As ambassador for the brand,
Busch sports (and is often photographed in)
Tag Heuer sunglasses at the track
The feud between Kurt Busch and Jimmie Johnson got a little more personal (and comical) Friday when Busch demeaned - of all things - Johnson's good looks.
Correction - Busch accused all the drivers at Hendrick Motorsports of being a little too easy on the eyes.
"The guys at Hendrick are pretty boys and they get on 'People' magazine covers and that's their job," Busch said.
"My job is to go out and race cars, and that's what I focus on," Busch continued. "I like to race the cars and race 'em hard and race 'em smart."
For a driver who is also the ambassador/trackside model for a line of high-end eyewear, Busch's statement is a tad disingenuous.
But I digress.
First, I'm not sure how Busch came to the conclusion that racing cars smart and hard differentiates himself from his record-breaking rival. Johnson is known as one of the most focused drivers in the sport. And he's got the trophies to prove it.
Second, Busch needs to look up the definition of "pretty boy". Being pretty is probably news to HMS driver Mark Martin. And I'd argue that even Dale Earnhardt Jr. (though he has graced the cover of many a periodical) doesn't quite qualify either.
But these are mere semantics.
Busch's comments boil down to a driver who's still disgusted that his chance for a decent finish at Pocono was smashed to smithereens by an on-track nemesis.
And apparently if Busch were only prettier and more popular, he wouldn't feel so badly about it.
At least that's what his statements lead me to believe.
There's nothing like a road course to get a girl thinking about road music.
You know - those guilty musical pleasures that are best enjoyed with the windows rolled down and the world whizzing by in an emerald and azure blur.
So in honor of this week's road course race at Watkins Glen, I've come up with a few tracks that are best enjoyed behind the wheel. And it doesn't hurt that these selections just happen to be inspired by some current NASCAR happenings ...
"Shut Up and Kiss Me" by Mary Chapin Carpenter - When fans found out NASCAR fined drivers Denny Hamlin and Ryan Newman for comments that were damaging to the sport, cyberspace lit up like a bug zapper in July. The general consensus is that NASCAR has adopted that age-old admonition, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." Or, as some fans are claiming, "Kiss up or shell out."
"Enjoy the Silence" by Depeche Mode - This is what a lot of us have been trying to do this week. Because silent is what Twitter has been since Hamlin told the press his fine was due to a few ill-conceived tweets.
A handful of drivers are still tweeting on a regular basis (Scott Speed and Kevin Harvick come to mind). However, since Finegate, fans haven't seen the much-loved smack talk that has made Twitter such a great medium for the sport. More's the pity.
"Fighting Side of Me" by Merle Haggard - Although Haggard's anthem is more about runnin' down the great U.S. of A. than runnin' down another driver, the chorus is just too good to resist. I offer this selection in honor of the recently renewed Kurt Busch/Jimmie Johnson feud. Have at it boys!
"Love Shack" by the B-52s - Perhaps I should say "Love Shaq," because that's what lots of NASCAR fans are doing after last night's season premiere of "Shaq vs.". Fans loved the fact that O'Neal was such a good sport when he went head-to-head with Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the Concord Speedway. It appears that the show may be a rare bright spot on the wasteland that is summer television. And Shaq's repeated praise of NASCAR didn't hurt my opinion of the big guy (or his show) either.
"Stickshifts and Safetybelts" by Cake - Although the boys of Cake decry the necessity of safetybelts in this 1990s nugget, Elliott Sadler is thanking his lucky stars right now that his belts held true. And so are legions of fans.
"Chevrolet" by The Derek Trucks Band - I realize that the new Ford F9 engine is getting all the hype after Greg Biffle's win at Pocono. But at Watkins Glen, my money is on a pair of Chevys - Tony Stewart or Jeff Gordon, to be exact. After all, they are the road course kings.
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" by Michael Jackson - Every now and then you've got to go old school. And no feud has captured the old school feuds of yore like the Carl Edwards/Brad Keselowski saga. Those two are starting something alright. I just hope they finish it on the track.
"This Ol' Wheel" by Shooter Jennings - We get it. In NASCAR years, Mark Martin is old. But the fact that he's got a few years on the rest of his competition doesn't keep him from rollin'. Sure, he hasn't had quite the year so far that he had in 2009. But ol' Mark is still poised to make The Chase. Consider also that Martin did score three wins at Watkins Glen in the mid-nineties.
Elliott Sadler made the list of worldwide trending topics on Twitter today.
Not because he won the Craftsman Series truck race at Pocono Saturday. And not because he had a stellar finish in the Cup race.
