No Parking

NASCAR needs to post these signs as conspicuously all around
the track as the county puts them all along lover's lane.

80,000 per Cup race

43 car field for all races only since 1998

TEN cars quit at Bristol and pocketed $423,342 in purse money.


The Jennifer Jo Cobb controversy from this past weekend’s competition at Busch Motor Speedway has finally brought much needed attention to the absurd practice permitted by NASCAR car owners can enter cars into NASCAR competition by qualifying for the field. On race day, their drivers are ordered to quietly pull to the back of the field and then exit the field no later than the first pit stop. At the end of the race, they are awarded their share of the prize money more than enough to pay expenses for the entry and to pocket a nice little profit while sticking the competitive integrity of the sport right in the eye.

The fundamental creed of sports is that competitors play to win. In baseball and football, there are some very stingy owners who don’t invest in paying for the kind of talent needed to win, but their teams play the entire game, and don’t tell the players they’re not there to compete. Even a Detroit Lion or Pittsburgh Pirate will put his heart and soul into playing the best game possible knowing that if he performs well, there will be opportunities on other teams.

It doesn’t work that way in NASCAR. To complete a race, a team needs a full pit crew, an adequate supply of replacement tires, and other necessities. The cheapskate baseball or football teams might have fewer coaches and expend a lot less money behind the scenes, but on game day, the dugout or bench has a full team ready to play. If a driver accepts the preposterous assignment of driving for a “start and park” owner, he’s not giving any ownership groups a glimpse of what talent he might have as a competitor. If anything, such a driver devalues his talent functioning basically as a scab who could force out drivers who do want to compete but being outside of the top 35 in points might have had some mishap not to post a good enough qualifying time to beat the “slug” entries.

No one makes a better villain than Nationwide owner, Rick Russell. Any sense that this man had any regard for competition never got the slightest glimmer in his media comments concerning events involving Saturday’s race. His attitude was essentially, “This is my toy and I’ll do with it whatever I want to. I’m the boss, and you do it my way.” Beneath the bravado there were equal parts self-pity and pure BS. It also came out that he spent all of about a few minutes ever communicating with his driver. He had no interest in her accomplishments. She was just a replaceable part, maybe as valuable to him as a lug nut. His race car was worth much much more. How ironic is it that he’s named his operation “Second Chance Racing.” It looks more like an operation where drivers would suit up and watch their careers die.

To make “start and park” look noble, sympathizers trot out Joe Nemechek. The 1992 Busch Series champ entered Cup racing in 1994 where for the rest of the decade into the early 2000’s was essentially a journeyman driver racing for Larry Hendricks, his own team, SABCO, Andy Petree, Haas-Carter, MB2 (Ginn) and Furniture Row racing. During the run, he gained four victories including a double Busch and Cup sweep at Kansas in 2004. He always proved a tough qualifier winning ten poles in his Sprint Cup career. His NASCAR career was part of a family affair with his mom dressed in Army fatigues when he ran with US Army sponsorship, maintained the stopwatch and clipboard, an integral part of the team’s support crew. The close family ties augmented by tragedy when early in the Truck series’ history, his younger brother John died in wreck early in the 1997 season at the Homestead Florida track. John had even been Joes’ front tire changer early in Joe’s Cup career. From Ginn’s acquisition of MB2 racing in 2006, Joe became odd-man out at season’s end. The financially troubled team cut back. Nemechek bounced around ending up with Furniture Row racing where he’d complete the season and race the following year. Nemechek posted the team’s best ever performances, but after the 2008 season, thus could only afford to enter part time, Nemechek released from his contract and the family developed its own team for 2009. Unable to attract sponsorship, Nemechek made the fatal mistake of electing to “start and park.” At first through the 2009 series he could symbolize the hard times of the sport – a fellow determined to stretch out his career at any cost, but as time went by into the 2010 season and beyond, his continued presence has become a sad and disgusting joke. Joe Hardy was no longer a New York Yankees star, just a sad old man who sold his soul to the devil alone in his easy chair.

Joe Nemechek’s sympathetic situation does not justify what amounts to scab drivers running for carpet bagging owners. SpeedTV (a Fox network subsidiary) employs Phil Parsons who with his business partner, Brian Humphrey operates one of the most notorious operations fielding both the #60 and #66 teams in Sprint Cup series. Tommy Baldwin was a crew chief for Bill Davis racing who sought to stay in the series becoming an underfunded owner who quickly saw the money making potential of serving as a start and park owner as his in.

NASCAR truly doesn’t get it even though its track owners are footing the bill for the practice and has anyone noticed Pike’s Peak, Gateway, and Memphis speedways no longer operate?

The most recent statement NASCAR his issued on the matter came last April:

“It doesn't impact the quality of competition whatsoever. NASCAR has always been about teams having the opportunity to participate in our sport; some teams might not have the full complement of resources to compete at the same level as others, but it's all about having an opportunity."

The usually PR savvy folks in the France dynasty clearly don’t get it. If Major League Baseball used that logic, they’d have a franchise in Bristol Connecticut with some local diner proprietor as team owner fielding his teams with recruits from a beer softball team. It just doesn’t make sense.

Maintaining a full field of 43 cars has only been a requirement since 1988. Short tracks typically fielded s much smaller starting lineup. Back during Dale Earnhardt’s glory days was there any fuss that the field was too small. Things would be better with 43 cars at Martinsville instead of 36? Either way, Earnhardt would blow the tires off anyone who dared challenge the mighty #3 Chevrolet.

The money is astonishing. Were a cup entry able to qualify for all 36 races and just hang it up, the team could pull in over $2.8 million. The margin drops tremendously for Nationwide teams who’d only pull in around $650,000. For trucks, the math doesn’t add up, they’d only pull in around $200,000 for the year. One wreck would kill their fortunes. As a result, there are fewer true start and parks in the Truck series but they don’t always have what would appear to be a full field.

Show me the money! The difference in earnings for finishing positions of 37th at Bristol to 43rd, seven positions goes from $81,050 for 37th down to $80,289 for 43rd, only $61.00. Full-time entries finishing 36th or higher earned a minimum of $108,314. Kyle Busch took home a paycheck of $192,415 while second place earned Carl Edwards $184,691. Factor in the bonus for being a top 35 team in owners points the true difference between first and last isn’t that huge of a difference. The goal is to make the top 35 and then hope for the best. As such there remains substantial booty left for do-nothing teams to claim.

It makes sense to reward the teams that are fully invested prepared to compete from start to finish and create an incentive to race full time as rewarding the top 35 teams currently attempts to accomplish. Perhaps it would make competition more intense if there were greater premiums to win a top ten finish. It does not make sense in any manner to reward teams who have no intention of doing anything.

The following drivers appear to be culprits in Sunday’s Sprint Cup race, Michael McDowell – 35 laps; Landon Cassill – 36 laps; Joe Nemechek – 72 laps; and J.J. Yeley – 97 laps. Six drivers pulled out from Saturday’s Nationwide series race: Kelly Bires – 2 laps, Brad Teague – 3 laps; Chris Lawson – 4 laps; Brett Rowe – 5 laps; J.J. Yeley – 7 laps; Jeff Green – 27 laps.

