Jimmy Spencer on Dale Earnhardt Jr
Jimmy Spencer thinks he knows what is wrong with the No. 88 team.
Jimmy Spencer knows what is keeping Dale Earnhardt Jr out of Victory Lane. He knows why the 88 is not winning Championships and contending for wins.
Do you want to know what Jimmy Spencer said?
Spencer has a new show on SPEED called What’s The Deal.
Last night on the show Jimmy Spencer said “I don’t believe it is the 88 team. I believe it is Junior himself.â€
You can take that for what it’s worth. It comes from a man with 2 career wins in NASCAR’s Cup Series.
Do you agree or disagree with Spencer’s opinion? Post your thoughts here and I’ll forward them on to SPEED
Earnhardt and Johnson Repeat
How Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr are Making it Look Like Last Year All Over Again
It looked like 2009 all over again at Fontana Sunday. Jimmie Johnson could do no wrong, while Dale Earnhardt Jr couldn’t catch a break.
Can this be a good sign for NASCAR?
When Earnhardt broke an axle it was mass confusion in the pit box. Crew 
chief Lance McGrew wasn’t even sure there was a replacement axle in the war wagon.
Brian Vickers broke an axle last year at Atlanta. Vickers’ crew changed the axle without losing a lap. That move was a key reason why Vickers was in the Chase – and Kyle Busch was not.
Why did it take the No. 88 pit crew 12 laps to make a similar repair?
Jimmie Johnson was on the other end of the lucky horseshoe. He was on pit road when a caution came out and was within less than a second of going a lap down. Not long after that he was leading.
Johnson was challenged by Kevin Harvick in the closing laps until Harvick scraped the wall with his No. 29 Chevrolet. After that all Johnson had to do was cruise to the checkered flag.
Do you want to watch the 2009 season all over again? Can this really be good for NASCAR?
Photo Courtesy Hendrick Motorsports
California Dreamin’ NASCAR Style
California Dreamin’ NASCAR Style
A preview of the Auto Club 500 at Fontana.
NASCAR’s California roots go pretty deep. The 1951 equivalent of NASCAR’s Sprint Cup series was known as Grand National, and they ran 5 races in the Golden State that year.
NASCAR founder Bill France wanted to spread NASCAR from its southern roots to the West Coast. In his words, “From sea to shining sea.â€
From 1970 to 1981 NASCAR’s first race of the year was not in Daytona Beach. It was on the road course at Riverside, California.
The 2 drivers with the most momentum from the Daytona 500 are winless at the 2 mile California track. But both Jamie McMurray and Dale Earnhardt Jr are optimistic heading into California.
“It’s much easier to go there after you run good somewhere else,†Dale Earnhardt Jr said. “You know, I look forward to seeing how we are as a team.â€
But if history is any indication Jimmie Johnson should have the advantage. Johnson has an average finishing position of 2.8 over the last 3 years at Fontana, with 3 wins.
Auto Club 500Race Facts
The Race: Auto Club 500
The Place:
Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, Calif.
(2-mile oval)
The Date: Sunday, Feb. 21
The Time: 3 p.m. (ET)
Race Distance: 500 miles/250 laps
TV: FOX, 2 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN and Sirius NASCAR Radio
Channel 128. (Local: KFRG-FM,
KVFG-FM, KXFG-FM.)
2009 Polesitter: Brian Vickers
2009 Winner: Matt Kenseth
Pre-race day schedule (all times
local): Friday—Practice, 12-1:30 p.m.
Qualifying, 3:40 Saturday—Practice,
11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. and 12:45-1:50.
Dale Earnhardt Shooting Star
9 Years Ago We Lost Dale Earnhardt
Please share your thoughts about Dale.
Win Kurt Busch’s Challenger
When Kurt Wins You Win. How to Win Kurt Busch’s Dodge Challenger.
For every race that Kurt wins in 2010 you have a chance to win a Dodge Challenger.
The contest is Miller Lite’s “When Kurt Wins, You Win†promotion.
All you have to do to win is buy a specially marked package of Miller Lite and enter the UPC online when you register at MillerLite.com/racing.
Jamie McMurray on Letterman
Jamie McMurray on Letterman After Daytona 500 Win
David Letterman and Jamie McMurray discuss the Daytona 500 victory, the pothole, and why Dave shouldn’t have a street legal version of Jamie’s race car.
