The top 12 NASCAR “Race for the Chase” contenders presenting David Letterman’s “Top 12″:

Lordy, lordy, lordy. Kyle Busch said “ass” Haha anyways, I found these fun little videos and photos from The Fast and the Fabulous (a wonderful NASCAR blog by Valli) and just had to share for all you ladies out there.

The video above and the photo below was from “Chase Media Day” which shows the top 12 NASCAR Race for the Chase contenders.

I love seeing the NASCAR guys out of their element…and in suits none the less. One, it’s extremely attractive and two, it’s humanizes them, it shows the public that they really are normal human beings. Probably for the same reasons that I love seeing my favorite singers dressed in normal street clothes. It humanizes them and even for a moment, takes away from the “celebrity” factor.

Which is probably why I’m so into this photo:

Although, speaking from a degrading woman’s standpoint, I think Tony Stewart could clean up a lot better. I’d love to see him wearing something like what Denny Hamlin is wearing. Just a personal reflection.

Your news snippets from the NASCAR world from yours truly, the Race Kitten.

With only eight races to go before the chase is officially underway, Kyle Busch is in the lead points standings with 6 wins this season. If there were twelve Kyle Busch’s, he’d probably be in all top twelve spots.

 At last weekend’s race, Martin Truex Jr. got dicked…I mean docked 150 driver and 150 owner points for bringing an illegal car to Daytona. Truex’s car failed an initial inspection at Daytona when its roof did not conform to the approved template. This most likely ruined any chances for him to make the chase, putting him 18th in the standings.

In other Dale Earnhardt Inc. happenings, Aric Armorola signed with DEI to drive the #8 car full-time while Mark Martin will drive for Hendrick Motorsports. Didn’t Mark Martin say he was going to retire in 1995? “It’s hard to step away from it,” he says.

Tony Stewart will end his contract with Joe Gibbs racing a year early. He will announce at the end of this week what his future plans entail. Maybe world domination?

 This weekend’s Nationwide and Sprint Cup Races at Chicago Land Speedway will be the first nighttime race of the season with their new lights installed. This is the 10th track on the NASCAR schedule with the ability to host night races. Get your nighttime JLo sunglasses on!

 At this weekends Chicago Land race, Carl Edwards will showcase a special paint scheme of at least 8,000 Office Depot associates signatures from around the world.  “I’m excited to have so many Office Depot associates represented on the race car in such a creative and personal way,” said Edwards. I’m sure those signatures will be just as readable as the 70,000 fan signatures that Dale Jr. will try and squeeze on his car for the Talladega race.

Former NASCAR driver, Hermie Sadler signed a contract to commentate for TNA (Total Non-stop Action) Wrestling. “I am a longtime pro wrestling fan and a true supporter of TNA Wrestling; I really believe in the product. It has been a lot of fun, truly an enjoyable experience working with the superstars of TNA Wrestling,” he says. How about he just commentates the “Kyle Busch vs. Whomever Kyle Busch Pisses Off That Week” matches every week?

 Denny Hamlin says he and is team is just not performing up to potential. “It’s kind of the place where I thought we would be or maybe a little bit worse than where we’d be. We’re in the Top 10 in points, which is important for us. Right now we’ve just got to try to get a little bit more secure.” “I think we have a C-plus,” he said. “A lot of guys would love to be where we’re at right now, but I feel as a team I expect a little bit more from myself and from the team. They’re doing everything they can. If you throw luck and everything in it we get a C-plus. Based on performance I feel like we’re a B-plus or so.”

Way to boost the confidence of your team Denny! Maybe you should ask Dario Franchitti how he feels about it?

 

“Not to take anything away from (Joe Gibbs Racing), but a monkey could win in that car.” - Clint Bowyer, reacting to Denny Hamlin’s win in the Nationwide race.

Bitter much Clint?

 Chip Ganassi wants a “Chase or Bust” from driver Juan Pablo Montoya.

Maybe that monkey that Clint Bowyer was talking about could drive for Montoya?

 

Jimmie Johnson is leaning towards McCain for President. “I have to think McCain. I think our core fan base being strong Republicans like they are, that’s going to be the first choice. I also think his credits in history and what he’s done for our country, certainly for our country, a lot of those things will be fully noticed by our fan base,” said Johnson at a reception before addressing the National Press Club. “My wife and I have an apartment in New York City, and there are plenty of Democrats running around the city who are junkies for NASCAR. It’s a big sport, it really is.”

Ironically enough, Barack Obama is suddenly interested in NASCAR and will supposedly be campaigning at a future event because that’s where the “white working-class votes are.”

In the words of Austin Powers…”Riiiiiiiiiiiiight“

If one of the 13 NASCAR Sprint Cup Drivers wins the Coke Zero 400 race at Daytona International Speedway on July 5, then everyone will get a FREE Coke Zero.

