Trouble in Turn2

Finally.

Dale Earnhardt Jr returned to Victory Lane in a Cup race. The last time Dale Earnhardt Jr won a Cup points race, Bill Clinton was in office. Or at least some people made it seem like it had been that long. The way Junior’s 2008 has gone, he could actually have multiple wins by now. He’s been a top five car nearly every week. It also doesn’t matter that he won on fuel mileage. They all count. The whole object of a race is to get to the front at the right time. Part of the reason the #88 team could gamble on fuel was their position in the standings. In prior seasons Earnhardt Jr has been near the bottom of the Chase standings and couldn’t afford a 25th place finish. With their 3rd place position it opens up more opportunities to take risks, which is exactly how they won on Sunday. Compare that with some of the other teams fighting for a Chase spot like Kevin Harvick, David Ragan and Jamie McMurray that were forced to pit under the final caution.

Not everyone is an Earnhardt Jr fan, but my guess is that the majority of NASCAR fans can appreciate Jr’s win and feel good about it. Put aside the fact that he’s the most popular driver in NASCAR, consider how hard it is to win Cup races. Now look at a few of the races where he’s come tantalizingly close to winning. He’s been wrecked while leading (Talladega 2006, Richmond 2008), had engine failures while running in the top 3 (Indianapolis, Richmond 2007), and been on the other side of the fuel mileage game (Charlotte 2007). It was a deserved, and popular, win.

• Tony Stewart is donating his winnings from Sunday’s race to the Red Cross and specifically the Indiana flood relief. Stewart spent most of the day in the top ten before coming home fifth. That’s a nice $136, 986 check for those in need.

  “I’m happy we got a top-five for everyone in Columbus, Indiana, and that we can do something to help our community out,” Stewart said. “It’s been on my mind all weekend. That’s what this top-five is for. When it’s your own community and your own neighbors, it’s good to generate a good amount of winnings for them.”

  The finish was also Stewart’s first top ten since a 4th place run at Richmond last month.

• I tried the Race Buddy, which is great. You can toggle between different camera views like Pit Road, In-Car, On Track Battles or four angles at once. It’s a poor man’s Hot Pass. The one downside, as my wife pointed out, is that there is no Bill Weber to complain about.

• Matt Kenseth continued his rebound with a 3rd place finish after leading 41 laps. It could have been better if not for his pit road incident with a track official. As Kenseth was leaving his pit, he had to brake when the official was still in front of his car for some reason. It cost him spots on the track that he never made up. Kenseth’s teammate Greg Biffle also had a costly pit road incident. The team was changing two tires but Biffle took off before the front tire changer could clear the car and was almost hit. Unfortunately the move also was a penalty because the air gun was left on the wrong side of the car. It was another top five run for Biffle, spoiled by a team mistake.

• Red Bull Racing’s intermediate program is really coming alive. Not only did Brian Vickers have one of the strongest cars in the race but AJ Allmendinger was also strong (79.7 driver rating) before getting shuffled back at the end. The team is still growing and needs improvement on the shorter tracks, but is one of the big stories of the last month. Now Allmendinger heads to Sonoma with a very good chance of scoring his first top ten finish.

• Kyle Petty noted how many races have come down to pit strategy with the new car. That’s true, but I think it has less to do with the car itself and more from the timing of the cautions. With track position at an even greater premium and crew chiefs unsure how even the best car will handle in traffic, getting to the front is now paramount.

• The win was Chevy’s first at Michigan since 2001.

• 18 different drivers have won Cup races since Earnhardt Jr’s last Cup win in 2006.

• The race lasted 2 hours 47 minutes. Last week’s race at Pocono last 4 hours.


For more racing news and opinion check out Racing Nation.

After three straight races in three different time zones, all the NASCAR drivers were looking forward to the off-week before heading back to work. Like every other person with free time, they look forward to their vacation filled with relaxtion and entertainment. Earlier in the off-week several NASCAR drivers decided to relax and enjoy a night out together. So Dave Blaney, Patrick Carpentier, JJ Yeley, Kyle Petty, Johnny Sauter, Mike Skinner, Bill Elliott, John Andretti, Joe Nemecheck and Dario Franchitti decided to head to a trendy Charlotte nighttime hangout, Club 3-5.

