Five Things to Look Forward to in 2011

Kasey Kahne dons the Red Bull Racing firesuit
at the Fall Talladega race.

Good news: NASCAR fans are on the tail end of the off-season slump.

Pre-season thunder is a mere week away.  And the Daytona 500? Just one month to go.

We're on the verge of a NASCAR  tabula rasa. There are second chances for drivers who need redemption. And endless possibilities for the new kids on track who have something to prove.

There's no telling just what will play out this season, but there are five things I can't wait to see:

Team Earntarte: By all accounts, December testing at Daytona went well for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and new crew chief Steve Letarte.  Letarte has already brought some much-needed positive vibes to his new team - and Junior Nation is feeling it. Letarte could well be the golden ticket that gets Junior back to Victory Lane.

The Boys at Red Bull:  Brian Vickers will be back behind the wheel at Daytona and fans couldn't be happier.  Though it's a hackneyed cliche, Vickers has a new lease on life after his medical leave of absence.  And, to make things even more interesting, he'll be working with new Red Bull teammate Kasey Kahne.  Look for them both to exceed expectations this year.

Edwards vs. Keselowski Part Deux: Edwards ended 2010 with a whole lotta momentum.  And, if he keeps it up, he could be a serious threat to Jimmie Johnson's title dynasty.  And now that neither Carl Edwards nor Brad Keselowski can battle it out for the Nationwide Series crown, look for these rivals to settle their unfinished business on the Cup side.

Chaser McMurray: Although it doesn't affect my life  in any way whatsoever, I'm still dismayed that Jamie McMurray didn't make the 2010 Chase for the Sprint Cup after sweeping the Daytona 500, the Brickyard 400 and Charlotte's Bank of America 500.  In the words of my cousin (also named Jamie), "That ain't right."  Given Jamie Mac's stellar year, I have no doubt he'll be in the top 12 post Homestead.

Waltrip Getting the Nod: In 2010, Darrell Waltrip was left out of the NASCAR Hall of Fame class for the second year in a row.  But I seriously doubt he'll get the cold shoulder again.  Waltrip rejoice - you'll get your moment in 2011.

The Boys Are Back in Town

Cup cars hit the new pavement at Daytona for the first time Wednesday.

For the first time since Kevin Harvick took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero 400 on July 3, race cars were back on track at Daytona International Speedway.

Eighteen NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers kicked off the first day of a two-day Goodyear tire test on the new racing surface in advance of the 53rd annual Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, Feb. 20.

The test was the first time race cars turned laps on the new asphalt of Daytona, which was repaved for only the second time in its history.

Among the drivers in attendance included:

· Hendrick Motorsports drivers Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Mark Martin

· Penske Racing’s Brad Keselowski and Kurt Busch

· Roush Fenway’s Matt Kenseth and David Ragan

· Richard Childress Racing’s Jeff Burton and Paul Menard

·  Earnhardt Ganassi Racing’s Jamie McMurray and Juan Pablo Montoya

· JTG Daugherty Racing’s Bobby Labonte

“It’s amazing the job that they did here,” said Gordon, a three-time Daytona 500 champion. “It’s really smooth. It’s got a lot of grip. I think we learned a tremendous amount by being here. Not only did we get a chance to really see what we’re going to be dealing with here in February for the Daytona 500, but it gets us prepared for the test coming up in January.”

“They smoothed out all the bumps,” said Earnhardt Jr., the 2004 Daytona 500 champion. “The track is real smooth. It’s got a lot of grip. The track reminds me a lot like Talladega was like when they first finished it.

“The racing during the drafting was exciting and I think it is going to be a good show, a more exciting show for the fans because the cars are going to stay real tight on each other throughout entire runs.”

The Goodyear tire test will wrap up Thursday and is open to the public with free access to the Oldfield Grandstands through the lobby of the Daytona International Speedway ticket office.

Keselowski and Edwards Share the Spotlight Once Again

Carl Edwards celebrates his win at Texas Motor Speedway while Brad Keselowski
and team owner Roger Penske celebrate their first NASCAR championship.

Today wasn't the first time that Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards put on a show.

It's just that this time, the show ended with two shiny trophies instead of two mangled race cars.

After a season that largely consisted of bad blood between the two drivers, it's ironically apropos that Keselowski and Edwards shared the spotlight at the end of the O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge.

Finishing the race in third, Keselowski claimed his first NASCAR championship - the 2010 Nationwide Series title - which also marks the first championship for team owner Roger Penske.

"It’s pretty awesome,” Keselowski said. “He (Penske) is the captain. I’m not sure how many wins that he has, I can’t think of anybody that has more.  This one was awesome and it’s incredible that we were able to get him a championship.”

Meanwhile, a few meters away, Edwards celebrated his race win in Victory Lane - after climbing into the grandstand to whoop it up with race fans.

