AWARDS IN NYC....

The awards season is over... Friday's Sprint Cup Banquet was boring...and now we wait until February and the new season...but one wonders how the economy will affect things...

NASCAR WEEK IN NYC

If you are a fan, you might want to travel across the river and catch some of the events of NASCAR week thru Friday.

MORE CUTBACKS

If you keep up with what's going on, you see teams struggling to get sponsors...and laying off workers in an attempt to keep afloat. It will be interesting to see what develops next February...

Don't forget next week is NASCAR week in NYC.....Happy Thanksgiving!

NASCAR TALK ON THE LOCKER ROOM

I'm in for Kevin this week...
Tuesday - John Daly from the Daly Planet NASCAR TV Blog will join me at 5:05
Wednesday - a season recap with ABC/ESPN's Jamie Little at 5:05...

1160 WOBM-AM & Fox Sports 1310

JIMMIE AGAIN!!!!

So the season is over....Jimmie Johnson wins a 3rd in a row...Mr. Backflip wins the race...my pick - Matt Kenseth runs out of gas...sigh....

Found it interesting ABC scheduled the race till 8p this week...and had an extended post-race show...I'm still ticked...

Daytona is in 3 months....no January testing though....

JOHNSON...AGAIN....

Jimmie's #48 shows the way heading into Homestead...again. They had the class car all weekend at Phoenix....Nice to see Jeff Gordon have trouble (it's always nice to see that)...

Boo to ABC moving the end of the race to ESPN 2....good to know where NASCAR stands at ABC....

Next weekend will be interesting with all three titles still on the line....

WALL STADIUM RISES FROM THE DEAD...

The annual Turkey Derby will take place on November 27 & 28. The speedway, which was closed this summer, will run the annual event...a float in the Toms River Halloween Parade promoted the event...Good news for local racing fans...

CHASE TIGHTENS WITH MR. BACKFLIP GOING BACK TO BACK

Carl Edwards makes things interesting with back to back wins in the Chase...gotta love his move to go for broke...and Jeff Gordon, too...

two races left...i'm ready for a break

ANOTHER BACKFLIP

Carl Edwards takes the checkers at Atlanta...another sweep for the young driver, but JJ continues to close in on a championship. When it's right , it's right...getting tires with 10 laps to go was the move of the race, moving #48 from 11th to 2nd...everything they touch, turns to gold...

One issue which seems to be getting some attention - the continuing qualifying rainouts. There should be a move to allow those outside of the top 35 to have a qualifying session the day before a race...this would allow them a chance istead of a wasted trip...we'll see...

On to Texas....

JJ ON HIS WAY11

Whatever he's doing, it works big time...Jimmie Johnson is now clearly in charge in the Chase. Hendrick owns Martinsville with 4 cars in top 6....right now everyone's playing for second....

BURTON WINS AT LOWES

A big gamble paid off for Jeff Burton with a fuel only pit stop and he moves into 2nd place in the Chase with a win Saturday. Jimmie Johnson still remains the man to beat as the Cuppers move to martinsville where Johnson has had alot of success.
The Junior Nation had a disappointing night when #88 crashed and Carl Edwards suffered a big setback with engine problems. Gotta love the Edwards/Harvick dust-up...I still think Harvick is a punk - wish Carl had taken a shot at that loser...

CRASHFEST AND CONTROVERSY

Typical Talledega...two big wrecks, lots of movement in Chase and a little controversy at the end...Can you imagine Smoke's reaction if he's lost? He would have blown his stack...I agree with NASCAR's choice to give the win to #20...the yellow line is there for a reason....
Good to know Goodyear will check on the tire problems.....typical stick your head in the sand thinking....
On to Lowe's Saturday night...

JJ TAKES THE CHECKERS!

Another good race...Carl Edwards desparation move for the win went into the wall and #48 grabbed yet another Chase win. It's amazing to see the fall JGR racing has taken in this edition of the Chase...Kyle Busch basically will watch the rest of the way from the sidelines.

Talledega is next...get ready for some high speed and high anxiety....

THE BIFF DOES IT AGAIN....

Two in a row for Mr. Biffle and suddenly, Kyle Busch is in trouble. I can't figure out which is the bigger story - Biffle's success or Busch's failures after dominating most of the season...gotta wonder where his heads at now that he's way down in the standings...he needs to get back into the hunt in Kansas or else his magical season will tarnish....
I have to agree with the ABC commentators - one of the best Dover races ever....loved the action over the last 100 laps...

THE BIFF MAKES HIS PRESENCE KNOWN!!!!