Twitter and NASCAR Fans
Twitter Forces NASCAR TV Truth
Fox Broadcasters weren’t giving viewers the entire story when the Daytona 500 was red-flagged due to a large hole that developed in the track during the race.
It wasn’t until an uprising on Twitter occurred that FOX admitted there would be a lengthy delay.
As track workers made a fast but unsuccessful attempt to repair the track Fox Broadcasters stated that racing would resume in 10 to 12 minutes.
That turned into 1 hour and 40 minutes on the first attempt, and 40 minutes on the 2nd attempt.
It didn’t take long for the print and online media folks gathered at the track – along with fans in the grandstands – to start giving the facts via Twitter. And it wasn’t long after that Fox admitted there was a bigger problem.
I don’t blame Fox for wanting to hold onto its TV audience, but we weren’t getting the full story.
Twitter brought us the story instantly, and without filters.
I suggest you sign up for Twitter today, if you haven’t already.
Pave Daytona?
Is it Time to Re-pave Daytona?
The last time Daytona International Speedway was re-paved Jimmy Carter was President, and the No. 1 song was Night Fever by the Bee Gees. That was 1978.
Time and weather finally took a toll on the racing surface in Sunday’s Daytona 500 when a hole in the track caused the race to be red flagged twice for over 2 hours.
There are at least 2 good reasons why Daytona has not been re-paved since:
One – The rough and bumpy surface brings both handling and speed into play as the keys to winning, and makes for some great racing.
Two – It would cost $20 million to re-pave the historic 2.5 mile speedway.
Do you think the track should be re-paved?
Photo Courtesy NASCAR Media
Jamie McMurray Win Proves Roush Wrong
McMurray Wins in First Try for New Boss
Jack Roush must be feeling a little embarrassed today after letting Jamie McMurray go at the end of last season.
McMurray went on to win the Daytona 500 driving Teresa Earnhardt’s No. 1 Chevrolet allied with his old boss Chip Ganassi.
Roush’s best car finished 3rd.
Martin Truex Jr has to be saying “what if?†as well. Truex left the No. 1 car to go to Michael Waltrip racing this year, where he finished 6th in the Daytona 500.
At the Daytona 500 Champion’s Breakfast this morning McMurray had the best line: “I woke up and 1st thing I was hoping was that Danica wasn’t going to be on the cover of the paper.”
McMurray was being chased down on the last lap by Dale Earnhardt Jr who finished 2nd. Earnhardt is living up to his promise to be ruthless this year.
Earnhardt moved up 17 positions in the closing laps – going from 19th to 2nd.
The win meant a lot for the entire race team. â€I’m just happy for the whole team. I’m happy for all the partners. I’m happy for Felix and Teresa, happy for every single person that’s ever been a part of this team. It’s really important,†said Chip Ganassi.
McMurray thought his chance to win was slipping away when he saw Dale Earnhardt Jr in his rear view mirror. “I looked in my mirror and saw the 88. This guy has won a lot of races here.â€Â But McMurray was fast enough to hold off Earnhardt at the checkered flag.
McMurray tried to describe what it meant to win the Daytona 500.†It’s unbelievable. I can’t really put it into words the way it feels,†said McMurray.
“As a kid growing up, this is what you dream of, of being able to win the Daytona 500.â€
Photo Courtesy NASCAR Media
The Taylor Earnhardt Life Story
Taylor Earnhardt Biography
Taylor Nicole Earnhardt is the daughter of 7 Time NASCAR Champion Dale Earnhardt and his wife Teresa Earnhardt.
Taylor Earnhardt was born on December 20, 1988.
Fame came early for Taylor Earnhardt. As an infant in her mother’s arms in 1990 Taylor and Teresa were watching as Dale was leading the Daytona 500 on the final lap. TV cameras zoomed in on the two as Dale appeared to be headed to his first victory in that race.
But Taylor Earnhardt’s joy quickly turned to sorrow when Dale cut a tire and his victory slipped away.
No. 3 Driven by Taylor Earnhardt
Taylor became the first Earnhardt to drive the Black No. 3 since her dad when she competed in the 2009 Goodwood Festival of Speed in England in 2009. She drove the Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet that Dale won his final race in at Talladega in 2000.
Taylor Earnhardt has been active in the Dale Earnhardt Foundation, a charity started by her father. She worked with the John Wayne Cancer foundation to create the Dale and the Duke Car, a special paint scheme race car featuring Dale Earnhardt and John Wayne.
In 2008 Taylor won a World Championship Equestrian Barrel Racing event in Texas.