Landon Cassill is 22 year old driver – how does racing for the infamous Parsons/Humphrey organization willing to maintain their scam speak for his future? He is fortunate to be a “test” driver for Hendrick motor sports. Michael McDowell 26 years old has only had the chance to knock on the door of Sprint Cup fortune joining Michael Waltrip’s team after Dale Jarrett’s retirement. Since then, he has bounced around with start and park teams. At 34 years old, one has to wonder what future could be available J.J. Yeley. Perhaps the younger drivers could drop back to lower series and re-establish themselves, but would a team looking to build a winning team find a driver like J.J. Yeley the kind of fellow attractive to sponsors destined for top 10 finishes?

One would think owners who are investing substantial fortune in trying to compete would first be offended seeing the money their start and park fellows suck in at their expense. Surely owners would have to question the fire in the belly of drivers who’d take any old chance to race at the highest levels. If they would compromise the desire to compete with such entries, how much commitment would they show in an operation hell-bent on winning?

It’s ugly and disgraceful all the way around. NASCAR has only made a token effort to address the problem threatening to tear down the first car to pull off in post race inspection. Otherwise, there’s nothing more than denial. On Fox broadcasts, Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds have openly supported these efforts but their reasoning makes no sense at all.

NASCAR will continue to sweep the start and park issue under the rug as long as they can get away with it. For some reason, since 1998, they have become enamored with the necessity of having a 43 car field. If the goal were competition, would it not be better to have 37 positions and have cars fight it out to make the field?

Let’s be honest, if a team doesn’t buy the necessary tires to compete in a race, cuts other corners, and doesn’t even hire a full pit crew is CHEATING. Trevor Bayne finished in 34th place and it’s no secret that the Wood Brothers are financially struggling. They earned $89,200 for their efforts. Joe Nemechek who’d never make any effort to compete but pander for sympathy went home with $80,800. The Wood Brothers opt to only race on a part time basis and do the best they can. Doing anything well means nothing to start and park teams if they make the field.

To the extent that start and park drivers have little influence on who makes the top ten, it might be seen as a small issue, but a team like the Wood Brothers could fail to make the field fully geared up to race because a scab posted a better time in qualifying. This is unethical and simply fails to pass any common sense test. It ruins NASCAR’s credibility

We hope Jennifer Jo Cobb’s situation will help the ground swell against start and park force NASCAR’s hand to do something. As one who has faithfully followed Sprint Cup racing for many years and loves the top series of virtually all sports, it offends me as a fan that such small-minded nonsensical judgment prevails in one of the nation’s most popular sports.

Join with me in expressing your displeasure at this farce. At some point, the France dynasty will hear us and do something.




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NASCAR: GO Mary Jo!!!

We salute NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck series driver, Mary Jo Cobb, for standing tall refusing to participate as a "start and park" driver for Saturday's Nationwide competition. The feud between her and her driver, Rick Russell, owner of the ironically named Second Chance Racing, to where she refused to race after threatening to continue racing despite her owner's desires who threatened he'd attempt to show her up and have NASCAR black flag her.

We have a message to Rick Russell, if you don't have the money and resources to have your NASCAR entry participate in the entire race, GET THE HELL OUT!!! NASCAR competition is a sport not a vanity event where some rich kid can go through the motions to see his pretty car on a fancy NASCAR track.

NASCAR was foolish for not nipping this practice in the bud when it started to go viral the last few years. When one thinks of Dave Marcis who barely scraped together enough money to show up for races, who scrimped and saved to participate, he stayed on the track as long as his car would hold together.

Meanwhile what is this sick practice doing to young drivers who finally get an opportunity to race on the Sprint Cup or Nationwide level, perhaps being promised the world, but then are only able to race a few shameful parade laps and pull in the pits. Surely, it cannot be good for their future in the sport to be seen as "just one of those start and park" fellows. If one were a competitive owner looking for a young driver -- who would be more attractive -- a fellow who is tearing it up in ARCA, Trucks, or Nationwide, or some poor sap who is no where to be seen after the first half hour or so of a race?

One has to wonder if there will be any future for fellows like Michael McDowell or Landon Cassill. Youth is seldom patient, but perhaps some of these young drivers would be well advised to excel at a level where they can race the entire race every week than accept an offer from an owner who simply doesn't belong in the same league as the likes of Hendricks, Roush, Gibbs, Petty, Childress, Earnhardt-Ganassi, Waltrip, et. al.

Clearly, the blame belongs to NASCAR for not cracking down on something that probably only makes sense in some abstract sense to the France dynasty, but would have Bill Junior have let this get so out of hand?

There is no compelling reason to have to have 43 cars start a major NASCAR race. In fact, it might be better competition if the scabs were weeded out. This blog site accepts that we do harp on this issue because we want it solved for the sake of our NASCAR fans and our love of the sport.

We ask our readers to consider the what if's and apply them to other sports. What if the Pittsburgh Pirates chose to only play two innings? Maybe the Detroit Lions would just play half of the first quarter. Suppose a PGA golfer made the cuts and qualified to play on Sunday. What if one of Elderick's fellows headed for the club house after just playing the first three holes?

All these examples seem totally preposterous. Can anyone provide a reasonable argument that would make it any less ridiculous for what NASCAR permits?

Check our postings and send their links to your racing buddies. Let's build a fire under NASCAR to clean up this mess. One can only imagine the weasel's press release NASCAR might compose to justify "park and ride" participation (wait -- the issue is THEY DON'T participate.)

Go Mary Jo!!!  She'll be racing in Fontana's Nationwide race, racing the #41 for owner Rick Ware while the parasite, Rick Russell, intends to sue her for breach of contract. She's getting her second chance by leaving Second Chance Racing. Good for her!!!



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The NASCAR Hall of Fame: It's Time!

Cooperstown, Canton, Springfield and now Charlotte?

Baseball, the NFL, and basketball have had successful halls of fame for some time but NASCAR proudly opens its hall of fame today. With NASCAR legends Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Junior Johnson and NASCAR despots Bill France Jr. and Bill France Sr. being enshrined as the inaugural inductees, a lovely high tech exhibit center opens its doors with all things NASCAR including a huge display of historic cars from the sport's past and all kinds of exhibits, simulators, and interactive high tech goodies to help fans better understand the sport.

Charlotte already is the hub of NASCAR and the host city of the series annual all-star event. NASCAR teams have their shops in the Charlotte area, so it is most appropriate that the Carolina Queen City should be the choice location though Atlanta, Richmond, and Kansas City sought to be considered. While the other locations might have their travel logistics considerations, when it comes right down to it, there are only two places that really are eternal shrines to NASCAR Charlotte and Daytona. We think NASCAR made the right decision picking North Carolina as its spot.

