Tony Stewart in Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone Rolls with Smoke
Tony Stewart had a calm look on his face, even as he walked away from a smoldering race car with his helmet in one hand, and the steering wheel in the other.
“… made a trip with Stewart to the Talladega Dirt Track to watch Stewart’s driver Redneck Jody race.”
Mike Guy, one of Rolling Stone’s preeminent writers, tagged along with Smoke for 4 weeks this spring in order to bring the magazine’s readers an inside look at NASCAR’s 2 time champion.
Guy had access to Stewart that few reporters – few people – ever get. He flew with Tony on the Citation jet, rode in Tony’s beat up Hummer as the two made their way to Smoke’s Indiana home at dawn, made a trip with Stewart to the Talladega Dirt Track to watch Stewart’s driver Redneck Jody race, and even sat in the motor home with the driver and his posse as they ate ravioli and doughnuts moments after Junior wrecked him and took him out of the race.
One night when Guy and Stewart arrived back at Smoke’s house in Indiana – which the magazine writer describes as more like an extended stay hotel than a home – someone opened the refrigerator only to discover there was no food. Nothing but a can of tangerine wedges – marinated in rum, and a 6 pack of Schlitz.
Smoke offered Guy, who doesn’t drink, the tangerines, never telling him about the rum marinade. By the time he plopped the first one into his mouth it was too late. I’m sure Smoke got a laugh out of that.
Once, Guy tried to console Stewart following a mediocre race at Phoenix. “Good race,” says the writer. In typical Tony Stewart fashion the driver responded “Oh you think so? Because I think it sucked.”
One thing that Guy found was that even the ever calm Jim Hunter, NASCAR’s Vice President of Corporate Communications, had some harsh words for Stewart. Yet Hunter also said that it was drivers like Tony Stewart that made the sport what it is today.
Mike Guy’s article is an entertaining story – even if you’re not a fan of Smoke. It’s worth the price of the magazine just to hear what Tony said about Kurt Busch. Or you can read the article online at RollingStone.com.
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Bud Shotout Turns Away Coors Pole Winners
Bud Eliminates Pole Winners From Race
Everyone knows that sponsors are all powerful in NASCAR, but who knew they had the power to change the format of the very races themselves.
In a battle of the beer sponsors NASCAR pole winners will no longer be automatically eligible for the 2009 Budweiser Shootout.
Anheuser Busch has sponsored the first race of the NASCAR season since 1979. The race was initially known as the Busch Clash. Now it’s called the Bud Shootout.
But in 2008 the Coors Light Pole Award became the official award that NASCAR uses to recognize the fastest qualifier.
“The change is welcome, and I think everyone will like the change.” ~ Denny Hamlin
The Bud Pole Award went away this year when Bud pulled their sponsorship. Coors Light now sponsors the pole award. So a new racing structure was needed.
The race doesn’t pay any points, but it amounts to NASCAR’s pre-season all star race. Traditionally drivers had to win a pole the previous year, or be a previous Bud shootout winner, to qualify for the race — but now that Coors is the Pole sponsor the rules have changed.
Ryan Newman, Patrick Carpentier, and Joe Nemecheck have all won poles this year, but based on the new rules they will not be in the race next year – as they would have been in previous years. Neither will Tony Stewart.
The Budweiser Shootout in Daytona will have a new format beginning in 2009.
The top 6 race teams from each manufacturer – based on owner’s points – will be in the race.
24 race teams will compete in the 2009 Shootout. The top 6 teams from each manufacturer will earn a spot in NASCAR’s first race of the year. That is, the top 6 Chevrolets, Fords, Dodges and Toyotas.
Instead of qualifying, drivers will draw for starting positions at the Budweiser Shootout Draw Party prior to the race.
The race distance has been increased to 75 laps over 2 segments. The first run will be for 25 laps, followed by a 50 lap stretch to the finish.
Teams will have a 10 minute pit stop between segments to change tires, take on fuel, and make adjustments to their race cars.
The race will be held Saturday night under the lights on February 7, 2009 at Daytona International Speedway.
Did NASCAR make the right call in allowing a sponsor to make such a major decision in racing?
Kyle and Carl Ready to Go 12 Rounds
Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards Begin Rivalry
NASCAR couldn’t have done any better if they had hired Don King to promote the final 12 races of the year.
If NASCAR wanted a rivalry, they have one now after Saturday night’s Sharpie 500 at Bristol.
“I tried to get him back, but I thought better of it.” ~ Kyle Busch
It’s coming down to a shootout between Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards – with jabs and punches being thrown from both sides.
Kyle Busch felt that Edwards rubbed him and moved him out of the racing groove unfairly after Edwards applied his Ford’s chrome horn to Busch’s Toyota with 30 laps to go.