"I really enjoyed it," Edwards said. "I almost didn't get back to the race car but that would have been okay too. That was a good group of people up there."

While walking back to his car, Edwards stopped to congratulate Keselowski.  But  I'm not so sure that this shared positive experience means the two drivers will forgive past wrongs.

In fact, part of me hopes not ...

Non-Chaser of Note: Brad Keselowski

Mark Martin had the best finish of all the non-chasers. And Dale Earnhardt Jr. put on a good show.

But Brad Keselowski wins this week's "Non-Chaser of Note" for leaving Martinsville with his best Cup finish in a Penske car - tenth.

Keselowski has the 2010 Nationwide Series all but sewn up and will likely end his upcoming run at Texas Motor Speedway as the de facto champ.

But on the Cup side, Special K has had his struggles.

In the March Atlanta race, he went flying into the fence courtesy of the No. 99.  Keselowski also crashed out at Talladega, Sonoma and Daytona.

But the good news for the No. 12 team?  As long as Keselowski isn't on the receiving end of "the big one," he can win big at Dega.

Just ask Carl Edwards.

Photoshop Friday - The Dukes of NASCAR

With NASCAR headed to Hotlanta Georgia this weekend fans can expect some fast racin', cars flyin and maybe a penalty or two from NASCAR sheriff Mike Helton. Will good ol' boys Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards make things interesting yet again? Or will a new feud emerge while the boys from Sprint Cup "straighten the curves"?  After all, if I'm not mistaken, Atlanta isn't too far from ol' Hazzard County ... Yeehaw!

Busch or Earnhardt? Take the Quiz

Busch celebrates his Cup win at Bristol
Motor Speedway.

Even after all the racing excitement north of the border this weekend, Kyle Busch and his Bristol sweep are still a hot topic among race fans.

Busch's Tennessee coup, along with his confrontation with Brad Keselowski and his taunting of the Bristol crowd, has once again got people talking 'bout Rowdy - for better or worse.

One faction has dubbed him the best thing to happen to NASCAR since Dale Earnhardt. Others say Busch IS the new Earnhardt. Meanwhile, those who disagree call such comparisons with The Intimidator pure NASCAR blasphemy.

Granted, there's a great biographical rift separating the two drivers. For one, hardscrabble Earnhardt dropped out of school to work as a mechanic while Busch learned to drive on a Vegas cul-de-sac.

But what's more to the point is how well do fans really know the accomplishments of either driver? Are their driving personalities so similar that comparisons are warranted, or is this all a bunch of bunk?

To that end, answer the questions below with either "Busch" or "Earnhardt" and judge for yourself . Click on the comments for the answers.

1. Who has more Cup wins during his first five full-time years in Cup competition? (full-time meaning years in which the driver ran every race)?

2. Who has the most wins in what's now the Nationwide Series?

3. Who has more wins in a single Cup season?

4. Who won the Cup championship his first full-time season in the sport?

5. Who said the following -

"Second place is just the first place loser."

"It's no secret how much I want to win as a driver, and I want to win as a team owner just as badly."

"If you're not a race driver, stay the hell home. Don't come out here and grumble about going too fast."

"We were lucky, but a lot of times you make your own luck."

"If I had to go back and do it all over again, which I can't, I'd probably do it again"

"I'm not happy unless I am winning,"

"You can't let one bad moment spoil a bunch of good ones."

"I was either going to move him out of the way or he was going to get out of the way."

"I was waving at the crowd."

"You've got to be closer to the edge than ever to win. That means sometimes you go over the edge, and I don't mean driving, either."

Keselowski Isn't the Only Driver Who Thinks Busch is an ...

Kyle Busch may have done the "Bristol Sweep".

But it sure would be nice if he'd be a gracious winner for a change.

Fans have come to expect sulk and snark when a race doesn't go Busch's way. We get it. The guy's a vicious competitor who hates to lose.

But you'd think Busch would be a bit more sportsmanlike after winning a race - or the entire weekend of races, in fact.  Turns out that even in the midst of a perfect, history-making moment, Busch still can't help but take unnecessary digs at his fellow competitors.

Bob Pockrass at Scene Daily has the full story, but here's what Busch had to say about second-place driver David Reutimann after Saturday night's race at Bristol.

Per Scene Daily:

"Reutimann was fast, and he was good, and I’m not going to say why I beat him because then he’ll fix it, but it has to do with behind the wheel,” Busch said matter-of-factly.


Busch elaborated by saying, “He wasn’t driving the place right. I’m sorry. If he fixes how to drive this place, he’d be right there with me.”Whatever happened to good job, great race, and a modicum of sportsmanship?

Not surprisingly, Reutimann was less than thrilled with Busch's remarks, calling it the stupidest comment he's ever heard.  He even suggested that Busch open his own driving school since he's so darn good at Bristol.