But because he suffered one of the hardest hits in recent NASCAR history. A hit so hard, it knocked the engine right out of his car.
It all began with 36 laps to go. That's when an impatient Jimmie Johnson tried to bump draft with the No. 2 Dodge of Kurt Busch. Busch lost control, hit the outside wall and spun into the infield.
Meanwhile, back in the pack, the incident caused another, more serious crash. While most drivers checked up to avoid the Busch incident, early reports indicate that A.J. Allmendinger did not. Instead, Allmendinger hit the No. 19 car of Sadler
As a result, Sadler's car slid down the track and hit the inside fence head-on.
Hard.
To make matters worse, the fence Sadler hit doesn't qualify as a "SAFER barrier," a foam-enhanced wall which would have absorbed some of the impact. Pocono officials have said they will upgrade that portion of the infield guardrail to SAFER standards next year.
Unfortunately, Sadler's wreck happened a little too early for him to benefit from Pocono's planned improvements.
But what really set fans and pundits like Kyle Petty talking, is what Pocono did choose to spend their budget on this year.
Instead of getting the safety barriers up to snuff in time for this month's race, Pocono Raceway opted to build a solar farm next to the track in order to make the venue more energy efficient. The cost of the solar farm? 15.5 million dollars.
Energy efficiency is all well and good. But what about driver and fan safety? What would the fallout be if Sadler had NOT been released from the infield care center? Would folks give a rip about the track's reduced carbon footprint then?
It's not like this is the first time a serious incident, that could have had tragic results, has occurred at the tricky triangle. As recently as June of this year, Kasey Kahne went airborne in the middle of a multi-car smashup on the backstretch. There is no catch fence on the backstretch. Just trees:
And Cup drivers, including today's winner Greg Biffle, have recently expressed strong concern about Pocono safety.
"They could probably still do a little bit of work at Pocono," Biffle told Sports Illustrated on July 5. "They're going to kill somebody there."
And let's not forget the 2002 incident between Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Park :
I don't begrudge Pocono their solar farm. But such investments should be prioritized. Driver and fan safety should come first. Period.
Luckily, Elliott Sadler will not be too worse for wear. He tweeted not long after his accident, "Just want to let everybody know I'm ok,prob gonna be sore but glad to walk away.Hardest hit I've ever had. Huge difference from a safer wall."
Good news indeed.
But to lessen the likelihood of such a wreck happening again, I propose that track officials who don't make necessary safety upgrades lose a race date.
I don't care if a raceway boasts a wind farm, organic concessions, compost toilets and Al Gore as the Grand Marshal.
If track owners fail to invest in obvious and necessary safety features (like SAFER barriers) then the race track should suffer the consequences.
Well, it's official - Jimmie Johnson haters now have one more reason to dislike the four-time champ.
According to research conducted by Joyce Julius & Associates, Inc. — which has monitored every NASCAR race telecast over the last 25 years — Johnson gets more on-air coverage than any other Sprint Cup driver.
Johnson’s name was mentioned more than 2,800 times during the first 18 live event telecasts (and replays) of the 2010 season.
Johnson also appeared in a series-high 32 interviews segments, which collectively added up to more than a half-hour of television face time for the driver.
Not surprisingly, the abundance of attention paid to Johnson by the TV networks helped him amass nearly 22 hours of combined on-screen time for the 58 monitored brands associated with him. Johnson’s brands were also mentioned by him, his crew, or the TV announcers on 95 occasions, helping to bring about an overall in-broadcast exposure value of $48 million.
How did the rest of the drivers fare? You might be surprised. When interviews, on-air mentions and general exposure time are all added up, here are the top 10 drivers:
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Jeff Burton
4. Juan Pablo Montoya
5. Kyle Busch
6. Kevin Harvick
7. Denny Hamlin
8. Tony Stewart
9. Kurt Busch
10. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Anyone else surprised that Carl Edwards and Mark Martin didn't make the cut?
Photo info: Johnson signs autographs for fans before the Bud Shootout in February at Daytona International Speedway.
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.
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.
For the second race in a row, Kurt Busch held off all comers to snag the checkered flag.
And, for the second race in a row, his Victory Lane celebration was upstaged by little brother Kyle.
While Busch the senior doused his jubilant crew with Miller Lite, Busch the younger received a dressing down by an irate Jeff Burton. Burton was hot under the firesuit after a move by Busch on the final restart cut one of Burton's tires.
