Truex Jr. to Be Powered by Pink at Texas

The names of more than 2,400 breast cancer victims, survivors and supporters will ride along with Martin Truex, Jr. during the AAA 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

The driver's No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota will feature a special paint scheme which coincides with a big donation by NAPA - $250,000 to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for the Cure.

Fans helped raise $51,000 of the $250,000 donation by making a minimum contribution of $5.60 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure for their loved ones' names to appear on the car. The names are featured in pink on the paint scheme, while names submitted with a donation of $560 or more are in white.

NAPA also raised funds via the sale of NAPA All Out for the Cure™ limited edition hats during the month of October.

The AAA 500 takes place at 3 p.m. Sunday and will be televised by ESPN.

Truex to Run for a Cause at Texas

NAPA Auto Parts and Martin Truex, Jr. are teaming up with Susan G. Komen for the Cure to honor breast cancer victims, survivors and supporters.  The driver's special paint scheme will be unveiled during the Nov. 7 Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway.

Now through Oct. 11, fans can submit the names of loved ones affected by breast cancer to appear on the No. 56 Toyota by making a minimum donation of $5.60 via the NAPA KNOW HOW Facebook page. NAPA is hoping to recognize more than 56 thousand individuals via the special paint scheme. NAPA will make a minimum guaranteed donation of $250 thousand to Susan G. Komen for the Cure with this promotion and the NAPA All Out for the Cure™ program.

Names submitted with a donation of $560 or more will be in white on the car. All donation proceeds will go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

The AAA 500 at Texas Motor Speedway will be broadcast live on ESPN at 3:00 p.m. EST Nov. 7.

Jimmie J Runs Wicked Good - And Other Loudon Observations

The champ is back.  And how.

Jimmie Johnson put on one heckuva racing clinic Sunday at Loudon.  And although Kurt Busch made things exciting at the end, Johnson out-raced the Blue Deuce for the lead and a second consecutive victory.

Johnson and team now boasts a second place points standing. And with five wins on the season, he's in a sweet spot come Chase time.

Can we finally say the slump is officially over?

Gordon Makes a Clean Getaway

Although Martin Truex Jr. and Elliott Sadler had Jeff Gordon in their sights after Sonoma, neither driver got close enough to the No. 24 to make good on their post-Cali threats.

Gordon snagged a fourth-place finish, while Sadler and Truex finished 19th and 22nd respectively.

Don't worry boys - there's always Daytona.  And a lot can happen when you get in the draft.

Junior Headed in the Right Direction

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been running in the top 10 during the last couple races and at Loudon (a track that hasn't always been kind to him), he drove the No. 88 from 31st to 8th.

Not too shabby for a team that has lately been characterized by sliding progressively backwards during any given race.

Fast forward to Saturday.  If ever there was a track where Junior can make things happen, it's Daytona International Speedway.  To wit, his February Daytona 500 performance.  Nearly giving Junior Nation a collective coronary, Earnhardt went from 10th to 2nd in hard-driving style, bouncing off bumpers and banging fenders for a last lap effort that almost secured him the win.

Sheer numerology may also be in his favor.  Consider that Junior will be running the No. 3 in Friday's Nationwide Series race and that the Cup race will take place on July 3rd.

Need I say more?

Gordon Puts On The Hits at Infineon

Something must've gotten under Jeff Gordon's skin at Sonoma.

Maybe he had too much vino the night before.  Or perhaps he was suffering a case of sympathy hormones . But it's more likely the veteran driver has grown tired of playing second fiddle at HMS and decided to bully his way to the front come hell or highwater.

Whatever the reason, Infineon Raceway brought out the mean streak in Gordon.  His all-business mentality sent him plowing into Elliott Sadler, Kurt Busch and Martin Truex Jr. Clint Bowyer was also caught up in the Sadler melee.

Gordon's hard-driving style made for some exciting moments during and after the race. But it also may have been orchestrated to send a message to his NASCAR compatriots - namely that Jimmie Johnson isn't the only four-time champ on the Cup circuit.

An irate Sadler and a hacked off Truex vowed revenge.  And if they can catch Gordon at Loudon, Sunday's race could be a wreckfest.

And this time it may well be Gordon on the receiving end.

Team Owner Shoutouts

Chip Ganassi got a lot of press this weekend - and deservedly so.  With Dario Franchitti's domination of the Indy 500 and Jamie McMurray's victory at the Daytona 500 in February, Ganassi is now the first team owner in history to win both of these events in the same year.

(Insert round of applause here).

With McMurray back at EGR and Juan Pablo "Mad-toya" wheeling the No. 42 car, it looks like 2010 is going to be a better year than expected for the NASCAR side of team Ganassi.