Greg Biffle did a great job in Sunday's first Chase race...he's been quietly in the hunt all season and finally snapped his winless string this year...
Props to both Tony Stewart and Clint Bowyer who dug themselves out of deep holes to get back into contention...and Junior did what he wanted in the first race of the Case...top 5...on to Dover.
BTW - Martin Truex will be appearing in Little Egg Harbor at a benefit for his charity...also his show cars will be making the rounds in Southern Ocean County.

RICHMOND...#48 AGAIN...

Another win for the #48...gotta think they are very much in the hunt for their 3rd in a row...

Loved Tony Stewart's postrace rant on the radio...you can tell he's not happy with the team and knows he's out the door...not afraid of Joe Gibbs smacking him since he's gone...

Note for Sunday - Joey Lagano in #96, sponsored by Home Depot, not DLP...

Lawsuit filed by GEM against Robby Gordon...doesn anyone feel sorry for Gordon? Didn't think so...

Here comes the Chase...my pick - #99 to win it...

#48 DOMINATES

Jimmie Johnson put together a race that only happens once in a while...he dominated in the Pepsi 500 Sunday. No one had an answer for the defending champ...he's ready for the chase.

One race left...Saturday night at Richmond...interesting to see what happens!

MR. BACKFLIP AGAIN...BUSCH NOT HAPPY

Carl Edwards wins again, but his bumping of Kyle Busch left him mad. This is what I don't understand about the Busch Bros. They hit people and everybody accepts it as a part of racing, but hit them, they whine. Am I among alot of floks who are pulling for anyone by 'Rowdy' to win...

Saw an article on Casey Mears stating he's got another fresh start with RCR...how many fresh starts does he get?

Loved Clint Boywer's candor over the radio at Bristol talking about Michael Waltrip...but, he was wrong and owes him an apology since ESPN let the world know what he said....

On to California....

MR. BACKFLIP WINS!

Carl Edwards is the master at Michigan....not surprising the Roush Fenway boys were so strong..in a fuel mileage race, take the Fords...

Ryan Newman joins Tony Stewart...no surprise there, question now is the sponsor...

3 races to the chase...it will be interesting...

This week, I'm in for Kevin Williams in the Locker Room - NASCAR guests include Jamie Little and Tim Brewer....

POCONO....ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Another boring Pocono race complete with a rain delay....I really think they need to either cut the distance or one race from the schedule. Pocono races tend to become fuel mileage/strategy affairs and most times, are boring....

Next up is Watkins Glen...I'm on vacation next week but I want to remind you - I'll be filling in for Kevin Williams the week of August 18th on The Locker Room - 3-6p weekdays...I will have some NASCAR talk and hopefully get to chat with Jamie Little again...

INDY=FARCE

For the second time this decade, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is mired in a tire controversy....the race was a total farce, and I really think NASCAR needs to take a look at why this is happening....I thought the Lowe's race of a couple of years ago couldn't be topped for absurdity...I was wrong.

#14

Tony Stewart is going to pay tribute to his idol A.J. Foyt when he unveils his new car for next year - it's #14. Looks like Office Depot will be the sponsor...not sure who his driving partner will be...Ryan Newman has a few offers on the table.
Look for alot of things to be settled in the next couple of weeks...might see some driver moves come September for non-Chase teams...

MEDIA FOLKS...

We tend to think people on radio or TV are somehow different than us. After all, they are on radio or TV.
I had a chance to chat with Allen Bestwick of ABC/ESPN and he showed me a side I never really realized...I asked him about his demotion at NBC from lead announcer to pit reporter and he gave me a straight answer which I respected. Then he talked about Benny Parsons...it was obvious he missed his friend as he seem to struggle at times for words. Allen is a great guy to talk to and I wish him all the best.
Jamie Little is another person who you might not realize has alot on the ball. I've spoken with her twice and she was alot of fun to talk too. And she's got a sense of humor. You can catch her interview Thursday on the Locker Room between 3-6 on Fox Sports 1310.
ESPN Takes over for Sprint Cup coverage beginning this Sunday.

BUSHC AGAIN...GOODBYE NEWMAN...

Kyle Busch wins in Chicago...continuing the roll he's been on all season long...give him credit...great move around JJ....

With Ryan Newman leaving Penske, don't be surprised if Martin Truex, Jr. gets some consideration for the #12 car. He's still not signed with DEI...Funny thing - rumors are now that UPS will go to the #2 car in the new Stewart/Hass team with Newman. I offered all of my old UPS Racing gear to my ex, but she doesn't want it - not into hand-me-downs...