The moment made for darn good TV. And FOX cut away from the winning team's celebration to show \an image of Kyle Busch standing by his car on pit road while Burton gave Kyle a colorfully worded earful -and a few finger jabs to boot. For a minute, when Busch responded to Burton's comments with a laugh, it looked like Burton might just take a swing at the object of his wrath.
But lately, such TV moments have been all in a day's work for Kyle B.
Last week it was Denny Hamlin and the come-to-Jesus meeting with Joe Gibbs in the hauler. This week brought a public scolding by one of the sport's senior statesman.
What's next - mud wrestling with Miss Sprint Cup?
Regardless, I bet Kurt sometimes wishes he was an only child. Because nobody likes to be upstaged.
Daytona International Speedway hosted more than 100 local middle school students last Friday. And some of them might just grow up to be future faces in the NASCAR garage.
The kids were on hand to participate in the "Bank of America Students at the Speedway" program which was part of the NASCAR Day celebration. And none other than NASCAR champ and ESPN broadcaster Rusty Wallace was on hand to lead the students in a racing-themed math game and talk to them about the importance of certain subjects.
"My message to these kids was to let them know that science, technology, engineering and math is very very important to NASCAR," Wallace said. "If you don’t understand math in the new NASCAR, you’re probably not going to be successful."
The sport's current focus on mathematics and engineering is a stark contrast to the way things were when Wallace was wheeling a car in the 1980s and 90s.
"Nowadays, you know the simulations that we do, all the calculations, everything is about numbers and when I was driving, it was more seat of the pants," Wallace explained. "I would drive the car, I would tell them what it’s doing and how to fix it."
Simple as that.
But all things change with time. And NASCAR is no different. In fact, the cars themselves are in a constant state of evolution. And Wallace took some time to discuss the latest thing to hit the NASCAR garage - the Nationwide COT. He also answered a few of our questions about topics ranging from his broadcast duties on ESPN to the NASCAR Hall of Fame and his championship picks for 2010:
What do you think the NASCAR Hall of Fame means and will mean to the sport?
"This Hall of Fame is monumental. It’s gorgeous. It’s huge. It’s something that really matches how big and beautiful our sport is. And it covers every aspect of the sport from the beginning of NASCAR to where it is currently. When you walk in the brand new Hall of Fame you see everything about the whole entire sport in front of you. In fact, people tell me it’s one of the most beauitful buildings they’ve ever seen in their life that the Hall of Fame is in. It’s first class."
Is it tough to balance your broadcast duties with owning a NASCAR team? And how do you stay "fair and balanced" in the booth when reporting on your own race team and your son Steven's performance on the track?
"It’s really easy to stay fair and balanced. I know going in that my main duty is to talk about what’s going on at the race track and to call what I see. If something’s going wrong, I gotta talk about what I see. If Steven (his son and Nationwide driver Steven Wallace) or any of my team guys is up there really running great, hey they get mentioned. But generally I’m not the one up there tooting my own kid’s horn saying, 'Hey look at my son,' or 'Look at my other car.' That’s usually Andy Petree or else Marty Reid or else Alan Bestwick or else Brad Daugherty - all the people that I work with. Now I chime in, and I talk, but I understand how I have to be balanced. I gotta be, I have to call what I see. I don’t have to hide anything and I don’t hide anything, but I also have to be conscious that people are waiting to see if I patronize any of my guys in a special way. And everybody I’ve talked to says, 'No, you do a good job, you’re fair, you’re balanced.' The day somebody says I’m not, then I’ll listen to ‘em and if I gotta re-adjust I will. But right now I haven’t had any complaints about that. And it is tough sometimes watching your own son out there drive and if he does really good you’re wanting the guys to say something good and if he does something wrong you gotta say 'Well, he made a mistake,' and you gotta call him out and that’s just the way it is. But I feel comfortable about that."
What do you think of the new Nationwide COT? Any predictions on how the new car will handle at Daytona in July?
"We did a test in Daytona last week, the very first offical test for the new Nationwide car. All in all, they ran pretty fast around the race track. The drivers will all tell you they were all slippin’ and slidin’ They were looser than they thought they would be, but by the time the second day started, they got the cars handling a lot better. The first day was tough. It was a two-day test. The second day everything got much, much better and I think now that the test sessions are over, they’re gonna go back and be much better prepared for the July race in Daytona and I think the car will handle better. I don’t think it will handle as good as the old car, but I don’t think it’s meant to. It’s gonna slip and slide a little bit, but I think it’s gonna make for a good race. One of the things we really did notice though, they really fly up in the draft. If you get behind another car, your car will just accelerate up to the back of that other car much quicker than the old car because these cars are much bigger. They make a bigger hole through the air. They call it making the air dirtier. It moves the air all over the place and it makes the cars draft better."