Touche.

I'm all for smack talk and driver drama.  But fans would be better served if Reutimann, Brad Keselowski and the like would take their beef with Busch to the track.

That's what fans want - a little less talk and a lot more action.

Top Bristol Moments Happened Off Track

After the beatin' and bangin' on the Nationwide side Friday night, fans were hyped up for a wreckfest during the Cup race Saturday night.

But alas, the Irwin Tools Night Race was more run than bump.  And even though Kyle Busch did manage to pull off the Bristol sweep, the race itself wasn't quite the fender-banging, helmet-throwing spectacle that fans have come to expect.

There were several long green flag runs for one. And even when Juan Pablo Montoya sent reigning champ Jimmie Johnson out of contention with an ill-timed hit, Johnson was quick to say post-race that he knew it wasn't intentional on Montoya's part.

And you call this Bristol?

In fact, the most memorable moments happened off the track - and here they are:

5. National Anthem - Bristol does the anthem right. And when the driver/crew kids sang The Star Spangled Banner during Sunday's pre-race ceremonies, even Tony Stewart cracked a smile. From the little boy on the front row who held his ears to the T-shirts wishing Bristol track president Jeff Byrd a speedy recovery, the anthem was a feel-good high point (and thankfully, the polar opposite of last week's drunken rendition).

4. Edwards' Musical Intro - the beloved Bristol tradition of allowing drivers to pick their own "theme song" before they are introduced didn't fail to disappoint.  And Carl Edwards wins the prize for most apropros song selection with "Why Can't We Be Friends?" by War - a pointed (and amusing) reference to his long-running feud with Brad Keselowski.

3. Vickers' Revelation - A few hours before the green flag waved at Bristol, Red Bull Racing driver Brian Vickers told the media that he underwent open heart surgery July 12 to repair a small hole in his heart. Vickers, who has been out of the No. 83 Toyota since being diagnosed with blood clots in May, also revealed that he had a stent placed in a vein in his left leg the day after heart surgery. 

"I had heart surgery, and I never thought I would never have that at 26," Vickers said.

Vickers told reporters his doctors have cleared him to race in 2011 and he plans to race at next year's Daytona 500.  Although he didn't have any comment about what this means for teammate's Scott Speed's prospects next year, the result seems pretty clear. With Kasey Kahne joining Red Bull Racing and Vickers returning, Speed may well be out of a NASCAR ride.

2. Brooms in Victory Lane - Whether or not you're one of his "loving fans," you can't deny that Kyle Busch accomplished an impressive feat this weekend. With his Cup victory, Busch became the first driver to win all three national series in one week. And that prompted his crew to break out the brooms in Victory Lane and do their own version of the "Bristol Sweep". 

1. Keselowski Gets Personal - The crowd went crazy when Keselowski took the mic after being introduced pre-race and said simply, "Brad Keselowski, driver of the Penske Racing Dodge. Kyle Busch is an ass."  Although the offending word was bleeped out on the ABC broadcast, Keselowski did ask a clergyman's permission before referring to his fellow driver in such terms.

It turns out, Keselowski had an on-track chance to repay Busch for a hit that cost him the Nationwide win Friday night.  But Keselowski (who is currently on probation for a dustup with Edwards) settled for racing Busch hard as Busch was trying to lap him, rather than bumping him into the fence.  And Busch cruised to the win.

When It Comes to "Have At It Boys," Consistency Isn't Necessarily a Virtue

Lots of folks cried "foul" Saturday night when Kyle Busch admitted to hitting Brad Keselowski intentionally.

But for once, it wasn't just Busch they were mad it - it was the fact that Busch got away with an admitted intentional hit.  While Carl Edwards, in the Atlanta Spring race, did not.

Busch and Keselowski tangled Saturday while battling for the lead during the Nationwide Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. It started when Keselowski nudged Busch out of his way and went to the front.  Then Busch simply bumped Keselowski back, spinning him  into the wall.

After winning the race, Busch eagerly fessed up and described the incident as nothing more than a case of tit-for-tat.

"He decided he'd just run in the back of me and put me in the fence, Busch said. "That's Brad Keselowski.  And I went down in the next corner and dumped him.  He does it to everybody else, why can't I do it to him?" 

NASCAR agreed.  Neither Busch nor Keselowski were called to the hauler.  And neither received any penalty or warning for the behavior on the track.

And that's as it should be.

The Saturday's incident is a world away from what happened at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March between Keselowski and Carl Edwards.

At Atlanta, Edwards - who was running several laps down at the time - ran hard into Keselowski at speeds of almost 200 mph on a straightaway.  The No. 22 car went airborne.  A shaken Keselowski emerged from a car that almost went into the stands. And Edwards was put on probation.

