On Pit Row

Fantasy NASCAR Thoughts on the Coke Zero 400

Charlie Turner — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 13:53:33 +0000

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Tony Stewart remains win-less so far in the 2008 Sprint Cup Series. So close, so many times, it seems inevitable that Smoke will break through soon.

Stewart has the best Driver Rating - 108.1 - for Daytona International Speedway for the last seven races run in NASCAR’s Loop data stats. In fact Smoke has led 32.2% of all the laps run in those seven events - 415 total . He’s a two time Daytona winner. Often stated and maybe, overrated is the fact that Stewart has a history of getting hot when the weather does. He had the best car and led the most laps last week at Loudon, until the rain screwed him - and most of the rest of the field - up. Maybe that was a sign. But 2008 doesn’t have the feel of a Stewart championship season. Maybe it’s karma. I’d pick him this week, but not with confidence.

It ain’t all Smoke though.

Many of the drivers who have been tough this year, score poorly in Daytona Loop data.

2008 race winners, Carl Edwards, Kasey Kahne and Denny Hamlin have Driver Ratings of 78.1, 78.4 and 72.2 respectively. Newly re-signed, Roush- Fenway pilot Greg Biffle is tied with Elliott Sadler at 78.8.

Ryan Newman is second best, no doubt helped by his Daytona 500 win in February, with a Driver Rating of 98.6, but no individual stats jump out.

Jimmy Johnson is a past winner and third in the Loop DR with a 95.5. Johnson has run the most laps in the top 15 with 985 for 76.5% and has a series best Ave Position of 9.8.

Johnson is followed by the Busch brother tandem - Kyle at 95.3 and last week’s winner Kurt with a DR of 93.00. Matt Kenseth and Jeff Gordon are next, also in the 90’s. Earnhardt Junior, the former king of the plate tracks is tenth with a 87.5 Driver Rating and a couple wins.

I have to go with Stewart, but as I said, I’m not real sold on it. Other than Smoke, I like Dale Earnhardt Jr. He was strong in February and has been the best of the Hendrick Motorsport drivers so far in 2008.

For a dark-horse - and sooner or later you won’t be able to call him that - Red Bull Racing’s Brian Vickers.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.

Martin Heading to Hendrick to Complete Dream Team

Steve Wronkowicz — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 23:21:22 +0000

Mark Martin will rejoin his DEI teammate, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. at Hendrick Motor Sports.

After weeks of speculation it was made official today that Mark Martin, NASCAR’s annual retiree, will move from part time status at Dale Earnhardt Inc to a full time ride in the recently vacated #5 out of the Hendrick stable. Martin will run full time in 2009 and then again become a part timer in 2010 with a yet to be named co-driver.

The part time shared ride deal was “exactly what he needed” when he “retired” from Roush Racing a couple of years ago. The ability to pick what races he participated in was to be a great transition to retirement. Even though he had retired twice before moving to DEI.

What exactly does Martin bring to Hendrick Motor Sports? Is it a calming veteran presence? No, it can’t be. This isn’t a group of young guns needing a mentor. Hendricks other three drivers are as experienced as Martin and more successful. Jimmy Johnson and Jeff Gordon are both multiple champions. Junior hasn’t been the last guy introduced at the Waldorf Astoria yet, but he is a many time winner on the Cup circuit. Is Martin being brought in to shore up a sagging win total? Again, not likely–wins haven’t been a problem for the Chevy team historically.

Martin’s signing with Hendrick is a totally one sided endeavor. Rick Hendrick is throwing Martin a bone to try and win a championship, pure and simple. Martin was never able to seal the deal while driving the #6 at Roush. He went to DEI to win races and hasn’t been successful at that. Now he will latch on to the fourth car at Hendrick and try to make it into a team capable of winning a championship. Will his abilities, again driving on all types race tracks enable him to win the ellusive championship?

It isn’t bloody likely. The Kellogg’s/Carquest Chevy has been a pig over the last couple of years and adding Martin to the seat won’t turn it around enough to give him a shot at the championship he obviously still craves. A craving that Martin claimed was gone when he moved into the part time situation at DEI.