Who's your pick to win the Cup championship this year? Any sleepers fans should have their eyes on?
"I really think that one of the guys that’s got a great shot to win his very first championship ever, and is probably gonna be my pick to win it, has gotta be Denny Hamlin. The guy's been real strong. He’s won races this year. He's probably as strong if not stronger than most. But believe it or not, if I’ve got to pick a sleeper, I’m gonna pick two guys. It’s gonna be either Kurt Busch - he’s been fast in that Miller Lite car. He won the all-star race in Charlotte just this past weekend and he looked really good. And also Jeff Gordon. He’s been knocking out the top fives. He looks good. Lot of people are saying 'What about Jimmie Johnson?' " Well Johnson’s just been slow getting going, so we gotta kinda watch more from him. When these cars took the rear wing off the back and put the rear spoiler on, it seemed like Jimmie’s been struggling with that a little bit so we'll see what’s gonna happen there."
Photo info: Rusty Wallace interacts with middle school students during the "Bank of America Students at the Speedway Program" last Friday at Daytona International Speedway.
Even though Kurt Busch held off the field for an impressive All-Star win Saturday night, he was once again upstaged by his little brother's red hot temper.
While some members of the press made an appearance in Victory Lane to interview the champ, there was also a large media contingent surrounding the No. 11 hauler.
Why, you ask?
The journos were assembled to see a potential smackdown between the irate Kyle Busch and his teammate Denny Hamlin.
When the ruckus began, Hamlin and Busch were first and second on the leaderboard Saturday night, when Busch got a run on the No. 11 and tried to pass . Hamlin had other plans and blocked his teammate, causing Busch to slap the wall. And this caused Busch to want to slap Hamlin.
Busch wrecked out a few laps later when his damaged car lost control and hit Kasey Kahne. Per Busch's radio comments, "Somebody better keep me away from Denny. I'm gonna kill that $#@!."
Busch then proceeded to park his banged-up Toyota right outside Hamlin's hauler. And wait.
Once Hamlin arrived at the truck it was at least 20 minutes before the pair emerged from their conversation with team owner Joe Gibbs. And although Hamiln left the meeting with a smile and positive things to say about his fuming teammate, I admit I disappointed. I was hoping for something a bit more colorful. After all, Hamlin's guys bested the No. 18 team at the Sprint Pit Crew Challenge, and then bested him again during the race.
In fact, the words of the great competitor Ricky Bobby come to mind, "you can't have two number ones, cause that would be 11."
However, the Busch/Hamlin kerfuffle was only one of the many story lines which emerged during last night's All-Star race. In case you missed it, here's a recap:
Fans Doubt the Edwards Vote - Carl Edwards couldn't drive his way into the All-Star race, but he won the right to run after being voted in by fans. However, conspiracy theorists abound online and accusations were flying via Twitter that the vote could have been rigged. Folks were even demanding a recount. If you believe the hype, there's almost as much mystery surrounding the Edwards fan vote as there is around "The Case of the Loose Lugnuts".
Truex Knows How - Could Martin Truex, Jr. be the sleeper of the season? Truex snagged a win in the showdown segment, which secured his spot in the All-Star main event. Then he pulled off a second place finish in the big race. That NAPA/Michael Waltrip Racing team is looking better and better.
A Prayer to Remember - Five-year-old Taylor Gibbs gave the invocation Saturday night and by the time he said "Amen" I doubt there was a dry eye or a frown left in the house. Taylor, who is the grandson of team owner Joe Gibbs, is now cancer-free after a three-year battle with leukemia. His was the sweetest, most touching pre-race prayer ever.
Quite Possibly the Understatement of the Season - "We got somebody mad," Hamlin's crew chief Mike Ford explaining to his driver why he should stay away from his own hauler after the race.
Not an All-Star Night for HMS - The powerhouse that is Hendrick Motorsports didn't have the best of nights. Heck, they didn't even have a mediocre one. Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon were entangled in the first on-track pileup, ending their evenings early. Then Jimmie Johnson made an uncharacteristic slip and slid through the infield turf, losing his chance at the checkers. Dale Earnhardt Jr. brought home the best finish for HMS in 12th spot - and even that wasn't pretty.
Photo info: Kyle Busch and teammate Denny Hamlin battle it out on the track.
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.
I wasn't even there and I'm exhausted from this weekend's action at Bristol Motor Speedway. Between the fiery craziness in Saturday's Nationwide race and the truly unsettling wreck during the EZ Seed Showdown, this weekend was a race fan's roller coaster.