While the first round of inductees appears so obvious, the next crop will be tougher plus recently retired drivers like Rusty Wallace become eligible. David Pearson and Bobby Allison have to be at the top of the list. Then after them, where do Cale Yarborough and Darrell Waltrip figure in? Surely some historic figures before Richard Petty’s reign deserve enshrinement. We figure eventually, all drivers who have at least two championships and/or 50 wins are shoe-in’s. Lee Petty has three championships. Ned Jarrett has two championships and 50 wins. Rusty Wallace has 54 wins and one championship. The two time champs not covered so far are: Buck Baker, Herb Thomas, Joe Weatherly, Terry Labonte and Tim Flock.

Who’s racing today who will get in without question? Jeff Gordon has four championships and 82 wins. Jimmie Johnson has four consecutive championships and 50 wins – already as many wins as Junior Johnson and Ned Jarrett. Tony Stewart has two championships and 37 wins. Should Bill Elliot make it with one championship and 44 wins along with his Winston Million victory? How about Mark Martin? He’s never won a championship, but he’s sure finished in second more times than he probably wants to remember? Martin has 40 wins. All drivers with more wins than Martin are already in the hall-of-fame discussion.

Surely some great owners deserve their place. Petty Enterprises, Hendrick Motor Sports, and Richard Childress are clearly in the picture. How do crew chiefs and engine builders get in the picture? How can we keep calling them, the “legendary” Wood Brothers without their place in the hall? Perhaps a tally of championship crew chiefs deserves scrutiny. When his time comes, how could Chad Knaus not be enshrined? Just of the top, names like Jeff Hammond, Waddell Wilson, Ray Evernham, Larry McReynolds, and Dale Inman come to mind.

Folks who promoted the sport like Humpy Wheeler and Ken Squire – where do they fit in?

How does the Nationwide/Busch/Grand National series figure in? There were notable figures like Jack Ingram, Sam Ard, and Tommy Houston figure in?

Did anyone say something about Red Farmer? He’s been everywhere?

Maybe the Camping World Truck series is too new, but in time, what about their best? Should we consider “modified” champs? Why not?

Should there be a debate about is this truly a Sprint Cup Hall-of-Fame or a NASCAR Hall-of-Fame?

It will take a few years of enshrinements to really make the list of legends feel anywhere near complete. However, there is probably not a single name mentioned in this report that is not deserving. Admittedly, there are more who deserve consideration we’ve not mentioned. Bud Moore, for instance, just came to mind.

For a sport that is 62 years old and going strong, a Hall of Fame is surely due. May it be successful and a wonderful experience for all its visitors.

Danica Patrick's First Test: Top Ten Finish, How's That?

Danica Patrick passed her first test toward becoming a successful driver in NASCAR with her highly professional effort finishing sixth in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona. Her primary goal was just to finish the race, but certainly her sixth place finish and what she accomplished to get there showed tremendous racing talent.

Her big test came in lap 53 when a tap, a loss of aerodynamics, her car went speeding into the grass where she could have easily spun out, rocketed back into traffic, or smacked a wall. Television analyst, Darrell Waltrip, noticed from in-car shots, what incredible “hand control” she had keeping the front wheels positioned properly to save the car. When the race was over, her car only sustained a minor amount of sheet metal damage.

For any driver to have a top ten finish in her first outing is a remarkable feat. To have been in the middle of the pack for much of the race, especially in the ARCA series noted for its fender smashing action, and to survive so effectively shows one alert driver not only handling the equipment but being able to communicate with her spotters and crew chief.

Surely Tony Eury Jr. deserves some credit too. Perhaps he is the perfect man to handle the highly visible rookie sensation as so much attention was focused on the famous “son of” whose career was under the spotlights from day one as the son of Dale Earnhardt. Especially after his father’s death, Dale Earnhardt Jr. had the sports media all over him as he attempted to master the sport.

Her next test will be in an actual Nationwide race where things aren’t quite as rough and tumble as ARCA but she’ll be competing with some of the sport’s finest, including some Sprint Cup regulars who also run in the Nationwide series. She has a great path to follow to Sprint Cup success following how Tony Stewart made his move from IRL to cup racing by way of Busch. Juan Pablo Montoya finally became a legitimate top tier contender last year after struggling going directly from IRL to Sprint Cup. Sam Hornish Jr. and Scott Speed still have much to prove. Hornish was just beginning to master Sprint Cup in some of last year’s final quarter events.

For Danica Patrick, the road to the top will never be easy. No driver commands the kind of publicity she does. While women have raced in NASCAR since its pioneer days, none have ever become major competitors. Shawna Robinson and Patty Moise showed tremendous potential at times but never had the support team or equipment to prove what they could accomplish.

Danica Patrick is racing for an owner in Dale Earnhardt Jr. who can identify with her high visibility probably better than no other driver in the sport. With his team support comes the whole Hendricks organization and its resources to put her in the best ride possible.

It’s way too soon to see how Danica Patrick, the IRL driver will succeed in NASCAR, but she has certainly passed her first test extremely well.

Here She Comes!!!

Did anyone think this day was not coming?

Danica Patrick, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model, highly successful advertising actress, and top 10 IRL race car driver is coming to NASCAR.

She will participate in the Nationwide series for JRM, Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s team with substantial Hendricks backing. Sponsorship is a done deal as both she and Junior are highly recognized sponsorship recipients from Go Daddy, who sponsors Patrick, Earnhardt’s Nationwide ride that was held by Brad Keselowski who graduates to Sprint Cup’s #12 Penske ride, and will be the full time sponsor for Mark Martin’s #5 ride for Sprint Cup.

Is this a deal made in NASCAR heaven or what?

Danica Patrick will drive car #7 with Go Daddy sponsorship for about twelve races. The races before the Indy season begins and the races after the IRL season ends with a few races interspaced during the season as IRL has more off dates.

JR Motorsports is one of the top operations in Nationwide racing with Brad Kesolowski being the top non-Sprint Cup driver in the standings the last two years.

Further, there is a likely career path that if she succeeds at this level especially considering the sponsorship alignment, she could surely be groomed to race the #5 car for Hendricks when Mark Martin retires. Ideally, she would get a couple years Nationwide experience and get to know the tracks before moving up to Sprint Cup.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. remains NASCAR’s most popular driver despite having completed an absolutely dreadful season that if it weren’t for bad luck he wouldn’t have had any luck at all. Whether it was driver or crew error, being in the wrong place at the wrong time on the track, or just inexplicable weird things, the #88 ride was a horror. The more attention fell on Junior’s shoulders the worse it seemed to get.

Danica Patrick is the most popular driver in the United States outside of NASCAR. Working with Dale Earnhardt Jr. unites two bright stars the media loves to go bonkers over in their coverage.

White Ms. Patrick has about the perfect setup to move into NASCAR, the pressure will be enormous. There is a yokel element that simply cannot stand the thought of a female attempting to compete in what they see as a man’s (or good old boy’s) world. Much will be made of her sexuality, the swimsuit covers, the racy ads that delight some and invoke sanctimonious moral reactions from others.

