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 Eighth NASCAR Day of Christmas: 8 NASCAR Babies

Ryan and Chrissie Newman
welcomed Brooklyn Sage
on Nov. 18, 2010.

In 2010, the Sprint Cup drivers' lot turned into Romper Room.

And it's not because Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski got into a play fight.

There was a bona fide baby boom in NASCAR that set this season apart.  At last count, a whopping seven babies were born to drivers and their wives - and there's one due at the end of this year.

1. Jimmie Johnson and wife Chandra welcomed Genevieve Marie. 

2. To Jeff Gordon and Ingrid was born Leo Benjamin. 

3. Mr. and Mrs. Carl Edwards said hello to little Anne Edwards.

4. Elliott and Amanda Sadler became the proud parents of Wyatt Herman Fritts Sadler. 

5.  Juan Pablo and Connie Montoya added baby Manuela to their family. 

6.  Ryan and Krissie Newman welcomed Brooklyn Sage. 

7. Carter Scott was born to Jamie and Christy McMurray.

8. Finally, Sam Hornish Jr. and his wife Crystal are expecting to end the year with the birth of their second child.

And for the record, all those skeptics who claimed Johnson would be adversely affected by the stress of fatherhood, now don't have a leg to stand on.

A Few "Poison-ous" Thoughts About Homestead

Poison frontman Bret Michaels will perform
the National Anthem and give the start command
before the Ford 400 at Homestead Miami Speedway.

Now that Phoenix is in the rear view, Homestead looms large. And boy does it hold promise.

The last race of the season is bound to be a hard rockin', fender-knockin' finale that's will go down in the record books - or at the very least, the collective memory of NASCAR fans.

In fact, there's so much to say about the upcoming Ford 400 that it's hard to put it into words.

But when I heard today's news that Poison glam-man Bret Michaels will sing the National Anthem and give the start command Sunday, I experienced a jolt of rock-inspired creativity.

So here are a few of my thoughts about the upcoming season finale - all inspired by the song titles of Poison.

Rock out and read on!

Talk Dirty to Me - there's nothing like a little pre-race smack to get the fans riled up. And, if Twitter is any indication, the trash talk is only going to escalate between now and Sunday. Just look up @kevinharvick and @dennyhamlin if you don't believe me ...

Nothin' But a Good Time - a fan-tastic celebration is what folks could experience if Carl Edwards wins Homestead and climbs into the grandstand like he did at Phoenix. My opinion? This new post-race tradition may be Edwards' best PR move yet.

Look What the Cat Dragged In - This could be the reaction Kevin Harvick gets if he steals the title from the No. 48 and the No. 11 teams. Think it's impossible? Then you haven't seen the recent F1 championship ...

Every Rose Has Its Thorn - I feel bad in advance for anyone but the top three Chasers who wins Sunday's race. Such a victory will be HUGELY overshadowed by the three-team championship drama.

Life Goes On - After his disappointing finish at Phoenix, the dejected Denny Hamlin needs to clear his head and adopt this song title as his mantra - lest he arrive in South Florida off his game.

I Want Action - what race fan isn't thinking this as the countdown to Homestead begins? The race will be "have-at-it" drama at its finest. So bring it on!

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 ...

Edwards Auctions Bike to Build Orphanage

Sometimes a driver does something that makes you uncommonly proud to be a NASCAR fan.

And what Carl Edwards is doing right now, is one of those things.

Edwards is hosting a charity auction and sweepstakes with Copart (his Nationwide Series sponsor).

And all the proceeds will go toward building an orphanage in Monterrey, Mexico.

In June, Edwards won the Nationwide Series race at Road America.  And that day, he won an XR 1200 Harley Davidson Sportster.  And now Edwards is auctioning off that Harley, along with other race memorabilia, to raise money for Back2Back Ministries, the mission group that is building the orphanage.

The auction will be held on Monday, Nov. 15 and the sweepstakes will run from now until Nov. 15. In addition to Edwards' winning Harley Davidson Sportster, he'll be auctioning off  a crew shirt, car hood and a race-worn firesuit. Fans will be able to register to bid for free and read about all the details on Copart’s Facebook fan page .


Once fans register, they are automatically entered into the sweepstakes - 500 No.60 Copart.com diecast cars will be randomly awarded to registered fans.

Check out the auction items below and also Edwards' video about the project above.

Bid on www.Copart.com to win Edwards' Harley Davidson Sportster.

Shooting the Breeze With Edwards

Carl Edwards signs autographs
before the Bud Shootout in February.

Editor's Note: Most NASCAR drivers are great with fans.  They sign thousands of autographs and do umpteen special appearances during a season.  But Carl Edwards takes the term "fan friendly" to a whole new level. Below, one of my Twitter buddies, Nicole Brown (@bama_diva99) shares how Edwards took time out of his busy Martinsville weekend to chat a little with her.

By Nicole Brown
Special to NASCAR-ista

Sitting at seventh in the Sprint Cup standings, you would think that a driver's main focus would be on winning races and trying to capture his first championship.  Not Carl Edwards. I have always heard that Carl is amazing to fans, but never had the opportunity to experience it for myself until last Friday afternoon.

When I received a text from my friend Jenny, who was attending the Martinsville race, I didn't think anything of it until she asked if I could receive personal calls at work. So when my phone rang, I never expected to hear Carl's voice in the background.  And the next thing I heard was Jenny's voice saying "Would you say 'Hi' to my friend Nicole?"

