The battle tested warriors of NASCAR march into the capitol city of Richmond Saturday night. After a high speed shootout in Atlanta, the stars and cars of the Sprint Cup Series face off for a final showdown before the Chase begins.
This must be the drama that NASCAR envisioned when they came up with this Chase business. Only 122 points separate fifth place from fourteenth. Eleven drivers are still mathematicaly alive for the final eight spots in the twelve car Chase.
NASCAR's TV ratings have improved for the last four races, and that trend is sure to continue on Saturday night at Richmond. That's the good news. They start going head-to-head against the NFL on the following Sunday. That's the not so good news.
Richard Petty Motorsports driver, Kasey Kahne won last week at Atlanta in a Dodge. Next year RPM will be racing Fords as they merge with Yates Racing. Reed Sorenson is already looking for a job for next year. Paul Menard, and his dad, will be one of the four RPM cars next season, along with Kahne, AJ Allmendinger, and Elliott Sadler.
Jamie McMurray and his #26 team was supposed to go to Yates next year also as RFR cuts to the NASCAR four team limit. With no sponsorship in place, McMurray will soon join Sorenson in the unemployment line.
Jeremy Mayfield finally filed that wrongfull death lawsuit against his step mother, Lisa Mayfield, this week. He's seeking $10,000 in damages. No, I didn't leave any zeroes out.
The end of an era? Morgan Shepherd had to lay off all but two of his employees last week. His status is day-to-day. Kenny Wallace will make his 800th NASCAR start at Richmond on Friday night. Kelly Bires is the early leader in the JR Motorsports derby to drive the #88 in the NNS next season.
Benny Gordon will have a drive a special 9/11 tribute car in the NNS race Friday night. I used to pull for Benny at Summerville Speedway back in the 90s. He's a talented driver who won't back down. Look for the "Always Remember" #72 in the NNS race this week.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Too bad about Morgan Shepherd laying off all but two of his employees. I'm sure it cut him to the core having to do that. I hope he can race until the end of the year, but I doubt it now.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see JR Motorsports give Danica Patrick a shot as a part time driver next year in the No. 5 car. Bires is a good fit in No. 88, but Danica could finance both teams with her appeal to marketers and advertisers.
ReplyDeleteShe's doing the right thing because the IRL will be closed by 2012. She has no choice but to get on aboard now. Good equipment would surelt help her transition.
I remember you predicting Reed would be looking for a ride. Bummer!
ReplyDeleteGood for Kelly Bires.
Jon...Morgan went to Montreal for the NNS race a couple of weeks ago, and didn't make the race. That kind of blew his budget.
ReplyDeleteFBall...I could see her going to HMS (JRMoSpo if you prefer, but its all HMS)especially with GoDaddy paying the bills. You really think the IRL is dying?
Sav...It took a lot longer than I thought it would. lol
Damn, that totally blows for Shepherd.
ReplyDeleteDid NASCAR get it right? Don't know for sure. Did Hanner take their money?
$10k!! Probably figures he cant get blood outta a stone.
ReplyDeleteBets are on that Cupcake gets the #1 ride. Who gets the "famed" 43? AJ or do you think Mr. Menard bought it?
Oh God oh Gawd Fireball BITE YOUR TONGUE! Danica to JrMoSpo would slay me...
Hey Long Gene! (wristwatch, right?)
ReplyDeleteThought I'd stop by to pull your chain, see if you'd get up off the porch...
I see your sweetest dreams are about to come true with Danica...
Well, hang in there. I hope to get on here a little more often in the near future...
Later!
Bob, Dwindy1
Moseby....The poll was overwhelming in favor of Hanner cashing the check. And, he is a man of the public...lol
ReplyDeleteMaybe Smoke will ride to Morgan's rescue again?
Kristen...LOL. I figured that Jeremy was making a statement about her golddigging skills when he only sued for 10,000.
ReplyDeleteUgh! Imagine the iconic 43 on that Slime Green car!
I used to joke that Jr and Danni were bound to hook up someday....Tick...Tock.
D-Man!!!!
ReplyDeleteReal long time, dude! A bunch of us left Fauxsports and wandered off into the desert. We found the promised land here at blogspot.
JOIN US IN THE FUN, BRO! If you haven't already, go to the link here for 'Lug Nuts and Fan Addicts...' A great group of folks from fox. You know most of us. It's football season, so drop something on us!
If you have another blog or site, link it here. And you can post your stuff off it on the Lug Nuts blog.
Glad to see you again, man.
Danica and Dale seem like they would hook up untill Tony saw dollor signs and now wants in on the card to get her.lol
ReplyDeleteI take it Kasey is loosing the Bud sponsorship this year,?, cause the Petty's don't like that kind of sponsor.lol
All so stop loading up the votes for Kyle to make the chase.lol
ReplyDeleteF-2....Kasey and Bud drive for Richard Petty this year.
ReplyDeleteLOL...I can only vote once. I tried to vote again and it wouldn't let me. Damn!
Skoal, bro!
If Lisa Mayfield wins the Burger King Ultimate Tony Stewart Experience contest, she can choose the $10k cash prize and pay Jeremy off with it!
ReplyDeleteNice RSO as always.
ReplyDeleteI can see why McMurray's in the unemployment line. I'm pretty sure he hasn't gotten a top ten finish all season...
For once, the Chase outcome of Saturday night's race seems to be a total toss-up...
RA6AN....That's all they're giving away? $10,000? Who has the bigger head, Tony or the King?
ReplyDeleteGonger....Thanks. McMuray actually has 3 top-10s. I'm surprised. He has led one lap in 25 races this year.
Should be kind of a dramatic race tonight.
A contest to tell who has the biggest head? That is easy: The Burger King but only by about 1/16th of an inch. lol
ReplyDeleteIf Danica does come to NASCAR and winds up driving for one Tony Stewart, guess this will be the first time I will not pull for one of his teammates. lol
Sorry, but frantically I don't get it with the girl. She is not that good of a driver. But I guess the dollar speaks louder than talent these days.
great to see the rating improve.
ReplyDeleteNASCAR will pat themselves on the back for mid-season rule changes sparking interest, but I think the real reason is that ESPN promotes the hell out of it all week.
Yesterday on ESPN, NASCAR was on from 11am until the end of the Nationwide race late. That is awesome, and it creates interest for fringe fans just by being on.
Who watches TNT, or network TV for that matter? How would anyone get fired up days before an event when the coverage is so scattered with different times.
ESPN does it right for ratings purposes. Since Minday, they have been pounding the point across for this weeks race in promos.
Tsfan....Danica is living proof that you don't have to win to sell product. Although, she has won as many races in the last 3 years as Jr has. So, maybe, they're both living proof?
ReplyDeleteFBall....ESPN does promote it a lot. But the commercials are mainly just 10 second reminders. ESPN has made great commercials for football ("I cut the sleeves off because it looks awesome!") and baseball. They aren't spending any money on creating the NASCAR commercials. Unless they have soe new ones. I hardly watch ESPN anymore.
This has nothing to do with racing, but
ReplyDeleteDawgs Defeat Gamecocks 41-37!!!