 

13 NASCAR Sprint Cup Drivers are sponsored by Coca Cola Inc: Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, Denny Hamlin, Mark Martin, Greg Biffle, Elliott Sadler, Jamie McMurray, Bobby Labonte, Michael Waltrip, Clint Bowyer and David Ragan.

 

Terry Labonte, is also considered part of Coca-Cola racing. He is the driver for the #45 Petty Enterprises Dodge who is a substitute for Coca-Cola Racing Family member Kyle Petty, who broadcasts for TNT.

 

Thanks to the “Taste of Victory” program, if one of the 13 drivers wins the race go to CokeZero.com between July 5 through July 13 and follow the instructions to receive a coupon for a free 20-ounce bottle of Coke Zero.

 

“It’s pretty common for the winning driver to spring for a round of drinks after the race, but we’re taking things to a whole new level for the inaugural Coke Zero 400,” said Tony Stewart. “It would be pretty cool to come through for race fans with free Coke Zero. I hope to be in Victory Lane Saturday night telling millions of people that drinks are on me.”

 

How about a beer too Tony?

ESPN2 will feature a few race car driver fan favorites on featured shows,

Tony Stewart On “Driven To Hunt”

Two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart will be featured on an episode of the ESPN2 series “Driven to Hunt”¹ on Sunday, July 6, at 7 a.m. ET. With a repeat on at 9:30 a.m.

Stewart opens his ranch to the Hunt of a Lifetime Foundation, a nonprofit organization with a mission to grant hunting & fishing experiences and dreams for children age 21 and under, who have been diagnosed with life threatening illnesses. A member of the foundation, Zach Lorenz gets a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt big whitetail. The audience gets an exclusive view of where Stewart grew up.

Future “Driven To Hunt” episodes will feature additional drivers, team owners, and over-the-wall crew including drivers Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, Terry and Bobby Labonte and team owner Richard Childress.

Future Episodes Schedule:

7/6/08 - Tony Stewart (reairs 9/21/08)

7/13/08 - Jeff Hammond, former crewchief and FOX announcer goes on a Rocky Mountain Elk hunt in the mountains of New Mexico. (reairs 9/28/08)

7/20/08 - Clint Bowyer goes on his first deer hunt with Bill Jordan, Richard Childress, and Terry and Bobby Labonte.

7/27/08 - Kevin Harvick goes on his first Utah Elk Hunt.

8/3/08 - Austin Dillon, grandson of Richard Childress hunts for whitetail in South Texas. (reairs 9/21/08)

8/10/08 - Bobby & Terry Labonte go on a Kansas Whitetail hunt.

 

 

Dale Jr. On “Shifting Gears”

“Shifting Gears”² will air Friday, July 4, at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2 following the Nationwide Series race from Daytona this weekend. Three of the five episodes have already aired on ESPN prior to the Daytona 500. The final two air on ESPN2 in prime time the week leading up to the July 27 Allstate 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The show features an exclusive look at Dale Earnhardt Jr’s³ personal and corporate life involved with leaving Dale Earnhardt, Inc., founded by his late father. Hours and hours of camera footage was collected, starting from May 10, 2007 up until his transition to HMS.

The show is produced by Earnhardt Jr.’s Hammerhead Entertainment, a division of JR Motorsports, in cooperation with Hendrick Motorsports and is presented by the National Guard.

1. Show Information from Auto Spectator [↩]
2. Show Information from Auto Spectator [↩]
3. Photo from Zap2It [↩]

Let’s try to sift through the mess that is contract extensions, driver swaps and musical cars….

 

Confirmed Driver Status’

 

Greg Biffle¹ has confirmed he has re-signed a 3 year contract extension with Roush Fenway Racing. “Certainly I’m very excited to announce that we’ve done a multiyear extension with Roush Fenway,” said Biffle. “3M has stepped up, they had a multiyear deal to start with, but they came and re-upped, so to speak, recommitted to being on the car for those races. It was a long process, I weighed, certainly, all of my options out and it felt like the 16 car is where I really wanted to spend my next three years driving. A lot of things went into making a decision on where I was going to be. One was Ford’s commitment to the racing program and supporting us technologically … ” his teammate, Carl Edwards has re-signed until 2011.

Elliot Sadler has signed with Gillette-Evernham Motorsports until 2010.

 

Petty Enterprises has signed Bobby Labonte through 2012.

 

Casey Mears announced and confirmed he will leave Hendrick Motorsports at the end of the 2008 season.

 

Aric Almirola will drive the No. 8 Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt Inc. full-time next season.

 

“I’ve signed up with R.C.R. [Richard Childress Racing] for three more years,” Clint Bowyer said Friday at New Hampshire International Speedway. “You’ve got to live up to what you did last time, and there is a little bit more pressure,” he said. “But it is what it is.”