KYLE AGAIN...

Another win for Rowdy Busch...the July race is always a highlight on the NASCAR schedule and Saturday's race was very good...with alot of interesting twists and turns before overtime and a 15 car restrictor plate wreck. Once again, the younger Busch brother shows the way...

The Tony Stewart story to Hass/CNC continues to gain steam...now, there are a number of sponsor connections mentioned...also, Ryan Newman looks to be the second driver. The early move of Mears out, Martin in at Hendrick adds a very interesting twist to things...The #12 Penske ride could attract a number of interested parties including our hometown guy, Martin Truex, Jr.

A Saturday night in Chicago...this will be interesting...and TNT's last chance to screw up the broadcasts....

RUMOR MILL GETTING STUPID...

Folks will put anything out there just to create some talk...I think the Tony Stewart rumors have some truth to them...but I think until there something concrete, the 'unnamed sources' might want to keep their mouths shut.
One aspect of the new rumor floated by BSPN...Ryan Newman could be a part of the team...I find it hard to believe the Daytona 500 winner would leave Penske, but then, money talks...

New Hampshire is next on the schedule...interested to see what happens here...remember, NHIS is the first stop in the chase...

Speaking with my friendly neighborhood mechanic who's got ties to local racerRyan Seaman - he's getting more opportunities in the Craftsman Truck series and if he can get some good finishes and that turns into sponsorship, could find a ride there for next year.

BTW - Note I've added some widgets on the blog for some NASCAR news and schedule info...

KYLE AGAIN...

Another dominant performance from JGR and #18 Sunday...Kyle is the man on the road course at Sonoma. Kudos to David Gilliland and Jeff Gordon for their strong performances. Loved Tony Stewart verbally slapping Marty Snider after the race. There is no love between the two and it goes back to when both worked for Sirius on different shows. BTW - I can't stand TNT's coverage...the only good things - Kyle Petty, Larry Mac and Matt Yocum...I can't wait for their 'summer siesta' to end.

Gotta love the rumors flying around - looks like Casey Mears is out of Hendrick's #5...my, that's a quick change of heart...but, if you can get Mark Martin, I'd take the deal. I just wonder if Martin is a full-time or part-time ride with Bard Keslowski filling in. And does the Army stay with DEI or go with Martin? Still no word on the shore's favorite son Martin Truex's status with DEI? I have to wonder if folks are waiting for the Tony Stewart thing to be settled before they make their final plans. Tony's leaving JGR would open a very good ride up for someone.

DEATH AT ENGLISHTOWN

Sad story from Englishtown as Scott Kalitta died from injuries in a crash Saturday. His chute failed to open and had no chance at 300 MPH. It's a sad day around the racing community...

SONOMA...ROAD RACE ONE

I hate road courses...can't stand the races...can't stand watching them...anticipating a boring afternoon...wake me when it's over...

JUNIOR WINS!!!!!!!

It's something you didn't think he could do....play the fuel mileage game...but Junior breaks his long winless streak with a win. It just continues a very consistant year for #88.

After the truck race, you have to believe Kyle "Rowdy" Busch is a marked man....he's flirting with disaster....someone will take him out and in the ensuing fight, beat the snot out of him....I hope...

Joey Legano looks like the real thing....he could be JGR's backup plan should Smoke leave next year.

4 more races till TNT is DOA for next year...bluntly, they stink...

MICHIGAN...ANOTHER SNOOZEFEST?

The Sprint Cuppers move on to Michigan for this week's event...get ready for a fuel mileage race in the end...is it me or has the COT taken all the interest out of NASCAR?

One comment about the Petty situation...now they have the money to become great again...to see #43 in victory lane again would make everyone's day!

JIM MCKAY

I'm very sad another piece of my childhood is gone...I used to watch Wide World of Sports every weekend...and I always wanted to be like Jim McKay. He wasn't the regular sportscaster...he could take you to an event and make you feel it. He was sooo good at the Olympics...and I'll never forget that awful day in Munich. Reports say he'd been in failing health in recent months...and it's funny he passed away on the day of the Belmont Stakes, horse racing was one of his loves and for years, hosting the Kentucky Derby and the Triple Crown on ABC. Another passion was Auto Racing, and he hosted the Indy 500 for many years including that awful 1973 race which took 3 days to run...

I attended Saturday's Yankee game - I got a text message about his death from a friend about 10 minutes before they announced it at Yankee Stadium. You could hear a collective gasp from everyone there as the news had just broken....but after a monment of silence, a thunderous round of applause filled the big ballpark in appreciate for the man who brought so much into all of our lives. I'll never forget that moment either.