“The way this works is, you know, a real smart racer explained it to me this way after he wrecked me,” said Edwards, “and I was real mad. He said, “I just had to look at your rear bumper and decide if you would do to me before, and you had, and so it was a real simple decision.”
“Earlier in the year Kyle was a lot faster than me and got to my back bumper and just smoked the back bumper of my car and sent me up the racetrack, and after that said, ‘Sorry, man, my car was just faster.’ ”
“So in my mind, I had to ask myself when I went down there in the corner, should I lift and brake early and do the best I can, or should I just kind of give him a little tap and see what happens? So that’s the way it went, and that’s the decision I made, and you know, I’d do it again.”
Busch, who had dominated the race most of the evening, had to collect his car and move up the race track as Edwards swept by for the lead.
Kyle Busch would chase Carl Edwards to the checkered flag, never to regain the lead.
Then on the cool down lap Kyle pulled alongside Carl and bumped into the side of the No. 99 Ford.
It appeared to cause Carl Edwards to lose control of his Ford, and as he was trying to save the car he hit Busch’s No. 18 Toyota in the left rear sending Busch into a 360 degree spin.
Busch seemed to be looking for some payback following the spin, but cooler heads prevailed. Kyle accelerated quickly for a moment then dove into the pits and parked his car.
Kyle Busch was angry with Edwards when he climbed from his car after the race. “If that’s the way he wants to race, we’ll race him in the Chase that way,” said Busch.
Busch was highly critical of Edwards driving style. “You know, to pass a guy, to hit him getting into the corners and chatter the tires is what he did,” said Busch. “I tried to get him back, but I thought better of it and tried to pull down and pass him back. But I didn’t have a good enough car to stick. ”
Even the normally cool headed J. D. Gibbs had a warning for Edwards after the race. “You reap what you sow,” said Gibbs to Edwards.
Busch was immediately summoned to the NASCAR trailer for a conference with Mike Helton and John Darby of NASCAR.
Busch was highly critical of Edwards driving style. “You know, to pass a guy, to hit him getting into the corners and chatter the tires is what he did,” said Busch. “I tried to get him back, but I thought better of it and tried to pull down and pass him back. But I didn’t have a good enough car to stick. “
A Kasey Kahne Billboard the Allstate Girls Would Love
Kasey Kahne Billboard
The Marketing crew at Texas Motor Speedway has been working late to come up with some creative advertising to sell tickets to the Dickies 500 coming up in November.
Kim Ramon from Texas sent these in for your viewing pleasure, along with this note:
Greg, here’s a couple more billboards! I hope TMS is paying their marketing people a bundle because they’re geniuses!
I’m sure there’s more around. I’ll send them when I get them. Enjoy!
This Kasey Kahne billboard is located in Fort Worth, Texas on I-35W southbound right after the downtown Fort Worth mixmaster.
Don’t miss the Kyle Busch Black Hat billboard, or the Dale Jr billboard.
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Kyle Busch Black Hat Billboard Billboard
Why Did Kyle Get the Black Hat?
Looks like Kyle Busch has earned a spot on the Texas Motor Speedway billboard tour.
The Shrub billboard is on Hwy 121 eastbound going towards DFW International Airport from Fort Worth.
Kyle joins some good company. Junior also has a billboard, along with Kasey Kahne. Last spring Jeff Gordon had one noting that he had zero wins at Texas. Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart have also appeared on this campaign.
Thanks to Kim Ramon for all the photos.
Bristol Sound Off Page
Have your say! Who can Master Bristol?
When Kyle Busch won the Craftsman Truck race at Bristol Wednesday night, at least he didn’t say “This Truck Sucks.”
That’s about what Busch said last year when he won the first Sprint cup COT race at Bristol, when he said“This Car Sucks.”
Dale Earnhardt Jr is ready for the half-mile short track. “I’m looking forward to Bristol because I’ve had some success there, and it’s good short track racing. I’ve grown up racing at short tracks and just like them. We did good last time at Bristol,” said Junior.
Earnhardt has one win at Bristol. He has led 743 laps there, and has scored 10 top 10′s. His win there came on August 28, 2004 when he started 30th before driving straight to the front to lead 295 laps.
Jeff Gordon has 5 wins at Bristol – but he has a lot of qwork to do to win again based on his performanve so far this year.
Kurt Busch also has 5 wins at Bristol – including 3 in a row – but like Gordon his performance so far this year hasn’t shown he’s ready to win.
So who do you like at Bristol? Who can master the fast but short track where drivers can complete a lap in under 15 seconds?
Have your say now!
It’s Bristol Time Again
2009 NASCAR Schedule Changes
2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Schedule
Atlanta Motor Speedway has won the rights to a NASCAR Sprint Cup Race under the lights on the Sunday night before Labor Day next year.