Edwards wasn't racing for position. He admitted to hitting Keselowski on purpose.  And the hit was especially vicious.

On the other hand, during Saturday night's race, Busch and Keselowski were just giving  fans a taste of Bristol at its best.  They were both racing for the lead.  They weren't going fast enough to fly into the stands.  And Busch's hit wasn't so much malicious as payback and sending a message.


To penalize Busch for that hit would be ridiculous. That kind of old-school hard racing is good for the sport and what fans love about Thunder Valley.

It was bump-and-run, have at it boys, and don't dish it if you can't take it.

And NASCAR was right to let it slide. 

The Mysterious Case of WreckCarl.com

An example of the type of
graphics you'll find on
http://www.wreckcarl.com/.

Whilst researching blog ideas a few days ago, a curious link made me do a doubletake - http://www.wreckcarl.com/.

I clicked instantly of course (who wouldn't?), and discovered a site devoted to bashing Carl Edwards and, more to the point, raising money to wreck him via product sales and online donations.

Seriously.

So, I reached out via e-mail to the site owner, and what followed was an intriguing exchange that has the suppressed Nancy Drew in me raring to solve the case of who's behind this anti-Edwards site.

Before I go further, let me state for the record that what is posted below may or not be true.  I wasn't able to verify it.  But the sheer idea of folks taking revenge on a hated driver in such a strategic way intrigued me, so here goes.

My source at WreckCarl.com claims to own the site, but wouldn't share his name because he owns other retail websites.  The attributable name he did provide was Thaddeus Van Martin, which he readily admitted is fictitious.

"I can confirm that I am not Brad Keselowski," said the fake Van Martin. "We chose WreckCarl.com because someone is trying to become the most famous face of NASCAR. I would not say we are necessarily Brad Keselowski fans."

Fake Van Martin said that he and his cohorts, who are based in the Midwest, do have some ties to NASCAR, but he would not disclose the nature of that relationship.

"We are fairly dedicated to sponsoring a start and park to hook Edwards," said fake Van Martin. "When it happens, our website name will not be on the car as we would hate to give NASCAR the ability to permanently suspend the driver or owner of the car."

When I asked how realistic such a plan was, I didn't receive an answer.  However fake Van Martin did say his site has received more than 10 thousand unique visitors since it went live on July 22.

"I am not sure what the site's future is, but right now we are focused pretty much on making fun of Carl Edwards," fakeVan Martin said.

To be honest, what intrigues me most about sites like WreckCarl.com is what this means for the intersection of sport and technology.

Not that long ago, the only way to show your disdain for a particular driver was to boo him at driver intros or give him the one-finger salute if you glimpsed him in the garage. Now that's all changed. Fans can instantaneously voice their disdain via a blog post or Tweet.  And, don't forget the Facebook hate pages and myriad message boards.

However, a concentrated effort to wreck a driver takes things to a whole new level.

So here's something to ponder while we talk about secret NASCAR penalties.

Is this type of site just the beginning of fans taking matters into their own hands?  And say Wreckcarl.com does manage to sponsor an Edwards-hunting start and parker - how would NASCAR police that?

Edwards Gets Candid About Brad K Incident

Carl Edwards faced a barrage of media questions today regarding his Nationwide dustup with Brad Keselowski and the resulting penalties handed down this week by NASCAR officials.

Edwards didn't field many softballs and he seemed to answer each question with candor and honesty.  In case you missed it, here are a few of the highlights -

Q: What is your response to the penalties?

"Immediately after the race last week I felt like what I did was right and it was a fair outcome to the race, and I felt like it was within NASCAR’s boundaries that they had set. I think NASCAR felt the same way right then, but then as the week went on, I had the chance to talk to Mike Helton and I understand and respect that those other teams that were caught up in that wreck that Brad and I had initiated, I mean, those guys are working hard. I’ve been in that position, working hard for sponsorship and working hard for finishes, and I feel that NASCAR’s penalty is fair. I talked to Jack and Geoff Smith and I don’t plan on appealing it. I think it’s fair in that respect. I sincerely apologize to those guys that were caught up in that wreck. I would rather finish second in a good race than have to win a race the way I won the race. Now, I’m not gonna finish second in a race the way that one was going, but I respect NASCAR’s decision."

Q: Is it personal between you two?

 "There’s nothing personal between Brad and I – from my side there’s not. I have a lot of respect for him and what he does on the race track, but the problem is that he can’t just run into me to get an advantage, especially for wins. That’s happened way too much between us. The part I’m real happy with on these penalties, I can accept my penalty, but I’m happy that NASCAR recognized that Brad needed to be penalized too – that my race car could have been the one turned around, run into by people behind me, all in pursuit of a win. I think it’s important that NASCAR recognized that."


