NASCAR Sponsors
Even Dale Jr Needs A Sponsor
You know times are hard when Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Rick Hendrick can’t find a sponsor. The United States Navy has announced they’re leaving Junior’s Nationwide team.
Last year Junior and Hendrick announced they were merging their Nationwide series programs – and would operate the No. 88 and No. 5 cars out of Earnhardt’s JR Motorsports shop.
Now the operation is scaling back. People at JR Motorsports are losing their jobs, and expenses are being slashed.
“We’ve been working aggressively to secure funding to continue with two teams in the NASCAR Nationwide Series,” said Kelley Earnhardt, General Manager of JR Motorsports.
“The economic climate is difficult, as everyone is aware, and that is affecting every company’s ability to spend. The 2008 season will be ending in less than three weeks, and preparations for next season are already underway.”
“We do not anticipate getting the funding required to field two teams after the end of this season, and we need to make adjustments now to prepare JR Motorsports accordingly. We are reducing our workforce and budgets to comply with a new plan for 2009, which at the present time is to field the #88 team full-time with driver Brad Keselowski and the #5 team on a limited basis with a select group of drivers.”
JR Motorsports isn’t alone. Other big name teams are also having a hard time attracting sponsors.
Dale Earnhardt, Inc. has a sponsor locked up for only one of their four teams – Martin Truex, Jr.’s job is safe, with Bass Pro Shops backing him. Regan Smith and Aric Almirola are still without sponsors for 2009 – with no word yet if anyone will replace Paul Menard in the No. 15 car after he bolted from DEI taking his sponsor with him.
Bam Racing has suspended operation of the No. 49 car while it searches for sponsorship.
Yates Racing has operated most of this year either without sponsors, or with a race to race deal with a handful of smaller sponsors. In 2009 they will have full sponsorship from Menards with Paul Menard behind the wheel. No word on the other two cars of David Gilliland and Travis Kvapil.
Michael Waltrip Racing has lost UPS as a sponsor. The delivery company is headed to Roush Racing in 2009 for David Ragan.
Even NASCAR itself has had sponsorship issues. It took longer than expected to find a sponsor to replace Craftsman in the Truck Series – Camping World finally came aboard at the last minute.
Race teams can only operate out of their own pocket for so long.
If this continues we won’t be talking about the top 35 rule much longer. Instead we’ll be talking about less than full fields and start and park drivers.
It’s the economy – and NASCAR is suffering along with everyone else.
Jackets Hats Shirts Cars License Plates Diecast
Junior Johnson Endorses Obama
Daytona 500 Winner Endorses Obama
I just about fell out of my chair when I read this email from Junior Johnson. This is, after all, the man who is 11th on NASCAR’s all time win list. And he’s asking for votes for Barack Obama.
This is NASCAR after all – where Barack Obama enjoys slightly less popularity than Kyle Busch.
Here’s the email:
Join me in supporting Barack. My family and I have given this election a lot of thought.
Our country is in a rough spot, and we’re going to need some serious change. There’s only one candidate ready to deliver it — and that’s Barack Obama.
Every day I talk to someone else who’s never voted for a Democrat, but now they’re voting for Barack Obama. They realize that Barack understands what we’re going through here in North Carolina. And they’re ready for change.
So I’ve made up my mind, and I’m ready to get involved. I know that I could never have won a race without my pit crew, and I know Barack can’t win this one without us.
Can you sign up to volunteer this last crucial week?
When I talk to folks about why I support Barack, I just tell it like I see it.
There’s been a lot thrown at him this election, and he’s stayed calm, positive, and focused. I know a little something about how important it is to stay cool under pressure.
And with all the dangers in our world today, that’s the kind of rock-solid leadership our country needs.
These days, I run a small country ham and pork skins business. Barack Obama will fight for a fair economy where small businesses like mine have the freedom to grow, and he’ll defend the Second Amendment to protect the hunter’s way of life.
But the most important reasons I’m speaking out for Barack Obama are named Robert and Meredith, my two children. My wife Lisa and I talked it over, and honestly, we know in our gut that their future is more secure if Barack Obama is president.