As the group approached the front door, they were suddenly stopped by the bouncer,“Sorry, I can’t let you guys in”.

“What? It’s only 9:00 and it’s a big club, it looks like there’s plenty of room for all of us,” said an irritated Nemechek.

“Yeah, there’s room but we have to save spots for people with better dance skills.”

“Better dance skills? Like who?” asked an incredulous Andretti, “Who’s cooler than us?”
Dale Earnhardt Jr and Kasey Kahne nudged their way through the group and moonwalked their ways inside the door.
“Ok, fine,” responded Andretti, “They’re pretty cool, but who else?”
Just then, Regan Smith and Sam Hornish Jr walked up to the velvet rope and nudged their way past the group of drivers. “Hey Mike, can we get in?”

“Of course guys,” said the bouncer as he opened the rope and motioned them towards the door. Then turning back to the other drivers shrugged and said, “That’s the rules. Those guys have been better dancers this year than any of you. Plus have you ever seen Hornish pop and lock?”

“We just want to get into the club, we don’t expect to dominate the dance floor. That’s only fair,” pleaded Petty.

All right, some of you can still get in, but you’ll have to prove it with your dance moves. I’ll let eight of you in, but the others have to go hang out at the Olive Garden.”

Bill Elliott was the first one to try. He began with a slow, uncoordinated rendition of the Charleston, but then Mike the Bouncer interrupted. “Hey, didn’t you win a dance contest a few years ago? Yeah, you did. 1986 right? Go ahead, you can go in.”

Next up was JJ Yeley. His acrobatic routine began impressively but then as he was squaring up for a flip, he slumped to the ground. “I think I broke my leg!”

“That’s a shame there JJ, but I’m sorry we can’t let you in.”

As Yeley was writhing in pain on the ground, another driver, Michael McDowell limped up to the door on crutches. With a simple nod to Mike the Bouncer, McDowell slipped inside as the door closed behind him. A befuddled Yeley just sat there.

Next up were Franchitti, Carpentier, Skinner and Andretti doing some ballroom dancing. The performance, although awkward without female dance partners, impressed Mike the Bouncer enough. “I’ll let you guys in, but let me see the other dances first. Just stand here for a minute.”

Just then Boris Said walked by and saw all the dancing. “That looks pretty fun, I think I’ll give it a shot too.”
Petty realized there were only three spots left so he went for it. He pulled out the Robot routine he’d learned from his dad back in the 70’s. “Kyle, I’m sorry but it was just too slow. It may have worked in another era, but I can’t let you in.”

So Said proceeded to do a flawless breakdance routine capped with a headspin. “That was amazing! That’s one of the best dances I’ve seen tonight. You’re in for sure!” Just then a lightning bolt lit up the sky followed by a sudden downpour.

“It’s raining! I didn’t even have a chance to go,” cried Blaney as the makeup for his Thriller routine ran down his face.

“You’re right Blaney, we need a way to settle this.” The bouncer paused for a second, “Okay, Elliott, Blaney, Franchitti, Nemechek, Yeley-but you’ll need to switch to your backup routine when you get inside, Sauter, Carpentier and Skinner. You guys can go inside, the rest of you can check out a never-ending pasta bowl.”

“What? You said I was awesome! Now I have even get in because it’s raining?”

“Sorry Boris. The rest of these guys show up every week and try to get into the club, but you just show up from time to time. How would that make sense?”

“None of this makes sense. Come on Boris, let’s go get some breadsticks.” said Andretti.

It’s been a rough week for the most storied team in NASCAR. The #45 car and Kyle Petty have struggled in almost every aspect this year. They don’t have a finish better than 28th through five races, pushing the car beyond the safety of the top 35. Then last week Petty failed to qualify for the race at Martinsville. This week Petty decided to take one for the team and step out of the #45. Chad McCumbee subbed for Petty twice last year. The difference this time is that McCumbee must make the race on speed. At least he only has to be faster than three cars.

