A NASCAR Christmas List

Now that "Team Earntarte" is a reality, Junior fans  have reason
to call Christmas merry.

Logs are crackling in the fireplace.  Lights are flickering on the tree. And marshmallows are melting their gooey goodness into my hot chocolate.

It's the perfect night for writing a Christmas list.

Or better still, the perfect night for contemplating what gifts our favorite drivers and their fans might want - or need - for the holidays.

If I were Santa, here's what I'd bring the below NASCAR peeps in my big bag of presents come Christmas Eve:

Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton - If you're gonna "have at it boys", at least make it look somewhat threatening.  The Jeffs'  little dustup during the Chase was good TV - but I doubt it struck fear into the hearts of other drivers.  That's why I'm suggesting jolly ol' St. Nicholas bring the pair a little formal instruction in the art of hand-to-hand combat.

Jimmie Johnson - You might think that Johnson has all he'll ever need - a beautiful wife, a darling baby girl, five Sprint Cup championships and the smartest crew chief around. But that's where you're wrong.  This season it became clear that ol' Johnson is standing in the need of hair - or less of it.  Somebody give the man a haircut.  The scraggly look does not suit.

Junior Nation - When Rick Hendrick announced the formation of team "Earntarte" in November, Christmas came a little early for Junior Nation - and also for Dale Earnhardt Jr.  Request granted.

Kyle Busch - I know Rowdy has taken a lot of heat for his one-finger salute on national television, but what's a little more ribbing among fans? He claimed after being parked a lap that NASCAR was hampering his constitutional rights by denying him the right to express himself.  Turns out, he's correct. According to the U.S. Court system, "flipping the bird" is legally protected by the U.S. Constitution ... but NASCAR is a country unto itself and sometimes everyday laws just don't apply.  So in that case, perhaps Santa will leave the book "Beyond Anger" in Busch's stocking.

Brian Vickers - It'll be a gift to NASCAR fans to see Vickers back behind the wheel come the Daytona 500. Here's hoping Santa grants him a spot in next year's Chase to cement Vickers' long-awaited return.

Darrell Waltrip - When Waltrip failed to make the second class of inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, his disappointment was palpable. Even those who weren't big fans of DW felt a little sorry for him. For Waltrip's sake, I hope Santa brings him the votes he needs to make the Hall of Fame's third class - nobody would be more appreciative of the honor.

Dale Jr. Could Take a Lesson From Playbook of Stewart and Kahne

After witnessing what some have dubbed Black Sunday, fans of Dale Earnhardt Jr. are understandably discouraged.

For the No. 88 team, the entire weekend was a bust. A big ugly bust.

It only takes a few minutes of reading post-Dover comments to realize that Junior Nation is also angry.  Some are calling for the head of crew chief Lance McGrew on a platter.  Others are casting aspersions upon team owner Rick Hendrick.  A superstitious few are even claiming that if Junior had kept his beard, he wouldn't have suffered such a disappointing setback.

Well, in the words of The Office's, Michael Scott, "I'm not superstitious, I'm just a little stitious."  And I doubt Junior's beard had anything to do with it.

Yes, Dover was dismal.  Yes, Junior hasn't won a race since 2008. But on the flip side, it only takes one good night to build season-changing momentum.

Look at Tony Stewart.

Last year about this time, Stewart hadn't won yet.  In fact, his year started with crashing his new teammate during Daytona 500 practice. But Smoke's emotional victory at the All-Star race became the key to propelling his fledgling team to four more wins - all for points.

And then there's Kasey Kahne.  In 2007, Kahne was winless.  His 2008 season didn't start out so hot either.  But winning the 2008 All-Star contest flipped a switch.  He smoked the very next race at Charlotte. Then he won again at Pocono.

In fact, four of the last five All-Star champs have proceeded to win at least one more race in the same season.

And, this may be woefully oversimpified, but that's all Junior's fans are asking for. A win. Points would be great, but seeing the No. 88 car in Victory Lane Saturday night would do much to soothe the restless Nation.

Not to mention, the timing couldn't be better. Saturday marks the 10th anniversary of Junior's memorable rookie season All-Star win in 2000.  It's also the eve of Dale Earnhardt's induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

If you're Dale Jr. there would be no better way to pump up your fan base than by taking the checkers this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. And if history is any indication, a win there could mean the start of a beautiful season.