At the end of the day, there’s just nothing more important than that.
That’s why I’m going to talk to my neighbors this week, and I’m asking you to do the same. This election in North Carolina is going to be one of the closest ever, and we all need to lend a hand.
I’ve been in a lot of races in my life. But this may be the most important one of all. So let’s all get in gear and win it together.
Yours,
Junior Johnson
P.S. — I know what it means to run an aggressive race, but I also know what it means to compete with integrity. Have you gotten one of these pre-recorded calls that are flooding our state smearing Barack Obama’s character and questioning his patriotism? That’s crossing the line, and North Carolinians deserve better. Help fight back by canvassing this week to tell your neighbors the truth about Barack.
Junior Johnson has 50 wins in NASCAR – including the 1960 Daytona 500.
On top of that he has 132 wins as a NASCAR owner. The driver’s who have raced in Junior Johnson’s race cars reads like the induction list for the NASCAR Hall of fame. Here’s some of the drivers who have driven for Junior Johnson:
· Bobby Isaac
· Curtis Turner
· Darel Dierenger
· A. J. Foyt
· Fred Lorenzen
· Gordon Johncock
· LeeRoy Yarbrough
· Donnie Allison
· David Pearson
· Cale Yarborough
· Richard Childress
· Darrell Waltrip
· J. D. McDuffie
· Geoff Bodine
· Neil Bonnett
· Davey Allison
· Terry Labonte
· Davey Allison
· Bill Elliott
· Sterling Marlin
· Jimmy Spencer
Johnson has 6 NASCAR championships as a car owner. Three with Cale Yarborough, and three with Darrell Waltrip.
Johnson is the man who brought the R. J. Reynolds sponsorship to NASCAR.
Today Johnson is a successful North Carolina businessman who sells his own line of country ham, pork rinds, as well as Junior Johnson’s Midnight Moon – a legal moonshine.
The Last American Hero is a movie on Junior Johnson’s life. it’s based on the biography by Tom Wolfe.
In 1956 Johnson was convicted and sentenced to federal prison for illegal moonshining. He was pardoned by Ronald Reagan in 1986.
This is the only current or former driver I’ve heard of endorsing Obama. I was really surprised to hear it. I’ll leave my endorsement out of it. I’ll just say that I’ve already voted, and I hope you do the same.
Find Junior Johnson right now on eBay
Atlanta NASCAR Recap
Speak Up on Atlanta and NASCAR
Here’s your chance to have your say on the Pep Boys Auto 500 in Atlanta.
Does Jimmie Johnson have the championship locked up?
Was the contact between Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson on the next to last restart just hard racing, did Hamlin spin his tires, or did Edwards shove him out of the way?
Can Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth or Dale Earnhardt, Jr. ever win another race?
And what about the save Denny Hamlin made at the end of the race? One more slip and he would have taken Jimmie Johnson out.
After Jimmie Johnson’s amazing run to 2nd place after running as far back as 30th Sunday afternoon in Atlanta I think you can go ahead and hand him the 2008 Sprint Cup today.
Even Carl Edwards seemed to be in a state of shock when he was told where Johnson had finished.
When ABC Victory Lane correspondent Dave Burns asked Edwards if he saw who finished 2nd Edwards said driver said he did not.
“The 48,” said Burns.
“Are you kidding me? You’ve rained on my parade all day,” said a dejected Edwards. “I could have done without that one.”
Johnson now has a 183 point lead over 2nd place Edwards.
Jimmie Johnson could skip next week’s Texas race and still keep the points lead with a win there by anyone but Edwards.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Jeff Gordon still can’t run any better than good — but good is no longer good enough. Earnhardt finished 10th, and Gordon finished 6th. Combined the two drivers have a total of one win in 2008.