 

On that same note, Richard Childress Racing has added a fourth Sprint Cup car to the team, but it is yet unconfirmed who will drive the machine.

 

 

Unconfirmed Driver Status’

 

Reed Sorenson driver for Chip Ganassi Racing which will leave the #41 car open for a driver. Sorenson is mulling a contract extension, but nothing is currently set in stone, “I expect everything will be worked out in the next week or two,” he says. Sorenson is not the only suffering team as Juan Pablo Montoya and Sorenson have already changed crew chiefs this season, the third driver Dario Franchitti has also had his share of trials and tribulations. “I’m not happy running where we’ve been at and, hopefully, everybody else here isn’t either. As a driver I don’t feel like I’ve accomplished a lot of what I want to do. I want to win races and contend for championships.” Sorensen says. “I still love racing. I feel honored to be here and lucky to do this as a living. Most of the people in this garage are huge competitors and when you’re not challenging for a good finish, it definitely wears on you. I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot, but I feel now it’s time we accomplished some things at this level.”

 

Martin Truex Jr. could possibly leave DEI to replace Ryan Newman at Penske racing. Ryan Newman could go to the Haas CNC team that Tony Stewart will possibly run in which Newman could be a co-owner and driver.

 

It is rumored that Mark Martin is leaving DEI driving for HMS for Casey Mears’ former #5 car so Aric Armoriola can race the #8 car full-time. The Mark Martin move makes sense to some fans due to his experience with driving some NNS races for the team.

 

In the same turn, there was also the rumored route that Mark Martin will leave DEI and drive for HMS (Casey Mears former #5 car) part-time with Brad Keselowski so they can slowly wean Keselowski in the Sprint Cup. Some find it hard to grasp Martin driving full-time because he enjoys doing part time.

 

Another rumored possibility is that Casey Mears is going to Richard Childress Racing to fill in the fourth car that was reported to be made for Sprint Cup racing. Some find it hard to see Mears fitting in with Burton and Harvick though. Other opening for Mears could include DEI where Truex Jr. left off or Ganassi where Sorenson left off. His competition for any of these possibilities could come from Scott Wimmer, David Stremme or Reed Sorenson. Confused yet?

 

 

Most of the rumored speculations are revolved around Tony Stewart² ending his contract with JGR early, (Chevrolet wants to help buy Tony out of his contract with JGR) to join Haas CNC racing with 50% ownership. Mind you, he is looking for ownership somewhere so the possibility is not out of the realm. The other unconfirmed possibility is Tony Stewart ending his contract one year early to go to Hendrick Motorsports. The big question is though, would NASCAR really allow the powerhouse that is Gordon, Johnson and Earnhardt Jr. becomes an even bigger powerhouse with Stewart in the mix? It would become a monopoly, like Microsoft is to the technical world.

 

If Tony leaves JGR, the next rumored possibility is that young racing phenomenon, Joey Logano will take his place and will take his sponsor (Home Depot) to which Home Depot will be offered a cheaper deal with Logano then what they had with Stewart.

 

There’s no denying that Stewart is looking for a position where he is owning a race team/cars. Stewart has not confirmed any speculations. I do predict that an announcement in regards to Tony’s decision will come sooner than later with the situation of Casey Mears leaving HMS and the speculations and rumors flying rapid more than ever around what Tony will do.

 

It is a tossup as to what will really happen, It will unquestionably be fascinating to see how the soap opera part of NASCAR plays out. Hopefully the soap opera realm of this NASCAR story will not trickle over and effect the performance and driving statistics of these driver’s playing the “musical cars” game.

1. Photo from AP, Modified by Kitten [↩]
2. Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR, Modified by Kitten [↩]

Well I must say that this is the first Sprint Cup race that I have watched in a few weeks where I was genuinely interested throughout the entire race and expected not to be, and most importantly…I was able to watch the entire race uninterrupted and without any power failures.

 

I guess a power outage wouldn’t have disappointed me much since the LENOX Industrial Tools 301, turned into the LENOX Industrial Tools 284 due to rain.

 

Casey Mears dominated the first quarter of the race due to pit strategy. How convenient that the same weekend that it is announced that he is being released from Hendrick Motorsports he leads his first laps of the race all season. I guess firing race car driver lights a fire under their butt! If I was a driver for Hendrick Motorsports, I’d be farting fire out my butt all season long…so why is Casey now making something happen?

 

Once Tony Stewart took over the lead he dominated the rest of the race with the exception of when it counted most. “It’s just been the oddest year I’ve ever seen for this team,” said Stewart. ”It’s just frustrating.” 

