Mark Martin 2009 All Star Race
Mark Martin on the 10 Lap All Star Shootout
The 2009 Sprin All Star Race will end with a 10 lap shootout to determine the winner.
This years race will be broken down into 4 segments. A 50 lap race, tow 20 lap races, and a final dash of 10 laps for $1 million.
“1 million to win — everything else doesn’t matter,” joked Ryan Newman. He was quickly corrected by NASCAR Vice-President of Competition Robin Pemberton who said “Yes, it does matter.”
I think everything’s on the line for this race. Here are Mark Martin’s thoughts.
NASCAR Thugs
Where Are The NASCAR Thugs?
Tony Stewart has been called NASCAR’s bad boy — but he can’t hold a candle to some players in other sports.
Star NFL quarterback Michael Vick is sitting in federal prison right now on dogfighting charges.
Plaxico Burress, the New York Giants receiver, was charged with 2 felony counts after he allegedly shot himself in a New York City bar.
Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Phelps is dropped by his sponsors after being photographed smoking pot out of a bong.
Player after player in Major League Baseball have admitted to using steroids.
So where are the scandals in NASCAR? Where are the thugs?
Here are the biggest scandals in NASCAR in the last few years.
It’s pretty calm in NASCAR compared to other sports.
- Kasey Kahne knocks down a security guard while trying to get to his motorcoach.
- Kurt Busch is detained by police in Phoenix for running a stop sign,
- Kyle Busch is charged with squealing his tires leaving a fast food joint.
Why is it that NASCAR drivers seem to get into a lot less trouble than people in other sports? I think it’s because racing requires a special skill set. Physical ability combined with mental sharpness. Racing just doesn’t attract the same type of participants that other sports do.
Another thing is that the garage is self-policing. Drivers have to depend on one another at 200 mph. They won’t tolerate thugs amongst themselves.
So why are NASCAR drivers more responsible than players in other sports?
NASCAR Called Daytona 500 Too Soon
NASCAR Not doing Enough to Assure Green Flag Finishes
When the Daytona 500 was declared over by NASCAR the winner wasn’t crossing the finish line — he was sitting in his covered car on a rain soaked pit road.
NASCAR had plenty of time to dry the track and restart the race. Sure, it would mean a late night for all involved. But this is big time auto racing — it’s the Daytona 500.
It shouldn’t end on a judgment call.
NASCAR’s has made every attempt to get a race in before. Remember what happened at Kansas in 2007 when the race was stopped and restarted twice for rain. That race eventually had to be called due to darkness. But Kansas has no lights. At Daytona the lights were already turned on.
So what if the race has to run until midnight. I’m sure most NASCAR fans would have still watched it.
Instead Matt Kenseth is left with a victory in a race he never led a lap in until being credited with one by crossing the start finish line under caution.
This race is left with no real winner.
NASCAR owes it to it’s fans, drivers team owners and sponsors to do everything it can to finish the race — and finish it under green. Even if it means re-starting the race at an inconvenient time.
I’m guessing the only people happy about this outside of Roush Racing are Matt Kenseth fans.
I would like to know what input Fox TV executives had in calling the race. I’m sure they didn’t want to disrupt their Sunday night prime time lineup. But I hope a Fox executive didn’t decide who won the Daytona 500.
So, what do you think. Did NASCAR make the right call?
Petty Blue Plymouth Superbird
Petty Blue Plymouth Superbird
This car was once banned by NASCAR
Richard Petty drove this Petty Blue Plymouth Superbird on the parade lap just prior to the start of the 2008 Daytona 500.
These cars were really fast back in the day on NASCAR tracks. Especially high banked tracks like Talladega and Daytona.
The Superbirds were so fast that they were banned by NASCAR.
The Superbird wasn’t really a case of taking a ‘stock car’ and racing it in NASCAR. Plymouth built these cars with for the express purpose of racing them in NASCAR. Then they built a few more to sell in dealerships.
It used to be that NASCAR required a car manufacturer to sell at least 500 cars in order to race it. That’s what makes this car so rare – and the fact that production was halted shortly after the winged cars were banned
The car is a little pricey at $275,000 on eBay, but the Superbirds have been bringing top dollar lately at Barrett Jackson. I don’t really think the fact that Petty drove the car adds a lot to the value – but it certainly can’t hurt.
That’s Fireball Roberts’ car sitting next to on Daytona’s pit road, and if you look closely you can see another of Petty’s cars lined up just behind the Superbird.
I was really disappointed to see that it doesn’t have the hemi engine. The car has the big-block 440 six pack with three 2-barrel carburetors.
It’s in original condition and unrestored and has been stored in a climate controlled garage.
The car has 39,000 miles on it – which is a little high for an unrestored car like this. But given the quality and rarity if this car I won’t be surprised to see it sell for that.
See all 24 photos of this Superbird
Dale Earnhardt Jr Interview
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Daytona Video
In this video from the Daytona Beach News-Journal Dale Earnhardt Jr talks about the Budweiser Shootout and Daytona 500 qualifying.
Junior is not a fan of the new format for the Shootout – he prefers the old way when pole winners were guaranteed a place in the race.
“The whole damn field’s in it. I just wish it was the old format because it was pretty cool, said Earnhardt. “Winning a pole position meant something, and it meant getting into the Shootout.”
Dale Jr also talks about how some teams are building special engines just for qualifying.