RIP.

POCONO - WAKE ME UP WHEN IT'S OVER...

Another snoozefest in the mountains...Kasey Kahne wins for the 3rd time in a month, Kyle Busch wrecks early...and the endless parade of cars keeps going and going...although, the fuel strategy games towards the end made the race interesting...

TNT's coverage of their 6 pack stinks...Bill Weber is tolerable as a host and pit rteporter, but as lead announcer, he's awful...Wally Dallenbach has gotten better over the years, but the real star is Kyle Petty. Always enjoy his comments...Larry Mac is great and the pit reporters are outstanding...I'll get back to you on the RaceBuddy....

POCONO - TWO RACES?

Alot has been said about Pocono in regards to it's future on the Sprint Cup circuit...now, I have enjoyed going there in the past, but two races within a relatively short period of time isn't ideal. Perhaps moving the second race to September might be an answer...
But the big problem is the races seem endless...they have got to cut the length by 100 miles. If they don't, more drivers will call for the elimination of a race or if the track is sold, closing the facility. I don't advocate that, but something has to be done.

DOVER...

Another Kyle Busch win in what was for me, a somewhat boring race. After alot of the big guns were eliminated a an early wreck...it was just a question of whether or not Busch would break. As much as I can't stand either Busch brother, I have to give Kyle credit...he's certainly proving the naysayers wrong after his boot from Team Hendrick.

POCONO SEZ NO SALE

It figures...as soon as I write about the possible rumor of a sale of Pocono, it's shot down in the media. So, if Pocono is not for sale, that leaves Indianapolis (NO WAY!) and Dover...hmmm, Dover's a possiblity, but would they strip both dates from that track. Doubtful...
Bruton Smith doesn't make statements for the sake of making statements...something's going on and it will be interesting how this plays out...

KENTUCKY SOLD; COULD POCONO BE NEXT?

The news of SMI's purchase of Kentucky Speedway may have some implacations for NJ NASCAR fans who like to visit the races at Pocono. Rumors are the track could be sold and then SMI would take the two Pocono dates and give one to Vegas and one to Kentucky...while Pocono is not my favorite track, I would hope they keep at least one date...

A LONG NIGHT'S JOURNEY...

The one factor about the Coke 600..it's 100 extra miles longer than most races and that last 100 miles is tough...Sunday's race took out contenders one by one until Kasey Kahne stood alone. Junior fans have to be surprised at his finish after the wreck with just over 100 laps to go. Jimmie Johnson found bad luck in 'his house'. Why is it Junior is the only consistantly running car from Hendrick?

Other thoughts from Sunday...the Indy 500 was very interesting, but the Ganassi cars dominated the month of May. Why can't Chip have that kinda success in NASCAR? I did get the feeling the folks there feel the merger will help them in terms of marketing...note the addition of DirecTV in their marketing...

KASEY'S THE FAN'S MAN

Talk about a return to form...Kasey Kahne owned Lowe's Motor Speedway in '06 but struggled in '07. After finishing out of the money in the prelim, the fan vote got him into the All-Star race. And he made it work...winning a million bucks in the process.
Kyle Busch was dominating, then blew up; Carl Edwards looked good, then faded; Greg Biffle dominated, but faded in the last segment. Even Junior struggled after taking the lead....

Some suggest this Sunday's Coke 600 might be a yawner if the COT car isn't sorted out...

ANOTHER AM-BUSCH WIN...

Gotta hand it to Kyle Busch - he loves wearing the black hat...and he's on fire. Another win Saturday after various trials and tribulations. Junior fans were no doubt unhappy with that, but their boy finished 4th.
The latest rumors have Greg Biffle moving to Gibbs to replace Smoke when he leaves for an ownership deal. You get the feeling Biffle is getting tired of the mechanical issues at Roush/Fenway.
All Star race comes Saturday....on SPEED. Then comes the big one - Coke 600.

Want to plug my fill-ins for Kevin Williams this Friday and Thursday 5/22...have Jack Arute from ABC/ESPN scheduled for this Friday and Jamie Little next Thursday at 3:40 to talk racing. The Locker Room from 3-6p on 1160 WOBM-AM and Fox Sports 1310.

K. BUSCH PUBLIC ENEMY #1

The Junior nation has a new villain...Kyle Busch. But now, you are aware he spun Junior out and took away a chance at the win. And the Junior nation blames him for everything including Global Warming and High Gas Prices. What I find interesting is the number of negative comments from other competitors directed at Mr. Busch. He better watch himself or else he could find himself in a bit of trouble andf wrecked.