At this point, I am silently freaking out at my desk (I am still at work and my boss is right down the hall) as Carl takes the phone and says hello to me by name.  He could have handed Jenny back her phone, but he didn't.  He actually walked away with Jenny's phone and continued to talk to me asking me where I worked and what I did there and event telling me what he went to school for before focusing on a racing career.

Carl Edwards is one-of-a-kind. His passion and dedication for racing makes him my favorite driver, but his generosity to fans makes him a great man in my book.  If he ever gets to read this, I want to thank him for making my day and quite honestly my year by just taking a few minutes of his time to shoot the breeze with me.

Non-Chaser of Note: David Ragan

Roush Fenway driver David Ragan talks things over
with team owner Jack Roush.

When it comes to Roush Fenway drivers, David Ragan often seems to be on the outside looking in.

Ragan is the only RFR driver not in the Chase. And he's also younger and less experienced than his teammates Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth.

But Saturday night at Charlotte, Ragan managed to hang with the rest of Roush.  And he maneuvered his No. 6 UPS Ford from a 26th starting spot to a 10th place finish - and one of his best results of the season.

Ragan's run at Charlotte Motor Speedway tied his career best finish at the track. And it also marked his first top ten since the April race at Talladega.

If Ragan can manage another such race before the season comes to a close, he'll have improved on his 2009 performance.  And, more importantly, he'll give his team some needed momentum for 2011.

The Ultimate Chase Playlist

After being on the road 38 weeks each year traveling the NASCAR circuit, drivers have plenty of time to fine-tune the playlists on their iPods- even if they can’t listen to their favorite songs while racing at 180 mph.


Now NASCAR's top 12 have chosen their favorite songs - the tunes they'll be listening to as they focus on winning this year's championship. 

From Elvis to Eminem, their song choices just might surprise you.  Without further ado, here is the Chase for the Sprint Cup ultimate playlist ...

“Not Afraid” – Eminem (Denny Hamlin)

“Nothing Else Matters” – Metallica (Jimmie Johnson)

“Walk the Line” – Johnny Cash (Kevin Harvick)

“CC Rider” – Elvis (Clint Bowyer)

“Jukebox Hero” – Foreigner (Carl Edwards)

“Everything” – Buck Cherry (Greg Biffle)

“Another Way to Die” – Disturbed (Matt Kenseth)

“Love The Way You Lie” – Eminem (Denny Hamlin)

“It’s Now Or Never” – Elvis (Clint Bowyer)

“Say It Ain’t So” – Weezer (Kevin Harvick)

“Enter Sandman” – Metallica (Greg Biffle)

“Miracle” – Nonpoint (Matt Kenseth)

Bonus Track by a non-chaser: “Wired to the T” – Dorrough (Mark Martin)

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!

O Canada - Thank You for Montreal

Boris Said celebrates after winning the NAPA Auto Parts 200.

Just when you think a race will be a snoozefest, it turns into one of the most exciting finishes in recent memory.

More than an hour into the Nationwide Series NAPA Auto Parts 200, most of the race was being run under caution. At one point, the longest green flag run was two-and-a-half laps. The yellow flags were a bore - and it seemed like an afternoon NASCAR nap might be in order.

But then the race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve came alive. There was three-wide racing, cars scrambling through the grass, bumping and running, solid hits, and hold-your-breath misses.

And it all ended with a finish more blistering than the Montreal sun.

In a green white checker finish, Boris Said took the lead away from Robby Gordon when Gordon ran out of fuel. Said was then passed by a hard-charging Max Papis, only to pass Papis back and battle him down the stretch for a by-the-nose win.

Said survived the Montreal gauntlet. But early frontrunners Marcos Ambrose and Carl Edwards did not. Though the pair combined to lead the most laps, they ended the day in the garage with mechanical failure.

Meanwhile Canadian racing hero and local favorite Jacques Villeneuve finished third on the track named for his father.

It was one heckuva race. And any NASCAR fan with funds enough and time should consider planning a trip to the 2011 Nationwide event in Montreal.

I know I am.

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.

New Nationwide Cars Look Good, But How Do They Handle?

Two days of testing at Daytona International Speedway came to an end today.  A slew of Nationwide drivers were trying out the series' new "car of tomorrow" which makes its racing debut in the Subway Jalapeno 250 on July 2.

The verdict is in - the new Mustangs and Challengers look sweet. But they (Camry and Impala included) drive kinda crazy.

Per Carl Edwards, "If we can get the cars tuned a little better, if we can spend the rest of today getting the balance better and then maybe that test day or that practice day on Wednesday before we come and work on the cars a little more, hopefully they'll be a little bit more predictable."

“But right now it's wild. Brendan Gaughan and I were talking, it's like the 2003 Truck race when it was my first one, and they're just a handful. So it's going to be pretty exciting," Edwards said.

Diamond Waltrip Racing's Trevor Bayne had the same take, "I heard all the drivers in the garage, even Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards, saying things are loose, so I'm like, ‘All right, they must be pretty loose’ and I got out there and saw for myself, and they are sideways."

Fastest in the Wednesday afternoon drafting session was Reed Sorenson in the No. 32 Toyota at a speed of 187.817 mph. Rounding out the top five were Kevin Harvick (186.928), Mike Wallace (186.170), Bayne (186.035) and Kyle Busch (186.027).

Photo info: Paul Menard and Justin Allgaier test the new Nationwide Car of Tomorrow at Daytona International Speedway, couresty of Daytona International Speedway.

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 ...