You have to wonder if Mark has signed a contract with Tony Stewart yet to drive for his race team in 2011 and 2012. Someday, Mark, your prince may come.

Photo Credit: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

Loose in Turn 3 must Die!

Charlie Turner — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:27:19 +0000

Does life ever get in the way of YOUR pastimes? Sometimes life gets in the way of mine. This blog is mostly a blast for me to write in. This week it has been a monster. Hence the title of this post - a reference to the old horror movies I grew up loving. Maybe next week’s version of the Loose in Turn 3 experiment will be attack of the two-headed Turn 3. Until then, check out my part in this serial, right here.

What will become of Dale Earnhardt Inc?

Charlie: If Martin Truex Jr and Mark Martin both leave the team - and their sponsors go too - DEI looks like a buy-out candidate to me. How about this scenario? Dale Junior wants to take his Nationwide Series team where the money is - Sprint Cup. Tony Stewart wants to own at least a share of a Chevy team. DEI has top thirty five owner’s on the #8 and the #1. Junior and Smoke partner up and buy Theresa Earnhardt out, with Tony driving one car, someone else - maybe Brad Kesolowski - in the other. Junior stays with Hendrick Motorsports, as his daddy did with RCR. There are holes in the argument, I know. But it would be one hell of a story.

Bruce: If Truex and Martin leave, DEI becomes a museum. Otherwise, I can’t punch too many holes your idea Charlie. Actually, I wouldn’t want to. Maybe once Tony and Jr. take DEI over, they can move the 8 back to Jr. in HMS. LOL.

TZ: The notion of Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. co-owning DEI is a pipe-dream at best. Stewart will wind up in an ownership role once he’s done driving … Jr. will bring JR Motorsports to the Cup level within the next couple of years … and, DEI will continue to press forward in its same crummy state for the next few years before either someone else in the family that’s not named Dale takes over, or they just fold altogether.

That’s what we think. What do you think?

Check out Bruce’s NASCAR Bits for this slippage in the third turn…

Do you think Kurt Busch giving up his points to Sam Hornish hurt the team overall?

And TZ at Do You Nascar has this…

With the recent folding of Chip Ganassi’s #40 operation due to lack of sponsorship, is this a trend that we can continue to expect in NASCAR with other teams that have struggled with sponsorship…. teams like Yates Racing?

Coke Zero Taste of Victory Video

Charlie Turner — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:53:50 +0000

Coca Cola sent us this video promoting the Coke Zero 400 Challenge. It’s short and pretty funny. Check it out.

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/_fXItCx5Jm4" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

Bench Racing TV’s First Monday Morning Crew Chief

Charlie Turner — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:44:58 +0000

Welcome the newest member of the Pit Crew - Mindy Monday - to OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. Mindy’s video posts will be a regular feature of our new Bench Racing TV section. Let us hear your comments and remember - Stay classy NASCAR!

Download Monday Morning Crew Chief #1

Beatin’ and bangin’ at New Hampshire

Steve Wronkowicz — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:52:05 +0000

Tempers flared as drivers took their frustrations out on one another.

Points leader Kyle Busch and Juan Pablo Montoya were treating the 1mile-plus oval at New Hampshire more like the shorter Bristol or Martinsville. The Shrub and JPM got together late in the rain shortened Lenox 301. While both drivers didn’t seem to know what exactly happened to cause the two to get together, what was obvious was that Montoya purposly ran into Rowdy while the caution was out.

To make it even worse (for him) was he admitted to running into the points leader in retaliation.

And that leads us to this weeks BUZZ ON PIT ROW:

Will fans applaud Juan Pablo Montoya’s dust up with Kyle Busch or will public opinion favor The Shrub on this one?

Let us know what you think and we may use your response on this week’s ON PIT ROW. Listen to ON PIT ROW live from 5-7pm ET then check out INSIDE ARCA from 7 to 8:30pm at arcaracing.com.

Photo Credit: Icon Sports Media

This Week it’s Firecracker Fast Laps

Charlie Turner — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 03:59:29 +0000

I wonder if those fortunate rains that fell on, and brought the win to, Kurt Busch at New Hampshire International Speedway yesterday will be the start of KB 1’s resurgence?

