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. ”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.” 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.”
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.
For more news on Taylor Earnhardt please sign up for our newsletter.
NASCAR Drivers Sing in Perfect Harmony
NASCAR Drivers Find Perfect Harmony
Think the Superbowl has the best commercials? Think again.
Here’s one that will be in the 2010 Daytona 500 that smokes them all.
There’s an old Coca Cola commercial with a crowd of people standing on a hillside singing.
I’d like to buy the world a home and furnish it with love,
Grow apple trees and honey bees, and snow white turtle doves.
I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony,
I’d like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company.
It’s the real thing, Coke is what the world wants today.
That was in 1971. That was the year Tony Stewart was born.
Well, a gang of NASCAR drivers got together and sang that song for a new Coke commercial
Elliott Sadler, Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Joey Logano, Jeff Burton, Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Bobby Labonte and Clint Bowyer are singing I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony – while driving 200 mph!
Here it is – and a behind the scenes look at the making of the commercial.
Please tell your friends to watch, and please tell me what you think.
Changes to races ending under caution
NASCAR Changing Green White Checkered Rule
Look for another procedural rule change from NASCAR before Thursday’s Gatorade Duels. I have heard from a source inside NASCAR that the race leader will now be required to take the white flag under green.
If a caution occurs before the leader reaches the white flag NASCAR will make another attempt at a Green White Checkered finish.
No word yet on how many additional attempts will be made. Currently only one attempt is made. I expect an official announcement shortly.
Do you see this as an improvement in racing?
This Driver Knows
One NASCAR Driver Who Knows Where He Stands
Here’s a sign of a driver who doesn’t take himself too seriously – but still knows exactly where he stands in NASCAR.
Today, when one driver was asked if a driver had to win races in order to be recognized as the face of NASCAR, he answered kind of slyly, “apparently not.”
It was Dale Earnhardt Jr who said that. That was today at Daytona’s Media Day, and the media definitely got it.
“Somebody asked me how you get respect, and you get respect by the way you act,” Earnhardt said. “And they asked me if that was in or outside the car. I said that it was all the time, no matter where you’re at. You don’t get mulligans for being an asshole. I try and earn respect when I go do stuff whether that’s inside the car or not.”
So has Earnhardt earned respect. And who in NASCAR has not earned it?
Dale Jr Returns
Dale Earnhardt Jr is Looking Forward to Seeing You!
What does returning to Daytona mean for Dale Earnhardt Jr?
“I look forward to seeing everybody. Seeing the other drivers and crew members and everyone we haven’t seen all offseason,” Dale Jr said. “I look forward to hitting the track and getting some speed and going fast. We get down to Daytona and get to go right into drafting practice with the Shootout car, so you get to do a little racing right off the bat. It’s good to get to the track and get it out of your system.”
Junior likes the new larger opening in the restrictor plate being used at Daytona – and the added horsepower it brings. “I’m pretty happy about the new plate,” said Earnhardt. It’s going to give the car a little more throttle response.”
“The restrictor plate gives a throttle response, and you aren’t as scared to let off the gas because you can build momentum back quicker if you have a little more power,” added crew chief Lance McGrew.
It sounds like Dale Jr is planning on being a little more aggressive on the racetrack this year. I am not sure who he is planning on showing personality to – could be Kyle Busch. “I’m glad that NASCAR isn’t going to police the bump drafting so we can all police ourselves and show our personalities,” Earnhardt said. “Hopefully our personalities will be a little more visible on the racetrack.”
“Daytona is Daytona. It’s just really rough. You have to work on the chassis handling. It doesn’t matter how good your body is or how much horsepower you make; if you aren’t on the gas because the car’s not turning then it doesn’t work.”
Lance McGrew summed up what winning the Daytona 500 would mean for the entire No. 88 team. “It’s just one of those places you go that you remember the whole week,” said McGrew. “You remember how you felt, where you were standing during the pre-race. You remember who was there. The crowd and the electricity as you are standing on pit road before the race starts are amazing. It’s like a rock concert, hair-standing-up-on-your-arms kind of deal. Winning there would make your whole season.
Earnhardt has 2 wins in The Shootout, and one win in the Daytona 500. In his career he has won 12 times at the 2.5 mile superspeedway.
He will be driving a newly built race car for the Daytona 500. It is Hendrick Motorsports chassis # 88-563. The car was built specifically to win the Daytona 500. It will carry the Green Amp paint scheme for this race.
What does returning to Daytona mean to you?
Photo Courtesy Hendrick Motorsports
