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?

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!