Denny Hamlin posted a 3rd place finish after leading late in the race. He was a victim of Carl Edwards’ bumper on a late race restart. “It knocked us down the racetrack. He chose what lane he wanted to be in when he hit us. Once you get the guy on the outside on the restart, it’s over,” said Hamlin
One thing is for sure. The Chase has created a closer race for the Championship. Jimmie Johnson can clinch it next week at Texas. It’s unlikely, but it is possible. It’s more likely he will clinch it the following week at Phoenix. “Man, sure would make the week of Homestead a lot easier for me,” said Johnson.
So what are you thinking about all this with just 3 races to go in the 2008 NASCAR season.
Spread the Wealth in NASCAR
NASCAR, Taxes and Politics
If Barack Obama ran NASCAR here’s what you might see
Barack Obama’s tax plan – designed to “Spread the Wealth” – will have a direct impact on your bank account if he gets elected.
There is also a plan to Spread the Wealth in Racing.
RacingWin.com has obtained a copy of the plan from a high-ranking political official. Here is how the plan affects racing.
Spread the Wealth Plan for NASCAR Racing
- Starting lineups will be determined by qualifying speed with slower cars staring at the front of the field in order to offset any advantage gained by faster cars that came to the track better prepared.
- Additionally, the slowest qualifier will be given the first choice in pit stalls.
- During caution periods all cars one or more laps down will receive the” Lucky Dog,” allowing all cars to return to the lead lap.
- Teams with huge corporate sponsors shall be required from time to time to remove sponsor decals from their race cars and furnish those decals to unsponsored teams so that all race teams may be able to equally share in sponsorship.
- All money collected from sponsors shall be put into a special pool that will be re-distributed at the direction of President Obama.
- Drivers shall alternate race wins so that all drivers get a chance to win a race. No driver shall be permitted to win 2 races until all drivers have won at least one race.
- Prize money shall be equally divided between all competitors regardless of finishing order.
Does this make any sense? Not at all. But then again, neither does Obama’s “Spread the Wealth” philosophy. Do we need to elect Joe the Plumber instead?
New NASCAR Videos
NASCAR Videos
Cheating in NASCAR
How To Stop Cheating in NASCAR
The only way to stop cheating in NASCAR is to start parking cars and drivers.
If you’re caught with an illegal part on your car the entire team goes home for a minimum of one race. That includes the driver, crew, car and transporter. 
Back in the day a crew chief would tell you “It’s our job to cheat. It’s NASCAR’s job to catch us.”
Nobody is brave enough to say it today, but there is no doubt it is still going on. 4Ever3 said “it’s only cheating if you get caught.” But when you get caught today it’s a lot more than a slap on the wrist and a small fine.
Just ask Team Red Bull. NASCAR selected Brian Vickers’ No. 83 car at random to go to the NASCAR R&D center, pictured here, for a post-race inspection after Martinsville.
There it was discovered that the team’s fabricators had shaved the thickness of the sheet metal on the car, allowing weight to be positioned low and left on the car. Believe me that would have made a huge advantage at a flat short track like Martinsville.
Crew chief Kevin Hamlin and car chief Craig Smokstad have been sentenced to NASCAR’s version of the electric chair – indefinite suspension. Plus a $100,000 fine.
Only a reprieve from Governor Helton can save them now.
But the No. 83 team is just the one that got caught. How many more teams do you think were guilty of the same thing, but didn’t get called for a random inspection?
This incident is only the tip of the iceberg. There’s plenty of cheating going on at every race.
It’s like driving down the interstate at 90 mph. For every person you see on the shoulder in front of the blue lights, there are 100 more cruising by unchecked.
Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne, Scott Riggs, Michael Waltrip and Elliott Sadler are just some of the drivers who’s cars have been found with illegal equipment. Their teams have all been fined and their crew chief’s have been suspended.
If you park Dale Earnhardt, Jr. or Jimmie Johnson for using illegal parts then most cheating will stop. But I doubt this will eliminate 100% of it. The penalties would have to escalate for repeat violations.
After all, there are 43 teams on the track, and only one NASCAR.
Every one of those teams has dozens, if not hundreds of employees. Some of the best and brightest engineers, mechanics and techs who do nothing but specialize in things like tires, shocks, engines and aerodynamics.