Her hard work and talent alone are what matters when she’s strapped into her ride. Success will be judged by finishing races gaining top 10’s, then top 5’s, then achieving that first win. Being able to do so consistently will be her ticket to move up to Sprint Cup.

She’s leaving an environment where she is the biggest fish in the IRL pond. She’ll be just another driver in Nationwide apart from the publicity she brings with her. Nationwide is not NASCAR’s top series, but she will bring huge attention and ESPN hopes TV ratings the series badly needs.

Open wheel drivers have participated to various degrees in NASCAR for decades with some experiencing tremendous success, some putting in cameo appearances, and others failing miserably. While the legacy of A.J. Foyt is part of NASCAR lore, Tony Stewart was well on his way to being an IRL champion, then spent a year racing for Joe Gibbs in the Busch series before moving on to Winston Cup. Patrick would hope to follow his path to success. Meanwhile, Juan Pablo Montoya struggled when first making the switch but did not season in Nationwide first. He is now a legitimate contender. Sam Hornish and Scott Speed still have a ways to go before being considered successful. Patrick Carpentier, Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti were not successful. Anyone expecting overnight success for Patrick should think again.

She is also entering a sport where female competitors have not had much fortune most recently seeing Patty Moise and Shawna Robinson experience some success on the Nationwide/Busch series. Erin Crocker looked poised for success in the Truck series but her relationship with Ray Evernham among other concerns torpedoed that effort. There is no compelling reason a good woman driver with a good team can’t be a tremendous success. Danica will be the first woman who truly will have first rate equipment to prove her talents as a driver. Other female competitors at the Nationwide level never had the opportunity to drive for top flight teams. Add to the mix, her crew chief will be Tony Eury Jr. who knows a thing or two about supporting a high profile driver and dealing with extreme frustration. He could be the perfect translator to help Danica become oriented to the world of NASCAR.

We welcome Danica Patrick to NASCAR reminding her nothing will be given her and her determination and professionalism are essential to her success. We also send out this message to some on the lunatic fringe, those who traffic in denigrating Danica Patrick for the sake of being a gorgeous female in what had been a man’s business, any sexist demeaning behavior will not be tolerated.

Danica’s entrance into NASCAR will make this February one of the most anticipated season openings in Daytona ever. How much attention will be on Jimmie Johnson racing for his fifth consecutive Sprint Cup championship versus Patrick’s arrival can surely already be predicted. It will be Danica, Danica, Danica!!!!

Frankly, we can’t wait.

Kyle Busch Is an Asshole!!!

Kyle Busch flew to Nashville to compete in the Federated Auto Parts 300 in Nashville, Tennessee. As one of two Sprint Cup competitors to make the journey from the Poconos attempting to run for both series' championships, Busch dominated the race winning convincingly leading 173 of 300 laps. Customary for a Busch victory, he stood upon his car's window sill and bowed to the crowd often to a cascade of boos of fans who don't like his antics.

For the Nashville races, the trophy is a classic Gibson Les Paul electric guitar, an instrument guitarists crave to play. How did Kyle Busch, l'enfant terrible of NASCAR respond?

He turned holding the guitar by the neck and attempted to smash it on the victory lane floor. On first strike, the mighty Gibson held up well. So much for the idiot's response. Is that any way to behave before the race sponsors and hosts who presented that award? Disgraceful!!!

Message to Kyle Busch, you're no Jimi Hendrix or Pete Townshend. You're not even a punk rocker. You're just a punk, a smart-assed punk. Forget comparing your antics to those of young Dale Earnhardt's or Darrell Waltrip's. Their controversial behavior was of an entirely different character. Oh character, an attribute you sure seem to lack.

Like it or hate it, young Busch is one of the most talented drivers to emerge in a long time, perhaps since Tony Stewart, maybe even Jeff Gordon, but nobody likes a smart-ass, but for Kyle he is a leader is the anal attributes department. Kyle, you're an all-world asshole, you know it. You're proud of it, and for that, we might recognize your abilities but somehow to even say, we respect your driving skills might be pushing it.

Walk like a man. Two drivers younger than you, Joey Logano and Brad Kesolowski are doing just fine in that department. How a classy gentleman like Joe Gibbs puts up with your antics is hard to figure, but he did once coach Dexter Manley, but that's another story.

Kyle, you're an asshole.

Sprint Cup 2009, Race 13: Reuty-Toot-Toot

Life is good for David Reutimann!!!

Determined to show his victory in Charlotte on Monday wasn’t just being a lucky dog, David Reutimann sits on the pole for Sunday’s race with Kasey Kahne, a driver much in need of a little boost for his season on the outside of the front row. However, the #9 team is not the only member of Richard Petty racing to start off against the monster way up front, Reed Sorenson, #43 registers a 4th position, A.J. Allmendinger, #44 checks in at 7th and the final Petty Dodge, Elliot Sadler secured 10th. All four Petty Dodges starting in the top ten. Also needing to build some positive momentum, Juan Pablo Montoya puts his #42 Chevy in 3rd for Earnhardt-Ganassi. Greg Biffle tops the Ford and Roush effort in 5th, but for all the joy the fellows earning top spots can celebrate for their fine starting spots, along with Brian Vickers in 9th, they only need to survey the top ten and see Kyle Busch in 6th and Jimmie Johnson in 8th, two drivers who could make it a long miserable afternoon for fellows who haven’t been as successful roughing up the concrete monster.

Needing some tangible progress to begin the second third of the season, three of the remaining Roush-Fenway cars start in the top 20: Edwards – 13th, Kenseth -14th, and McMurray in 18th. David Regan still needs some solid results to turn his season around way back in 26th just ahead of another Ford driver who needs to get a break, Bobby Labonte in 27th.

Several of the drivers who’ve been living high and happy recently will face a tough start on Sunday with Mark Martin way back in 28th and Tony Stewart in a miserable 31st. Even worse, points leader Jeff Gordon wrecked during qualify and will have to roll out a backup car starting in next to last. Brad Kesolowski couldn’t qualify the #25 Hendricks Chevy for the field. He’s the only competitive driver sent home. Richard Childress’s gang continues its run of falling short with only Casey Mears breaking the top 20 in 17th. Clint Bowyer starts 25th, Jeff Burton – 32nd, and Kevin Harvick, 35th as his season continues to unravel.

Joey Logano takes his first start in 21st – not bad for a rookie at one of the toughest tracks to manage for a good hot lap.

If change brings fortune to the #88 team, qualifying doesn’t show the winds of change have done much more than stir up the same old kind of dust with Dale Junior beginning the next chapter in his career in 22nd. His nephew, Jeff, Kerry’s son, wrecked trying to qualify for the Nationwide event just missing the field. The 4th generation, Earnhardt, though obviously nervous and shaken after his wreck bore a haunting resemblance to his famous grandfather.