In case you forgot, Busch the Elder finished second - right on the rear bumper of Ryan Newman - the last time NASCAR saw Daytona. Just because Kurt won in unconventional fashion, by playing the rain game, doesn’t mean this won’t start a streak. Kasey Kahne got rolling after being VOTED into a race. Kurt’s competitors may regret the awakening of the ex-champ.

There were other stories out of Loudon. We’ll get to some of them. But it’s Fourth of July week. That used to mean it was Firecracker 400 week. I loved that name. That one and the Rebel 400. Classic. But those are gone. Instead, you get the Firecracker Fast Lap. Four, high banked, fast and hopefully, controversial corners for you to tackle. Remember, 100 words or less on the answers themselves. Unlimited words for taunting and smack-talk.

1. What would it mean to teams if NASCAR went to unlimited testing?

2. Would an official announcement about 2009 allow the #20 team to get on with 2008?

3. Who should Jack Roush keep around when he has to eliminate one of his teams after 2009 - Jamie McMurray or David Ragan?

4. Who’s your bet to join Tony Stewart as the number two driver at the proposed Tony Stewart Racing?

We have a plan to incorporate the best comments - and commentary - into a new feature ON PIT ROW or OnPitRow.com. I haven’t, totally, figured it out as yet. But an announcement of some kind is coming. In the mean time, have fun with the Fast Lap. We do.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.

Will the Big Domino Fall this Week?

Charlie Turner — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 17:56:21 +0000

How good would a team of Smoke and the Rocket be? Will Tony Stewartfans have to endure the trauma of - Oh no, not again - changing numbers, as Junior fans did this year? Tony Stewart driving the #66 Office Depot Chevrolet? According to those closest to the silly season contenders, those are some of the questions we may just get to answers to in the coming days.

Semi-regular, ON PIT ROW contributor Lee Spencer of Fox Sports has a few of sponsor names to mix in with the driver speculation….

Stewart is currently 11th in the point standings — 500 points behind teammate and leader Kyle Busch and closer to the bubble than he and crew chief Greg Zipadelli care to be. J.D. Gibbs insisted last Sunday that nothing has changed with Stewart’s status at Joe Gibbs Racing although there are reports that Office Depot and Old Spice will join the driver in his next venture — and rumors that Burger King and Jack Daniels could also be coming aboard.

Tom Jensen at Speed has this ….

One way or another, it is likely Stewart will be out at JGR, either next year or in 2010, and almost certainly with a Chevy team. If he goes to Haas-CNC, he’ll likely take another front-line driver with him, either Martin Truex Jr. or Ryan Newman.

I have a feeling that Tony’s next big press conference will be a good one.

Photo credit: BethAnne Heisler - ON PIT ROW

Flash! Spy info from NASCAR R & D!

Charlie Turner — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 15:54:55 +0000

From the hills of California wine country to the highlands of New Hampshire is a bit over 3000 Mapquest miles. NASCAR must own a travel agency or something. How much sense does that make with diesel selling for $5 a gallon?

I wonder if there is any truth to the rumor that Brian France will announce a brand new program designed to save all of his minion’s teams even more money than the Car of Tomorrow - or CoT (or Cash outlay’s Till-we-get-it-right) has saved them?

The next rumored innovation is the - are you ready? - Hauler of Tomorrow! That’s right - the HoT!

No details were available at posting time, but we can surmise some things from past experience.

Spoilers and splitters will be involved
Most everybody will think the HoT’s are ugly
Cash savings will be disguised as additional investment in R&D
They won’t handle worth spit
Only the big teams with the big sponsors will be able to afford them, but that won’t matter to NASCAR. Everybody saves!
Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards will be fast in them
Next year’s All Star week will feature a “jack-knifing” contest
NASCAR will buy Mapquest and doctor the figures

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.