Gotta love Richmond races...lots of short track action...couldn't believe the 'big one' which wiped out alot of good cars. Gotta feel from Denny Hamlin - having such a dominant car and losing the race like that - much like Carl Edwards in Atlanta...

What's gotten into Mikey? Darrell's younger brother parked by NASCAR for wrecking Casey Mears....I'm guessing there's a bit of frustration at MWR these days....

The Lady in Black with a new surface is next up - Saturday night....

RICHMOND TV CHANGES

Very interesting situation with ESPN committed to carrying an NBA game on ESPN 2...the Nationwide race will be seen on both ESPN Classic and Speed live then either joined in progress or replayed in it's entirety on ESPN 2.

TONY STEWART, CAR OWNER?

I find it interesting with all the attention paid to the silly season that Smoke's situation is getting sooo much attention. Look - he already owns his own Sprint Car/Silver Crown car...and he's looking ahead. A Jeff Gordon type of situation is not out of the question for him at Gibbs...it certainly would lock him up for the rest of his career.

Interesting to hear rumblings that UPS might align with Roush/Fenway on the #99 car. I've got to believe Big Brown wants someone who's going to do something during a race other than crash or not qualify...

TALLADEGA RECAP...

I can't say I was glued to my set for this one...after a long morning at the March for Babies in Ocean County, I settled in for the hour pre-race and watched the first 20 laps before the sandman carried me off to la-la land, waking up in time to see Junior in 2 wrecks and the last 20 laps of Kyle Busch's win. While I missed most of the race, I have to say what I watched was entertaining.

Give Kyle some props...his save early in the race was a classic...

I watched most of the Nationwide race Saturday and would ask this question - Is Kevin LePage one of the most stupid drivers in the world? That was a boneheaded move and he should really think about a new spotter. Causing a wreck like that due to stupidity is wrong...

On to Richmond...

MEXICO...

It's the Nationwide series from and center this Sunday as the Sprint Cup boys take a week off. The Mexico City race should be interesting...ESPN has the coverage...

Interesting to note - Danica wins a race...maybe she's worth the hype....

SATURDAY NIGHT COMEBACK FOR #48

Finally, Hendrick breaks into victory lane...Jimmie Johnson wins at Phoenix. The end was suspenseful as the question of fuel mileage surfaced...it was a shame Mark Martin couldn't stay out...would like to see him win a race. But, seeing the 8 race the 88 brought some smiles to race fans as Junior deals with his past and present.

Gotta give Fox a smackdown for the way things started Saturday night...the switch from baseball was soooo abrupt. I understand they were trying to please everyone, but they should have dumped the baseball earlier....for a playoff game, that's another story...instead, you could have had another Heidi game...

MR. BACKFLIP WINS...AGAIN

Carl Edwards did another backflip yesterday after another win - his third this season. The #99 team is the class of the field so far this season. Afterwards, Edwards said they wanted to make a statement after the California oil tank cover incident.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Jeff Gordon - 43rd yesterday...talk about embarrassing. Junior fans had high hopes after winning the pole, but Junior faded as the afternoon wore on.
I'm sure by now you've seen the wreck that Michael MacDowell walked away from in qualifying. If there was ever a commercial for the COT and how much safety is improved, that was it....amazing.
Gotta dump on Fox for a sec...the end of the race was a disaster, as the announcers were describing a wreck involving Clint Bowyer while camera were focused on Carl Edwards in-car reaction...It would be nice to see the first 10 or so finishers before switching away from the finish line. I'm not the only person who noticed...fans have been screaming about this at a great blog I recommend about NASCAR coverage....The Daly Planet.

Get ready for a Saturday night race at Phoenix...

MARTINSVILLE...

Another win for Gibbs as Denny Hamlin takes the checkers in Sunday's race. Hendrick teams had a good day. I have to say...as much a NASCAR likes those mile and a half cookie cutter tracks...I love the short tracks like Martinsville, Bristol and Richmond. There's a place in this sport for the short tracks.

MARTINSVILLE

Off we go to the place renouned for their hot dogs and a paper clip shaped track...Martinsville. This is a place where the Hendrick boys could turn it around. This season has been a struggle, but Gordon and Johnson have owned this place the last couple of years. Could this be where they make it back into the winner's circle?

WELCOME WEEK OFF!!!!

I, for one, was glad NASCAR changed the schedule and moved the first open week to where it is this year...after race 5. It's the point of the season where the top 35 begin to be determined by this season's points. Plus, I never understood why take a break between two West Coast races...run them back to back without a break and maybe save some travel.