What a lively weekend of racing as the engines roar in the battle between the bays Saturday afternoon with the Nationwide fellows starting their engines at 2:00 pm on ABC. Trucks slam the pedal to the metal on Speed TV at 6:00 pm. Fox broadcasts its last race of the season starting at 1:30, Sunday.

Kyle Busch will start all three races while other drivers seek double duty possibilities. Brian Vickers, Carl Edwards, David Ragan, Greg Biffle, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Mike Bliss, Scott Speed, and Tony Raines attempt Nationwide and Sprint Cup. Mike Skinner attempts Camping World Trucks and Sprint Cup. Dennis Setzer, Johnny Chapman, Scott Wimmer, and Terry Cook attempt Nationwide and Trucks. Given how physically demanding the Monster Mile is, are these fellows brave, crazy, or lots of both?

Congratulations: Jack Roush

victory shot from NASCAR.com


Here's to team owner, Jack Roussh for his 100th victory in NASCAR's Nationwide series with Greg Biffle driving the #16 Ford to victory in the Bashas' Supermarkets 200 at Phoenix International Raceway. While many of those races were victories achieved by veteran driver, Mark Martin, in his familiar #60 Winn-Dixie Ford, in recent years Carl Edwards and the new generation of Roush drivers have stepped foward with Carl Edwards racing full time schedules in both Nationwide and Sprint Cup to contend for a double championshisp.

NASCAR's #2 series has changed dramatically since Roush first entered cars into competition by what was then the Busch series. In Martin's heyday, the Saturday competitors would visit tracks like South Boston, VA, Nazzareth PA, Hickory, NC, and Myrtle Beach honoring the history of the sport. While there are a handful of events Nationwide drivers visit not on the cup series schedule this year adding Rusty Wallace's Iowa race track, like its senior series, Nationwide competition is seeking bigger more profitable markets often opening one up before being added to the cup schedule. These events include two races in Nashville, one in Memphis, Kentucky, Gateway, Montreal and O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis.

Jack Roush has seen them all with Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Burton, and Mark Martin all taking him to victory lane.

Congratulations Jack (and team)!!!!

Radio NASCAR: A Bad Idea?

CHIT-CHAT GETTING MORE AND MORE ATTENTION

Here's a headline from NASCAR.com today, "Radio chatter needs some limits, but don't complain: Ability to eavesdrop on driver communication a privilege." I remember going to my first race years ago and couldn't help but notice how many fans had invested in expensive radio equipment to listen to what's going on with their favorite drivers. It seemed odd at first until I went to a race where someone was using such gear. This guy was a pro at using the scanners. He knew how to jump from channel to channel to find out what was going on from car to car in some of the hot episodes on a track.

Since then, driver chatter has become a much bigger deal. Around about 1993, ESPN started broadcasting bits of driver/crew chief dialog as part of its race coverage. Once ESPN2 launched, ESPN broadcast one race from Darlington where they featured their regular coverage on ESPN while eliminating play-by-play and color analysis using mostly in-car cameras and driver radio chat on ESPN2. It sure was a neat way to get inside the race.

Radio communication has become a standard part of NASCAR race coverage. Now, radio chit-chat has become the source of lots of headlines and controversy. Look at the recent frenzy over Tony Stewart blasting his crew at the end of the Richmond race or ongoing discussions about what's going on between Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his crew chief, Tony Eury. God forbid, the feed is open and the seven second delay is not turned on and a few "F" bombs or some of those other famous George Carlin words are spoken.

About face: how would you like to have everything you say at work captured and possibly broadcast for the world to hear? So Jack thinks the new administrative assistant is looking hot in that short skirt and black hose. Suzy told Ellen she just goes bonkers over that new guy is sales, Kyle, the one with that great butt. Oh, Johnson stinks of booze this morning. There might also be some stuff about productivity, the job at hand, and all that too. Do we really want to hear what's going on when a manager goes to the mound to make a pitching change or what the yakety-yak is when football players huddle-up?

Isn't there something a little voyeuristic about the "listening in" thing? That said, who wouldn't love to have heard all the jibber-jabber after Carl Edwards tapped Kyle Busch out of the way a few weeks back at Bristol?

We live in the information age and at what point do we just throw up our hands in disgust and say, "Too much information!"

Are we race fans or soap opera buffs? One has to wonder. The drivers, their crew chiefs, and spotters stand stark naked when all their verbage is out there to be heard. It provides no benefit to the competition on the track to have the radio chit-chat open for all to hear. Mindful that sports is entertainment, it is perhaps quite enteretaining to hear the on going dialog through out the race.

Today, with cable pay-per-view options and the Internet, fans have access to all kinds of things above and beyond the race coverage Fox, TNT, and ESPN/ABC provide. Fans can even monitor their favorite drivers' radio chatter for the whole race.

I can only speak for this fan. I'm flattered that there are so many choices available on how to enjoy one of my favorite sports, but for my purposes, I think we've gone way past the point of overkill. I rather liked it back when ESPN covered the races before the big TV deal, way back in the dark ages of dial up Internet, when I could watch the race on TV with the sound pumping through my stereo and be able to dial up (yes dial up) NASCAR.COM on the Internet for real time scoring. (NASCAR.COM was a good, easy to navigate site back then too. Now???)

Out of respect for the drivers and their crews, I'd just assume have them scramble all their signals and focus on the race at hand and not have to worry about the NASCAR morality police fine a driver to death and have the over the air networks worry about even bigger fines should some driver scream out the old "F" bomb in frustration. Driving a race car is a very tough job that requires an unbelievable amount of concentration and skill. Somehow, it just doesn't seem fair that a driver engaged in the heat of competition should also have to even consider he might have to watch his mouth too. They're race car drivers, damnit, not angels!!!

Boys will be boys and use a little too manly language at times. Tempers will flare and insults will fly. Are the headlines about "Tony being Tony" or "Is Dale Jr. still a little too immature" the kinds of discussions real race fans want to hear?

Maybe this is a reflection of NASCAR growing into a nationwide mainstream sport where inevitably the gossip mag mentality and all the other stuff that goes with the big entertainment industry starts to surround a sport we used to love for its down home simplicity.

The more the focus is on what happens between the command to start the engines to the checkered flag dropping and the strategies and preparations that make it all happen is what matters to me. That's plenty of excitement for me. Am I in my right mind?

NASCAR Announces 2009 Schedule for Sprint Cup, Nationwide, and Trucks

NASCAR announced its 2009 schedule for all three major series. The Sprint Cup series shows two major changes. The fall Atlanta race is rescheduled to run Labor Day weekend on Sunday, September 6 returning the once "Southern 500" to be held on Dixie soil. The second California event will now be part of the chase running on Sunday, October 11. There will also be a late Open Date on the last weekend of August after the Bristol Saturday night brawl the week earlier. Won't this be a welcome break for the garage operations to prepare for the last twelve races of the season, the last two before the Chase then the whole chase run? Another gratutious note annouced early that the Mother's Day event at Darlington will be called "The Southern 500."