Gettin’ Loose in Loudon’s Turn Three Could Hurt

Charlie Turner — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:07:08 +0000

New Hampshire International Speedway always makes me nervous. This year, maybe more so than ever. The track has seen more than its share of carnage through its history. Loudon may have been the track that most needed the soft-wall technology of the Safer barriers. With long straights and sharp, relatively flat corners, the New Hampshire miler will be especially tough on drivers for teams that don’t have the New Car’s special handling requirements figured out. Missing the set-up could hurt.

The Loose in Turn Three experiment continues this week with Do You NASCAR, Bruce’s NASCAR Bits and Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie each fielding a topic to chew on. Here’s the Bench Racing hor dourve of the week….

After what we saw at Infineon Raceway, is there still a place for “road-course ringers” in the Cup Series?

Charlie: If you run a top tier Cup team, your drivers better be able to at least hold their own on the road courses. Your best teams need drivers that can do it all. The ability of most of the regular Sprint Cup drivers to handle the road courses has improved so much that it would take the perfect storm of circumstances to have a non-regular win ANY Cup race. Only if you have a team that is on the edge of top thirty five contention - or is out of the top thirty five all together - would trying to catch a specialist’s lightning in a bottle be worth disrupting your group’s chemistry.

Bruce: No. Only if you’re a 30th and worse team with driver proven to be inefficient on road courses would you even think about it. Any time a team brings a ringer in, it’s a slap in the face to the regular driver, even if he appears on board, you’re killing his opportunity to accrue valuable driver points. Everyone either has the talent, or can be taught the skills, if the team really wants to invest in their driver.

TZ: Of course any team that’s on the bubble for the top-35 in owner points should consider using specialists at courses like Infineon or Watkins Glen. But, to throw a wrench in your guys’ theory that it’s reserved ONLY for those teams, what about teams like the no. 8 DEI car? You’re already limiting his Cup experience to a measley 8 races this year, so there’s no real logic in making sure that he gets in there at the road courses. Then, there’s also occassions when that teams are well within the top-35, yet have no real loyalty in a multi-year sense to their driver … guys like a Dave Blaney. In this instance, lingering After what we saw at Infineon Raceway, is there still a place for “road
course ringers” in the Cup Series?

That’s what we think. How ’bout you? Leave your feedback in the comments section. After doing that, head over to DoYouNASCAR.com for TZ’s topic for the week…..

After a lackluster 2007 season, can the no. 16 team keep it together long enough through the next 10 races to keep Greg Biffle in Chase contention?

Then check out Bruce’s Bits for this one…

Should NASCAR and Sunoco make a concerted effort to convert the sport over to a less fossil fuel centric sport?

Photo credit: BethAnne Heisler - ON PIT ROW

Live from Cayuga Motor Speedway!

Charlie Turner — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:16:56 +0000

There’s a real Buzz around the ON PIT ROW garage this week. The ARCA RE/MAX Series has announced their plan to provide live streaming audio coverage of the Cayuga ARCA RE/MAX 250 to begin at 1:00 PM EDT this Sunday June 29th.

It’s all part of a plan to webcast the seven 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series races that will not be carried on live TV, beginning with the 250 lap event from Cayuga Motor Speedway.

My partner Steve Wronkowicz will call the race and I will be there, along with ARCA’s Don Radebaugh to provide color commentary and reports from the infield. We’re pretty pumped!

Make sure you tune in the live webcast, starting at 1:00 pm Sunday. Go to arcaracing.com where Team Glock Racing will present the call of the race and live timing and scoring as well.

Photo credit: BethAnne Heisler - ON PIT ROW

Silly Season is in High Gear Earlier than Ever

Steve Wronkowicz — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 05:11:37 +0000

California’s wine country applauds Kyle Busch after winning at Infineon Raceway.

Ever since the incident with Dale Earnhardt Jr., Shrub has been head of the most wanted list of many NASCAR fans. But in a weird twist, after his win at Infineon, hardly a boo was heard. Could the tide be turning in Rowdy’s popularity so soon? He didn’t even give his signature “brat bow” to the fans.

Overshadowing Shrub’s win could be the breaking news that Mark Martin could be leaving DEI to run for his “last” championship at Hendrick Motorsports. Or will he do a shared ride deal with Brad Keselowski? There are lots of rumors revolving around Martin’s future plans.

