Puhleeze.

Seriously, there's just something about that place that bodes dark.

Yet, in an odd twist of fate, Dale Jr., who's been kind of struggling for a while, finished second. A lot of my friends, and members of the JR Nation, praised the fella for the best drive they'd seen from him in a while.

Well alrighty, then. On to Cali-forn-i-a! Yee-Haw!

Boogity, boogity, boogity - Nationwide Series on the way!

The decision has been made – someone is going to attempt to qualify in the Nationwide contest at Daytona.

The car has a sponsor, an experienced driver and qualifying is Friday.

Danica, you ask? Naw, who cares? Barboursville’s – and Herd Racing’s – Brett Rowe.

Cool looking car to enter the Drive4COPD qualifying belongs to Herd Racing. The #75 Dodge Charger hopes to charge it’s way into the NNS contest, set for Saturday at 1:15 p.m. It will be broadcast on ESPN2.

Here’s the car you’re looking for in practice Wednesday and Thursday and in qualifying on Friday.


Around West Virginia, we don’t need an explanation of the number and green and white color scheme. Although, the Daytona entry is a retro gray and black.

But for the uninformed who don't live in West Virginia, Ohio or Kentucky, or those who missed the movie, We Are Marshall, starring Matthew McConaughey and Matthew Fox, it dates back to a cold, rainy night in November, 1970. The number, 75, denotes the number of people who died in a plane crash that night – and airline crew, and Marshall University football players, coaches and university boosters.

Driver Brett and team owner Dana Tomes both attended Marshall University, which boasts the Thundering Herd as the team mascot and green and white as team colors.

You get it now? Herd Racing, green and white, 75. Alrighty, then. Let’s move ahead.

Brett has around 30 NNS races under his belt since entering the series in 2007, and he was the 2005 ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series champ. He’s bi-vocational, being the purchasing and sales manager at his family’s business, Imperial Bedding. And he’s also in ministry service as youth director at Roach Baptist Church.

In past Nationwide races, Herd Racing has been a really, really a local team, taking West Virginians to be his pit crew.

Proud Son of Marshall – crank it up and as DW says, “let’s go racin’!” And I add, "let's go HERD!"

Pre-season musings...

The NASCAR community is a group with a heart as big as, well, a super-speedway. And they are quick to act where they see a need.

Since the earthquake in Haiti, Richard Childress has stepped up and has been sending his planes back and forth.

The super-owner has been sending two 45-passenger Saab 2000 aircraft and flight crews and support staff to assist Missionary Flights International.

The mission, to get American citizens out of Haiti and transporting Haitian orphans to the United States.

As late a Wednesday, Hendrick planes were still on their mission, their task, their calling.

I say, “Good for you, Rick.” I guess I can pull for your drivers – a little bit – now. Stewart-Haas will just have to get over it.

Jamie McMurray has jumped into the Haiti relief effort, too. He has donated and autographed 10 firesuits and 2 leather jackets. The auction is through the NASCAR Foundation to the American Red Cross. Jamie Mac also co-hosted a special on SPEED to benefit the Haitian relief funds.
Personally, I missed the special. I’ve been glued to Anderson Cooper 360 and searching the CNN databases for the names of the children I have supported the past five years.

Auction reserves will range from $150 to $750 per item, and are being auctioned online at www.nascar.com/foundation.

Like we learned in the movie The Blind Side, sometimes you do something simply because it’s the right thing to do.


Now for the big jump. The leap of faith. The thing that just leaves me shaking my head.

Danica. She’s already like other “superstars” of racing that are identifiable by one name.
Junior.
Danica.

Yep, she’ll fit in quite nicely there, don’tcha think?
Junior and Danica sittin’ in the cars, c-o-m-p-e-a-ting. Compeating? Well, we can dream.

A couple of years ago, Junior’s step-mom Teresa the lady in black (seriously, it’s been long enough! A little pop of color in your wardrobe won’t hurt!) said the boy needed to decide what he wanted to be – a media personality or a racecar driver.

Well, here comes little Danica, a media personality who drives a racecar, too! BTW, she’s on next Wednesday’s CSI: NY at 10 p.m. on the CBS network. The pic of her with show star Gary Sinese was released from the network. I know, Cousin Carl has made TV appearances on Bill Engvall and Daddy Gordo has co-hosted Live with Regis and Kelly.


And, in the words of Mr. France or Mr. Pemberton, “let ‘em have at it!”

OK, NASCAR changed its mind one more time – shock of the year! – to let the fellas drop the gloves and come out bumping.

Seriously, a year ago, Robin Pemberton was talking about the drivers’ intentions when sheet metal touches. Now, hey, turn them loose!

At least NASCAR has come to understand that rubbin’ is racin’ and just let them go. Last season was pretty dull, you have to admit.

Who'll be the first to whine?