Q: If it wasn't Brad in the other car, would you have finished that race the same way?

"If that were somebody in that car that we hadn’t had all the trouble before, then that finish would have turned out differently, that’s for sure. Because I maybe could have accepted that it was unintentional, but Brad is a really good race car driver and he knows what he’s doing. I know that and he knows that, and that’s why that race went the way it did."

Q:  How would you have raced him to get the lead if the positions were reversed on the last lap?

"I would not have hit his car, if I could. And if I did hit his car, I would like to think I wouldn’t take advantage of it as much as he did. So, it’s like I said a minute ago, I would truthfully rather have finished second in that race, and had a good race, which, I think if he wouldn’t have hit me, he still would have been able to beat me. He had a stronger car. I would rather that than the way the race went. I mean, we had an unbelievable race 30 laps previous to that. We raced side-by-side. It’s just a little bit coincidental that at the last lap he, oops, he accidentally messed and got the winning advantage."


Q: It's not okay to move somebody out of the way?

"It’s not okay to move me out of the way. If somebody else wants to let people move them out of the way for the win, that’s okay with me. They can do whatever they like, but I can’t allow myself to be run over like that. I’m not gonna win championships like that."


Q: People see all this stuff and wonder who is the real Carl.  Can you understand that?

"I can understand that, but the people who know me and the people who take time to look at the entire picture understand that it is very possible to be kind, but not be weak. There’s a big difference, and I feel as a person it’s my job to be kind to people, treat everyone the way I’d like to be treated, but I will not be walked on. I won’t be stepped on. The people who are my fans and the people who know me respect that, and the other ones, if they don’t respect that, it’s either they can’t understand it or they don’t want to, and that’s a good enough reason for people to not like me, I guess, and that’s okay."


Q: There's a fine line between being walked on and bullying and a lot of people have been saying this week that you're a bully. Do you worry about that and how do you know where the line is between standing up for yourself and being a bully?

"In competition it’s really easy to determine that line. Saturday night was a perfect example. Somebody takes something from you in competition and they take it unfairly, then you either accept that and you can go on and live with that, which, Saturday night I couldn’t, or you go get it back. That’s for other people to decide. I just go do the very best I can. When I was done, I walked out of that race track with my head held high."

Photo info: Driver Carl Edwards pushes his car during practice for the NASCAR Brickyard 400 auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis today -  Associated Press.

Getting Bullied a Rite of Sprint Cup Passage

Brad Keselowski has his critics.

He doesn't take any guff.  He races to win, even if that means a Cup veteran ends up in the wall.  And he doesn't make apologies for his hard-driving style.  In short, he's not about to be bullied just because he's a Sprint Cup freshman.

And while there are thousands of fans who respect Keselowski's drive and competitive fire, there are others who say that if he'd just cut the old guard some slack, he'd make more friends in the garage and find his transition to Cup racing a little smoother. 

All he needs to do is play nice for a change.

Sounds fair enough, but playing nice sure hasn't made things easier for another new kid on the Cup scene.

As last year's rookie driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, Joey Logano entered the realm of the big boys with a level of humility and sometimes unease that should have appeased the very drivers who criticize Keselowski.

Logano rarely hit someone on purpose - and if he did send a car spinning, inexperience was usually to blame.  But Logano's under-the-radar tack didn't win him many friends in the garage either.  In fact, his demeanor early on may have encouraged a few fellow drivers to peg him as an easy mark.

Logano has been intentionally wrecked more than once by Greg Biffle and then there's the infamous incident with Kevin Harvick a few weeks ago (which led to Logano's heated post-race interview that helped Delana Harvick sell a few thousand T-shirts).

And although Logano has finally talked tough in front of the cameras, he has yet to seek revenge on the track. And he still gets bullied.

So it seems to me that whether you're Bad Brad or congenial Jo Lo the results are the same.  If you're new to the highest echelon of racing then you're going to have to prove your mettle.  You're going to have to make some enemies. And you'll likely take a few cheap hits.

So have at it boys - being nice just doesn't pay.

Photo info: Brad Keselowski's No. 22 hits the wall at Gateway International Speedway Saturday night.  Photo courtesy of NASCAR Media Group.

NASCAR Faults Edwards for Keselowski Smashup

There's nothing like a violent feud between two top-tier NASCAR drivers to get you out of vacation mode and back into the blogging routine.

And  I'd be a fool to pass up the opportunity to dish about the latest round in the Edwards/Keselowski slugfest.

First, a recap:

Remember, if you will, the spring Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Paying Kes back for some hard-nosed racing, Edwards hit the No. 12 car with enough force to send the car and its driver flying into the fence at speeds of nearly 200 miles an hour.  Edwards was summoned to the hauler and later placed on probation.  The smack flew, and a week later, both drivers had a come-to-Jesus meeting with NASCAR officials.  They emerged from the meeting with Cheshire grins, and they vowed to race each other clean.