But, that having been said...I'm ready for a return to racing this weekend at Martinsville.

BTW - looks like Darrell might have to keep quiet this weekend...after how he sounded the last race, one more week's rest might be best...

IT'S BRISTOL...

A good quick race yesterday...once again, the Gibbs boys dominate, but come up short. Thought Tony would blast Harvick for the wreck that cost him the win, but I'm guessing they spoke. It's always nice to see Jeff Burton win...he's certainly revitalized his career with RCR.
Thought Fox had the right touch dealing with Dale Jarrett's departure...

The extended post race coverage certainly covered all the angles...with the current points standings now determining the top 35, interesting discussions on the teams swapping owners points. Rumors are Petty and Waltrip might do a mid season swap, but in my opinion, that's not fair....it's a rule NASCAR will have to look at...

Enjoy the week off...Martinsville is next....

WALL STADIUM CLOSES...

Sad news for local racing fans reported by the Asbury Park Press...Wall Stadium will not run races this season...rumors about it's closing have circulated for months...

Read about it here http://app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080315/NEWS/803150345&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

A FANS APPRECIATION....

This weekend will be special as Dale Jarrett says goodbye to the Sprint Cup competition. Although he has one race remaining (The All-Star race in May), this will be it for point races. As a long-time fan, I'm somewhat torn over this race...I jumped off the bandwagon when he left Yates two years ago and joined the Junior nation, but kept an eye out for old #88/44. Jarrett has never recovered from breaking up with Todd Parrott as his crew chief and had become a backmarker rarely in the top 20. His last win in 05 came with Todd back on board...
I remember watching him win at Pocono in August of 1997, and him crashing on lap 8 at Dover. I wore alot of UPS gear, folks wondered if I worked for them, not realizing it was a race sponsor/driver's jacket (I got the same responses this week as I pulled my old brown UPS jakcet from 2003 with the Winston Cup logo on it for old time sake).
If there is one thing he will always be remembered for, it's the Daytona 500 win in 1993 with his dad calling him to victory. I dare you to watch it and not cry if you are a father. His car owner in that race - Joe Gibbs.
Now, Dale joins the ESPN booth, just like his dad...so long , Dale - thanks for the ride.

BRISTOL....

It's the Car of Tomorrow's first birthday - this was the race it made it's debut one year ago...quick - who won? Kyle Busch!
While each Bristol race is special, it always seems like the night race in August has a little more juice to it...the spring race is OK, but the usual headlines are for the weather (snow two years ago).
The big question is can Roush Fenway continue their impressive run or will the Hendrick boys finally break out of their 'slump'?
It's the short track that thinks it's a superspeedway...it's Bristol, baby!

BUSCH MAKES HISTORY!!!!

Kinda fun to hear New Jersey mentioned in terms of history, since the last foreign make to win a race before yesterday was in Linden, NJ in 1954.

All hail King Kyle! Dominated all three races over the weekend, and won two. However, if Edwards hadn't blown up, he would have ran away with the race. Thought it was funny with him and interim crew chief Robbie Reiser calling each other the wrong names...

I'll say this - like him or not, Tony Stewart is a straight shooter. Man, he killed Goodyear after the race...and I have to say I agree with him...the race was somewhat boring....13 cars on lead lap out of 41 running...not exciting at all...

Let's hope Sunday's Bristol race is better...it's also DJ's swan song in a point race (He'll run the Sprint All-Star race in May at Lowe's before the Coke 600).

NASCAR LOWER THE BOOM ON BACKFLIPPER!

Carl Edwards just got hammered by NASCAR...he's been on a roll, but the questions over his Sunday victory make you wonder. He got hit with a big fine and loss of 100 points in the standings AND the 10 bonus points he would have gotten for Sunday's win in the Chase. Plus, say goodbye to crew chief Bob Osborne for 6 weeks.
At the same time, NASCAR recinded the point penalty for Robby Gordon over the unapproved nose found on his car at Daytona. That will keep Gordon in the top 35.

A reminder - tomorrow and Saturday is the auction for IROC in Tinton Falls. Lots of history up for grabs...

AN INTERESTING QUESTION....

Haven't heard from NASCAR on what will happen to Carl Edwards after the car's failure of post race inspection...curious why they haven't weighed in...

Everyone's dumping on Bruton Smith after the Gordon crash Sunday...even Rick Hendrick is screaming for SAFER wall inside the track. But, I do have to say he's right...a hit to an inside retaining wall is just as bad as an outside one without the SAFER barrier...

On to Atlanta...

MR. BACK-FLIP FOES BACK TO BACK...