But Ganassi isn't the only surprise in the NASCAR garage. There are a couple more team owners who deserve props for the first third of the season.  Sure, they haven't made history yet - but then again, the year ain't over.

Take Michael Waltrip.  Mikey's best career move may turn out to be giving Martin Truex, Jr. a full-time ride.  Truex definitely seems to click with the guys at MWR and he has the points to prove it. After Charlotte, Truex is only 14 points outside the top twelve. And he might well be the sleeper of the season.  The New Jersey native drove his way into the All-Star race and finished second only to winner Kurt Busch.  And let's not forget Truex also snagged the pole at Dover. 

MWR's David Reutimann isn't doing too badly either.  Reutimann has managed to secure top five finishes in the last two points races (which is more than current champ Jimmie Johnson can boast).

Another owner that deserves props is Richard Childress.  Toward the end of 2009, it was apparent to anyone paying attention that the RCR cars were making vast improvements. If the season had been a few races longer, we might even have seen an RCR win. 

That's why it wasn't all that surprising that Childress and company hit the track running in 2010.  Kevin Harvick is leading the points and has an early season win courtesy of Dega. Jeff Burton is in the top 12. And Clint Bowyer is a mere four points out.  It looks like Childress is back - and they mean business.

Rick Hendrick and company better watch out ...

Photo info: Kevin Harvick and team owner Richard Childress talk in the garage.

From Bridesmaids to Babycakes - the Darlington Rundown

Even with a bum knee Denny Hamlin whipped "the track too tough to tame". 

Twice. 

In the same weekend.

But more went on at Darlington than Hamlin's coup de maitre.  Much more.  Below are my takeaways from the weekend that was.  Oh, and note to NASCAR - give Darlington a second date already!

If the crew chief ain't happy, ain't nobody happy: When crew chief Chad Knaus is testy early on, you know things aren't peachy in the Lowe's garage.  At one point, Knaus told his driver just to wreck the car if he hit anything else so they could call it a night.  I bet Knaus will be more careful what he wishes for in the future. It wasn't long after this directive that Jimmie Johnson's night effectively ended when he slammed into the wall courtesy of A.J. Allmendinger.  It's team Johnson's third DNF of the season.  Looks like the shine may be coming off that golden horseshoe.

Truex channels Mikey:  For a moment on Saturday, I thought the No. 56 NAPA Toyota was once again being piloted by the hapless Michael Waltrip.  After all, Martin Truex Jr. doesn't usually hit everything and everyone in his path .  But Darlington's a different animal altogether, and ol' Truex had some trouble keeping his nose clean Sunday night.  Where's that NAPA know-how when you need it?

So close, yet so far: Jeff Gordon has had the car to beat more than once this season, but he just can't end on a winning note.  This time it was bad timing on a pit stop that lost Gordon track position.  Last week it was poor restarts.  So far, Gordon has finished second twice. I just hope for Jeff's sake there's no truth to that old adage - "three times a bridesmaid, never a bride". 

Worst to first: Kyle Busch isn't the first driver to come from last place to p1 during a race. And though he didn't keep the top spot, Busch battled through a cut tire, a hole in the nose and the unforgiving Darlington gauntlet to run up front after starting in the way back. Kudos to Kyle for making the most of an unsavory situation.

Talk of the track: Before the race started, I found it pretty darn amusing that Tony Stewart's spotter called him "babycakes" via the team radio.  (I'd like to see a member of the print media try that one). However it was Dale Earnhardt Jr's scanner that provided the most entertaining chatter of the night.  At one point, Junior regaled all listeners with an explanation of how his visor tearoff somehow got wrapped around his steering wheel, making his glove adhere to the wheel. Then there was the comedic give-and-take between Junior and crew chief Lance McGrew.  But it was No. 88 spotter T.J. Majors who provided the snarky icing on the cake. When Allmendinger hit Johnson, Majors said he was hearing it was a brake problem on the No. 43 car. Then, "I'm not sure if it's brakes or brains".  Touche.

What the what?: Someone in the FOX wardrobe department needs to do a better job at selecting ties for Darrell Waltrip.  Though often attired in Easter egg hues, DW's Saturday neckwear was, well, more strange than usual.  The floral and butterfly combo was enough to distract viewers from what Waltrip was saying.  But on second thought, maybe that was the whole point.

Photo info: The sun sets on Darlington Raceway - Associated Press

A Little Chase to Chase Comparison

This time last year, the standings for the Sprint Cup Chase sure looked mighty different.

Who would have thought things would have changed so much in 2010?

For starters, Kevin Harvick is sitting pretty this year. So far, Happy is perched in the top spot with one win to his credit. Not so last year, as he was stuck back in the 23rd spot after Richmond. And even though the NASCAR media has dubbed Jamie McMurray the new bump-draft king, Harvick really deserves the crown. His consecutive wins at the Bud Shootout and his smooth, race-winning move at Dega are proof positive of that.