Not only is one of Petty Enterprises cars in big trouble, but the other car will lose its primary sponsor, Betty Crocker, at the end of the season. The math seems to also add up that Bobby Labonte would join Childress, but since only one writer, Bob Margolis has the story, I’ll wait until someone else confirms it.

Labonte released a statement today pleading for people to avoid speculation:

“I’m very humbled by the level of interest in my future, but at this time I’m concentrating all my efforts in getting Petty Enterprises back to victory lane. I feel good about all the positive steps that Petty Enterprises has made and continues to make.

“General Mills has been a huge part of making the 43 team what it is today. I worked diligently with Petty Enterprises to continue General Mills involvement with the team. Today, we all learned they have made a decision. I truly appreciate all they have done to contribute to our success at Petty Enterprises.

“Moving forward, I’m going to work hard each week to win races. I want to do the best I can for Petty Enterprises and everyone who puts great cars under me each week. That’s our focus, and that’s what I feel is the right thing to do for all our partners. At this time, I have no intention to talk about my plans after 2008 because of the immediate tasks at hand. I respectively ask for everyone’s patience in this matter and, again, am humbled by everyone’s interest. ”

It not quite a ringing endorsement for staying in the #43 in 2009, but Labonte can’t really do much else except quell the rumors.

For Petty Enterprises the combined developments are a huge blow. Betty Crocker has been with PE since 2000 although the relationship has only produced 4 top fives and 18 top tens in that span. Having a car slip out of the top 35 also does little to woo sponsorship dollars.

The one hint of good news for Petty was a potential investor is close to signing on. The team needs an infusion of capital. The team needs to find a replacement sponsor for the #43 and solidify the shaky #45 sponsorship as well. I don’t think Petty will close up shop soon, and they are pointed in the right direction with their recent moves. The trick will be not only keeping their current status in NASCAR, but finding a way to advance. It’s going to be a rough season, but if they can weather it, secure sponsorship or investment some of their decisions like leasing Evernham engines, moving their shops to the Charlotte area and their personnel hirings could pay off. For a company that means so much to NASCAR’s history and their off track image, it’s hard not to hope it works out.

Links and Notes

• Doug Demmons explains what it feels to take a drive at Talladega. At 170 mph.
• Dustin Long writes about Red Bull Racing’s full time pit crew team. A few interesting notes from the article. They are the only full-time crew in NASCAR. The cost is about $1 million. One of the big fears when Toyota joined NASCAR was that they could outspend other manufacturers and teams. Maybe this is one of the first signs of that free spending. As if teams needed another area to spend money on.
• If you need some last minute help choosing your fantasy team, maybe this can be of assistance.
• Dale Jr’s Adidas clothing line is now on sale at select Texas retail locations:
  

  After making its debut in Daytona at the start of the NASCAR season, Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s adidas JR Nation Gear has invaded the Lone Star state! Consumers can pick up the latest adidas Dale Jr. gear including men’s and women’s t-shirts, jackets, hats and jerseys, at any of the six Sports Authority locations in the Fort Worth area (addresses below). In addition, fans can check out Dale Jr.’s #88 AMP show car, which will be visiting Sports Authority stores across Dallas and Fort Worth starting April 1 and culminating on April 5 (dates, times and locations below).

  Designed and developed with the help of Dale Jr., JR Nation Gear features the same adidas ClimaCool technology that allows Dale Jr. to stay cool on the track. adidas ClimaCool technology is a ventilation system that utilizes specially engineered air channels, materials and components to provide superior moisture management, enhanced evaporation and better breathability. Throughout the season, new products, including footwear, accessories and other exclusive gear, will debut in conjunction with special events like All-Star in Charlotte this May.

  Locations, dates and times of Dale Jr.’s #88 AMP show car appearances include:

  April 1, 4-7pm
  Hulen Store
  4830 S. W. Loop 820-Overton Park
  Fort Worth, TX 76109

  April 4, 10am-1pm
  Stonebriar Store
  2930 Preston Road, Ste 200B
  Frisco, TX 75034

  April 2, 4-7pm
  Cedar Hills Store
  727 North Highway 67
  Cedar Hill, TX 75104-2142

  April 4, 4-7pm
  Denton Store
  1800 South Loop 288, Ste 240
  Denton, TX 76205

  April 3, 4-7pm
  Irving Store
  3524 Airport Freeway West
  Irving, TX 75062

  April 5, 10am–1 pm
  Watauga Store
  7612 Denton Highway,Ste 404
  Watauga, TX 76148

  What are you waiting for? Go get it!