In one of the biggest realignments in recent years three speedways have agreed to swap dates for the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Schedule.
Talladega Superspeedway, Auto Club Speedway in California, and Atlanta Motor Speedway are all parties to the moves in the Sprint Cup schedule.
The biggest change will be the fall race at Atlanta. That event will be held on Sunday, September 6, which is Labor Day weekend. The move will return big time stock car racing to its southern roots for Labor Day. For 54 years Darlington, South Carolina was home to NASCAR for Labor Day, until the date moved to California Speedway for 2005.
“We’re very excited,” said Ed Clark, President of Atlanta Motor Speedway. “I think this is a win-win-win for all of us and certainly a win for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and for the fans. We’re bringing Labor Day racing back to the Southeast and doing it with a nighttime event. A lot of excitement around here today. We’re going to do some things to enhance the weekend.”
The move means that Atlanta will no longer have a race in the Chase, but speedway executives seemed to think a Sunday night race was worth more than a spot in the playoffs. “We felt like the opportunity to have a night event in a summertime setting on a holiday weekend overshadowed the opportunity to be in the Chase,” said Clark
Auto Club Speedway will hold its Sprint Cup race on Sunday, October 11 – the fourth race in the Chase. The move should help attendance at the southern California speedway which has been plagued by 100+ degree temperatures at previous races.
Talladega’s fall race will be held on Sunday, November 1 – the 7th race in the Chase. “We’re also very excited about our new position in the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule, said Rick Humphrey, president of Talladega Superspeedway. We’ve been a big part of the championship battle. We believe that moving even deeper into the Chase makes Talladega even more significant to the championship.”
Race teams will also get one additional weekend off. There will be no racing on the weekend before Labor Day — giving everyone a break before heading into the final 12 races. There will be 4 off weekends during the season.
“The 2009 schedule reflects realigned dates that are good opportunities for everyone involved in our sport – fans, sponsors, tracks and teams,” said Mike Helton, NASCAR’s President. “We think this news and these moves benefit all the industry, including the tracks and the teams, but most importantly our fans.”
2009 NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES SCHEDULE
Date Site
Feb. 7 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, Daytona International Speedway*
Feb. 15 Daytona International Speedway
Feb. 22 Auto Club Speedway
March 1 Las Vegas Motor Speedway
March 8 Atlanta Motor Speedway
March 22 Bristol Motor Speedway
March 29 Martinsville Speedway
April 5 Texas Motor Speedway
April 18 Phoenix International Raceway
April 26 Talladega Superspeedway
May 2 Richmond International Raceway
May 9 Darlington Raceway
May 16 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, Lowe’s Motor Speedway*
May 24 Lowe’s Motor Speedway
May 31 Dover International Speedway
June 7 Pocono Raceway
June 14 Michigan International Speedway
June 21 Infineon Raceway
June 28 New Hampshire Motor Speedway
July 4 Daytona International Speedway
July 11 Chicagoland Speedway
July 26 Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Aug. 2 Pocono Raceway
Aug. 9 Watkins Glen International
Aug. 16 Michigan International Speedway
Aug. 22 Bristol Motor Speedway
Sept. 6 Atlanta Motor Speedway
Sept. 12 Richmond International Raceway
Sept. 20 New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Sept. 27 Dover International Speedway
Oct. 4 Kansas Speedway
Oct. 11 Auto Club Speedway
Oct. 17 Lowe’s Motor Speedway
Oct. 25 Martinsville Speedway
Nov. 1 Talladega Superspeedway
Nov. 8 Texas Motor Speedway
Nov. 15 Phoenix International Raceway
Nov. 22 Homestead-Miami Speedway
* – Denotes non-points event.
Roush Dominant While Hendrick Stumbles at Michigan
NASCAR at Michigan
Photo Courtesy Hendrick Motorsports
A race that left Jack Roush with the winning car and 4 cars finishing in the top 5 was nothing but a headache for Rick Hendrick – who had 3 cars involved in on track incidents, and his highest finishing car in 17th.
“Carl is right there, has been all year.” ~ Kyle Busch
“Well, I can’t believe my good fortune,” said winning car owner Jack Roush. “I’ve been in the presence of really fast company, starting with Mark Martin here in 1988. We didn’t win in ’88 but we were in contention from the very beginning.”
“Everybody did a super job, and as the crew chiefs and the drivers made their adjustments toward the end of the day, they were able to salvage the situation so that everybody was in the top ten, and certainly except for Kyle Busch being up there, we had a chance to have two or three winners, or actually four winners, out of the top five.”
Apparently Carl Edwards was a little nervous about restarting the race with 2 laps to go, and Kyle Busch on his rear bumper.