And I almost believed them 'til Saturday night.

During the last lap of the Nationwide Series race at Gateway International Speedway, Keselowski (who had led most of the night) nosed Edwards out of the way for the lead. That one move re-instated the feud. 

It didn't take too long until Edwards hit Kes back, sending him spinning into the safer barrier and back across the track and into traffic.  Edwards won the race.  Keselowski suffered a pretty nasty hit.  And Keselowski's father, Bob, while waiting outside the infield care center, accused Edwards of trying to kill his son - again.

God, I love NASCAR.

Today, NASCAR handed down its verdict. Both drivers will be placed on probation until Dec. 31.  But this time, instead of the love tap he received post-Atlanta, Edwards got more of a smack on the head.  Edwards will be docked 60 points, team owner Jack Roush will be docked 60 owner points and Edwards will be fined $25,000.

Too add salt to the wound, NASCAR's penalty means Edwards now trails Keselowski in the Nationwide standings by 228 points, with Keselowski in first place.

So a few questions remain - can Cousin Carl keep his cool the rest of the year?  Will the terms of their probation be long enough to smooth both drivers' ruffled firesuits?  Or will Edwards and Keselowski just settle their differences the old-fashioned way - with a few good punches and a couple busted lips?

Time will tell ...  but I can't wait to watch it.  One thing's for sure - these two aren't going to settle things quietly.

Tough Hamlin Doesn't Need No Stinkin' Tires

If you weren't a believer in Denny Hamlin before, tonight's Nationwide race may have changed your mind.

Running the No. 20 car with first-time JGR crew chief Kevin Kidd, Hamlin made the Lady who's usually too tough to tame look like a shrinking violet.

Kidd's unexpected call to stay out during a late-race caution secured the No.20 car's position. But it was pole-sitter Hamlin who turned that call into a genius move.

While most of the field pinned their hopes on four new tires, Hamlin simply aced the last restart - leaving the second-place Kyle Busch scrambling for headway and viewers astonished that Rowdy the Restart King was being dethroned before their eyes.

In the end, it was checkers for Hamlin and p2 for Busch.

Yet Hamlin won the night in more ways than one. His interview with ESPN reporter Jamie Little in Victory Lane was the most humble, conversational, and relaxed we've seen in a while. He gave due recognition to his crew chief, shared appreciative words for his Mother (who was in attendance) and talked about the importance of the charity for which he was racing.

Not quite the tense, mouthy Hamlin you may remember from 2009.

Last year, during his feud with Brad Keselowski, it seemed Hamlin was trying like the dickens to perpetuate a tough guy image - like the sullen kid on the playground who answers every taunt and tease with a stiff left hook.

And, all things considered, this tack wasn't too surprising. Hamlin has often been overshadowed and out-hyped by his teammate Busch. And to the onlooker, it seems he has occasionally struggled to find his footing and even his identity in the NASCAR garage.

But there's no need to feign toughness now. Hamlin has proven his grit by driving through the pain of a recent ACL surgery to snatch two Sprint Cup victories and now this Nationwide win.

And even if you're not a Hamlin fan, you've got to admit - that's not too shabby.

Photo info - via Twitter posted by @11mommalou (Denny Hamlin's mother)

Friday Night Mash Up

Brad Keselowski goes two for two

Keselowski may stick in your craw, but at the end of the day Bad Brad gets it done.

Judging from the sound bytes of his peers and the on-track retaliation of Carl Edwards, Keselowski doesn't have too many BFFs in the garage.  And there's also a core group of NASAR fans who don't appreciate his checkers or wreckers style. 

But say what you will about ol' Brad. During the past two weeks Keselowski has shown he can win without causing the big one.

Tonight, what looked like a major screwup on live TV ended up giving Team Brad the win. When Paul Menard caused a caution with six laps to go, the No. 22 took four tires, giving up the first place spot. Meanwhile, the lurker Kyle Busch stayed out and gained P1, causing even the ESPN broadcasters to predict a Kyle Busch victory.

And that's what's so great about NASCAR. The probable doesn't always happen.  And even the most logical of predictions don't always come true.

Keselowski ended up scrambling for the win, passing Kyle Busch and a few other contenders with seeming ease. And after last week's Talladega victory, he's positioned to vie for his first Nationwide championship.

Maybe it's good to be Bad Brad after all ...

What's next - the plague?

Mother Nature seems to be toying with NASCAR this season.  It all began with pre-season snowfall at Daytona International Speedway.  There was rain at Martinsville. Rain at Texas. Tornadoes near Talladega.  And today's news?  An earthquake at Richmond no less.

Troublesome conditions seem to follow the NASCAR circuit like the National Enquirer follows Dale Jr. 