Have a good weekend and enjoy the race.

After the tire debacle at Atlanta, things can only be better at Texas right? As the tour returns to a high-speed 1.5 mile track, questions remain about the tires. There is a lot of pressure on Goodyear to find a softer, more competitive tire while at the same time retaining the safety. Public opinion wasn’t helped when NASCAR declined Texas Motorspeedway president Eddie Gossage’s invitation for an additional tire test. If things aren’t improved at Texas, it would be embarrassing for NASCAR and Goodyear.

Hopefully that’s the last mention of tires this weekend, so let’s move on to the race itself. In its short history, Texas Motorspeedway has certainly had a rich story. A lap one wreck took out a fourth of the field in the first race. Weepers (and you thought it was a new term at California). Threatened Lawsuits. Jackmen attacking drivers. And that’s only over fourteen races and eleven years of existence.

The Entry List

• Mark Martin returns to the #8 car after his spring break. No he wasn’t at Senor Frogs (although I haven’t verified that).
• Kyle Petty is replaced in the #45 car by Chad McCumbee. More on the Petty situation tomorrow.
• Ken Schrader and Emeril Racing (BAM!) said, “Sike! We’re not going to enter Texas.”
• Schrader might not go racing at Texas, but Burney Lamar is. So to the fans yearning for Burney, be sure to catch Friday’s practice session because making the race is a long shot.

Last Year’s Race

Jeff Burton led the final two laps after a tough battle with Matt Kenseth to nab his only win of 2007. However, as is often the case, the big talk that Monday morning was not about the winner. The wreck involving Dale Earnhardt Jr and Kyle Busch while they slowed for a caution grabbed the headlines. Busch left so Earnhardt stuck around and drove the #5 car for a few laps. I still believe this was unrelated to the later events that saw Earnhardt replace Busch at Hendrick, but it was all anyone wanted to talk about during the week. Both drivers have obviously adaptied to the changes well.

Who runs well?

• Tony Stewart-Won the 2006 fall race and has the best driver rating (109.3) over the last six Texas races.
• Matt Kenseth-He has led 374 laps at Texas and has led at least one lap in 9 of the last 10 races.
• Denny Hamlin-He has four top tens in five career starts. It could have been five for five. He was leading the race last fall when he got loose racing Kenseth too hard and hit the wall.
• Martin Truex Jr-Won the fall 2007 pole and has a 95.7 driver rating in five career starts. So far this year he has not been near the front like the way he ended 2007.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr-He got his first career Cup win at Texas in 2000 and also has seven top tens in 11 tries. I’ll bet anyone a billion dollars that win gets mentioned on Sunday along with some kind of parallel to his first win with Hendrick Motorsports if he is leading at any point in the race.

Fantasy Picks

Champs
Kurt Busch has done almost everything but win at Texas. That includes wrecking former teammate Greg Biffle two years ago that incited a near catfight between the significant others. When he stays on the track the #2 team has had several strong runs only to unravel in the pits.

Chumps
This week the Chumps list is extremely difficult to interpret. Eight of the top 11 Texas driver ratings belong to drivers in this category. Three others, Kasey Kahne Ryan Newman and Jeff Burton have won at Texas. The other two on the list, Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick, have had good runs at other intermediate tracks this year. Since his win at Daytona, Newman has one top ten (California).

Sleepers
Casey Mears really likes Texas. In eight career races he has 2 top fives and four top tens. Both numbers are tops for Mears at any track. Racing luck and misfortune have hindered his point standing so far this year, but the cars have been pretty good.

Who will win? Tony Stewart has watched his teammates win two of the last three races. Now it’s his turn. Wouldn’t it be great if he peeled off his firesuit and he had a message waxed in his back hair? Something like “Suck it Goodyear”. [I’m the only one?]