However, now that Thunder Valley is quiet and the results are in, there are a few things on the Cup side that were made crystal clear:
It was a mistake for Joe Gibbs to fire Steve Addington - Since being shown the door by Joe Gibbs Racing, Steve Addington has joined the Penske fold to head up the No. 2 team of Kurt Busch. JGR's loss has been Penske's gain. So far this year, Kurt has raced circles around his little bro. Kyle Busch - Addington's former driver. Kurt has out-performed Kyle in every race, leading 441 laps so far and notching one win, two top fives and one pole. Kyle, on the other hand, has managed to eke out a top 10 and lead 37 laps. Wonder if there are any regrets among the powers-that-be at JGR?
Jimmie Johnson gets it done - Lots of race fans may not like seeing Johnson's handsome mug in Victory Lane again and again, but they should be used to it by now. Johnson is the real deal. His victory at Bristol - his 50th Cup win and third this year - can be chalked up to a sweet race car and his enviable knack for keeping cool under pressure. The driver of the No. 48 can finish a race with the best of them - and if he's anywhere near the leader with 10 laps to go, he'll get it done (even if that means going three-wide at Bristol). Will the loss of the rear wing throw JJ and company off their game at Martinsville? Perhaps. But haters shouldn't hold their breaths.
This year, Dale Jr. makes the Chase - It sure wasn't pretty, but the No. 88 team managed to leave Bristol with a seventh-place finish. And though the driver/crew chief radio chatter was rather heated and rife with expletives at times, Earnhardt Jr. ended up driving his car toward the front, even after a speeding penalty on pit road punted him to the middle of the pack. All's well that ends well, and Junior's solid Bristol run gained him five places in points - he's currently in eighth spot.
Greg Biffle - not bad at making enemies - In addition to Joey Logano and his dad, Biffle now has Mark Martin and his fans to contend with. Martin was racing to the front Sunday, only to get tangled up with Biffle, who claimed his radio became unplugged and didn't know Martin was there when he hit him. The result? Martin got out of shape and went back up the track, which led to a 13-car incident. Martin was about as angry as he gets after the wreck - and although he did finish the race, he ended up in 35th place. More importantly, Martin lost nine spots in the points standings. We'll see if Martin sticks it to The Biff at Martinsville.
Photo info: Brothers Kurt and Kyle Busch chat in the garage.
With the Daytona 500 qualifying at 1 p.m., the ARCA race at 4 p.m. and the Bud Shootout at 8 p.m., yesterday was one long day at the track. But getting there early paid dividends, as the fan zone wasn't yet very crowded, nor was the garage area swarming with pass holders.
As this marathon day unfolded, potential storylines surfaced which could turn 2010 into one heckuva season. Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr's impressive qualifying runs and Kevin Harvick's second consecutive Shootout win are just the tip of the iceberg.
I'll post a few more stories in the next couple days - including an interview with esteemed NASCAR reporter Monte Dutton and my take on Danica Patrick (because it looks like she'll run the Nationwide race at Daytona after all).
Until then, enjoy the pix!
The Pace Car Camaros ready to go.
Aric Almirola's new No. 09 car in the garage prior to inspection.
The Blue Deuce of Kurt Busch on its way to inspection.
Danica Patrick's car on its way to the starting grid.
Kurt Busch hanging out post qualifying.
Mark Martin smiles and waves at the fans.
Zac Brown band rocks the stage before the Shootout.
Carl Edwards signs autographs after driver intros.
The newly engaged Kyle Busch visits with fans before the Shootout.
NASCAR isn't NASCAR without a feud or two during the season. But alas, now that they're worried about their "brands" and media image, today's drivers are more polished and restrained than they were back in the days of Cale Yarborough and Bobby Allison.
The good news is, when they're pushed enough, drivers can still get ugly. But unlike yesteryear, the ugliness gets shared more on Twitter than in the infield. By my count, there were at least eight feuding drivers of note during 2009. Next year, I'm hoping that number jumps to 10 - and that fans get to see a punch or two in the bargain.
Brad Keselowski vs. Denny Hamlin - or as I like to call it, the feud that keeps on giving. This Nationwide Series rivalry sure did heat up at the end of the season - with Denny calling Brad a no-talent driver and Brad accusing Hamlin of having personal issues. Now that Keselowski is running in Cup full time in 2010, look for the fight to get real interesting.