“Where was it, Chicago, it came down to, Kyle and Jimmie? Jimmie lost it on that restart because Kyle is good at restarts,” said Edwards, “and that’s just the facts. So I just didn’t want to have to go through that pain, so I just did everything I could to have the best restart I could, and it worked out great.”
When asked what it meant to win at Michigan, Roush’s home track, and home to Ford Motor Company, Edwards responded: “Well, it means a lot to me. Four years ago today I ran my first Cup race for Jack Roush, and he took a giant gamble on me I felt like at the time to put me in that car. Jack won the race that day. I believe Greg (Biffle) won it, and we finished 10th. All five of the cars were in the top ten. And to be a part of that again today for Ford Motor Company, for Roush and for all the guys, it’s an honor.”
The race got off to an interesting start, with two Chevrolet’s teaming up to deny Toyota a chance to lead the first lap.
When the green flag flew on lap one Dale Earnhardt Jr tucked the nose of his No. 88 Chevrolet against the rear bumper of team mate Jimmie Johnson. That move pushed Johnson ahead of pole sitter Brian Vickers’ Toyota.
It almost looked like the Hendrick team had a pact with Chevrolet to deny Toyota a chance to lead the first lap.
Johnson would lead until lap 8, when Dale Earnhardt Jr took the lead.
On the first pit stop Earnhardt took 4 tires and gas in 15.5 seconds, but still lost 2 positions on pit road after coming in with the lead.
Three Hendrick Motorsports cars had problems in the race.
First it was an incident involving Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson that would send Johnson to pit road with a flat tire on lap 92 — putting him one lap down.
Johnson and Gordon ran out of racing room when the action got 3 wide, with Tony Stewart on the outside and Gordon in the middle.
On lap 43 Earnhardt — while leading, Earnhardt radioed to his crew, “I’ve got a big, big, big, big big problem. The water temperature is at 260, and the oil temperature is at 300.” It turned out that the No. 88 car had picked up some debris that was covering the front air intake.
After Dale Jr was able to tuck the nose of his car behind he Toyota of Brian Vickers he was able to clear the debris, but the spiked temperatures apparently hurt the engine. The car was never as fast after that.
Five laps later Jeff Gordon’s car blew a right front tire — likely a result of the contact with the No. 48 car — and hit the outside retaining wall hard. The damage would send Gordon to the garage for repairs. Gordon would eventually return to the track just long enough to bring cause another caution due to debris falling off his wrecked race car. Gordon headed to the garage again — this time for good.
Then on lap 183 Dale Earnhardt Jr smacked the wall, doing damage to the right side of the No. 88 Chevy. Earnhardt pitted for tires and to pull away some beat up sheet metal, but was able to continue the race.
Just when the Hendrick group thought they were going to get out of Michigan before anything else happened Jimmie Johnson took a spin through the grass after tangling with Travis Kvapil’s No. 28 Ford on the final lap as the field was coming to the checkered flag.
Still Johnson had the highest finish for a Hendrick car at 18th. Dale Earnhardt Jr finished 23rd, and Jeff Gordon was next to last at 42nd.
Edwards strong run was not lost on Championship leader Kyle Busch. Busch finished 2nd to Edwards – but was not a threat to make a pass as Edwards was able to easily pull away from Busch’s No. 18 Toyota.
Busch did not seem to take Edwards’ dominance lightly as the Sprint Cup Chase approached. “Carl is right there, has been all year, said Busch. He’s been the guy that we’ve got to race on these mile and a half, two mile racetracks. He’s been decent at other racetracks, too, but not as stout as he is at these, and there’s a lot of those in the Chase.”
With just 3 races remaining before the Chase begins the pressure continues to build as NASCAR heads to the half mile Bristol bullring for a Saturday night shootout under the lights.
Dale Earnhardt’s No. 3 Chevy For Sale on eBay
Filed under: Dale Earnhardt, Silly Season, Tony Stewart
Okay, who says you can’t find almost anything on eBay?
Dale Earnhardt’s 1999 No. 3 Chevrolet Monte Carlo is for sale on eBay Motors.
According to the seller, the car was originally raced as a Lumina, and when NASCAR switched to the Monte Carlo it was converted to a Dale Earnhardt show car.
It’s equipped with a 650 horsepower engine, and a Tex T10 transmission, Goodyear Racing Eagles, and is ready to race. The car would also make a pretty cool collectible or show car.
The opening bid is $41,000 — but I couldn’t find ‘Used Dale Earnhardt Race Car’ in the Kelley Blue Book — so I can’t say whether that’s a fair price or not.
But as Jay Busbee said about another car on eBay, be sure and ask for a CARFAX report before buying.
I’d just like to see the look on my neighbor’s face when I do a burnout in my driveway.
