Matt McLaughlin

Matt has been following stock car racing for forty years and writing about racing for the past decade. He began "back in the day" with a small racing paper named Race City News before striking out for the then uncharted territory of the budding racing Internet. His work has appeared on Mike Calinoff's original two websites and became a staple on the old Speedworld website which became SpeedFX and finally RacingOne. He remained with RacingOne until the site was sold to an entity owned by the International Speedway Corporation back in '05. After that unholy mess Matt moved onto RacingStalkers.com, a fan owned and operated site that was his home until this season. Along the way he has also authored a racing novel "Eights and Aces" and had his work appear in Car and Driver and the Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul compilation.

Away from the sport Matt is seldom far away from fast loud cars. His hobbies include finding, buying, restoring and blowing up fast old cars, trucks, motorcycles, dirt bikes, tractors, snowmobiles, and anything else with an engine and wheels to the considerable consternation of one of his neighbors in particular. One protracted bout of insanity involved an early 30s American LaFrance V12 powered hook and ladder that was rendered fully operational (including lights, bells and sirens) if still cosmetically challenged. The red flag was recently thrown on that misadventure due to the local police's unwillingness to believe its "Farm implement" registration and the difficulty of hiding a 45 foot vehicle where township officials couldn't see it. In his rare forays outside the garage and office Matt enjoys chilled malted beverages, younger women, classic rock (particularly the Dead, Dylan Springsteen, and Jimmy Buffett) and hanging with friends and the locals on the farm he rents affectionately known as Eyesore Acres. Having found farming involves physical labor and early hours the only thing raised on "the farm" is hell and frosted mugs of beer. There have been a bumper crop of both since he took up residence.

You can click here to email Matt

Past articles By Matt McLaughlin

May 2008

05/15: Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off : What Sort of NASCAR Fan Are You? [28]

05/12: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Dodge Challenger 500 [21]

05/08: Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off : Gas And Go Home -- How Fuel Is Keeping NASCAR Fans Away [18]

05/05: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Richmond Edition [36]

05/01: Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off : Bread and Circuses [17]

April 2008

04/28: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Aaron's 499 [35]

04/24: Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off : Short Takes On A Short Break [14]

04/17: Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off : Are The Pettys And Woods On Their Last Legs?

04/14: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Subway Fresh Fit 500 [24]

04/10: Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off : Debunking The Theory Of Green Flag Passes For The Lead [17]

04/07: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Samsung 500 [28]

04/03: Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off : Nip It In The Bud, NASCAR [34]

March 2008

03/31: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Goody's Cool Orange 500 [18]

03/27: Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off : 2008 Questions and Surprises [6]

03/20: Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off : Judging the CoT One Year Later [20]

03/17: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Food City 500 [53]

03/12: Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off : Bruton Smith and Your Cheating Heart [13]

03/10: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Kobalt Tools 500 Edition [33]

03/06: Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off : What is Right with Stock Car Racing [7]

03/02: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Las Vegas Edition [13]

February 2008

02/28: Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off : Toyota's Here .. And There Goes The Neighborhood [78]

02/26: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud : Auto Club 500 [25]

02/21: Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off : So Begins the Task

02/18: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Daytona 500 [27]

02/14: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: 2008 Gatorade Duel 150s [8]

02/14: Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off : Everyone's Opinion Matters [4]

02/10: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: 2008 Bud Shootout Recap [8]

02/09: Racing At The Beach : Tragedy, Triumph, And Controversial Finishes, 2001-07

02/09: Racing At The Beach : The Curse Is Broken, 1994-2000

02/08: Racing At The Beach : Earnhardt Tries His Best...But Lady Luck Steps In, 1990-93

02/08: Racing At The Beach : Out With The Old... And In With The New, 1986-1990

02/07: Racing At The Beach : Smaller Cars, Fairy Tales, And Passing The Torch... 1981-1985

02/05: Racing At The Beach : NASCAR Legends Take Center Stage, 1976-80

02/04: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud : Everybody Is A Star [2]

02/04: Racing At The Beach : Legends Set The Stage, 1971 - 1975

02/03: Racing At The Beach : Boycotts And Brushes With Greatness, 1965-1970

02/01: Racing At The Beach : The 500 Tradition Gains Momentum, 1960-64

January 2008

01/31: Racing At The Beach : The Debut Of The Great American Race

01/22: The Best Of The Frontstretch : Ain't That A Shame - But Who's To Blame For Bristol?

01/20: The Best Of The Frontstretch : Don't Drink The Kool Aid

01/08: When Is A Monopoly Not A Monopoly? [21]

01/03: Winning Back Longtime NASCAR Fans : Part II [29]

01/03: Winning Back Longtime NASCAR Fans : Part I [22]

December 2007

12/05: Rating The Races : Part IV

12/02: Rating The Races : Part III [2]

November 2007

11/28: Rating The Races : Part II [5]

11/26: Rating The Races : Part I [10]

11/19: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Ford 400 [11]

11/15: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps : Ford 400 [1]

11/12: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Checker Auto Parts 500K [12]

11/07: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps : Checker Auto Parts 500K

11/04: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Dickies 500 [9]

October 2007

10/31: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps : Dickies 500

10/29: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Pep Boys Auto 500 [7]

10/24: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps : Pep Boys Auto 500

10/21: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Subway 500 [13]

10/17: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps : Subway 500

10/14: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Bank of America 500 [11]

10/10: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps : Bank of America 500