How's that for positive thinking?

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.

Martin Integral In Naming His Successor

It's official.  Kasey's coming to Hendrick Motorsports.

Kasey Kahne will drive the No. 5 car  for HMS in 2012 and Mark Martin will run his final full season in 2011.

The ink on the deal is still wet, but Rick Hendrick told the media today, via  teleconference, that Kahne has been in his sights since Ray Evernham hired the youngster back in the day.

More intriguing is what Hendrick revealed about Martin's role in the deal. Apparently, Martin was key to naming his own succssor.

"Mark came to me a year ago saying that’s the guy you oughta put in the car," Hendrick explained. "It’s been on the radar for a good while."

About a year ago, Martin was also encouraging Kahne to take a serious look at Team Hendrick.

"I talked to Mark Martin and learned a lot about the place from Mark and talked to him about things," Kahne explained. "He had a lot of really good advice."

Kahne's ride for 2011 has yet to be announced.  Hendrick declined to give any specifics today regarding where Kahne will go during that one-year interim.

However, the team owner did say fans will have the answer to this and other questions soon enough.

"I don’t think it's something we've got any deadline on," Hendrick said. "But surely we should have something done in the next 90 days."

Stay tuned ...

A Little Help for Haiti

To be honest, it's kind of hard to think (much less write) about NASCAR tonight after watching the Haiti coverage on cable news.

Rick Hendrick and the folks at Hendrick Motorsports are doing their part to assist in the much-needed disaster relief and humanitarian efforts. On Monday alone, HMS helped evacuate 87 people, including 27 orphan children. Check out this video, which shows how HMS is helping out.

Not everyone can lend planes and flight crews to the relief effort, but we can all help in some small way. That's why I'm posting a link to MusicForRelief.org. Performers like Dave Matthews Band, Peter Gabriel, Hoobastank have all donated downloadable tracks in support of Haiti relief.

Check out the songs here - and click to download and donate to the relief efforts. It's the least we could do!

Above photo: A Hendrick Motorsports plane on the tarmac in Haiti

The Seventh NASCAR Day of Christmas: Seven Wins for Junior

No, you didn't misread the headline. Dale Earnhardt Jr. did win something this season - namely the Chex Most Popular Driver award - giving him seven wins total for this fan-driven honor.

“You look at Richard Petty and Bill Elliott and I’ve always felt that if you win this award once then you are in good company. I’m real proud of it," Earnhardt Jr. said when his win was announced. "The fans have hung in there and gave me one heck of a Christmas gift.”

Given the year the #88 team had, he's right. That proof of his continued fan loyalty had to be the lone high point in a valley-filled year. Struggling through two crew chiefs, multiple pit road issues and just plain bad luck, Junior's season seemed doomed from the start. And even though the team ran some better toward the end of '09, the black cloud that parked itself over the #88 car at Daytona didn't evaporate at Homestead - Junior's finishes were not indicative of a team that was on the right track.

If Dale Jr. doesn't come out of the gate strong in February, talking heads will likely point to Danicamania as one of the reasons why. The driver has often been accused of caring more about "his brand" than winning races - and the addition of Danica Patrick to the JRM fold certainly caused his company's marketability and sponsorship exposure to skyrocket.

Yet I predict that even if Patrick wrecks the entire field at Fontana and the #88 driver finishes in 30th place in every race in 2010, Junior will still walk away with an eighth most popular driver award next December.

Junior's likeability and resulting popularity with the fans isn't defined by his performance. That said, his future as a Hendrick Motorsports driver is - which is why the 2010 season could well be the most important year in Earnhardt Jr's career. Rick Hendrick has repeatedly said his focus will be the #88 team's performance - and he has intimated that he's ready to make whatever changes are necessary to get Junior performing as well as the rest of his drivers.

So hang on to your helmets. Whether Junior wins or loses, 2010 is gonna be one heckuva news year.

If You Can't Get Enough Jimmie ...

