NASCAR Talk

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and the Nextel Cup teams are using their cars to get the message out to fans. Now the color pink is probably not the first thing that comes to mind for gearheads and race car drivers, but several popular drivers are doing their part for the cause with special paint schemes throughout the month of October.

To go along with their Pink Promise M&Ms, the #38 M&Ms Ford of Robert Yates Racing driven by David Gilliland bore a special pink paint scheme at Lowe’s Motorspeedway in Charlotte to help promote Breast Cancer Awareness and the search for the cure. Bobby Labonte also drove a special Pink Cheerios scheme on the #43 Petty Dodge in Charlotte.

Chip Gnassi Racing’s #41 Target Dodge driven by Reed Sorenson will be going pink this weekend at Martinsville and again the following weekend in Atlanta in order to raise money and awareness for Breast Cancer research. Sorenson will put up his own money, donating $12.62 for each lap he completes at the Atlanta race, which will then be matched by Target. His helmet and firesuit will also be auctioned off after the race and the proceeds will benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and Project Pink House.

I, personally, really like the pink cars and that these drivers and teams are doing their part to help spread the message about Breast Cancer. I think it’s great their sponsors would share their coveted space on the cars with such a worthy cause and do their part to help beat the disease. What do you think? Do you like the different paint schemes or would you rather the cars always look the same? Let me know in the comments section below.

NASCAR, Nextel Cup, Nextel Cup Special Paint Schemes, NASCAR Breast Cancer Awareness

Once upon a time, series like the Indy Cars and Formula One had a lot of fans, a lot of hype, and a lot of money. Today, NASCAR has taken over the airwaves, many of the sponsors, and a lot of the fans. It is a commonly held belief amongst drivers and car owners that the Nextel Cup series is the epitome of racing nowadays, and that’s clearly where the money is. And money talks. Right now, it seems that money is calling to some of the best open wheel racers in the business who are leaving their comfort zone and taking a chance in NASCAR.

Obviously, Juan Pablo Montoya has been holding his own in the big leagues for Chip Gnassi Racing, and is leading the points for the Rookie of the Year honors at the Nextel Cup level. He drove a few Busch Series races last year to get his feet wet, and it wasn’t long before the road course specialist won his first race in the Nextel Cup. Now the 2007 Indy 500 winner (and Ashley Judd’s husband) Dario Franchitti has just announced he will be leaving the Indy Car series to drive the #40 Cup car for Chip Gnassi Racing full time during the 2008 Season. Literally, I heard it on ESPN as a breaking news report as I started typing this post last night, and an official press conference is scheduled for today (the announcement will be made live at 10:30 ET on Speed Channel). It has been confirmed previously that Franchitti will make his NASCAR debut this weekend in the ARCA race at Talladega.

I also heard Jeff Gordon complaining in a sound bite this afternoon on the radio about how Jacques Villeneuve, Formula One superstar, will make his cup debut at Talladega this Sunday with no more NASCAR driving under his belt beyond a lack-luster finish in the Las Vegas Craftsman Truck race and a Car of Tomorrow Test Session at Talladega. Hendrick teammate Kyle Busch shares Gordon’s reservations about an untested driver joining a restrictor plate race in the middle of the Chase with no previous seat time.

What do you think about these drivers making the leap to the big leagues? Do they need more practice before they jump in feet first, or do you welcome them and their talent to the races? Let me know in the comment section below.

NASCAR, Dario Franchitti, Chip Gnassi Racing, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jacques Villeneuve, Open Wheel racers in NASCAR