Unfortunately for Smoke fans, it's now Tony Stewart's turn to be on the outside looking in. Granted, last year's early-season success was atypical for Smoke, it's still a bit disconcerting that he's now in the 15th spot. Good thing about Stewart, he's liable to crank up the summer heat and snag a win or two to gain those all-important bonus points.

Regarding bonus points, Jimmie Johnson stands to gain the most of any driver with an impressive three wins to his credit thus far. Even though Four-Time has had some uncharacteristic issues during the last two races, he's actually in great shape points-wise, with a second-place spot. Last year about now, Johnson was in sixth - and we all remember how last year turned out.

And here's a little prediction - Paul Menard may have shocked and awed the NASCAR world during the first few races of the year, but he won't be the big sleeper. I'm betting that Martin Truex Jr. will keep gaining spots and take Michael Waltrip Racing smack into the thick of the Chase.

At least I hope so. I'd sure like to hear a Chase version of that Napa Know How commercial ...

Richmond in the Rear View

If the spring race at Talladega was Christmas morning for race fans, then Saturday's contest at Richmond was Thanksgiving at the in-laws - nice enough and somewhat satisfying, but not as good as Mama makes it.

In what is usually an exciting showdown with fender-bangin' and last-minute slidin', Saturday night's race at RIR didn't quite live up to the hype (or the Dega comparison).

Still, for all the opportunities to catch some shuteye during the broadcast, there were a few developments of note at Richmond this weekend:

Kyle Busch - the Official Restart King - It was only a matter of time before Rowdy ended up in Victory Lane again.  And how fitting that KB's first checkers of the season would be the result of beating Jeff Gordon on a late-race restart.  Gotta hand it to Rowdy, if he's near the front, he gets it done.

MWR outruns HMS - The boys at Michael Waltrip Racing haven't had too much to smile about in 2010. But Richmond may have turned those frowns upside down - both Martin Truex, Jr. and Marcos Ambrose earned Top 10 finishes, while David Reutimann eked out a p15.  Compare that to the Hendrick Motorsports crew who finished 2nd, 10th, 25th and 32nd. Proof of the apocalypse?

Has JJ found his kryptonite? - Ever since the return of the spoiler, Jimmie Johnson hasn't had the most stellar of finishes. Richmond was tough on the No. 48 team. After a miserable night in the pits, Johnson barely saved the car as it slid across the finish line into10th place.  If the spoiler isn't to blame, maybe his tiff with Gordon is.  Ol' Jeff's earlier rantings just might be messing with four-time's head.

Jeff Gordon makes nice - Speaking of Jeff, After Rick Hendrick reportedly put the smackdown on the brewing feud between teammates Gordon and Johnson, all was nicey-nice at Richmond. The pair never got together on the track and Gordon's attitude post-race was all rainbows and sunshine.  We'll see how long it takes for the drivers to go at it again.  Darlington, anyone?

RCR lookin' good - At the end of last year, Richard Childress Racing was making a comeback. They just didn't have enough races left to prove it.  Now that the 2010 season is well underway, it's clear that something is clicking over at RCR.  Harvick has already snagged one victory this season and Jeff Burton hasn't been running too badly either. Also consider they finished third and fourth (respectively) at Richmond. And now that Harvick is the points leader - I'm thinking Happy just might smash "four-time's" plans to make it five.

The Third NASCAR Day of Christmas: Three Monday Races

From the get-go, Mother Nature seemed ready to play havoc with NASCAR this year. Matt Kenseth's rain-shortened win at the Daytona 500 started it off. And by season's end, three Cup races during had to be run on Monday due to inclement weather.

The Coca-Cola 600 was one of those rained-delayed races.

But rainy days and Mondays sure didn't get David Reutimann down. When more precipitation hit the track on Monday, NASCAR officials called the race early, giving Reutimann his first Sprint Cup victory and Michael Waltrip Racing its first win ever.

Reutimann and Waltrip celebrated the victory with a most exuberant man-hug. And I predict Waltrip will be doing more hugging in 2010 - he's added Martin Truex Jr. to the MWR fold and Marcos Ambrose had some darn good showings to build on for next season.

The other two Monday winners? Denny Hamlin at Pocono in August and Tony Stewart, just one week later, at Watkins Glen.

Hamlin's win - his first in 2009 - gave the #11 team the momentum it needed to end the season mid-Chase. And Stewart, well his victory at Watkins helped cement his spot as the regular season champ.

See? Rain's not so bad after all.

Photo info: Waltrip and Reutimann talk things over during the Coca-Cola 600 rain delay.