Juan Pablo Montoya vs. Tony Stewart - Juan Pablo Montoya is one competitive cuss. Not even firebrand Tony Stewart intimidates him. Homestead was proof positive of that. The pair tangled three times during the race and it ended with a worse-for-wear JPM heading back to the track to wreck the No. 14 car. Unfortunately, this feud looks like it died a quick death on the track. The pair was seen joking together during Champions Week in Vegas - how cozy.
Kurt Busch versus Jimmie Johnson - These two tangled in Sonoma and Chicago - and hotheaded Busch let it be known that Johnson was on his hit list. "I'm starting to lose faith in his ability to be a three-time champion on the track," Busch said. "I'm disappointed. I gave him room and we got pounded into the fence." Yet Busch couldn't sustain his vendetta over the long haul. And instead of ruining his rival's hopes for a Championship, he watched from fourth place as Johnson cruised through a history-making season. Wonder if he'll make up for it in 2010?
Greg Biffle versus Joey Logano - Who could pick a fight with Joey Logano? He's like a cross between a golden retriever puppy and a Tiger Beat cover boy. But that's just what Greg Biffle did during the pair's Nationwide foray. A little miffed from previous dustups with the kid, The Biff wrecked Logano on purpose in California, right after radioing to his crew he was planning to do so. But, in an ironic twist of fate, the night ended with Logano in Victory Lane and Biffle left vowing revenge. He never got it.
When you get down to the sugar and the shonuff, Jimmie Johnson isn't so vanilla.
In what may have been the longest day of his life, Johnson fought through his emotions, a bevy of track traffic and even a teammate's lackluster day to clinch a ground-breaking fourth Sprint Cup title.
With his on-the-pole start, it first seemed like Johnson would cruise through the race in dominating fashion, easily snagging the necessary top 25 finish. But his day would prove to be far from a walk in the park - in the early going of Homestead, Johnson had a rocky road indeed.
In early restarts, Johnson found himself farther back in traffic than he liked. And when Clint Bowyer drove too close for Johnson's comfort, JJ accused Bowyer of promising to work with him before the race only to act differently on the track. He then asked his spotter to go have a talk with the offending team. "Got an awesome car besides the #33 trying to screw with me forever," Johnson heatedly declared over the team's radio.
In reply, Chad Knaus refused to bite, managing his driver with a measure of calm that would turn the Dalai Lama pea green with envy. "I don't want to start anything," Knaus answered without a trace of anxiety. Then, with soothing level-headedness, he encouraged Johnson to be focused and methodical while throwing in a few compliments about his driver's performance at the wheel.
Talk about a lesson in people skills.
Then there was Juan Pablo Montoya and Kurt Busch who both raced the #48 hard, thus inciting a few four-letter invectives from the Hendrick champ. At one point, Kurt Busch's pit road shenanigans led Knaus to have a talk with fellow crew chief Pat Tryson.
Finally, in what may be a real-time snapshot of the past giving way to the future - Johnson let a struggling Jeff Gordon by him for a needed position, only to complain a few laps later when Gordon couldn't pull far enough away from his Lowe's Chevy. "He's pedalling as hard as he can," was the response of Johnson's spotter.
Yes it was nerve-wracking. Yes it was frustrating. But in the end, Johnson's day ended with fireworks, burnouts and a champagne-soaked leap into the history books.
I'm not sure if it's their shared Southern outlaw roots or the down-to-earth appeal of their respective stars, but for some reason NASCAR and country music go together like creamy sausage gravy and flaky buttermilk biscuits.
So it's entirely fitting that Dale Earnhardt Jr will be a guest presenter on ABC's Country Music Academy Awards Wednesday night. To be honest, if anyone's season resembles a country song, it's Junior's. Heck, he's had such an awful time of it, that Bleacher Report writer Mary Jo Buchanan even wrote Junior his own little country ditty.
And Junior's impending country music gig got me thinking...what drivers deserve their own country anthems and what would those anthems be? In no particular order, I've counted down my ideas below. Feel free to add to it or to share your own suggestions.
Dale Earnhardt Jr: I've already mentioned that he deserves his own country song, but which one? Maybe "It Happens" by Sugarland or even the ol' Hee Haw standby "Gloom, Despair and Agony on Me."
Kurt Busch: Busch may have technically earned the right to don that black western hat after Sunday's race, but it sure didn't look natural on him. So in honor of Busch's out of character headgear, may I suggest "So You Think You're a Cowboy," by Emmylou Harris?
Kyle Busch: Poor Rowdy had another promising race end in the tank. And true to form, he eluded the media and hightailed it outta the Texas Motor Speedway faster than Speedy Gonzales on acid. Busch's post-race disappearances are becoming legendary and in the words of Dierks Bentley, Busch has likely still got a "Lot of Leavin' Left to Do".
