NASCAR Talk

I know that it has been awhile since I have given you an update on Jeremy Mayfield, but nothing entirely new has been happening until now. By my understanding, NASCAR submitted Mayfield to another drug test, that Mayfield basically ignored and made excuses for why he didn’t make it and such. The only problem is that he had a few different stories and so did his attorneys!

At this point I think that they need to leave him indefinitely suspended from NASCAR due to this whole issue. Also, Mayfield has stated before that he does not have enough money to return to the sport if his suspension was lifted. Whether or not that is true I have no idea, but I do know that the legal battle that he is in right now is costing him a pretty penny!

I just think that people are tired of hearing all the drama that this has caused within NASCAR! The reason that the drug policy got stricter was actually due to the drivers voting on it. The drivers are the one who wanted the drug policy to be stricter to protect them out on the track. I think that the strict drug policy is a thing that definitely needs to be in place since the drivers are driving at speeds up to 200 MPH, and there is no way that anyone under any kind of influence should EVER be allowed on the track, let alone allowed back to the track.

Let me know what you think!

You can now place your votes for the 25 nominees for the Hall of Fame! The winner will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in May 2010!

Here is a list of the 25 nominees:

1. Bobby Allison
   
2. Buck Baker
3. Red Byron
4. Richard Childress
5. Dale Earnhardt
6. Richie Evans
7. Tim Flock
8. Bill France Jr.
9. William H. G. France
10. Rick Hendrick
11. Ned Jarrett
12. Junior Johnson
13. Bud Moore
14. Raymond Parks
15. Benny Parsons
16. David Pearson
17. Lee Petty
18. Richard Petty
19. Glenn Roberts
20. Herb Thomas
21. Curtis Turner
22. Darrell Waltrip
23. Joe Weatherly
24. Glen Wood
25. Cale Yarborough

Most of these drivers were before my time, but I know one that I will definitely vote for, and that is Dale Earnhardt! He was my favorite all time driver and I was in complete astonishment when I saw his crash and found out that he was no longer with us. I have seen him in a lot worse crashes and crawl out of the car and walk away with no injuries.

Another driver that I will for sure vote for is Richard Petty. He has definitely helped define what NASCAR is today. He was a talented driver and I am happy to see that he is still greatly involved in NASCAR even though he is a retired driver.

Don’t forget to vote! You can go to NASCAR and vote for the nominees that you would like to see inducted into the Hall of Fame in Mar 2010!

Yesterday was the Allstate 400! It was an incredible race and one of my favorite tracks, simple because I have been there a few times to watch NASCAR races!

Here are the results of the Allstate 400:

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Mark Martin
3. Tony Stewart
4. Greg Biffle
5. Brian Vickers
6. Kevin Harvick
7. Kasey Kahne
8. David Reutimann
9. Jeff Gordon
10. Matt Kenseth
11. Juan Montoya
12. Joey Logano
13. Reed Sorenson
14. Ryan Newman
15. Carl Edwards
16. David Stremme
17. Martin Truex Jr.
18. Clint Bowyer
19. Casey Mears
20. A.J. Allmendinger

Isn’t that something? Last year Jimmie Johnson was victorious at the Allstate 400, and he was victorious again this year! He is a great driver with a lot of skills, which could possible allow him to win the Cup! Let’s see if Jimmie Johnson moved up any in the chase.

Here are the standings after the Allstate 400:

1. Tony Stewart
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Kurt Busch
5. Carl Edwards
6. Denny Hamlin
7. Ryan Newman
8. Kasey Kahne
9. Mark Martin
10. Juan Montoya
11. Greg Biffle
12. Matt Kenseth
13. David Reutimann
14. Kyle Busch
15. Brian Vickers
16. Clint Bowyer
17. Jeff Burton
18. Marcos Ambrose
19. Joey Logano
20. Jamie McMurray

Wow! Jimmie Johnson moved into the #2 spot for the chase! He is now only 192 points behind the leader, Tony Stewart. Stay tuned for next weeks race to find out if Jimmie Johnson can close in on the lead!

This past weekend, NASCAR traveled to Richmond, VA for the Russ Friedman 400. This weekend turned out to be twice as good for Kyle Busch. Not only was it Kyle’s birthday, but he also took victory lane!