Casey Mears' Dad Shares Father/Son Memories

In honor of Father's Day, the folks at Ask.com have contacted the dads of your favorite drivers and asked them to share their fondest memories of their now-famous sons. Roger Mears, Greg Newman, Martin Truex, Sr. and Clyde Vickers all chipped in with their stories about their boys. To read each Dad's interview in its entirety, just search “NASCAR Father’s Day” at Ask.com .

In the meantime, here's a little from Roger Mears on his son Casey's early start in racing:

Sprint Cup driver Casey Mears, pilot of the No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet, won his first NASCAR Cup Series race at the age of 29.

But his father, Roger, recalls the first indication that Casey would become a racing great himself. Casey was just two years of age. "One of my earliest memories is when Casey would sit for hours racing his little Hot Wheels cars,” Roger said.

By age four, Casey had left Hot Wheels behind and moved up to BMX bicycles. According to Mears, "Casey was so little that he couldn't touch the ground when he was on top of his bike, so I would have to hold the bike for the start of the race and then run down the hill to catch him when he finished."

Photo: Casey Mears and his dad Roger Mears

Rockin' the All-Star Vote -- A Little Help for Race Fans

Political party affiliations be damned. This week, NASCAR fans have a much more complicated vote to cast--namely, to decide which Sprint Cup driver is All-Star worthy.

We only have until Saturday at 7:30 p.m. to cast our vote for who's in. So to help the indecisive among us, I've put together a short little voting guide for the 10 drivers who are currently leading the fan vote. And if this isn't enough, check out a search engine like Ask.com and type in the names of your pick. We fans need all the help we can get!

AJ Allmendinger: He's the king of shameless self-promotion and he unabashedly begs for votes every time a TV camera crosses his path. He's got one top five and two top 10 finishes this season. Plus, he races for The King Richard Petty, so what more needs to be said?

Bill Elliott: Awesome Bill from Dawsonville has long been a NASCAR all-star. With 44 career Cup wins, this old-school vet may be a bit long in the tooth...but he can still lay down a fast lap. Because of his past career successes, Elliott gets my vote, hands down.

Joey Logano: Boy Wonder has two top 10 finishes this season. But winning Rookie of the Year should be enough accolades for this kid. Making him an all-star so early on is definitely putting the cart before the horse.

Jamie McMurray: He's a guy that race day pundits usually pick as a sleeper to contend for the win. But so far in '09 he hasn't been able to pull it off. In fact, McMurray hasn't won a Cup race since 2007. But things could be worse--at least the #26 team has three top 10s to their credit this season.

Juan Pablo Montoya: He takes no guff and he cuts no slack. Plus, the off chance that Montoya might start a fist fight on the track is reason enough to cast your vote for the #42. If you need numbers, he's got three top 10 finishes this year.

David Ragan: Ragan scored his first Nationwide win this season, but he has yet to take the checkered flag in Sprint Cup (his best finish thus far is a top 10). Still, there's something about Ragan that's intensely likeable. Maybe it's his Unadilla accent.

David Reutimann: A pleasant surprise in the early going and a huge boon to MWR. As they say, Reutimann is The Franchise. With four top 10 finishes and one top five, surely Reutimann will pull out a win before Homestead.

Eliott Sadler: I love ol' Elliott, but I just can't get past his near crying jag when he realized he was going to lose this year's Daytona 500. It was almost as uncomfortable as watching Gilles tear up on Dancing With the Stars. But then again, he does have a top five and a top 10 finish.

Martin Truex Jr.: Any driver that can last an entire race whilst suffering from a kidney stone deserves your admiration and arguably your vote. Plus, he's finished in the top 10 three times this year. Martin's a man among boys.

Michael Waltrip: Where do I begin? He wrecks almost every time he touches the track (and usually more than once per race). But then again, he sure is funny. If it's entertainment you seek, then by all means vote Waltrip. Besides, he has managed to eke out one top 10 finish.

Kurt Busch May Have Dominated, But Truex Was The Man

When it comes to manning up for a race, you can't get much tougher than Martin Truex, Jr.

In a day totally dominated by "The Blue Deuce" of Kurt Busch, Truex finished in the #10 spot.

It's a wonder he could even race at all. Just the day before, Truex was taken by ambulance to a Griffin, Ga. emergency room after suffering from what were described as "bouts of intense pain". The diagnosis? Kidney stones.

Truex was cleared to race on Sunday, and race he did.

Competitive for all of The Kobalt Tools 500, Truex improved his 23rd starting spot to end the race in the top ten. Give credit to prescription painkillers if you must, but tough-as-nails Truex earned his best finish of the year so far.

Unfortunately, physical ailments weren't the only thing the driver had to suffer this weekend. The state of his kidney stones made for many a pun during pre-race coverage, including the particularly painful "Martin Makes the Pass."

At least the folks at FOX didn't show us an X-ray.