If you didn't get of enough Jimmie Johnson during Champion's Week or every single race of The Chase for that matter, then you're in luck. HBO is bringing a boatload of Jimmie to your cable TV this winter.

HBO Sports' "24/7" reality franchise will debut its first non-boxing series with "24/7 Jimmie Johnson: Race to Daytona," an all-access series chronicling Jimmie and the No. 48 team as they prepare for the Daytona 500.

Debuting Tuesday, Jan. 26th at 10 p.m. ET, this four-week series spotlights the reigning four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion and gives viewers exclusive behind-the-scenes access, along with in-depth interviews with Jimmie, crew chief Chad Knaus, Rick Hendrick and the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team.

Let me speak frankly, this is one chick who wouldn't mind spending 24 hours with Jimmie Johnson. He could clean my pool, change a light bulb or just sit there and look pretty. But alas, the likelihood of that happening is less than me winning the Nobel Peace Prize. Guess I'll be tuning in come January for my Jimmie fix.

Mark Martin - Simply the Best

Sometimes simple is better. And during his speech at last night's Sprint Cup Series Awards banquet, Mark Martin proved once again that he is simply the best.

The banquet's setting was anything but simple. The glitzy Vegas ballroom featured choreographed violinists, sequins, confetti, pop music and pre-fab speeches.

Then there was Mark Martin.

Martin, who watched the biggest dream of his career drive away with the #48 at Homestead, wasn't accepting a championship trophy. But his words last night were championship caliber.

After sitting through several tired jokes about his age, Martin got up to speak. He didn't use his time at the podium to talk up the "Mark Martin brand" nor did he use humor to mask potshots at his competitors.

With a level of sincerity and thoughtfulness that none of the other drivers managed to muster, Martin cut through the trappings and got right to the heart of things.

He began by thanking his wife for her support - and then sweetly choked up as he told her she still gave him butterflies after all these years. With humble respect, he told Rick Hendrick that Hendrick was a champion of a person and said "I want to be more like you." He thanked the fans who had cheered him on through his racing career, and also those of a certain age who, this season, adopted him as proof that your life doesn't have to slow down as you get older.

He even graciously thanked the crew chiefs of his teammates for welcoming him to Hendrick Motorsports - including the beleaguered Tony Eury, Jr.

Finally, in the manner of a father imparting some hard-got wisdom, Martin said he wanted to talk about what's really important in life. He said it's not the number of trophies that you win--because those feelings fade. People. Friendships. Memories. Family. These, said Martin, are what is truly important - and what will last a lifetime.

Simple truths from the heart of a champion.

Here's hoping Martin gets that championship in 2010.

Photo info: Mark Martin and his wife Arlene at Sprint Cup Series Awards banquet

Rick Hendrick Misses Team's History-Making Day

Hendrick Motorsports made history at Homestead.

The #48 team clinched a record-breaking fourth consecutive Sprint Cup championship. Plus, Hendrick teams snagged the top three spots in the Chase - another never-before-accomplished NASCAR feat.

Unfortunately, team owner Rick Hendrick wasn't there to see it.

Just before the race, Hendrick general manager Marshall Carlson told reporters that Hendrick had returned to North Carolina to be with his family and his niece, Alesha Gainey,who was awaiting an emergency liver transplant at a North Carolina hospital.

Gainey is the daughter of Hendrick's brother John, who was killed in the 2004 plane crash which also took the lives of Gainey's twin sisters and Rick's own son Ricky.

For a family that has seen more than its share of tragedy, the sad news of Gainey's condition seems especially hard. Twitter was lit up with messages of prayer and support for Rick Hendrick and his niece. And broadcasters on both Speed TV and ESPN/ABC aired well wishes to the team owner.

But all that still didn't make up for Hendrick's absence in Victory Lane. The post-race celebration didn't seem complete without the owner's jubilant congratulatory hugs and gracious words to the media.

Yet Hendrick's decision to miss what may well be the biggest career achievement of his life only illustrates what makes the man so respected by his employees and competitors.

To Rick Hendrick, people are more important than championships. And family is the most important of all. There is much to be admired in that.

As of this post, the news from Hendrick Motorsports is that Gainey is in surgery and all is going as planned.

We wish her and the entire Hendrick family well. God bless.