This weeks BUZZ ON PIT ROW asks:

What is the probability that Mark Martin will win a championship if indeed he moves full time to Hendrick Motorsports?

NASCAR journalist Dustin Long with the Roanoke Times will join The Pit Crew at 6pm to discuss all these topics.

Give us your opinions and we may use them on this weeks ON PIT ROW. OPR can be heard via live stream from 5-7pm ET, followed by Inside ARCA from 7-8:30 at www.onpitrow.com

photo credit: Icon Sports Media

Kyle Busch is a Five Tool Driver

Charlie Turner — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 04:04:14 +0000

Kyle Busch won the Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway and with his first Cup Series road course win has answered perhaps every question but one.

Rowdy….I really hate that nickname. Rowdy was Clint Eastwood’s character on the old Rawhide TV show. Kyle Busch is no Clint Eastwood. But, as my friend the Dude would say, I digress. Rowdy is now, in my opinion, a five tool racer.

The “five tool player” moniker is a baseball term. Five tool ballplayers are said to have it all. Wikipedia says this about them…

In baseball, a five-tool player is one who excels at hitting for average, hitting for power, baserunning skills and speed, throwing ability, and fielding abilities.

The road course win was the missing “tool” for the Shrub. In my version the five tools are really five track types that make up the Sprint Cup schedule. Kyle had already won on NASCAR’s prolific intermediate tracks. He has a short track victory at Bristol. This year brought a plate race triumph at Talladega. On one mile tracks, of every sort - flat Phoenix, concrete Dover and tough Loudon - he’s Jack the Bear.

Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick are five toolers. So is Mark Martin. Earnhardt Sr was one, but Junior isn’t. The list is short.

You can win a championship in the Cup Series and not be a five tool driver. Jimmy Johnson has won two straight Cups and he’s a good enough road racer that a win at the Glen or Infineon will probably come, but hasn’t yet. The un-answered question for Kyle Busch is - can he close the whole deal and win a Cup championship?

The evidence for Busch - 9 Cup wins, 15 Nationwide and 8 Truck Series victories - points to a yes answer to the question. Mark Martin fans would tell you not to count your chickens too soon.

Photo credit: BethAnne Heisler - OnPitRow.com

Mark Martin’s Fast Laps are Numbered

Charlie Turner — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 03:04:13 +0000

Kyle Busch won his fifth Sprint Cup contest of the season Sunday at Infineon Raceway. That gives him at least fifty bonus points in the Chase to the first Sprint Cup. That Chase starts after only ten more races. Not all that much time for the likes of Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle or other pretenders to the Cup to get on the board, get off the snide, break the ice - win something - and maybe just as importantly for Shrub haters, keep Kyle from winning everything in sight.

Some drivers need to win to keep their championship hopes alive. Others to keep their jobs. It was a matter of time before Casey Mears’ disappointing 2008 start began to dog him in the speculation department. One of the big Sonoma rumors was that Mears would be moved to create a seat in the #5 for Mark Martin, who may be moving out of the DEI stable to free a full-time seat for Aric Almirola.

The move would set Mark up for the first ever - Third Times a Charm Retirement Tour. The #5 team at Hendrick Motorsports should be better than anything that DEI is fielding these days and Mark can still drive. But would Mark Martin be any better than the fourth best driver in the Hendrick Motorsports stable today?

What do you think? And while you’re at it, give the four, flat, all left handed turns of this week’s Fast Lap some thought. Remember your answers are limited to 100 words or less. But come on back and defend your position later in the week. Defense is unlimited.

1. What happened to the boos when the Shrub won? Are California fans truly more mature than the rest of NASCAR Nation?

2. David Gilliland turned one good Busch Series finish into a full time Cup ride. Can he turn one good Cup finish into a career?

3. Does the future of the Wood Brothers lie in Marcos Ambrose’s hands?

4. Juan Pablo Montoya is quoted in the London Times saying that NASCAR is better than F1. On Sunday’s Wind Tunnel, Scott Speed said that NASCAR is much easier than F1. Who is right?

