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Jeff Gordon and Carl Edwards were shaking hands and having fun following Edwards' Fontana win this February; but after Gordon accused the No. 99 of some rear end trickery, things aren't so rosy between the two anymore.

So I Was Just Thinking... NASCAR Odds 'N' Ends

The Voice Of Vito
Vito Pugliese · Tuesday May 13, 2008

There were a few ideas I had bouncing around in my head about what to write this week. Kyle Busch continuing to win races just to spite Dale Earnhardt, Jr. fans; Tony Stewart’s future plans that may include ownership of a team; Larry McReynolds’ futile struggle to pronounce Patrick Carpantier’s name’ or the continued phenomenon known as ‘Digger’ – the answer to a question that nobody asked. Instead, below are a few random musings from watching the races this past weekend at Darlington, as the track that has been deemed, “Too Tough To Tame” provided much fuel for thought.

Read more So I Was Just Thinking... NASCAR Odds 'N' Ends ...

Seven Golden Rules for a Rookie NASCAR Columnist

The Yellow Stripe
Danny Peters · Tuesday May 13, 2008

The NASCAR season is an unrelenting, unremitting grind. It doesn’t matter who you are — whether you’re a driver, complete with your private planes and entourage of “handlers,” — or you’re a pit crew, one that travels countless thousands of miles and spend weeks and months on the road away from their family, friends and loved ones. But it’s not just the men and women who ensure the cars turn left as quickly as is humanly possible, the NASCAR season is also a grind for the weekly columnist.

Like everything in life, you can only do your best but over the course of what is essentially a 40-week stretch, you might just come up short every now and again. Thinking of and writing a cogent column of around a thousand words is not that easy … and it’s especially the case since I’m still a rookie NASCAR reporter. I don’t have a bank of reserve columns or a string of topics to wax lyrical upon. So, with the All-Star “break” upon us already, here are my seven golden rules for a rookie NASCAR columnist…

Read more Seven Golden Rules for a Rookie NASCAR Columnist ...

FOX Wines And Dines The Lady In Black To A Second Straight Saturday Night Success

The Race for Ratings Points: Critquing NASCAR TV
Doug Turnbull · Tuesday May 13, 2008

There must be something in the air at race tracks on a Saturday night.

After a less-than-stellar outing at Talladega, the FOX Sports broadcasting team again turned in a performance deserving of the Emmy Award they received just a few short weeks ago. In fact, the last two races at Richmond and Darlington — both on Saturday nights — have come off nice and smooth, with few mistakes and less of the fluff that turns off and jades so many avid fans.

But just like the right side of Kyle Busch’s race-winning car, the TV coverage wasn’t without its fair share of Darlington stripes. Here is a breakdown of how FOX fared during this Mother’s Day Weekend event:

  • Since the Sprint Cup Series no longer races at Darlington twice a year, writers, producers, and reporters have a daunting task of cramming all of the elements of the egg-shaped oval into just one weekend.

Read more FOX Wines And Dines The Lady In Black To A Second Straight Saturday Night Success ...

Who's Hot / Who's Not in Sprint Cup: Dodge Challenger 500 Edition

Mike Lovecchio · Tuesday May 13, 2008

Despite a different track surface, it was the same ol’ Darlington Saturday night, with the Lady in Black’s walls jumping out and biting drivers on several occasions … including race winner Kyle Busch. But while there were some adjustments made to the track, adjustments made to this week’s “HOT” list are minimal. Kyle Busch continues to dominate. while Junior Nation continues to enjoy the success of the No. 88 team with another top 5. Still, two new drivers are featured in this week’s “WARM” and “COLD” lists heading into All-Star weekend.

There may not be a points-paying race next week, but it’s still an opportunity for struggling teams to find some extra speed before the Coca-Cola 600. To see who some of those teams are, check out this week’s edition of Who’s Hot / Who’s Not in Sprint Cup.

HOT

Kyle Busch: This man is flat out unstoppable right now. Top 10s in five consecutive races — with Top 3s in four of them — to go along with a win this week keeps Busch at the top of the standings.

Read more Who's Hot / Who's Not in Sprint Cup: Dodge Challenger 500 Edition ...

Running Their Mouth : Dodge Challenger 500

Beth Lunkenheimer · Tuesday May 13, 2008

Each week, we’ll go through media reports, interviews, PR, and all our own stuff to find the best quotes from the Sprint Cup race, capturing the story of how the weekend unfolded. It’s the most original commentary you’ll ever find: the truth, coming straight out of the mouths of the drivers, crew members, and the car owners themselves. This week, here’s a sneak peek at what a select few were thinking following the Dodge Challenger 500 at Darlington Raceway:

“It’s pretty awesome. Darlington obviously showed again tonight that is one of the hardest places — always has been, and always will be. Even with the fresh asphalt this place is tough. I just can’t thank this M&M’s, Joe Gibbs Racing team enough. They did an awesome job. We’re going to go through a lot of Mac Tools this week fixing this thing, but that’s okay. It’s an awesome win for us.” Kyle Busch

“First of all, my hat’s off to Kyle. Man, I wanted to beat him bad. I wanted to beat him so bad. Now we’re tied for wins. I wanted to keep him down a little bit, but he did a great job. This Claritin Fusion was good. I tore it up just a little bit on the left-front, but I definitely had a good time – a lot better time than last night. The new surface is growing on me. It’s alright.” Carl Edwards, finished 2nd

Read more Running Their Mouth : Dodge Challenger 500 ...

Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Dodge Challenger 500

Matt McLaughlin · Monday May 12, 2008

The Key Moment: On lap 285, Kyle Busch blew by Jeff Gordon and drove off into the night with the afterburners lit.

In a Nutshell: New asphalt, same old race track; Darlington is still the meanest mother on the circuit.

Dramatic Moment: When it became obvious nobody had anything for Busch, the leader had to manufacture his own excitement, frequently running his car into the wall or getting it sideways battling with traffic.

What They’ll Be Talking About Around the Water Cooler This Week

Well that’s odd. A dominating win didn’t seem to endear Busch to the fans. In fact prior to the race and after the race, Busch seemed to be enjoying taunting those fans who booed him. Give the kid this much, he still doesn’t like these new cars even though he’s winning races in them.

What’s all this bizarre talk about Kyle Busch being the reincarnation of Dale Earnhardt, the Intimidator?

Read more Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Dodge Challenger 500 ...

Having A NASCAR Villain To Hate Never Felt So Good

Bowles-Eye View
Thomas Bowles · Monday May 12, 2008

Moments after taking his first career Darlington win, Kyle Busch got out of his car, hopped on the roof, and took a bow as if he were the hero. It was the culmination of a burnout performance worthy of his Indiana Jones paint scheme.

Too bad the fans thought it was the equivalent of a standup comedian telling five straight minutes of awful jokes. The sold out crowd showed their appreciation – or lack thereof – in all sorts of different ways: beer cans, boos, and giving him the middle finger.

And so it goes for NASCAR’s resident villain these days. One week after the controversial contact that left Dale Earnhardt, Jr. winless and Busch whining about the possible backlash, Saturday night was an indication it’s going to take weeks, if not months for fans to forget what went wrong.

Read more Having A NASCAR Villain To Hate Never Felt So Good ...

The Bubble Breakdown: Blaney Rides Momentum into the Top 35

Tracking Sprint Cup Owner Points
Mike Ravesi · Monday May 12, 2008

NASCAR’S Sprint Cup teams raced under the lights Saturday night at what many believe to be the crown jewel of the series, Darlington Raceway. The track labeled as “to tough to tame” looked quite timid during qualifying for several of the bubble teams as five drivers managed to qualify their cars in the top 18 during Friday evenings qualifying session. But Saturday night the Lady in Black showed her true self, as only two of those bubble teams were able to manage top 20 finishes, and left us wondering why the others even bothered to paint the right sides of their cars. As the checkered flag waved, one team raced its way into the top 35, one wrecked its way out, and the rest were just happy to get out in one piece.

Read more The Bubble Breakdown: Blaney Rides Momentum into the Top 35 ...

Sprint Cup Rookie Report: McDowell Survives Darlington Duel

Tony Lumbis · Monday May 12, 2008

Rookies in the Starting Lineup: Regan Smith (16th), Michael McDowell (18th), Sam Hornish Jr. (23rd), Patrick Carpentier (43rd),

Unofficial Finishing Positions: Michael McDowell (28th), Regan Smith (29th), Sam Hornish Jr. (38th), Patrick Carpentier (40th)

Rookie of the Race: Michael McDowell. The rookie hailing from Phoenix, Arizona recorded his career best qualifying effort this past weekend when he placed his Camry 18th on the starting grid. The team, carrying the Brain Cancer Action Week at Darlington, backed up their strong Friday performance with another formidable run on Saturday night. McDowell lost a lap early, and would lose three more throughout the evening; which left a frustrated driver fighting the track position battle all night. “I had a couple of bad runs there where I just couldn’t get back in my rhythm, you know, running there a lap down and the leaders are trying to get by. And this place is so tough when somebody tries to get by you, if you don’t give way, you end up slowing the whole pack down and getting ran over.”

Read more Sprint Cup Rookie Report: McDowell Survives Darlington Duel ...

Ten Points To Ponder...After Darlington

Tommy Thompson · Monday May 12, 2008

1. No Popularity Contest – Joe Gibbs Racing “hot shoe” Kyle Busch, winner of Saturday night’s Dodge Challenger 500 won honors as the First Quarter Driver of the Year for 2008. The voting panel, made up of individuals knowledgeable in the numerous disciplines of U.S. motor racing, picked the 23-year old Las Vegas, NV. native for his winning performances in not just his Sprint Cup gig, but his impressive results in NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck Series and Nationwide Series as well. Busch trounced his nearest rivals, totaling 142 points to runner-up and fellow NASCAR driver Carl Edwards, who garnered 72 points. IndyCar driver Danica Patrick, the first female in history to score a win in that series, placed third with 51 points. The voting period ended after the Talladega race and well before Busch was involved in a controversial late race accident while battling fan favorite Dale Earnhardt, Jr. at Richmond. Busch went on to finish second to Clint Bowyer, while Earnhardt, Jr., though also finishing in the Top 10, lost any chance he may have had to end a two-year winless streak due to what many believed to be overly aggressive driving on the part of Busch.