Go fast or go home. It’s a phrase no team wants mentioned in conjunction with their cars. With only one race to go before 2008 owner points take effect, the top 35 picture is taking shape. For new teams inside the top 35 it means a guaranteed starting spot. Likewise, the teams that have not cracked the top 35 in 2008 owner points will have to qualify on speed for one of the final eight transfer spots. Once the top 35 gets set after Bristol, the chances of entering or exiting that safe haven decrease each week. That places immense pressure on this week’s race for teams that need to either hang on or move up. Holding the crucial fifth race at the potentially volatile Bristol track makes it even more tense. You can be sure nine or ten teams will be packing extra heartburn medicine this weekend.

Two teams have already locked themselves in for race six at Martinsville. Kurt Busch and Brian Vickers could fail to qualify for Bristol(Busch has a provisional anyway) and still have enough points to stay in the top 35. For other drivers it is less fun. Only 86 points separate 31st through 39th. It sounds like a lot, but making a race guarantees 34 points. If a car currently inside the top 35 like Michael Waltrip misses the race, that opens the door for another outside the top 35.

Right now JJ Yeley sits in the final spot in the top 35 safety zone. He is only 18 points ahead of 36th place Sam Hornish Jr, which is the difference of six places, less with five bonus points for leading a lap. 5 teams that will make the Bristol race due to their 2007 owners points are currently outside the top 35 based on 2008 owners points. The #01, #22, #40, #45, #77 all face the possibility of squandering their early season fortune.

All four rookies currently sit outside the top 35. Sam Hornish Jr, Dario Franchitti, Regan Smith and Patrick Carpentier sit in 36th, 38th, 39th and 46th respectively. Smith is the only driver that has previously raced at Bristol and that could provide an advantage. The tight confines of Bristol pose a much different challenge and smaller margin for error than the wider and bigger speedways the tour raced at the last three weeks.

It’s also interesting that the open wheelers are all struggling mightily. Hornish Jr had a top 15 at Daytona but then wrecked in his next two starts. Franchitti hasn’t wrecked, but simply run at the tail of the field every week. Patrick Carpentier and AJ Allmendinger haven’t qualified for races and sinking their chances before they even had a chance to crash on Sundays. All of this makes Juan Pablo Montoya’s debut even more impressive. At the same point last year Montoya was safely inside the top 35 and scored a top five at Atlanta.

The rookie struggles means, strange as it sounds, that a driver with zero Cup starts could wind up as Rookie of the Year. The #00 has a nice points cushion thanks to David Reutimann making every race so far. After Martinsville, Reutimann will shift to the #44 (also inside the top 35) and rookie Michael McDowell will take the wheel of the #00. He won’t set the world on fire, but he could be the only rookie with a guaranteed starting spot each week.

Rookies, open-wheelers, and open-wheel rookies aren’t the only teams that will need a second coat of Old Spice this weekend. Michael Waltrip Racing currently has all three cars locked inside the top 35, although the #44 and #55 are toeing the edge of the cliff. After a nightmare 2007 debut, Waltrip has rebounded but there is still one more race for each car to make.

Further up in the points are two drivers from marquee teams. Casey Mears in 30th place and Jamie McMurray in 31st are each one bad Bristol crash from plunging into serious danger. Both are top 20 drivers in top 10 equipment, but can’t seem to garner their deserved finishes. It’s one thing to struggle, but another thing entirely to flirt with the top 35.

On the other end of the spectrum is Kyle Petty. He has made every race, but he sits 40th in the points and needs a lot of help or a spectacular run at Bristol to keep his guaranteed starting spot. His teammate Bobby Labonte has been very competitive each week, but Petty has not finished better than 32nd. His 28.5 driver rating exemplifies the team’s struggles. For Petty Enterprises this year it’s one step forward (#43 car) and one backward.

All in all, the bottom 35 is filled with interesting stories. What happens at Bristol will have consequences for the concerned parties for the rest of the year.

Last Week’s Caption Contest Winner

Thanks to everyone that submitted captions. The winner is John. He wins a $20 gift certificate to use at Whatever Sports.