We have plans for the best responses. What those plans are, I can’t say. Trust me. Would I lie to you? O, and listen to the live streaming broadcast of ON PIT ROW Tuesday from 5-7 pm edt. It’s good for you and trans fat free.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.

Mark Martin Setting Himself Up For More Heartbreak

Matt Mercer — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 13:12:31 +0000

An item came across NASCAR.com and it made me shake my head. Mark Martin one of my 3 favorite drivers in NASCAR history, seems to have made another guarantee. In the story last week at Pocono, he said that he plans on winning at the Brickyard in July. I have no doubt Mark can win the race. I remember 10 years ago at Indy when he had a better car than Jeff Gordon throughout the day, yet couldn’t get around him at the end. I remember when Mark left the 6 for the 01 last year, he said he would have his best chance ever to win the Daytona 500 – and he did, but came up inches short. It saddens me to see someone that’s a traditional pessimist, like Mark, get exciting for something just to be heartbroken again. I felt the heartbreak of the 2002 season because he was so close. Two years later, in the inaugural Chase, Mark arguably had the best team but accidents and bad luck struck again. At that Daytona race 16 months ago, I watched him lead those last several laps as I had a kung-fu grip on a pillow in my room, thinking that maybe, just maybe, this could be the race of his life. It was the race of his life… he finished second again, and I fell to the floor with the air knocked out of my lungs. To be a Mark Martin fan, it’s similar to what being a Red Sox fan must have been like until the 2004 playoffs. In the back of your mind, you know something will happen. I don’t know how many fans understand how much Mark means to his fans, and the heartbreak his fans have gone through with him. Many times, it takes the man himself to keep us fans from going crazy.

Fast forward to this season’s race at Phoenix, which saw Mark lead a bunch of laps and appeared to be on his way to victory. What did Mark have to lose by staying out and gambling? He pitted from the lead, had the best car, so fuel mileage should have been on Tony Gibson’s mind. Yet, it didn’t happen, and surprise, Mark lost. The guarantee at Indianapolis is interesting. He qualified well at Pocono, yet seemed to fall back more and more during the race. DEI seems to be focusing on Truex and Menard at the moment, which is perfectly understandable. The prospect of Truex leaving would put one foot in the ground, I don’t see anyone tearing down the door to get into DEI the way guys would at Gibbs right now. In a certain sense, I think Mark may have to win at Indy to keep DEI relevant. Rumors swirl about the future of the Army sponsorship, given that the 01 has had limited sponsorship, and Bass Pro Shops could be leaving for Tony Stewart’s revamped Haas Racing.

I didn’t like the movie Groundhog Day. I hate recurring dreams. Most of all, I know deep down that Mark Martin won’t win the Brickyard this year. He’ll have a flat tire with 3 to go, he’ll get crashed out by a car 9 laps down, he’ll blow his engine on the white flag lap. The worst part? I’ll still be making him my pick to win. Some habits won’t go away.

Photo credit: BethAnne Heisler - ON PIT ROW

Richard Childress Racing Usurps Another Sponsor

Steve Wronkowicz — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:55:54 +0000

In NASCAR its easy to know who the haves and the have-nots are.

It was announced this week that Dave Blaney’s #22 Bill Davis Racing Toyota was losing Caterpillar as its primary sponsor. Cat has been the primary sponsor with BDR for the past ten years of its seventeen in the sport. The team remains in the 29th spot in the Sprint Cup Series Owners’ points. Veteran crew chief Tommy Baldwin has the team moving in the right direction, picking up 10 championship point positions over the course of five events and has posted two top-10 finishes and six finishes of 22nd or better in the past eight races.

“Caterpillar and Bill Davis Racing have enjoyed a long and successful partnership throughout the last 10 seasons, and we are proud of everything we’ve accomplished together, including wins in both the Daytona 500 and Southern 500,” stated Team Owner Bill Davis. “This is an exciting time for our team, and we are looking forward to the future.”

In a much publicized coup earlier RCR was able to wrangle the General Mills sponsorship away from long time partner Petty Enterprises. That General Mills deal will adorn the new 4th team at RCR with an, as yet, un-named driver. Now securing Caterpillar to replace AT&T on the #31 Jeff Burton ride, puts RCR on solid financial footing. NASCAR mandated that AT&T would only be allowed to remain on the 31 car through the end of the 2008 season.