Jimmie Johnson: The points leader may have wrecked and then some Sunday, but Knaus and crew were determined to get as many laps in as they could -- even though Johnson's car looked like a wannabe Batmobile when he wheeled it back onto the track. And Johnson may have left Texas with a 100-plus points loss, but he still ain't gonna let them catch "The Midnight Rider".
Mark Martin: Johnson's wreck is Martin's best hope for finally snagging a Cup championship. And there's no doubt the #5 team is singing "God Bless Texas" about now.
Michael Waltrip: You gotta love ol' Mikey...because even though he struggles through every race, he gets in there and gives it all he's got. We'll sure miss him driving in the Cup series next year, but I think even MW would tell you himself, "I Ain't As Good As I Once Was."
Jeff Gordon: Gordon is a tough competitor. And he doesn't like it when he gets beat time and time again - even if it is by his good friend and teammate Jimmie Johnson. Gordon recently told Scene Daily that he was having a tough time dealing with Johnson's unprecedented success. Gordon is even questioning whether his equipment is as good as Johnson's - it's as if he's saying to JJ "Maybe I'll Be Fast As You."
Sam Hornish Jr: Hornish hit the wall so much in Texas that it ceased making news. The driver has even earned a new Twitter hashtag #blamehornish. It's true, Hornish is always running fast, but he doesn't always have the best sense of direction. That's why he deserves Alabama's mega-hit "I'm In A Hurry (And Don't Know Why)"
Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski: We all realize that there's no love lost between these two hard-core competitors. It seems like any time they tangle on the track, there's going to be near fisticuffs in the pits - or at least a barrage of verbal artillery. Merle Haggard sums it up with "You're Walkin' On the Fightin' Side of Me".
Matt Crafton: Because I really, really wanted an excuse to use this song...as Crafton watches Ron Hornaday win the Camping World Truck Series Championship perhaps Rhett Akin's "That Ain't My Truck" would be the proper tuneage?
Kurt Busch won it. And now Michael McGee gets to spend it.
McGee, the 2009 Dickies American Worker of the Year, won $1 million when Busch took the checkered flag on Sunday. McGee had randomly selected Busch on Friday as his ticket to riches. The deal was that if Busch won the race, McGee would win a million. And that's exactly what happened.
"I just want to say this has been an absolutely amazing experience," McGee told the press. "I want to first and foremost thank my personal Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for giving me the opportunity, and my family, my girlfriend, and Dickies for making this contest possible."
For his part, Kurt Busch was only too happy to oblige, "I had an angel riding along with me. A million bucks for a fan and beat my brother on the sweep, " he told the press.
The 25-year-old McGee (who hails from Broken Bow, Okla.) is a former high school valedictorian who put himself through college. At age 23, McGee purchased his first home and a 41-acre farm. He is a full-time agricultural teacher for 200 students, where he spends many nights, weekends and summers supporting the school’s agricultural program. McGee also owns a successful horse training business.
What's he going to do now? McGee told reporters that he plans to save at least some of it. "I think I'd like to pay off my house and maybe start some sort of scholarship program for some kids going to college," McGee said. "Maybe pursuing some type of career in agriculture, something like that."
Something tells me he's gonna be a Kurt Busch fan for life.
If Kurt Busch wins the Cup race Sunday, then Michael McGee will be one happy man - and $1 million richer.
McGee is the winner of the 2009 Dickies American Worker of the Year® contest, and on Saturday, he "randomly selected" Busch as the one Chase driver who can make him an instant millionaire. Right now, McGee is an agricultural teacher and horse training business owner from Broken Bow, Okla.
McGee was named the 2009 Dickies American Worker of the Year on Oct. 30 at the Professional Bull Riders World Finals in Las Vegas. As the promotion’s winner, McGee received $50,000 and an all-access, VIP trip for two to the Dickies 500 this weekend at the Texas Motorspeedway, which includes all track activities, a tour of the track’s garage, a view of the race from exclusive seats in the Dickies suite, and most importantly, the chance to turn his $50,000 prize into $1,000,000.
Photo caption: Richard Childress, owner of Richard Childress Racing and Michael McGee, 2009 Dickies American Worker of the Year
He wins races, looks like a model, does tons of work for charity, and is on the verge of a something that hasn't been accomplished in the history of NASCAR. Still I wonder...even if Johnson does win his fourth Cup championship in a row, will that be enough to make him famous?
