November 17th - November 21st, 2008
Thursday: Editor's Note: This column has been postponed until Monday due to technical issues for Matt McLaughlin. NASCAR's testing ban for 2009 has race teams and fans up in arms. Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off and puts the ban under the microscope, dissecting the pros and cons of cutting costs in this way.
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Scott Speed Diary: Learning From Jimmie Johnson in 2008 While Looking Forward to 2009
Scott Speed · Thursday November 20, 2008
Well, the 2008 season has come to a close, and it certainly has been an interesting one for me. Overall, this year has been one big learning experience. In fact, there has been so much I’ve taken in that it’s difficult to point out any one thing as the most significant learning experience for me. When you are at the Cup level, you learn so much in just one weekend because you are racing with the guys at the top, so you pick up things that much quicker. What really helped me down the stretch was pulling double duty between the Trucks and the Cup cars. It’s sometimes hard to go from one series to the other, but having the extra laps of experience is by far the most valuable thing in racing. I’ve enjoyed driving for Bill Davis Racing in the Truck Series. I have no idea if I’ll have an opportunity again with them next year; we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
Read more Scott Speed Diary: Learning From Jimmie Johnson in 2008 While Looking Forward to 2009 ...
Scott Speed Diary - ARCA Revenge, Sprint Cup Debut, Bull Riding and Mohawks
Scott Speed · Friday October 31, 2008
It’s been yet another eventful month in the life of Scott Speed. Speed entered the ARCA series finale at Toledo with a sizable point lead, before a memorable altercation with his closest rival, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. ended his chances of taking home the crown. The following week, the rookie made his much-anticipated Sprint Cup debut at the Martinsville Speedway in the No. 84 Red Bull Camry.
Speed took a break out of his busy schedule to tell us why he wouldn’t tolerate Stenshouse’s on track behavior, explain his early struggles at NASCAR’s top level and to enlighten us about his bull riding experience in the middle of it all.
I knew there was going to be trouble right from the very start of the race with Ricky (Stenhouse). We were only 50 laps in when he was behind us and beating the heck out of our back bumper. At that point in time, I felt it was too early and we didn’t need that one position to win the championship, we just needed to finish. So our team asked the No. 99 spotter to go around us on the restart. Then one of the restarts, we tried to let him by and he basically just crashed us, it was pretty blatant.
Read more Scott Speed Diary - ARCA Revenge, Sprint Cup Debut, Bull Riding and Mohawks ...
Scott Speed Driver Diary : Sprint Cup Racing and Scrabble
Scott Speed · Friday October 3, 2008
As most people know by now, I have been given the opportunity to drive in the Sprint Cup Series this year and I could not be more excited. I always knew that I was going to get the chance to race at the Cup level and I’m glad they’ve given me some time to get here. Actually, I will have to wait one more week before making my debut, as I am not yet approved by NASCAR to drive in a restrictor plate race. I’m really not sure how that works and we could probably push it if we wanted to, but there are many other things to consider. So we’ll just wait an extra week until I get behind the wheel of the No. 82 Camry. Following that, I’ll be in the No. 84 car for the rest of the year.
Read more Scott Speed Driver Diary : Sprint Cup Racing and Scrabble ...
Scott Speed Diary: Bristol, Dirt Track Racing, and Chasing a Championship
Scott Speed · Friday September 5, 2008
The last few weeks have definitely been filled with many learning experiences. In the Truck Series, I made my first start at Bristol Motor Speedway in the No. 22 Red Bull Toyota for Bill Davis Racing. We had great success there, as I won my first Craftsman Truck Series pole and finished third.
I will tell you that Bristol is one of my new favorite racetracks. The place is incredible with how all the seats surround the entire place — there is no other venue like it. The racing was great as well. It’s close to a two-groove racetrack, and the competition is exciting. I’m looking forward to going back there next year. For now, though, our next focus for the Truck Series will be on Las Vegas, where I will make my next start on September 20th.
Read more Scott Speed Diary: Bristol, Dirt Track Racing, and Chasing a Championship ...