10/07: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: UAW-Ford 500 [14]

10/03: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps : UAW-Ford 500

10/01: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud : Kansas Race Recap [17]

September 2007

09/26: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps : Kansas Edition

09/23: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Dover Edition [14]

09/19: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps : Dodge Dealers 400

09/17: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: New Hampshire Edition [8]

09/12: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps : New Hampshire Edition

09/09: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Richmond Race Recap [14]

09/05: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps : Chevy Rock 'N' Roll 400

August 2007

08/30: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps : Fontana Edition

08/27: Ain't That A Shame - But Who's To Blame For Bristol? [21]

08/26: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud : Sharpie 500 [16]

08/22: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps : Bristol Edition [3]

08/21: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: 3M Performance 400 [2]

08/19: Matt McLaughlin Thinks Out Loud : Is It The Rider Or His Horse? [9]

08/15: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps : Michigan Edition

08/14: Remembering A NASCAR Legend : Tim Richmond (Part II) [6]

08/13: Remembering A NASCAR Legend : Tim Richmond (Part I) [11]

08/08: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps : Watkins Glen Edition

08/05: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud : Pocono Race Recap [14]

08/01: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps: Pennsylvania 500 Edition

July 2007

07/29: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud : Brickyard 400 Race Recap [11]

07/25: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps: Brickyard 400 Edition

07/15: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud : Chicagoland Race Recap [10]

07/14: Remembering Davey Allison : Part Two

07/12: Remembering Davey Allison [1]

07/11: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps: Chicagoland Edition [4]

07/04: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps: Firecracker 400 [1]

June 2007

06/27: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps: New Hampshire Edition [1]

06/24: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud : Infineon Race Recap [11]

06/20: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps : Infineon Edition

06/19: McLaughlin Thinks Out Loud : The Empire Strikes Back As NASCAR Fights AT & T [22]

06/17: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud : Michigan Edition [3]

06/17: A Father's Day Tribute : 1973 Daytona 500 [5]

06/13: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps: Michigan Edition

06/10: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Pocono 500 [4]

06/06: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps: Pocono Edition

06/04: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud : Dover Edition

May 2007

05/30: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps: Dover Edition

05/28: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Coca-Cola 600 [12]

05/24: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Report Cards : Part Four [5]

05/23: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Report Cards : Part Three [1]

05/23: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps: Charlotte

05/22: Matt McLaughlin's NASCAR Driver Report Cards : Part One

05/22: Matt McLaughlin's NASCAR Driver Report Cards : Part Two [5]

05/20: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: All-Star Race Recap [7]

05/15: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud : Special Midweek Edition [4]

05/09: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps : Darlington

05/06: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Richmond Edition [4]

05/03: Matt McLaughlin's Richmond "1" Driver Handicaps [1]

April 2007

04/29: Matt McLaughlin's Thinking Out Loud: Aaron's 499 [8]

04/25: Matt McLaughlin's Talladega "1" Driver Handicaps [1]

04/22: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud : Subway Fresh Fit 500k [3]

04/18: Matt McLaughlin's Phoenix Driver Handicaps

04/15: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Samsung 500

04/11: Matt McLaughlin's Texas Driver Handicaps [2]

04/08: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud : Easter Weekend

04/01: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud : Goody's Cool Orange 500 [6]

March 2007

03/28: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps : Martinsville [1]

03/25: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Bristol Race Recap [5]

03/21: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps : Bristol Motor Speedway [1]

03/18: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud : Atlanta Race Recap [5]

03/14: Matt McLaughlin's Driver Handicaps: Atlanta Motor Speedway [1]

03/12: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: 2007 Las Vegas Race Recap [12]

03/07: Matt's Driver Handicaps : Las Vegas [1]

February 2007

02/25: Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud : Auto Club 500 [18]

02/21: California Driver Handicaps [1]

02/18: 2007 Daytona 500 Race Recap [11]

02/17: Random Thoughts On The Eve Of The 500 [9]

02/15: Daytona 500 Blog Notes [6]

02/14: McLaughlin's Daytona 500 Driver Handicaps [5]

02/13: Racing At The Beach : Tragedy, Triumph, And New Faces, 2001-2006

02/12: Racing At The Beach : Curses Are Broken, 1994-2000

02/11: Racing At The Beach : Earnhardt Tries His Best...And Comes Up Short, 1990-93

02/08: Racing At The Beach : Out With The Old, In With The New, 1986-1990 [2]

02/08: Racing At The Beach : Out With The Old And In With The New, 1986-1990

02/07: Racing At The Beach : Smaller Cars, Fairy Tales, And Passing The Torch, 1981-1985

02/06: Racing At The Beach : NASCAR Legends Take Center Stage, 1976-1980

02/05: Racing At The Beach : Legends Set The Stage, 1971 - 1975 [1]

02/04: Don't Drink The Kool Aid [10]

02/04: Racing At The Beach : Boycotts And Brushes With Greatness, 1965-1970

02/01: Racing At The Beach : The 500 Tradition Gains Momentum, 1960-64

January 2007

01/31: Racing At The Beach : The Debut Of The Great American Race [1]

01/30: Racing On The Beach : The Early History Of Daytona, 1949-58

01/22: Stories To Watch In 2007 : Part Two

01/21: Stories To Watch In 2007 : Part One [8]

01/16: Benny Parsons Remembered : David Slays Goliath