“To represent a well-known global brand like Caterpillar is an honor,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of RCR. “Cat products have played a big part over the decades in construction projects at RCR, Childress Vineyards and Yadkin River Angus. Jeff and I look forward to meeting the Cat dealers and customers who loyally follow NASCAR racing.”

With dollars harder and harder to come by, RCR has moved into as solid of a financial situation as any major player in motorsports. Other big name owners have had challenges securing primary sponsorship for the 2008 season. Yates Racing has had trouble filling the hood and quarter panels of its race cars this season. The #38 of David Gilliland has had backing from freecreditreport.com for much of the recent schedule, but didn’t start the season as primary sponsor and most likely is not the biggest benefactor in the garage area. Teammate, Travis Kvapil’s #28 has been void of sponsorship much of the season. These are high profile, storied history, race teams and money is tough to come by.

Robby Gordon will race at Infineon Speedway this weekend with no sponsorship at all. Gordon is no slouch on a road course. The probability of him running well and near the front all day are high. And running near the front means TV time. TV time translates into payback for a sponsor; yet RGM cannot find anyone to invest.

Good luck to Bill Davis Racing trying to replace Cat on the #22, all the while trying to find cash to expand to a full-time two car team in 2009. Could we be seeing the start of more outside investment in a long time NASCAR team, or could team mergers be on the horizon?

Photo credit: BethAnne Heisler/On Pit Row/Bench Racing Productions

Rather be Loose in Turn 3 or Tight in Turn 9?

Charlie Turner — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:31:35 +0000

Mike Helton’s much talked about meeting last Friday at MIS should go a long way toward keeping the weekend in wine country from turning into a Sunday of whine country. Maybe.

These Cup drivers just don’t like the new car at all. No amount of muzzling is likely to change that any time soon. I can’t decide if the underlying displeasure will be worse at Infineon or not. Somebody probably needs to wreck someone, just as a diversion.

Or maybe NASCAR could just ask the drivers a question, like this one.

Dale Earnhardt Jr broke a NASCAR rule at the end of Sunday’s race at MIS, went unpunished and won the race. Do you have a problem with that?

Charlie: Nope. I’ve been waiting for the NASCAR of the ’90s and early 2000’s to re-appear. That was the “charmed” NASCAR. The NASCAR that had Steve Park in a DEI car win the next race after Earnhardt Sr’s death. The same NASCAR that saw Dale Earnhardt Jr win in his return trip to the Daytona track that took his dad’s life. The NASCAR that had Richard Pettywin his 200 race at Daytona. It’s been a while since serendipity reined in the Cup Series. It was a feel good win, no doubt. I’m just surprised that it took so long.

Bruce: Nah, I don’t have a problem with Jr. not getting tagged for the infraction, but now NASCAR has set a precedence by this lack of action and to the best of their ability and their image, they now need to adhere to similar deeds and actions in future races, with any driver. Stick with the “charmed” approach as you put it Charlie. That’s all I ask.

TZ: I don’t know, really. I mean, my take on pretty much anything involving the NASCAR rulebook is that it’s open for interpretation, because that’s how they’ve set it up. What does the rulebook actually state that the rule is, and what are the consequences? To me, it’s maybe no more than the whole issue with aggressive driving. They tend to issue a warning, and then if the driver doesn’t adhere, then
we get to see what happens. Now, in terms of this whole “charmed” deal, I’ve gotta be honest - I could care less. If the only reason that NASCAR let it slide was because Dale Junior was the benefactor, then yes, I have a problem with it.

That’s what we think, but I want to hear from you. Let us know your thoughts by leaving feedback in the comment section. Then head over to TZ’s Do You NASCAR? to see what we said about this topic…

Joe Gibbs Racing has stated that we may see Joey Logano in a Cup car by the end of ‘08. Logano’s proven himself to be a rare talent, but is 2008 too early?

