You Can’t Say Smoke Doesn’t Keep Us On Our Toes
June 29, 2008
Just when news breaks that the Tony Stewart/Haas CNC deal is done for 2009, Smoke decides to drop a bomb in an interview session at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Asked if he would be interested in being considered for the 5 car that Casey Mears is vacating, Stewart responded that he would. He said that he doubted any driver in the garage would not seriously consider a ride with Hendrick Motorsports.
Of course, in the same interview, Stewart remarked that there were a few ARCA teams he hadn’t yet spoken with, either. It wouldn’t be a Tony Stewart interview session without a healthy dose of sarcasm. Read more
Smith’s Flamboyance Doesn’t Quite Fit at New Hampshire
June 28, 2008
The changes were obvious as soon as the speedway came into view. Darkness was falling, and the ever-present evening campfire haze hung over New Hampshire International…oops, I mean New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Darkness was falling as we made the right turn off rural Route 106, and we made our way past the field with the decrepit, cartoonish statue of the Loch Ness Monster we’ve never quite understood and quaint businesses with names like “Sharan’s Critters.” Read more
Hendrick/Mears Split a Good Decision
June 27, 2008
When teams and drivers announce they are “parting ways,” it’s tough to get the real story. It all boils down to who amongst driver, team owner, or sponsor was the most fed up with lack of performance and finally said “Enough!” However, if all parties are still even somewhat mutually respectful of one another, the “parting ways” term is broken out. Read more
It’s Official: Mears Out At Hendrick
June 27, 2008
The worst kept secret in NASCAR was made public today, as Hendrick Motorsports announced that they will be parting ways with driver Casey Mears; effective at the end of this season. Rick Hendrick had this to say about the parting of the ways: Read more
Struggling Ford Teams Impress at Infineon
June 27, 2008
So much has been said about what struggling teams like the Wood Brothers and Yates Racing need to do to be competitive again. The answer, it seems, is to run on road courses every week. Read more
Who Would Be On Your Perfect NASCAR Team?
June 26, 2008
I said a few weeks ago that I wanted to do a few posts that would encourage readers to chime in and share some opinions and thoughts other than “you’re a great writer, please sign my ample bosom” or “you suck, go back to your basement and stop bothering me with your inane rantings”. When I challenged readers the first time, I was very pleased with the Read more
Double Clutchin’-The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly From Sonoma
June 23, 2008
First off, let me be cranky for a minute and although I’m probably in the minority here, I like baseball inside a diamond, football on a 100-yard field (or 120 counting the end-zones, if you want to be picky), and I prefer NASCAR races to be held on an oval track. I’m not a big fan of road races in the NASCAR circuit because they’re just too different from the other races that the drivers usually run, and to me it’s the equivalent of watching Read more
Monday Morning Crew Chief
June 23, 2008
The Weekend In Ten:
1. Scott Kalitta’s fatal accident at Englishtown — Including Darrell Russell’s Top Fuel crash in 2004, Kalitta’s Funny Car crash was the third fatal accident in four years involving nitro drivers. Given NASCAR’s record since Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s fatal crash in 2001, the NHRA needs to ask itself some tough questions. Read more
No Backflips In Somber Victory For Edwards At Milwaukee
June 22, 2008
First off, my prayers and thoughts go out to the family of Scott Kalitta. I do not follow the NHRA much, but I had heard of Kalitta, and everyone involved in motor sports should be saddened by his loss. It’s just another reminder of how quick tragedy can strike in the sports world and in life itself. I saw the accident when it was shown after the Nationwide Race, and that’s not something that I think I could watch again. Without any hyperbole, I Read more
Allow Me To Retort…Yes Indeed, NASCAR’s A Sport
June 18, 2008
I’m a poet, didn’t you know it?
My colleague (if bloggers can truly have colleagues, we’re a strange bunch who don’t shower often enough to have colleagues) here at FastMachines, Ray Champagne recently asked the question of whether or not motor racing is a sport. Ray came to the conclusion that he had changed his mind after a discussion with some friends and that he didn’t see how it could be judged as a sport. Read more