 

Tony lead 132 laps of the entire race but it looks like pit road strategy could have helped him in today’s race. It worked for him yesterday in the Nationwide Series.

 

Stewart’s last victory was on 8/12/07 at Watkins Glen, so this win today would have most likely been very important for Stewart (and his fans.) I know I’m personally sitting on pins and needles waiting for my favorite man to bring home the bacon to mama! Haha!

 

Just for a hearty tidbit, Toyota has collectively lead 2081 laps this season. If we did the math, 90% of those laps are Kyle Busch’s. Alas, we go back to the “lighting a fire under your butt” analogy aforementioned above. Hendrick Motorsports is slowly becoming the butt lighting race team, releasing one race car driver at a time.

 

At Lap 220 Kasey Kahne spun out Aric Armirola. Kahne, in turn spins out at lap 224 and no caution came out which caused Kahne to loose a lot of track position, and would eventually put him more than a few laps down.

 

At Lap 228 a great competitive race ensued between teammates Gordon and Johnson which gave Stewart an even more significant lead.

 

With 27 laps to go, Dale Earnhardt Jr, was getting ready to pit.  He drove towards the pit lane, driving below the yellow line when out of nowhere BLAM! McMurray rams Earnhardt Jr. from the back and spins out, in turn Ragan comes barreling on through and hits McMurray. Post race, McMurray explained he did not see Earnhardt Jr because he was looking ahead of where he wanted his car to eventually be, and no indication was left from his spotter that Jr. was there.

 

During the pit stops following the Earnhardt Jr./McMurray/Ragan wreck, Tony lost four positions by taking right side tires only while most took fuel only.

 

A few more laps later, Hornish and Bowyer get together in a wreck. Once the caution was waved after getting through the wreck Montoya and Kyle Busch get into some rubbing shenanigans and Montoya intentionally spins out Kyle Busch.

 

Who do you think is at fault for the wreck, Busch or Montoya? Or both?

 

After 284 laps, it rains, it pours…and NASCAR calls the race. Kurt Busch wins, luck and strategy was on his side, even though Kurt seemed to have hinted during rain delay interviews that maybe a win wasn’t very deserved due to a rain technicality.

“Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good,” said Busch. ”We might not have been the fastest car, but we got the win.”

 

Do you think Kurt Busch deserve the win?

 

I say yes! If you are smart enough and have good enough timing to plan such strategery (Thanks for the word Kyle Petty!) then as Dale Earnhardt Jr. said after his win on fuel strategy a few weeks ago…”A WIN IS A WIN”.

 

Dale Earnhardt Jr’s fuel strategy should be no different than Kurt Busch’s pit strategy. Period. If you disagree, please…enlighten me.

So I had always been curious as to what “Power Rankings” were. The rankings were always different than the point’s standings and I always read about it on news articles and wondered how they ranked the drivers. With a little heart-filled research, I found out that it was basically a ranking by a bunch of sports guru’s on Yahoo! Sports.

Here are the Richmond Power Rankings from Yahoo! Sports:

1: Kyle Busch
Rowdy – No. 1 in the points, No. 43 in your hearts.

2: Denny Hamlin
Prediction of the week: We will not see a more dominating performance than the show Hamlin put on at Richmond.

3: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The frustration has clearly set in. Don’t for a second think this winless streak isn’t in Junior’s head.

4: Jeff Burton
Every week he starts in the back, and every week he ends up near the front.

5: Carl Edwards
So he just re-upped with Roush, but it’s only for three years, meaning the clock is ticking. Jack, you better get this boy a championship, soon.

6: Tony Stewart
Just wait. When June hits and weather heats up, Smoke will rise and it will be 1, 2, 3, for Joe Gibbs Racing.

7: Clint Bowyer
A win is a win. Regardless, Bowyer proved he’s a stud on the short tracks.

8: Jimmie Johnson
Something just doesn’t feel right with the 48 team. You can call them a lot of thing, but until now inconsistent wasn’t one of them.

9: Kevin Harvick
Finally broke through with his first top 10 in over a month.

10: Jeff Gordon
Great comeback, but you can’t win a championship with a bunch of great comebacks.

11: Ryan Newman
The real test for Newman is whether or not he can put together three straight top 10s, something he hasn’t done yet this season and did only once last year.

12: Juan Pablo Montoya
We’re sticking with you, Juan, because if you hadn’t gotten caught in the Richmond ‘Big One,’ you would have been right there.

Lucky Dog: Travis Kvapil
Sponsorless at the start of the season, he’s now ahead of Kurt Busch and Matt Kenseth in the standings.

DNF: Michael Waltrip
Didn’t you love how DW blamed the incident with Casey Mears on his brother’s bumper getting stuck on Mears’, when in reality Waltrip’s foot being glued to the accelerator caused the issue.
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