Here are the unofficial results of the Russ Friedman 400:

1. Kyle Busch
2. Tony Stewart
3. Jeff Burton
4. Ryan Newman
5. Mark Martin
6. Sam Hornish Jr.
7. Jamie McMurray
8. Jeff Gordon
9. Casey Mears
10. Juan Montoya
11. Marcos Ambrose
12. Kurt Busch
13. Matt Kenseth
14. Denny Hamlin
15. Brian Vickers
16. Robby Gordon
17. Greg Biffle
18. Clint Bowyer
19. Joey Logano
20. Reed Sorenson

I knew Tony would show up near the top soon, and he had a great race and worked hard, and it paid off as he took second place. Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished in 27th place, just in case you wanted to know.

Here are the unofficial standings after the Russ Friedman 400:

1. Jeff Gordon
2. Kurt Busch
3. Tony Stewart
4. Denny Hamlin
5. Kyle Busch
6. Jimmie Johnson
7. Jeff Burton
8. Clint Bowyer
9. Carl Edwards
10. Ryan Newman
11. Greg Biffle
12. Matt Kenseth
13. David Reutimann
14. Juan Montoya
15. Mark Martin
16. Brian Vickers
17. Kasey Kahne
18. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
19. Marcos Ambrose
20. Casey Mears

Well it seems that Jeff Gordon was able to battle his way back up to the #1 spot on the chase to the cup. After Kyle’s victory, he gained one spot as well!

Stay tuned for next week to see how the standings change after the Southern 500 located in Darlington, SC.

Wow what a race! This past weekend was the Aaron’s 499 located at Talladega, AL. There was a new face in the winner’s circle this weekend! It was also good to see Dale Earnhardt Jr. finish strong and manage to claim second place!

Here are the unofficial results of the Aaron’s 499:

1. Brad Keselowski
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
3. Ryan Newman
4. Marcos Ambrose
5. Scott Speed
6. Kurt Busch
7. Greg Biffle
8. Brian Vickers
9. Joey Logano
10. Jeff Burton
11. Reed Sorenson
12. David Ragan
13. Paul Menard
14. Joe Nemechek
15. Regan Smith
16. Casey Mears
17. Matt Kenseth
18. Max Papis
19. Elliot Sadler
20. Juan Montoya

Jeff Gordon finished this race in 37th and started in 14th. After saying that, was that good enough to hold on to the Sprint Cup points lead? Well let’s see…

Here are the unofficial standings after the Aaron’s 499:

1. Kurt Busch
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Jimmie Johnson
4. Tony Stewart
5. Denny Hamlin
6. Kyle Busch
7. Carl Edwards
8. Clint Bowyer
9. Jeff Burton
10. Greg Biffle
11. David Reutimann
12. Matt Kenseth
13. Ryan Newman
14. Kasey Kahne
15. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
16. Juan Montoya
17. Brian Vickers
18. Mark Martin
19. Marcos Ambrose
20. Kevin Harvick

It looks like after NASCAR traveled to Talladega, Jeff Gordon could not hold on to the points lead. Stay tuned for the next race to see if Jeff can manage to get the lead back!

The next race is at the Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, VA, the Russ Friedman 400. Don’t miss it!

Okay, so if you missed the race on Saturday night, then I am sorry because it was a great one! The track was definitely lit up, not only with lights, but with many talented drivers, who gave the winner a race for his money.

The winner of the Subway Fresh Fit 500 was Mark Martin! I knew there was going to be a new name in the winner’s circle, but never knew it would be Mark Martin. Mark Martin is an extremely talented and consistent driver, maybe he will continue his winning streak this season.

Here are the results of the Subway Fresh Fit 500:

1. Mark Martin
2. Tony Stewart
3. Kurt Busch
4. Jimmie Johnson
5. Greg Biffle
6. Denny Hamlin
7. Martin Truex Jr.
8. David Reutimann
9. Sam Hornish Jr.
10. Carl Edwards

Here are the points standings after the Subway Fresh Fit 500:

1. Jeff Gordon
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Kurt Busch
4. Tony Stewart
5. Denny Hamlin
6. Clint Bowyer
7. Kyle Busch
8. Carl Edwards
9. David Reutimann
10. Kasey Kahne

Just in case you Jeff Gordon fans are wondering what place he finished, he finished 25th!

