Are you ready for some slam bang racing this week? It may be a road course instead of a short track. It may be in wine country instead of 'shine country. Hell, it is North California instead of North Carolina, but the road circuits tend to bring out the old school, paint swappin', fender rubbin', donut leaving, hard charging in all the drivers.
Musical Chairs
After Stewart Haas Racing said it's now too late to form a third team for Kasey Kahne to drive for next year, Phoenix Racing has come forward to offer their services. Phoenix hopes to get one of those sweetheart deals (top driver, sponsor, and HMS support) by becoming an HMS satellite team, if only for one year. They would, in effect, be Hendrick's seventh team... but who's counting.
Toro Rojo
Casey Mears was bounced from his (evidently, very) temporary Red Bull ride last week after an on-track team driver meeting with Scott Speed at 170 mph. Mears is headed back to the start-and-park effort at TBR with all the other underachievers. Reed Sorenson parlays some solid NNS runs this year into the Red Bull seat that Mears barely kept warm for Brian Vickers. Langley Speedway legend, Elton Sawyer also lost his management position at RBR last week.
It's No Secret
After dominating last week at MIS, Denny Hamlin said what everyone already knows. Hamlin stated that all the drivers know to expect the 'debris' caution near the end of every race. He also shrugged and deadpanned, "We know it's show business."
Some are predicting that Hamlin will be penalized by NASCAR, because other sports do not tolerate competitors trashing the officiating. It's bad enough that NASCAR defends the indefensible, but publicly going after Hamlin would send a sour message to the fans. As in, "We don't mind you guys purposely wrecking each other at 190 now, but no truth telling!"
Infineon and Beyond!
It's been a long time since a part-time, road race ringer won a Cup road race. So, why do owners keep bringing them in every year?
Boris Said returns, this time in the #26. Among the other one and dones are PJ Jones, Brian Simo, and Jan Magnussen.
Jimmie Johnson is 0 for 16 on the two road courses now on the Cup schedule.
Dale Earnhardt Jr's best finish here is 11th, and his average finish is 21.4.
Kasey Kahne's average is even worse. Even after winning last year, he averages a 26.7 finish here.
The last ringer to win on a twisty? Mark Donohue at Riverside in 1973, driving an AMC Matador for Roger Penske.
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Hey Gene!
ReplyDeleteI like the comparisons in your first lines, especially the wine and shine! A little history too!
They have been having flurries of small earthquakes up and down the San Andreas the last few days. Check it out... http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqscanv/
Maybe it'll be a shake rattle and roll road race!
Oh yeah... have you taken a hard look at your poll? If the bars were fingers what would it mean? lol
Have a good weekend man!
Been awhile Gene ....
ReplyDeleteSo it is Bottle Shock, check out this movie that tells the story of how California wine became world famous by blowing away the French fermented grapes.
Look's like Denny is blowing away hotdog wrappers and the Boys at the Beach are not going to touch him. His main man, Mike Ford knows how to set up a car and is one of the best mechanic's in the bizzz or is that buzzz.
Enjoy the race and the weekend
Gene, I'm predicting the phantom "debris" caution to come out with around 3 laps to go to set up G-W-C, particularly if Harvick or Hamlin has checked out on the field. (Neither are high on NASCAR's favorites list.) As for Johnson, make it 0 for 17 this time around.
ReplyDeleteDwindy.... Haha... so that's why everyone was voting for Bowyer. They were trying to tell me something? LOL
ReplyDeleteRick... great to see you back around, bro. Weird! I was thinking of you when I put in that last part about Donohue. I even tried to post a pic of the #16 Matador, but I couldn't get it to go at the bottom of the post... kept inserting at the top.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to check out that wine movie... while drinking beer...LOL
Don't be a stranger, dude!
Jon.... LOL. They'll probably have real debris on the track during those last few laps. The boys go even crazier than usual at Sonoma in the closing laps.
ReplyDeleteSNAFU @ RBR .... Not only did Mears hit Speed in Sprint Cup but Vettel and Webber tangled in F1 while running 1st and 2nd. What the hell is in that Red Bull energy drink?
ReplyDeleteAh yes, road course racing! Harvick needs to prove he can win races not just score points. Sonoma provides him a good chance to show he's a legitimate title contender, otherwise when the Chase begins he'll just get lost in the shuffle like the previous regular season points leaders.
Which reminds me, the Chase desperately needs a road course event. Either change the date for Sonoma or Watkins Glen or add a new road course.
BC..... Harvick appears to be in point racing mode since winning at Talladega a couple of months ago. Top-5s and top-10s add up to the points lead.
ReplyDeleteHe led 2 laps at Dega and has led 8 laps in the six races since.... but he still leads the points.
A road race during the Chase would be cool. JJ might not have 4 in a row if there were a road course during the Chase.
NASCAR's 2 minute warning at the end of every race. Why don't they just admit it is, what it is?
ReplyDeleteBottle Shock was ok. Sideways was better.
Of the ringers, at least Said has raced Daytona. Not sure, but I think he even had a pole wiped away by rain at Talledega?
Late for the show as usual...
ReplyDeleteHey CR, been awhile
ReplyDeleteTell me about sideways and we are not talking about Hanny ....just kidding Gene
CR... I think it was the Pepsi 400 at Daytona that it rained with just a few cars left to qualify and Boris missed the pole... and the race!
ReplyDeleteBest thing about Sideways was Paul Giamati, he was great in Cinderella Man, also.
Hey RL... Sideways is a quirky little movie with a lot of funny true-to-life humor. Kind of a strange last weekend for a soon to be wed guy and his friend, set in Solvang CA, with lot's of wine inuendos!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Gene... I remember it well, the Germans wore grey! LOL
ReplyDelete