Hendrick Motorsports Documentary Set to Premiere

"TOGETHER The Hendrick Motorsports Story," will premiere Oct. 11 at 1:30 p.m. on ABC, right before the start of the Pepsi 500.

Tom Cruise narrates the documentary which chronicles 25 years of Hendrick Motorsports with employee interviews, archival footage and family photography.

The full-length version of "TOGETHER" with bonus material will be released Oct. 31 on DVD, and it will become NASCAR Media Group's first officially licensed title available on Blu-ray Disc.

A portion of Hendrick Motorsport's proceeds from those sales will benefit the Levine Children's Hospital in Charlotte, NC.

View the "TOGETHER" trailer here.

Bad News: GM Cuts Support For Camping World/Nationwide Teams

You can shove your fingers in your ears, shut your eyes and refuse to acknowledge the inevitable for only so long. But that doesn't keep the inevitable from happening.

Word broke today that General Motors is cutting its factory support for Chevy teams in both NASCAR Camping World and Nationwide Series. This is depressing news for a sport which is also suffering from lower ticket sales, lack of sponsorship and still reeling from a round of 2008 layoffs.

Although some folks, like Rick Hendrick, have publicly said they think General Motors will be all right in the end, I've got to believe that anyone involved with a Chevy race team entertains private doubts.

With the stimulus money long spent and Chapter 11 underway, General Motors must save money where it can. And it would be difficult for the company to justify spending dollars it doesn't have on its NASCAR investment. Especially when it's laying off employees left and right, shutting down plants and operating on a wing and a prayer.

Early news is that the teams most likely to be affected by the cuts will be Kevin Harvick, Inc., JR Motorsports (owned by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Rick Hendrick) and Rusty Wallace Racing -- all three of which are owned by current or one-time Cup drivers.

What's not yet clear is how much less GM will be contributing to these race teams. Hopefully "cutting back" doesn't mean "cutting off."

So far, there's nothing to indicate that the cuts will affect Chevy teams in the Sprint Cup series.

But time, as always, will tell.

Sunday Superlatives - Dover Edition

The Autism Speaks 400 wasn't the most exciting race of the season, but it did have its moments. Below are the winners and losers of The Monster Mile.

The Two Things At Once Award: With another 2nd-place finish at Dover and a new first place spot in The Chase, Tony Stewart gets my vote as the guy who's most likely to make this driver/owner thing work. Not only are the teams of Stewart-Haas Racing competitive in their first year out, they're damned good. With rumors abounding that Smoke will add a third car to his stable in 2010, it looks like this is one driver who can own a team and still be a formidable on-track contender.

Smooth Move of the Race: For sheer racing gravitas, this award goes to David Reutimann. The pole sitter found himself in an uncomfortable position when David Stremme wrecked right in front of him. But with some quick-thinking smoothness, Reutimann spun his car around the careening Stremme to avoid one monster of a crash. "The Franchise's" move saved the day and helped give Michael Waltrip Racing a top 20 finish.

Weekend Game-Changer: Rick Hendrick made a tough call this week, replacing Tony Eury Jr. with Lance McGrew atop the #88 pit box. And, from the sound of the team's radio chatter and Dale Jr's 12th-place finish, it looks like the crew chief shake-up was a good thing. Not only did the switch appease Junior Nation, McGrew's calls seemed to satisfy his driver as well. Junior told the media after the race, "I was pretty pleased that we were making good gains on the car all race long."

Instant Karma's Gonna Get You Award: Kyle Busch made headlines this week taking yet another verbal jab at Dale Earnhardt Jr., his favorite punching bag. But in the end, Busch's punches came back to haunt him. Call it instant karma or poetic justice, but Busch lost Saturday's Nationwide race to Brad Keselowski (who just happpens to drive for the Dale Jr.-owned JR Motorsports). As if that wasn't enough, Busch finished Sunday's Cup race in 23rd spot, well behind Dale Jr's 12-place-finish. Of course, Busch will likely blame tire trouble and/or equipment failure for his lackluster performances. After all, it's never the driver's fault. Right, Kyle?