The Nationwide series has a little juggling around but features two consecutive weeks off early in the season a result of the March date being vacated by the Mexico City event. Making up its spot on the calendar, the series will now race at the Iowa Speedway, Rusty Wallace's modern new short track, a unique new format on August 1, 2009 the same weekend the Cup racers contend for the second Pocono trophy. The Atlanta race moves from spring to fall. The California Labor day event moves running concurrently with the Sprint Cup events. Six Nationwide events will be stand-alones from the senior series events.

The Craftsman truck series remains largely unchanged. From their journey to California on February 21st to when they race in Charlotte on May 15th, only three events are scheduled: March 7th in Atlanta, Marh 28th in Martinsville, and April 25th in Kansas. They also take the first three weekends off in October before returning to Martinsville on October 24th where the follow the Sprint Cup series for the remainder of the season. The only chanages in venue are, they race Chicagoland August 28th. The Atlanta fall race is eliminated.

Fifty two weeks in a year, forty two weeks will feature at least one of NASCAR's big three racing somewhere. It seems like a move in the right direction to move the Labor Day event back east; however, its a tough weekend to sell tickets. Atlanta has been struggling to fill the stands for some time even though the racing action is generally red hot in Hot 'Lanta.

Fox will continue to cover the points earning events from the Daytona 500 through the June race in Dover. TNT will cover six races from the first Pocono race to Chicagoland. From the Brickyard 400 until the end of the season ESPN and ABC cover the races with ABC to cover all ten Chase events. The Nationwide series is contracted to ESPN with most events broadcast on ESPN2 with select events on ABC and ESPN. The Craftsman Truck series will broadcast on SPEED-TV with two early races on Fox. All radio contracts with PRN and MRN remain in place.

NASCAR: Bristol, Small Tennessee Town Inivtes 160,000 for Saturday Night Party!

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ATTENTION RACE FANS: Are You Ready for Some Serious Fun? Two Nights Under the Lights at Bristol

Here it is, summer’s fading fast but one of its great last hoorahs is NASCAR weekend in Thunder Valley, Bristol, Tennessee, right where I-81 crosses into Tennessee from Virginia, where enough fans to fill three Yankee stadiums will pack the small, bowl-like short track, one of the most unique and wildly competitive venues on the entire schedule.

The Craftsman truck series ran last night, and BOO-HISS, Kyle Busch, BOO-HISS, won another one. It would be one thing if the Shrub were just so darned good, he dominated everything, but he just has a horrible way of getting under everyone else’s skin like the eternal neighborhood punk that nothing short of a two-by-four with a spike through the end for a good whack would seem adequate rewards. The kid needs to learn how to win graciously. Even some of T.O.’s and Chad Johnson’s end zone antics aren’t as irritating as this rising star’s antics. This commentator doesn’t have much use for burn-outs at the end of races, got it?

We can’t look forward to this weekend’s activities without one ugly bit of unfinished business, the Joe Gibbs Racing penalties after as yet unidentified crew members installed magnetic stents that would inhibit full accelerator response that would lower post race dynamometer test results. This is serious business, intentional interference with the NASCAR inspection process. It’s bad to not pass the tests. It’s far worse to screw around with the tests. As such both JGR Busch teams are in the hot seat for the rest of the year. First, both teams are stripped of 150 drivers and owners’ points, the crew chiefs and engine tuners are suspended for the rest of the year, both teams are on probation through the end of the calendar year, and significant fines assessed. Neither team owner, Joe Gibbs nor his son, JGR President, J.D. Gibbs, are offering any excuses of defense for the action. They are contrite accepting absolute responsibility and promising severe in house sanctions as well. Joe Gibbs has long been known for his squeaky clean image but also a guy who is a ferocious smart competitor who will maximize every benefit available to him to win with in the rules. Given the extent to which the JGR Toyota program has dominated Nationwide competition this year, these infractions are particularly noteworthy. They also cast shadows over the Saturday series racing for Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, and star of the future, phenom, Joey Logono. This kid’s rising star reminds fans of what Kyle Busch has just recently accomplished by so far Logono exhibits charm, tact and maturity for such a young talent.

Some quick news setting the stage for this weekend’s big races: Reed Sorenson’s crew chief, Donnie Wingo, car #41, was fined $25,000 for an improperly attached weight. Do these guys ever learn or are they just so ignorant of specifics that NASCAR will not allow any hanky-panks with their new Car of Tomorrow set-up. It’s much more like the old IROC series than stock car racing of yesteryear. Aside from a few cosmetics and the engine packages, all cars, Chevy, Dodge, Ford, and Toyota are essentially the same. Don’t mess with the package or else.

Ken Schrader whose been missing in action from all NASCAR prime series for a few weeks will be racing the #96 Hall of Fame racing entry. Welcome back Kenny! Sam Hornish, #77 Dodge, will have a new chief barking on the radio at the Saturday night demolition derby. Penske racing announced Travis Geisler is in; Chris Carrier is out. Geisler was team engineer for the #12 Daytona 500 winner. Aric Almirola, not Mark Martin will race the #8 US Army DEI entry.

Getting ready for Cup action, 47 cars will be looking to squeeze into the 43 car field. The #21 Motorcraft Ford slips in #21 using Bill Elliot with a Past Champion’s provisional in play to secure a spot for the free-falling Wood Brothers operation, (oops, failed to note “legendary” Wood Brothers, sorry. –ed.) Here’s the “go or go home gang,” the nervous numbers include: #45, Kyle Petty making his first race appearance in weeks. Does anyone suspect the investors in Petty Enterprises are suggesting the pony-tailed errant prince retires for the broadcasting profession where he seems to be such a natural? #08 finds Johnny Sauter racing the John Carter Dodge. In the #66, Scott Riggs races the State Water Heater around the track with a Chevy bow-tie on board. #84 finds A.J. Allmendinger in the Red Bull Toyota, a team that’s starting to really gel. Hall of Fame racing is studying for the future as it hopes its #96 car makes the show with veteran driver, Ken Schrader as previously noted, #78 is Joe Nemechek a good qualifier but no so fortunate race in the Furniture Row Chevy. In the #00 Mike Skinner attempts to stabilize the floundering Michael Waltrip Toyota effort. For an open wheel guy attempting to mature in his NASCAR rookie season, Patrick Carpentier in the #10 Valvoline Dodge encounters an experience that has no parallel in any IRL racing. The #70 team is in lame duck status awaiting the dynamic duo of Stewart and Newman next season limiting the #70 with Tony Raines a Pizza Delivery for Haas Racing. #34 finds Jeff Green resurfacing as he attempts to go “Front Row” in a Chevy. Wow look at this, #09 Sterling Marlin attempts for a stunning comeback performance in the James Finch Chevrolet, and finally in #50 Stanton Barrett races the NOS Energy Drink Chevy for Chris Lencheski.