Makes you wonder what's next for Darlington - a plague of locusts?

Speaking of Dale Jr.

Thanks to the folks at DEI for forwarding the below pix of yesterday's big announcement that Dale Earnhardt Jr. will drive the No. 3 Wrangler Chevy at Daytona in July.

Today, Junior talked to the press at Richmond International Raceway about how he feels about driving the car ... and whether or not there's any truth to the National Enquirer's story about his (ahem) alleged indiscretion.

Regarding the No. 3 car:

"At first, I was uncomfortable about it initially but the more I kind of see everybody together and the car itself and stuff like that, the more I get excited about it and the more I am happy about doing it. I wouldn’t want to do anything to upset anybody, the fans or anything like that. I feel like I do a good job of staying within the guidelines of respect and taste regarding my Father and what he accomplished and his fans and all that stuff.”

And about that Enquirer article accusing Junior of breaking up a marriage?

“We’ve been in there (the National Enquirer) a lot. I don’t know why we keep popping up in there. I guess we are relevant in some realm. You learn a lot of new stuff about yourself that you never knew before.”

“There is no truth to that particular story or any of the other ones for that matter if we want to set the record straight.”

“The Enquirer is pretty creative. I have to hand it to them.”

Discuss amongst yourselves.

A Little Dega Eye Candy

For those of you who weren't present at Sunday's Talladega race, my sincere condolences.  It was NASCAR Nirvana.

Unpredictable. Exciting. Dramatic. You name it, this Dega race had it. And after such a fantastic day of racing, it's hard to get back to workaday reality.

Here are a few of the sights I captured before the race.  Enjoy the photos and take my advice - order your ticket for the Fall Talladega race as soon as you can.  No self-respecting NASCAR fan should miss this.

Tony Stewart's Old Spice Chevy - I didn't get close enough to sniff him, but I wonder if Smoke actually wears this stuff?  My granddad used to ...

In the words of Martina McBride, "This One's for the Girls". NASCAR hunk Carl Edwards takes a moment in the garage to talk to broadcasters and sign a few autographs.

Talladega is a heartless mistress.  And no driver has suffered her scorn more severely than Ryan Newman. I wonder if he'll take the advice screen-printed on his shirt when he returns to Dega this autumn?

Roll Tide! University of Alabama Athletic Director Mal Moore served as the Grand Marshall Sunday. He's Bama diety, but even he seemed impressed with the boys of NASCAR. I heard him ask one of the photographers if he could get copies of his photos after the race.

The inside of Dale Jr's National Guard No. 88 Chevrolet, as it sits on the starting grid.

A.J. Allmendinger, David Reutimann and Jeff Burton chat it up before driver introductions.

Brad Keselowski may have exited the Cup race with an oxygen mask strapped to his face, but he rebounded in grand style to win the Nationwide race later that day.  Not too shabby.

Future teammates talking about 2011? Or two buddies catching up pre-race? Only Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman and Rick Hendrick know for sure ...

My favorite Talladega snapshot - is Kyle Busch giving big brother Kurt some driving lessons?

Talladega's favorite son, Dale Earnhardt Jr.  And rest assured you Junior fangirls, that hand with the wedding ring isn't Junior's. It belongs to Kurt Busch.

Jeff Gordon's Dupont Chevy on the starting grid. Such a promising start.  Such a disappointing finish.

Greg Biffle wins the day for the driver who signed the most autographs. Say what you will about The Biff, he knows how to treat the fans.

Thank God for Nationwide

After the Martinsville race was delayed to Monday, Easter weekend seemed like the second consecutive off weekend for Sprint Cup competition.  And two non-NASCAR Sundays in a row, just don't cut it this early in the season.

But, luckily, as is becoming frequently the case, the Nationwide Series saved the day. And so far this year, the boys in Nationwide are providing the best show in NASCAR. 

Every NNS race is exciting.  There's more than one feud to keep things dramatic. And the rivals du jour (Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski) are leading the points standings - with only a mere 16 ticks between them.

Talk about good television.

Saturday Jason Leffler got parked for reckless driving.  Mired in the back, Brad Keselowski sliced through the field - passing five cars in one swoop.  And Kevin Harvick took only two tires during a late-race caution to hold off a hard-charging Reed Sorenson and claim the guitar trophy for his own safekeeping.

Not bad for a Saturday afternoon in Nashville.  I just wish the Cup races were this exciting ...

Playing Nice Won't Last Long

When it comes to the Edwards/Keselowski feud, officials are saying the pair have made peace.  They've worked through their issues.  They will now race each other with respect.  The pair's heart-to-heart in the hauler worked its magic.

Don't believe it for a Bristol minute.

For all the articles proclaiming the two have reached a treaty of sorts, I remind you of the admonition  from the Biblical prophet Jeremiah - "peace, peace but there is no peace".