Killer Pit Crew Performance: Matt Kenseth's Killer Bees secured a leading spot for their driver in one heckuva pit stop. Too bad Kenseth's car didn't have the goods to contend for the win. But kudos to his crew for their fantastic performance.

Rebound of the Race: Greg Biffle went from one lap down to having a legitmate shot at the checkers. Taking just two tires on the last pit stop put the #16 Ford in position to win. But in the end, Johnson and Stewart proved too much for The Biff. Still, third place is nothing to sneer at--and it's Biffle's ninth top 10 finish at Dover.

Mr. Hendrick, It's Time to Split Up the Family

I don't know what was more painful this weekend--suffering through a broadcast of FOX's "American Dad" during Sunday's rain delay, or watching Dale Jr. try to keep his #88 car out of the wall on Monday afternoon.

By now, race fans are used to Junior running well behind his Hendrick teammates. However, Sunday's performance, with its 38th place result, was just plain ridiculous.

It's bad enough Junebug qualified in 27th spot. But there's no excuse for going two laps down so quickly and finishing behind teams who are lucky just to get sponsors by race day. It's not like his team had the excuse of a cut tire like Harvick (or an equipment malfunction, or a miscue in the pits). Junior's car was junk from the start. And it was pitiful to watch.

If the rumors circulating in cyberspace are any indication, team owner Rick Hendrick may choose to go with a new crew chief on the #88 pit box as early as this weekend.

Hendrick has been loyal to Eury Jr. so far, but on Tuesday he didn't come out with guns blazing in his crew chief's defense. "Could it change? No. We're talking about things. We're meeting. We're going to make decisions as the days go by, but we haven't made any decision as of right now," Hendrick told reporters.

Let's hope there's something big in the works. I hate to bust up a family as much as the next girl--but it may be time for cousin Tony to move on.

Photo credit: Associated Press

Who's Where in NASCAR

Rick Hendrick: HMS fans set your Tivo. Team owner Rick Hendrick will appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show tomorrow for an episode entitled "Heroes in Hard Times". Check out the preview here (click on Tuesday).

Carl Edwards: Cousin Carl is rarin' and ready to follow the likes of Michael Waltrip into the world of prime-time television. He'll be a guest star on The Bill Engvall Show, on TBS this summer. In an episode entitled "The Way We Were," Edwards will portray "the smug, hip manager of a 20-something nightclub." Something tells me the always glib Edwards won't have any trouble delivering his lines.

Chad Knaus: He's hanging out at the top. The very top, that is. Knaus was just named Sports Illustrated's #1 NASCAR crew chief. He was voted king of the heap by the folks at S.I. and his NASCAR peers. Quoth Darrell Waltrip, "I think Chad Knaus is like Vince Lombardi or Bear Bryant. They don't care who the quarterback is. They think as long as they do their system, they're going to win."

Ryan Newman: Ryan "The Rocket Man" Newman visited Fort Jackson, an Army Base in Columbia, SC, today to hang out with fans and sign some autographs. Check out the video, courtesy of The State newspaper.

Dale Earnhardt Jr: Ol' Junebug will motor on up to Detriot and show his support for beleaguered GM automarkers on Thursday, May 28. He'll be visiting General Motors employees and members of the Michigan National Guard at the Motor City Casino. More details here.

Photo from NASCAR.com

Yee Haw! Martin's Back in 2010

Not that there was ever any doubt, but I wanted to let out a rebel yell when I heard today's official news that Mark Martin will return for a full Sprint Cup season in 2010.

But seriously, how could he not come back full-time? The guy's fifteenth in the points, been on the poll multiple times this year and then there was this teensy little victory at Phoenix. When you get down to the sugar and the shonuff, Martin is currently driving miles better than guys half his age. And at the races I've been to, he gets just as many cheers from the fans as Dale Earnhardt Jr.

In fact, it's increasingly hard to believe that Mark "The Kid" Martin almost retired from motorsports for good a couple years ago. NASCAR fans owe a huge debt of gratitude to team owner Rick Hendrick for convincing Martin to get back into a stock car full time.

Said Martin, "I'm in the best condition of my life, I'm recharged ... going to the racetrack every weekend is still really fun, and that's the key."

I'm glad he's still having fun. Because there are legions of fans out there who are still having fun watching him.