Watch the video and see for yourself.
Dale Jr Says Hotels Gouging NASCAR Fans
Stop Gouging Race Fans
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Says Hotels Gouging Fans and Tracks not Doing Enough
Do you think race track owners are doing enough for NASCAR fans these days? Apparently Dale Earnhardt Jr. doesn’t think they are.
Earnhardt is tired of race fans getting soaked by high ticket prices, high hotel prices and minimum stays at hotels on race weekends. Bruce Martin at SI.com reported that Junior voiced his displeasure with track operators during a break in a recent TV commercial shoot.
Junior is not happy that drivers are getting the blame for a lack of ticket sales. “The race track owners want drivers to do more? Yeah, right. They need to go back to work,” said Earnhardt.
Track operators have ridden the NASCAR Gravy Train for the past few years with NASCAR’s popularity at an all time high. “They forgot what it’s like to sell tickets. That’s their problem. They ain’t had to sell tickets for a long time and none of them remember how or knew how or ever learned how.”
“They need to get back to working hard and doing their promotions and putting packages together for race fans. They don’t want to cut the ticket price but they probably should and get these hotels to quit gouging these people,” said Dale Jr. “Hotels near race tracks often jack their prices up 3 to 4 time the normal rate on race weekends – and many require 3 night minimum stays turning fans away who only want to spend one night and see the race.
An $80 hotel room can easily go for $300 when NASCAR is in town. Add a 3 night minimum and that comes to $900 for the weekend. If all you can afford is $80 for one night the hotel operators have 2 words for you: “Tough Luck.”
The track promoters need to get together with the hotel operators and come up with some affordable packages that include lodging and race tickets if they want to put race fans in the grandstands on Sunday afternoon.
“They can dump that responsibility on drivers all they want but the responsibility really lies in their hands to sell race tickets and they have to get creative in doing it,” said Dale Jr. “We already do a lot. We do [blanking] plenty and they are full of [bleep].”
So are you guys at the race track listening to this? What are you going to do to sell more tickets?
Race fans, what do you want to see?
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NASCAR Limo
NASCAR Limo Being Sold for Charity
The Interstate Batteries Limo is being sold for charity. They claim it’s the second most photographed limousine in the world – behind the President’s car.
It’s a 1999 Pontiac Limo built by Coach Works especially for Interstate Batteries.
Inside it has a black and white checkered flag with a TV and bar. You can see photos of the interior here.
This would be a pretty cool car to go to the race track in – especially if you’re a Kyle Busch fan.
I think this is the only Pontiac limousine I’ve ever seen. They’re usually Cadillacs and Lincolns. But when this car was built Joe Gibbs Racing was competing in Pontiacs – and Bobby Labonte was the driver. So I guess that makes sense.
I wonder if there is an Amp No. 88 Limo – or a DuPont No. 24? If so I bet they could give this car a run for the money in The Most Photographed Limousine in the World category.
If you drive this car to the Daytona 500 I guarantee you can get a great parking spot.
The car is being sold on eBay by ClassicCarBuyer, and is located in Warrenton, Missouri.
See the Interstate Batteries Limo on eBay
Dale Earnhardt Jr Fan Club
Dale Jr 2009 Fan Club
All you Kyle Busch fans out there might want to skip this, but the 2009 Dale Earnhardt Jr Official Fan Club is ready to roll.
Jr Nation Crew, The Official Fan Club of Dale Earnhardt Jr Fan Club, has just released the 2009 Crew Kit for serious Dale Jr fans.
New Dale Earnhardt Jr fan club is the ultimate fan experience for serious Junior fans.
Now all of Junior’s fans can come together as one and show their support for the driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet.
The Jr Nation Crew fan club will have a direct line to all of Dale Earnhardt Jr’s racing activities – it will be ran directly from Junior’s headquarters at JR Motorsports giving members an inside line to Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Crew members also get special access to corporate hospitality events at select race tracks.
You can join JR nation now for $34.88 – for your money you’ll get access to member’s only forums and contests, exclusive Dale Jr media and full access to the JR Nation Crew members only website. You’ll also get a JR Nation Crew Kit which includes a membership card and welcome letter from Dale Earnhardt Jr.
To join JR Nation Crew now just visit Junior’s official fan club website at JrNation.com, or call toll free at 1.800.927.7821.
Part 2: Dale & Dale Jr
Part 2: An Interview With Dale Earnhardt & Dale Jr.
Here’s the conclusion to Dale & Dale Jr.
If you missed Part 1 it’s here
Sadler Fights Back
Elliott Sadler Fires Back at GEM With Legal Order
An attorney for Elliott Sadler has fired the first shot in what is sure to be a legal battle between Sadler and Gillett Evernham Motorsports.
John Buric, Elliott Sadler’s attorney, has filed an ‘application and order extending time to file complaint’ in Iredell County, North Carolina Superior Court.
According to court records the order seeks “injunctive relief, declaratory relief/specific performance, consequential and punitive damages as a result of Defendants anticipatory and actual breach of Plaintiffs’ Driving Services Agreement — Plaintiffs also seek general, consequential, treble and punitive damages, and attorney fees, as a result of Defendants’ tortuous interference.”
Last spring GEM signed Sadler to a multiyear extension of his contract to drive the car through 2010.
The order filed by Sadler’s attorney names GEM owner George Gillette along with Ray Evernham and AJ Allmendinger.