We’ll be focused on the chase to get in the Chase, but here’s the scary underside of the competition, 99 points separate position 29, the DEI #01 car from position 35, Haas racing’s #66 only 13 points ahead the possible “go home gang” with the up and coming #84 Red Bull ride whose recent run of success makes them look more and more likely to secure a top 35 spot. The following cars are all in this bunch, #41 (Sorenson), 7 (Robby Gordon), 22 (Blaney), 55 (Mikey), and 77 (Hornish).

The quietest part of the owner standings are positions #15 to #28 where only a series of incredible calamities would knock them from the top 35 but on the upside, the chances of chase action are essentially impossible. Drivers and crew chiefs in this zone are fighting for new contracts or to keep their jobs, but the action is not as frantic as what’s going on at the top and bottom of the pile.

The stage is set for an all out explosion of flying fenders, twisted steel, and shattered fiberglass with shreds of rubber everywhere as 43 drivers take the green flag where only a fortunate few will be around to see checkers. In the past, NASCAR fans used to speak of short track specialists like Rusty Wallace and Darrell Waltrip, but more recently the drivers who dominate Richmond, Martinsville, and Bristol vary significantly, and truthfully, the racing challenges are quite different between the three shortest tracks. In the spring Bristol race, Kurt Busch has been the dominant driver with Jeff Burton winning in the spring; however, the Saturday night brawl has found Jack Roush drivers winning four out of the last five races, Matt Kenseth the last three.

This would be a great race for Kenseth to dominate. He is still right in the thick of the struggle with only a 74 margin securing his spot. Beneath him, Kasey Kahne and Denny Hamlin are in; David Ragan and Clint Bowyer are out with only a 47 point margin between moving closer to a final safe spot after Richmond or wait until next year for two competitors who wind up in 13th and 14th spot. Only pure hell would seem capable of knocking Tony Stewart or Greg Biffle from the chase at this point, but life is not so good for Kevin Harvick, 39 points ahead of Kenseth, thus 113 out of oblivion, and four time series champion, Jeff Gordon, is in even worse danger, 8 points ahead of Kenseth, 82 points from “see you later.”

Way up top, the show is all about Kyle Busch, 222 points ahead of Carl Edwards with 8 wins to Edwards’ 5. Only third place, Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne have two victories. Only six other drivers have reached victory lane with Penske drivers Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman way out of Chase contention. 13 out 23 wins, 56% of the wins belong to two drivers, hardly as dominant as JGR in Nationwide, but still a dominant showing.

The smart money is on the Roush drivers to bring home to goods from the Sharpie 500. Carl Edwards is on a roll but recently Bristol has been teammate, Matt Kenseth’s track. Meanwhile, the top driver least likely to win most popular driver, already has a truck victory, Kyle Busch comes in hot off a truck victory.

Rest assured, the Bristol field quickly spreads out, lap traffic is everywhere, and races with in the race are everywhere to be found around the tiny half mile surface. The banging and slamming will destroy the fortunes of major competitors and cellar dwellers who will find the ladder out of the basement knocked out from under them. ESPN best have the seven second delay in good working order as tempers explode and some times fists fly as fast as speeding race cars. Still, this is fun racing. There’s no letup in the action from stop to finish. The instant a fan observes, “Gee, it’s been a long time since a caution.” BANG!! Trouble!!! Yellow flag, yellow, flag. Any lucky dogs out there?

The Friday night Nationwide Race is always a great opening act for the Saturday night demolition derby at half the length, it would be hard to say the Friday night fights bring half the excitement. A huge of dare devils, Nationwide regulars, and Sprint Cup invaders shows 24 Chevy’s, 9 Dodge’s, 12 Fords, 7 Toyotas filling 52 entries to make the 43 car field. Cup chase contenders: Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, David Ragan, Greg Biffle, and Denny Hamlin will use the event to warm up for Saturday night’s glory. While nine drivers will go home disappointed not even getting a starting spot before having to pack up and go home, it’s hard to imagine a no-name snatching the trophy. Betting money would best go to a driver with previous Bristol experience, probably a Cup regular. While there’s is no “Chase” for the Nationwide contenders, right now Clint Boyer leads Carl Edwards by 113 points with Brad Keselowski 132 points in arrears as Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s billion dollar baby and possibly a rich future ahead of him in Sprint Cup racing in 2011. Below those competitors, Mike Bliss (-359) and David Reutimann (-363) appear to be far out of championship expectations. A big factor as summer transitions to autumn in the Nationwide Series and even the Craftsman Truck Series is seeing what young drivers are emerging as possible competitors at the senior level as surely with the shuffling going on at the top level could provide opportunities for some fresh faces.

Come Sunday morning, while some will be boasting, other teams will be nursing bruised egos, twisted metal and broken dreams. It doesn’t get much better than this!

Gentlemen and Kyle Busch: Start your engines!!! Pit Crews: Inflate your tires!!!

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NASCAR's Nationwide Series: How Does Saturday Action Get the Best Traction?

The Nationwide Series: Edwards Wins Today in Michigan, Long Term - Many Questions About Series Future Persist

The NASCAR junior circuit, once the Grand Nationals, then the Busch series, has gone through quite a quirky evolution through the years. Since growing out of some older NASCAR series, what became the Nationwide series of today, began racing full time with Anheuser-Busch sponsorship. From 1982-1988, only Ford and GM cars competed, with Fords racing Fairmont and Thunderbird bodies and GM trying different platforms from large compacts to Monte Carlo, Grand Prix, Cutlass, and Buick Century mid-sized cars. Different engine setups were employed as well. From 1989-2007, the “Saturday Series” was more or less the same as the Sunday Cup cars with a shorter wheelbase, 105” instead of 110”, engines were less powerful, initially V-6’s were used generating a distinctive Busch buzz sound, a higher pitched buzzing sound rather than the throaty roar of V-8 engines. In 1995, the series switched over to V-8’s creating even less distinction between the Saturday and Sunday rides for NASCAR competitors. In 2007, NASCAR began introducing its “Car of Tomorrow” on selected racetracks before going series wide in 2008. The Nationwide Cars continue to run on their old platforms with a Nationwide Car of Tomorrow in development, but the deployment date remains uncertain, perhaps 2010 at the earliest.

The Nationwide series has 35 points earning events with no exhibition races compared to Sprint Cup’s 36 points events, and two exhibitions, the Bud Shootout and Charlotte All-Star event. Twenty six of the Nationwide events are held as the Saturday event at the same track where a Cup race is being held elsewhere. Of the nine remaining, the late July event at O’Reilly Raceway in Indianapolis is held the same weekend as the Brickyard 400. The remaining events are a mixture of newer tracks that haven’t found a date on the Cup series such as Kentucky and Gateway (across the Mississippi River from St. Louis), established tracks, Nashville (2 events), Memphis, and the Milwaukee Mile, and an a road course race in Montreal. The Mexico City race will not be held next year. Its date will be reassigned to another facility. In times past, the Busch series had more of a short track orientation maintaining races at the historic Hickory track in North Carolina and also visiting South Boston, Virginia and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Another popular event was the Nazareth Speedway in Pennsylvania. Even NASCAR’s junior circuit was not immune to the lure of bigger markets and more geographic diversity.