Carl Edwards wins another for the Roushkateers, and he deserved it..overcoming a speeding penalty early and a possible pit violation late. Two late wrecks made him have to hold off Junior. It was a crash filled race with Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch and Jeff Gordon taking hard licks off the wall. There is a cloud in the Edwards sky however - his car failed inspection after the race and he could get hit with a fine and points later this week.

Nice to see Mark Martin get a win in the Nationwide series Saturday.

Hotlanta is next....

FINALLY, THE WEEKEND ENDS...

Mr. Back-Flip wins the Sprint Cup race, and Smoke dominates in the Nationwide race at the Auto Club Speedway of Southern California...the Monday headlines as the weekend ends...

Gotta give props for Fox showing the race on a Monday afternoon...in the past, they've moved coverage to FX or Speed for a weekday race. Also, give them kudos for mentioning Dale Jarrett's new role for ESPN (I doubt the boys from Bristol would do the same). As for the race, it was just a question whether Jeff or Jimmie could stay out front, or if someone would take advantage of the much different track conditions which Carl Edwards did.

The Nationwide race was a Tony Stewart romp for the get-go...that's 2 in a row for Smoke. Curious to see if that changes his plans in upcoming weeks for the series, but I doubt it...

On to Vegas...glad they scrapped the week off between these two races...

RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY...

It was somewhat prophetic I wrote those words in my previous post just after the final racing of the day, and credit Fox with staying with it till 9:30p...I think they knew we were done when they went to local programming.

Of course, I was shocked to read it wasn't until 2AM our time before they postponed the race until Monday. Of course, that was 11pm local time, which is SOP. I can't imagine anyone on the East Coast being up that late waiting for the race...I was asleep as soon as Homer J. Simpson hit the air...

This sets up a Monday of racing...with the finale of the Sprint Cup race at 1 and the Nationwide race following....

THE ENDLESS WEEKEND...

As good as Daytona was, California has been baaaddddd...The Truck race is the only thing that panned out...
As of this writing (8:30p), we've just endured another rain shower, and it seems like this race is destined to go on forever...Get ready to work and watch the Nationwide race tomorrow....I can imagine the folks at Fox can't be thrilled with the endless nature of the broadcast, especially against the Oscars.
The Junior nation is not happy - the 88 out early after a wreck with teammate Casey Mears. Up front, it's the 24 & 48 show.
Since the alarm clock rings early for me...I'll sign off and give you my thoughts Monday on whatever I end up staying up and watching...

CALIFORNIA HERE WE COME...

Daytona's in the rearview, California and Las Vegas ahead...

Race #2 on the Sprint Cup sked is Fontana...this race always turns into a gas mileage event with the Fords having an upper hand. Look for the Roushkateers to make a comeback from a disappointing Daytona Speedweeks...

Sand story about the International Race of Champions closing up shop...in Tinton Falls, no less. The series has been dormant since 2006 and with no sponsor on the horizon, they will auction off all their equipment and other items. I spoke to President Jay Signore and he hopes history repeats itself...the series shut down in the early 80's but made a comeback after GM jumped on board with a car you might have heard of - the IROC-Z Camaro. With another Camaro comeback in the offing, could they save the series once again?

WALL STADIUM UPDATE

I'm afraid my previous words about Wall Stadium may have been premature...a very informative article in the Sunday Star-Ledger casts some doubt on the future of racing at the long time venue. If you get a chance to read it, please do...

They still say there's going to be racing, but after the article, I'm wondering if my source was mistaken...

Here's a link to the article:
http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-2/1203226580272060.xml&coll=1

HELLO NEWMAN!!!!!

In the end, the Dodge Boys came thru...and the Captain gets his first Daytona win. Ryan Newman broke his long winless string winning the 50th Daytona 500. It was almost like we saw two different races - the Daytona 400, which had lots of green flag racing and only 2 cautions, and the Daytona 100, which came last, had 5 cautions, and lots of drama. Junior nation was disappointed as he lost his drafting teammates, Tony Stewart certainly could have won, but the Penske cars kept together and won the race.

Two personal comments - Love the new NASCAR HotPass in HD - but some of the announcers have to go...also, enjoyed FOX's coverage...maybe I'm just happy to have NASCAR to fill the Sunday void....

DAYTONA ARRIVES!!!!!!

I'm standing in a checkout line theother night and a mother says to her daughter "No more football, what are we going to do", and of course, I chime in "NASCAR". This is Christmas in February for racing fans....and for fans of the 42 drivers who don't win, a let down.