Then check out Bruce’s NASCAR Bits for our take on this…

NASCAR has asked teams and drivers to tone down their complaints about the COT. Do you think NASCAR has a valid point?

Watch the Dodge Boys at Infineon

Charlie Turner — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 04:47:44 +0000

I have been looking through the entry list for the Toyota Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway. I had plans to write something about road course ringers or some such. Fact is, there aren’t that many ringers any more. But there are an awful lot of experienced road racers driving Dodges this weekend in wine country.

Start with the Ganassi Racing trio of defending race winner Juan Pablo Montoya and teammates Dario Franchitti and Scott Pruett - strongest driver line-up in the race. Gillette- Everham has red hot Kasey Kahne with Patrick Carpentier - who will be good - and Elliott Sadler. Penske’s Kurt Busch is strong here as is Ryan Newman and Sam Hornish Jr is experienced turning both ways. The Labonte brothers will make Petty Enterprises a factor. Robby Gordon might be a favorite to win this thing.

No manufacturer has a stronger driver roster for Sonoma this year than Dodge.

Photo credit: Photo Credit: Mike Doran

Fast Laps Through the Twisty Bits

Charlie Turner — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 05:06:57 +0000

The last time the Sprint Cup circus visited the left coast the talk was mostly about what all was wrong with - take your pick - springtime weather in California, weeping race tracks, multiple races at Auto Club Speedway of Fontana via Anaheim and the sale of naming rights that create venue names too long and complicated to remember.

This time we can talk about road course specialists - welcome back Boris Said- and those drivers who just can’t seem to get a handle on turning right as well as left - Matt Kenseth comes to mind.

Matt had a nice third place finish at MIS. He wasn’t happy with Dale Earnhardt Jr getting away with passing the pace car as Junior coaxed more from a tank of gas than anyone this side of Smokey Yunick. Kasey Kahne and Brian Vickers continued their strong early summer runs. Tony Stewart had a nice finish and gave away more cash to others in need - this time the flood victims in his Indiana hometown.

But enough of this drivel. It’s time to argue, Fast Lap style.

1. Should Junior have been penalized for repeatedly passing the pace car?

2. Did NASCAR’s closed door meeting with drivers - chastising them for excessive negative comments - contradict its earlier “say what’s on your mind” directive.

3. Is Joey Logano the real deal or just another over-hyped wannabe?

4. Would you give up one road course race to see the Cup Series race on a one mile dirt track?

There ought to be something in those four corners that sticks in your craw. Let us know what you think and then come back later in the week and tell everyone else how wrong they are. I know I will. The best and brightest may become part of a future feature ON PIT ROW.

Photo Credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc

Junior’s gamble puts Junior in Victory Circle.

Steve Wronkowicz — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 03:13:33 +0000

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. ended his winless streak at seventy-six.

Tony Eury, Jr. who has taken a beating from fans for his overly conservative pit strategies, rolled the fuel mileage dice on Sunday and beat the odds. The Mountain Dew Chevy went further than any car had a right to go on a tank of fuel to allow Junior fans to finally cheer their hero.

Just because he stretched NASCAR’s rule book by passing the pace car during the last caution and thus raising the ire of at least Matt Kenseth; it didn”t keep Junior’s fans from reveling in his first points paying victory at Hendrick Motorsports. Junior talked about his conversation with Eury toward the end of the race:

…he told me with 20 to go, he told me that scenario. He said: “There’s guys behind us that are going to make it and you’re going to get beat by them if you pit. And if we go for it, and if we run out, we’re going to finish 25th. If we pit we’re going to finish 25th, so go for it.”

Kenseth was the most outspoken of the drivers who took umbredge with Junior’s efforts to save fuel by speeding past the pace car to gain enough momentum to shut the engine down and coast half way around the track.

This brings us to this week’s BUZZ ON PIT ROW:

Was Junior’s win at Michigan tainted, because it was a fuel mileage race that ended under caution?

Let us know what you think and we could use your answer on this week’s ON PIT ROW radio show. Listen live from 5-7pm ET to ON PIT ROW, followed by Inside ARCA at 8pm ET.

photo credit: Beth Anne Heisler - ON PIT ROW