Earnhardt Nation will not be allowed to cast votes in the Second Quarter Driver of the Year for 2008 balloting, either!

Read more Ten Points To Ponder...After Darlington ...

Nationwide Breakdown : Diamond Hill Plywood 200

Stewart wins, again
Mike Ravesi · Monday May 12, 2008

In A Nutshell:

In a word: dominating.

That’s how one could describe Tony Stewart’s run at Darlington in the Diamond Hill Plywood 200 Friday night. Stewart, who qualified 3rd, led on three different occasions for a total of 90 laps to score the win. His fourth victory in the Nationwide Series this season, it also doubled as his first in any NASCAR division at the Lady in Black.

Stewart’s only serious challenge came on a green/white/checkered restart, courtesy of former second place runner Mark Martin running out of gas with four laps to go. As Martin slowed, he was hit from behind, resulting in an accident which collected six cars. Most of them were running in the Top 8; however, series point leader Clint Bowyer avoided it all to setup a showdown with Stewart for the lead. But the No. 20 pulled away in NASCAR’s version of overtime, beating the No. 2 of Bowyer by .815 seconds — and reasserting the team’s dominance in the series.

Read more Nationwide Breakdown : Diamond Hill Plywood 200 ...

Ken Schrader: A Lot Like a Rock

Holding A Pretty Wheel
Amy Henderson · Friday May 9, 2008

It was very nearly perfect.

Stock Car racing returned to the too-long-silent Rockingham (formerly North Carolina) Speedway last week on a picture perfect early summer day. All eyes were on Joey Logano, the rookie phenom who won easily from the pole in his ARCA/Remax Series debut, but it was a veteran who truly epitomized the day-and the track itself.

Ken Schrader in a way, WAS Rockingham Speedway on Sunday, or perhaps Rockingham Speedway was Ken Schrader. Coming from a 31st-place starting spot to finish second, Schrader passed cars by using the track to his advantage. It was a brilliant performance by the veteran driver with the reputation of being one who will race anything, anytime. At one point late in the race, Schrader took the lead and proceeded to school Logano in the finer points of holding a lead-switching from the bottom-hugging low line in the turns to the high line-the only place where Logano was really able to make his best moves. It didn’t work forever, but it was great, clean racing-the way Schrader has run for most of his 53 years.

Read more Ken Schrader: A Lot Like a Rock ...

Driven To The Past : Tommy Houston

John Potts · Friday May 9, 2008

I saw in the news this week that Kroger has renewed as the sponsor of the Nationwide Series race at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis (nee Indianapolis Raceway Park.). Nice to see they continue as the oldest race sponsor in any NASCAR series.

One of the wildest accidents I’ve ever seen happened in the 1987 Kroger 200 at IRP. It was the first time Dale Earnhardt came up there to run it. At the practice session the day before, I had Tommy Houston set up for an interview with an Indianapolis TV station, when the reporter came over and said his producer called and wanted him to do an interview with Earnhardt instead.

That didn’t sit well with Tommy.

Read more Driven To The Past : Tommy Houston ...

It May Be Time to Panic for Michael Waltrip

Kurt Smith · Friday May 9, 2008

A year and a half ago, Michael Waltrip was successfully wooing employees, a very eager foreign auto manufacturer, and several high profile sponsors to sign onto his new racing team. The pundits predicted that with the backing of both Toyota and cash-rich sponsorship, Michael Waltrip Racing was going to be a contender in Sprint Cup right away, maybe even winning a race or two.

Forty-six races later, Michael Waltrip’s three Cup teams are barely in the top 35—and that is an improvement over last season. Two major sponsors, Burger King and Domino’s, have departed. Another, UPS, is very likely on its way out, leaving only the ever-loyal NAPA and Aaron’s, at least for now. Performance that is well below the expectations of big sponsors and a heavily invested automobile brand, combined with ethical incidents raising questions about his leadership, have led to the current bleak situation for Waltrip’s team. So as usual, the pundits were wrong.

Read more It May Be Time to Panic for Michael Waltrip ...

Are We Primed For the Closest Nationwide Championship Race In Years?

Danny Peters · Friday May 9, 2008

In the five weeks since I last penned (or should that be typed) a Nationwide Recap column, we’ve seen racing in a variety of different venues encompassing short tracks, road courses, super speedways and the more traditional mile and a half tracks. The schedule has tested both the skills of the drivers as well unearthing numerous logistical challenges – not least transporting cars and equipment to and from Mexico City. Following the conclusion of the Darlington race this evening, the Nationwide Series will take a deserved week off; before a spell of 16 straight weeks of racing that will run through the second Richmond date in early September. So with a third of the season in the books, give or take the odd percentage point or two, let’s take a look at some of the general themes that have emerged – or are beginning to emerge – in this inaugural season for new sponsor Nationwide.

Read more Are We Primed For the Closest Nationwide Championship Race In Years? ...