At the risk of writing the biggest understatement of the year, Johnson is a racer who knows how to win. He's calm. He's patient. He doesn't send people spinning into the fence as a general rule. And he's bound and determined to fight back to the front when a race takes a less-than promising turn. But the same personality traits which have put Johnson into this history-making position may be the reasons why he isn't what you'd call the face of NASCAR.
In fact, Johnson is so "unfamous" that when he and Jeff Gordon attended Game One of the World Series this week, the cameras never honed in on the driver of the #48. In contrast, they did show Gordon for a considerable bit of time. It's as if the Fox camera crew didn't know who Johnson was. Or else they assumed their viewer's didn't.
During today's chat with the media, a reporter asked Johnson how he felt about being omitted from the Series broadcast while his teammate was not. Here's what he said: "Man, I was up there eating peanuts and having a beer. I didn't want to be on TV. We're on TV enough. Too bad it rained and the Yankees lost, but I was just having a good time."
A very PC answer from a very polished interviewee. But maybe if Johnson went "un-PC" some of the time, he'd endear himself to race fans a bit more. I'm sure Johnson would rather make racing history than get his mug shown during the World Series broadcast. But it sure wouldn't hurt the sales of NASCAR merchandise if Johnson was a bit more, well, notorious. And it would sure as heck make for some good TV.
Even Jeff Gordon said today that Johnson needs an enemy. And, there's quite possibly no better time to begin a big rivalry than Halloween weekend in Talladega. Perhaps Johnson could throw a few punches Kurt Busch's way, throw tacos at Juan Pablo or cuss out Denny Hamlin on pit road.
At the very least, Johnson could try stealing the pace car. Now that would make for some good TV--and perhaps a little fame to boot.
1. Thank you ESPN. 2. Please God, let Carl start wearing this look during driver introductions.
Clearly, Carl's the perfect pick for the mag's special section, titled "Bodies We Want" (talk about a double entendre). And his inclusion in the mag got me to thinking...if I were a magazine editor, which driver would I pick to grace my cover?
So to be fair, and to give other NASCAR stars their due, I present my selections for the new cover boys of motorsports.
Jimmie Johnson: That man can wear a suit. So move over George Clooney and co., Johnson's got looks and smooth to spare. He's the masculine equivalent of a little black dress. He looks good with anything (and in anything). Ergo, he needs to be on the cover of GQ--and pronto.
Dale Earnhardt Jr: With a little scruff and a lot of Southern, Junior always looks a tad uncomfortable when he's dressed up for some industry awards do. But put him in a Carhardt jacket and a Remington ball cap, and he looks ruggedly right at home. That's why he's my pick to grace the cover of Field & Stream. Speaking of Field & Stream...anyone catch their latest story about the new way to start a fire?
Tony Stewart: Smoke may not have classic cover boy looks, but he's got the brains and the guts to build a new race team -- and so far, his risk has paid dividends. That's why I'm choosing Stewart for the cover of Forbes Magazine. After all, Forbes is no stranger to racing...they're covering the Penske Saturn story right now.
Joey Logano: Though he's manned up this year on the Sprint Cup track, Logano's choir boy visage still appeals more to the tweens and the teens. So kiss Nick Jonas goodbye and get ready for Sliced Bread on the cover of Tiger Beat. He's cute, he's talented and he looks like the type of boy any mother would love.
Kurt and Kyle Busch: They may not be co-starring in the latest Hollywood blockbuster, but when things don't go their way on race day, they're the most entertaining things on four wheels (though Denny Hamlin garners a close third). That's why the Busch brothers ought to be on the cover of Entertainment Weekly, but only when they're good and riled up. Photo credit: ESPN The Magazine/SARAH A. FRIEDMAN
Can you tell it's Chase Media Week? The "dandy dozen" are making the rounds in Manhattan as we speak. Tonight, in fact, all 12 Cup contenders will be appearing on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon at 12:35 on NBC. Then tomorrow morning, the chasers will be on ABC Good Morning America followed by Live With Regis and Kelly. Check here for your local Regis listing.
Earlier today Kurt Busch, driver of the Blue Deuce, talked to ESPN's Jay Crawford about his little bro not making the cut.
"I was devastated for him, I couldn’t believe it that he didn’t make it,” Busch said, “He won four races so far this year, and the way that their team has been running. They just didn’t put that consistency together throughout the summer run. And so him outside looking in right now is tough. But hey, I’ll be the Busch brother to carry the banner for this year’s Chase.”
Gee...can you imagine how devastated Kyle feels?
Photo: Kurt Busch on ESPN's First Take. Photo courtesy of ESPN
Kurt Busch hanging out post qualifying.
