Will Obama Ban NASCAR Flyovers?
Will Obama Ban NASCAR Flyovers Next?
As President of The United States Barack Obama is Commander in Chief of the United States Armed Forces. He has complete control over the nation’s military forces – including the right to allow or not allow aircraft to fly over special events.
For 43 years the Treasure Valley God and Country Festival has been held in Idaho. Previous President’s have allowed the Air Force to take part in the festival by providing planes for ceremonial flyovers – but now the Pentagon has said no to the festival’s organizers under Obama’s watch.
As part of the festival the anthems of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines are played to salute our nation’s military men and women.
Barack Obama could just as easily ban flyovers at NASCAR races – and that would be a real shame. Is NASCAR next on Obama’s list?
What would you say to Barack Obama to prevent him from banning NASCAR flyovers?
Why Are You a NASCAR Fan?
Why Are You A NASCAR Fan?
What makes NASCAR so special to you? I was hoping you could share your thoughts about why you are a NASCAR fan. How did you get involved in the sport – and why do you follow it today?
Maybe you follow a driver – or maybe there is one you love to hate. Maybe you like the action, or the strategy involved as the race unfolds.
What first drew you to become a NASCAR fan – and what keeps you following the sport today?
Feel free to leave your comments below, or email them directly to me at greg@racingwin.com.
NASCAR Is Not Going To Change
Some Things in NASCAR aren’t Changing
There are some things in NASCAR that are never going to change no matter how much fans, writers or TV broadcasters complain about them.
The top 35 rule is here to stay.
NASCAR is not going to park drivers for cheating.
The Chase is the Chase and the old points system is not coming back.
Race cars are never again going to look like the stock cars that you can buy the local dealership.
These are a few points that David Poole made the other day. David is one of the best top journalists covering NASCAR today – and he’s one of my favorites. He also does ‘The Morning Drive’ on Sirius NASCAR Radio.
Head over ThatsRacin.com and check out the story.
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?
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!
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.
NASCAR State License Plates
The State of Mississippi has some of the best NASCAR license plates I have seen. These are official state license plates for your car.
A company called Race Plate Marketing is behind the plates. It seems they have worked out a deal with NASCAR to market the specialty auto tags.
Mississippi charges residents $36.00 for the tag — of which $8.28 goes to Race Plate Marketing, and $0.72 goes to NASCAR.
Not a bad deal for an official license plate showing your favorite driver. Here’s a photo of the Dale Jr tag, but you can also get Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth and 22 other drivers — plus a NASCAR themed plate