Though their on-track encounter Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway was more polite than a curtsy for the Queen, these two are going to ditch their put-on manners sooner or later.

Keselowski hinted as much during a pre-race interview in which he encouraged fans to "stay tuned".  He also hasn't been shy about assuring fight-hungry fans that his Atlanta run-in with Cousin Carl isn't going to change the way he drives.

And Carl? Well something about his 10-carat grin while answering questions about Brad leads me to believe a vengeful plan lies beneath that polished veneer.

He's probably just waiting 'til he's off probation. Which puts the date for the combatants' next dust up as April 18 at Texas. Or, if the two are really patient, April 25 at Talladega - which also happens to be the one-year anniversary of the crash that started it all.

As they say, timing is everything.

Photo info: Edwards and Keselowski leave each other plenty of room at Bristol Motor Speedway.

A Few Bristol Predictions

Making predictions is a tricky business, especially for the psychically-challenged, like me. But be that as it may, I'm going to throw caution to the wind this week and offer up a few of my own Bristol prognostications.

I don't claim to have any insider information, but sometimes the future can be found just a easily by reading recent history as it can by looking at the stars.  And should I bat a thousand on the below predictions, I'm going to start playing the Florida Lottery, and pronto.

A milestone for Martin: If Mark GoDaddy Martin snags the pole at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend, it will be the 50th pole of his career.  And I think he's gonna do it.

Really, a pole isn't such a stretch, considering "The Kid" already has earned nine pole positions at the track - the most of any active driver (and tying Cale Yarborough for first all-time).

To top that, Martin did the Bristol sweep last year, earning both Sprint Cup Poles at BMS.

"Both times we went to Bristol last year, the guys gave me an awesome race car. We were fast right off the truck," Martin said. "I went out there and both times we were crazy fast. I remember thinking, 'This is crazy. I don't know how many more times I can do that to my heart!' But it's fun. And it's so rewarding to see the guys faces when we're at the top of the chart."

Carl keeps it clean - Given that Scotts is the sponsor of Saturday's Nationwide Race, I've no doubt that Carl Edwards will be on his best on-track behavior where Brad Keselowski is concerned.  After all, Scotts did release a statement post Atlanta that included a thinly veiled admonition to the driver they sponsor. 

To wit - "Scotts appreciates the support of NASCAR fans everywhere, and we have an excellent relationship with Carl Edwards, Jack Roush and the No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing team. However, like many fans, we were very concerned about the on-track incident that occurred in Atlanta this past weekend. As a result, we have strongly expressed these concerns to both Carl and Jack, and we are confident that they have a clear understanding of the trust we have placed in them as ambassadors of our company, our associates and our brands. In addition, as a sponsor, we want to make sure that drivers, race teams and NASCAR focus on keeping these types of incidents and misjudgments from happening."

Ouch! Look for Carl to smile for the cameras, keep his nose clean at Bristol and get tangled with Brad a few weeks later down the line.

Special K stays in the top 35 - Speaking of Brad, even though Keselowski seems to have a nose for trouble, and Bristol is a track where trouble comes calling, I predict BK will sneak out of Bristol with a top 35 points standing.  I'm sure his detractors would like nothing better than for Keselowski to lose three positions on Sunday, but I don't think it'll happen.  He's got something to prove and my bet is, he'll have a strong finish this weekend.

Best race of the weekend won't be for points - If last year's "senior skins" race at Bristol Motor Speedway  was any indication, the Scotts EZ Seed Showdown on Saturday night will be the most fun race of the weekend.  NASCAR legends Cale Yarborough, David Pearson, Dave Marcis, Harry Gant, Charlie Glotzbach, L.D. Ottinger, and more will be taking to the track Saturday night for a 35-lap sprint to glory. I, for one, can't wait. And based on last year's stellar third-place performance, I predict Ottinger will take the checkers.

A Cure For the Off-Weekend Blues

The first off weekend during the season is always tough. You're used to inaction during the bleak months of  December and January - and the holiday season keeps NASCAR off your mind a bit.

But this weekend? Terrible.

After the Atlanta throwdown between Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski - having to wait 'til Bristol to see the feud participants take the track seems especially cruel.

Thank God for the guys at Carey and Coffey. Carey and Coffey is a NASCAR radio show which airs every Sunday on 940 AM ESPN Radio in Connecticut and 1510 AM ESPN Radio in New York - and online.

Being on the show is a blast, and this week, I was the first guest to debut the show's new feature "Blogger Nation". 

If you're suffering NASCAR withdrawals this weekend like yours truly, maybe giving the show a listen will cure what ails you.  In addition to me, the guys talked to Tom Bowles from frontstretch.com and si.com  and Jerry Gappens from New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Check it out here.