An interesting couple of days with the Duels, the Truck race Friday and the Nationwide race yesterday. Thursday's duels found Junior taking another win in his 88 mobile, and Denny Hamlin winning the nightcap. The biggest surprise was Dale Jarrett actually making the race. The former champ has had nothing but bad luck since joining the Toyota camp last year, and is making a abbreviated retirement tour before moving into the ESPN booth full time.

The Truck race Friday was another thriller with the 'Bald Headed Cue Ball' (my nickname for him) Todd Bodine winning. I enjoy watching the trucks even though I have no idea who half the drivers are. Same with the Nationwide series....Tony Stewart may be the latest driver to pull off the double - Harvick did it last year and Junior in 2004.

Today - tire issues might determine who wins - expect lots of stops for tires and the big one might be triggered by a tire failure. The new car seems more tougher to drive and that will make for some interesting action. I'm in a NASCAR fantasy league and we pick a driver a race and only use them once a season - I'm picking Smoke because he owes me - I picked him last year and got my season off to a 43rd place finish. Of course, I wouldn't be surprised if Junior won....as my ex said yesterday - anybody but Gordon. My buddy who's a die hard Gordon fan is coming over today and it seems like every race he's here for - #24 wins. This has got to stop!

ENGINE QUESTIONS AS DUELS DAWN....

There's an issue swirling around the garage on the verge of today's Gatorade Duels to set the starting lineup. A number of teams changed engines after finding problems. This does not violate the 'one engine' rule, but it does cause folks to question whether engine factors could determine Sunday's winner of the Great American Race....

Enjoy the racing today!!!!

PENALITIES ANNOUNCED!!!! BIG DEAL....

So, Kurt and Tony are on probation for six races...BIG DEAL!!!! This is a garbage penalty based on NASCAR's decree they will allow more personality from the drivers and be less heavy handed. From my perspective, Busch was totally wrong for using the car as a weapon and should have gotten a suspension. I guess Busch will have to hit someone before he's parked.

One more day of practice before the Gatorade Duels to decide the lineup for Sunday. NASCAR also needs to change the top 35 rule for the Daytona 500. Here's what tomorrow means - 15 drivers are racing for 4 spots...they need to open it up more...The Indy 500 doesn't guarentee anyone a starting spot and that's what makes for drama. It used to be exciting to see who got in based on finsihing position in the Duels...now, it's an exercise in seeing who can draft for Sunday. Put some drama back into the qualifying and Duels...eliminate the top 35 rule!

QUALIFYING OVER...DUEL DAY IS COMING!

The last 24 hours at Daytona have been interesting....the Junior Nation stood up and cheered as the new #88 took the Shootout...Hendrick dominance continued with Jeff Gordon Jr./Jimmie Johnson on the pole and Michael Waltrip outside on the front row. But, everyone is talking about Kurt Busch/Tony Stewart. I've always liked Tony and not had much respect for Busch (or his brother Kyle)...and in this case, I'll take Tony's side. Kurt showed his immaturity once again using his car as a weapon. Can't say I'm unhappy if the reports are true Kurt got slugged by Tony. Hell, I was applauding when Jimmy Spencer did it a few years ago. The Busch Brothers need to learn they are not above the law....both need to learn to grow up. I agree with Dave Rodman on NASCAR.COM - they should have sat Kurt last night. That would send a message on behavior....

Since I wrote my previous entry about 2 weeks ago, the situation at Wall Stadium has been resolved...they will run another year. That's one of the places they call NASCAR HomeTracks they have been pushing on the TV ads....

BTW - if you have DirecTV, make sure you watch or TiVO the Daytona 500 specials on channel 101. Great stuff. They are on all week.

Can't wait till Thursday - one of the 5 best weekdays for a sports fan every year, except on a day where a race gets rained out from Sunday and run on Monday.

GET READY FOR SPEEDWEEKS!!!!

A new year dawns for NASCAR fans - the 50th Daytona 500 kicks things off on February 17th with other racing action. I love Speedweeks...everybody has high hopes and expectations. The Junior Nation will be buying all new gear with Junior's move to Hendrick. UPS gets ready to pass the torch from Dale Jarrett to David Reutiman and Dale goes to the TV booth replacing Rusty for ESPN/ABC (Thank God!), and the Gibbs boys prepare to run Toyotas. It will be an interesting year....

Local race fans have some concerns as the possibility exists Wall Stadium might become a thing of the past...not sure where they are headed...rumors of a shutdown and a sale of the track have been floating around. This would be another tough blow for area race fans on the heels of John Blewitt. Jr's death last August...