In 2007, the Nationwide Series is a sporting event in search of an identity. Clearly, NASCAR’s two other major series, the Truck (in need of a naming sponsor) and Sprint Cup do. The Sprint Cup is the major leagues, the big show, the grand enchilada. The truck series has fewer races tagged on as an introduction to a Cup race. Its drivers consist of a blend of veterans either at the end of their career or who never really broke through at the higher levels and a field of young drivers coming up from ARCA and the regional series as their first step toward bigger and better things. Through the mid-90’s, ironically about the same time the Craftsman Truck Series began, that was pretty much the character of the Busch series though there were more Cup series drivers crossing over to Busch than currently participate in truck events.

Up until the mid-90’s, the Busch series drivers were mostly regulars who competed every week with separate ownership from the Cup series. Some teams were owned by Cup series drivers dabbling in the management side of racing and having a shop from which they could compete on Saturdays in select events. Other ownership groups were not quite rich enough to be prime time players in cup racing. The series also allowed room for quite a number of open spots where occasional competitors from all around the racing planet from small budget operations to participants who primarily fought in other series would attempt to qualify for a handful of races. In the mid-90’s, the big boys started to come to play. Childress and Roush provided full-time entries not just a seat for their regulars when they wanted some of that Saturday money. Racers like Darrell Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt used to own their Saturday ride, but Dale Earnhardt had bigger things in mind. While focusing his racing energy exclusively on Winston Cup events, he maintained his Busch operation as a dominant force running for the series championship with a pathway to running as regular Sunday drivers. First Steve Park piloted the #3 car on Saturdays becoming the first DEI Cup series driver in the #1 car. Then DEI’s fortunes went wild when Earnhardt the next generation started is show. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won back-to-back championships before graduating to the #8 Budweiser car on Sundays.

Deeper into the 1990’s into the new decade, big money and big ownership started to snatch up starting spots in Busch racing where certain drivers and teams were considered “developmental” teams for future Cup series fortunes. Increasingly, for a period of time, one year’s Busch champion would be the top prospect for Rookie of the Year the following year. In recent years, a handful of Sprint Cup drivers have committed to run all events in both series shuttling back and forth by private jet to race in one city on Saturday and another venue on Sunday. At times it became necessary to employ surrogates for qualifying and practice. The last two championships, Kevin Harvick in 2006 and Carl Edwards last year, were won by drivers competing full time in both series. Both drivers were also “Chase” competitors in the Cup series. This year, Cup regular, Clint Bowyer maintains a commanding lead for this year’s championship. Not only have the top spots been dominated by Cup regulars, but the phenomenon of what was called Busch-whacking until the sponsors changed, Cup series drivers seeking fortune on Saturday has taken more and more top spots away from series regulars. Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, David Ragan, David Reutimann, Jeff Burton, Kasey Kahne, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. have all raced competitively in Nationwide events this year, while Bowyer (#1), Edwards (#3), Reutimann (#4) Ragan (#5) not only enjoy top five spots, they also have raced in every event. Kyle Busch has missed three races, but has two wins and 12 top ten finishes in the 7th points position. Only Hendricks-Earnhardt entry, Brad Keselowski in 2nd place is the only regular non-Cup driver in the hunt.

Confused? Yeah!!! What is the Nationwide series all about? The bottom line is having Sprint Cup drivers in the starting grid sells tickets. Fans are attracted to familiar racers who have a good shot at winning. From another perspective, it’s another one of those rich get richer while the rest roll their pennies. Another look at the top five, by owners reveals: Childress, Hendricks, Roush, Michael Waltrip Racing, Roush, all Cup series owners. Fourteen of the top 43 spots in points are owned by Cup series owners or drivers. How does this give owners and drivers with no Sprint Cup connection a shot at the title much less victories in individual events. With Carl Edwards winning today’s event at Michigan, 19 out of 25 events show Cup regulars in victory lane. Four more races were won by Cup owners. More startling, Joe Gibbs racing owns 14 victories between the #20 and #18 cars. Only three races were from Nationwide Series owners, Tad Geschickter, 2 wins, and Todd Braun, 1 win. Of the owners with the most top 10 finishes, nine of the top ten are Cup owners or drivers, Earnhardt Jr. (with Hendricks support) #4 and Delana Harvick #9. From an owners’ standpoint, they’re putting in all that investment only to be 10th in top 10 finishes with only three trips to victory lane?

With the economics of the sport being what it is today, fewer companies willing to invest in a product fewer fans can afford to attend with a lucrative television contract for ESPN to cover all the races, mostly on ESPN2 with a few races on ESPN and ABC, what leeway does NASCAR have to tinker with the series’ format? Manufacturers want top name drivers with big sponsorships to provide maximum exposure for their racing efforts. Fans relate to drivers they know. Track owners, mostly ISC (the France Family) and SMI (Bruton Smith) are looking for the best draw to put fannies in seats. These realities heavily favor the present situation with Cup owners and drivers dominating the field, but at what cost?

Trouble could be on the horizon. Lesser teams struggle to find sponsorship. Events are finding it tougher and tougher to fill out the complete 43 car field. Were NASCAR to reduce the field to a smaller number like the truck series, the situation could only worsen for the Nationwide only drivers who might not make the field. On a weekly basis, money comes from winning and placing high in the standings. At the end of the year, the championship and top ten teams earn the big bucks. Where do sponsors and owners look to get a return for their investment when the top spots are locked down by Sprint Cup Series regulars.

What are the options? As discussed above, limiting Cup teams with the current schedule and format looks dangerous. What’s left? One possibility is to attempt to open up more markets for big NASCAR events. Where are there other tracks that would draw fans and sponsorship where some of the dates parallel to Sprint Cup events could be relocated? Hello Rockingham, North Carolina! It’s doubtful the series would return to small tracks it has abandoned like South Boston or Hickory. The Iowa speedway Rusty Wallace owns is an attractive venue and could replace the Mexico date. Looking at the ARCA series, for instance, there aren’t suitable tracks up to NASCAR standards where ARCA isn’t racing already. Likewise, IRL events don’t offer much hope. The tracks in the United States and Canada that would be suitable for NASCAR have already been put on the schedule unless NASCAR were to consider something bold like a street race. Now that’s a concept! That’s something completely different from anything NASCAR currently does and could help create a unique identity for the Saturday racers. NASCAR could tinker with the race format attempting different ways to stage the race rather than making Nationwide events just shorter versions of the Sprint Cup events.

Regardless, by any measure, the Nationwide Series is the nation’s second most popular form of motorsports second only to Sprint Cup, but it’s not a healthy sport. There too many issues nipping at its heels to assure long term viability. Some will go away once the economy stabilizes. In the meantime, tight dollars and expensive travel expenses makes it harder and harder to attract fans in the stands.