Who do you think has the advantage when it’s 43 to 1?
There are ways to cheat in NASCAR that you and I have never thought of. But you can bet there is someone who is doing nothing but thinking of it day and night trying to come up with a creative way to make more speed.
What do you think is going on that we have never thought of?
Atlanta Motor Speedway Weather
Weather Forecast for Atlanta Motor Speedway
Dale Jr Fridge
Weird Stuff I Found on eBay
Want to keep your, ummm… Amp Energy Drink (I swear there are no beverages on hand from previous sponsors now associated with Kasey Kahne) close at hand while you’re sitting in the recliner watching the race.
Word is it holds several six packs of, you know, Amp Energy Drink.
I found this fridge on eBay for $399.99, and the guy selling it swears it’s officially licensed. Junior must get a ton of requests. I’d like to see the ones he turned down.
You can see the actual listing at eBay
Martinsvlle Post-Race Chatter
Have Your Say About Martinsville
NASCAR may not have engraved Jimmie Johnson’s name on the Sprint Cup yet, but after Sunday’ dominating win at Martinsville they must have at least penciled him in at the head table at the Waldorf Astoria.
The Tums Quik Pak 500 at Martinsville is in the history books now. The NASCAR pundits picked a pair of Hendrick Motorsports drivers as the favorites to go to Victory Lane – Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson were favored to win.
The pundits were half right. It was Jimmie Johnson taking the win. No one was talking about Dale Earnhardt, Jr. before the race. Junior drove the No. 88 car to a second place finish.
It seems there are more questions than answers after the race.
- Why did ABC cut to a commercial with 11 laps to go?
- Why did NASCAR wait until after the commercial break to throw the green flag — burning off 3 valuable laps in the process?
- Why didn’t Dale Earnhardt, Jr. pull within a few inches of Jimmie Johnson on the last 2 restarts instead of allowing Johnson to get such a big lead.
- Why are we continuing to see tire problems for the 3rd week in a roe — and so many times this year?
- Will Greg Biffle, Jeff Burton — or anyone else — be able to pry the Sprint Cup from Jimmie Johnson’s grasp?
- Will Jeff Gordon ever win another race? The seven time Martinsville winner continues his winless streak in 2008.
It’s like the Radio Shack commercial — we’ve got questions. We just hope you’ve got the answers.
Sponsor:
NASCAR, McCain and Obama
Will the NASCAR Gang Go With McCain or Obama?
I know you’re not supposed to discuss politics in polite company, but I want to get a feel for where the NASCAR community comes down on the Presidential election.
Richard Petty announced his endorsement for John McCain at Charlotte’s Bank of America 500.
“What we need right now in these uncertain times is a steady hand on the wheel — a leader we can trust to put country first, ahead of politics,” Petty said. “John McCain has always done that.”
“John McCain has a plan to get our economy back on track. He understands that higher taxes will only make things worse. I’m proud to support John McCain for president.”
Cindy McCain was on hand when Petty gave his endorsement, along with team owners Jack Roush and Joe Gibbs. The two owners hosted Mrs. McCain, who served as Honorary Race Director, during her visit to Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Cindy McCain has also attended races at Indianapolis and Pocono this year.
When John McCain made an appearance at the driver’s meeting in New Hampshire earlier this year he was greeted by enthusiastic applause and a standing ovation from the drivers and race officials on hand.
Defending Champion Jimmie Johnson made no bones about it when he picked McCain for President. “NASCAR fans back John McCain,” said Johnson.
Barack Obama has been noticeably absent from the NASCAR scene. BAM Racing made a pitch to the Obama campaign to sponsor the No. 49 car – an offer that was rejected by Obama.
However, Barack Obama has a page on his official website called NASCAR Fans for Obama, but the page seems to have very little activity. Maybe there none, I don’t know. If so, maybe he should change the name to No NASCAR Fans for Obama.
So who are you voting for in this election? I’ve already voted – for John McCain.
Photo courtesy McCain-Palin 2008