Stay tuned for next weeks race to see how the standings change!

Next weeks race is the Aaron’s 499 located in Talladega, AL.

The Subway Fresh Fit 500 is sure to be a dark race. The race does not begin until 8pm on Saturday night! Hope the lights are bright, hehe! It seems, as I look at the schedule, more and more races each season are raced on Saturdays at night, instead of the Sunday at noon races!

Here is the NASCAR schedule for the next several races:

• Saturday, April 18 - Phoenix, AZ - 8pm EST
• Sunday, April 26 - Talladega, AL - 1pm EST
• Saturday, May 2 - Richmond, VA - 7pm EST
• Saturday, May 9 - Darlington, SC - 7pm EST

Then on May 16th, NASCAR has 2 special races: The NASCAR Sprint Showdown and the Sprint All-Star Race. These events start at 7pm EST.

Continuation of the schedule…

• Sunday, May 24 - Charlotte, NC - 5pm EST
• Sunday, May 31 - Dover, DE - 1:30pm EST

This schedule takes us all the way through May! Don’t forget about tomorrow nights race!

I will post the results as well as a few highlights from the race on Saturday as soon as the race is over, which will be pretty late! Hehe.

Well have a great weekend and enjoy the sunshine and the race!

This coming up weekend is the Subway Fresh Fit 500 located in Phoenix, AZ. This race is sure to be a hot one. The number 24 car is running strong, but so are a lot of others!

I have noticed that each race Tony Stewart is getting stronger and faster. If you ask me, his ride to victory lane is coming soon! I think it is time, that we will start seeing different drivers heading to victory lane. I believe that there are several drivers that have a great shot at it. Who knows, this weekend in Arizona might be their shot!

This up coming race is going to be on Saturday, April 18th, instead of the usual Sunday races.

Maybe we will see a NEW name on the winner’s list. So far out of the first 7 races, there have only been 5 different drivers including:

• Matt Kenseth
• Kyle Busch
• Kurt Busch
• Jimmie Johnson
• Jeff Gordon

Like I said, I think it is about time for Tony Stewart’s victory lane experience for the 2009 season! Don’t you agree?

Stay tuned this Saturday to see who the winner is!

When I hear the words “NASCAR legends,” many drivers come into my mind. The first two that popped into my mind were Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Richard Petty, both of which qualify as legends in my book!

Dale Earnhardt: Dale Earnhardt was known as “The Intimidator” for most of his racing career, although he had many nick names, “The Intimidator” was the most used. He won 7 championships in his career. His career lasted from 1975 until 2001. Daytona, FL 2001, is the place Dale Earnhardt lost his life on the final lap as he crashed into the wall which resulted, sadly, in his death. While Dale was racing, he started Dale Earnhardt Incorporated, which is now ran by his wife, Teresa Earnhardt. Even though Dale is no longer with us, I believe that he had a huge role in making NASCAR what it is today!

Richard Petty: Richard Petty was known as “The King.” His career lasted from 1972 until he retired in 1992. He won many races throughout his career with NASCAR. He started Petty Enterprises and now runs it along side Kyle Petty. I do believe that Richard Petty had a great impact on NASCAR and through his bloodline, still does!

There are so many NASCAR drivers that would fall under the category of legends! I know of quite a few drivers that have recently retired or that are currently still driving that are true legends to the sport of NASCAR!

Well, what do you know? The crown prince of NASCAR, Dale Earnhardt Jr. managed to pull out the very first win of the season in his new Hendrick Motorsports ride. Thanks to a nice push from new teammate Jimmie Johnson, Jr. was able to pass friend and rival Tony Stewart and then kept him in the rear view mirror for the last couple laps. The stands went wild with excitement over the win, and it seemed to prove Jr. didn’t lose any fans with his big team change, and may have even picked up some more. It was a great race by everyone and a fun one to watch. It just got me ready for the entire 2008 season. Bring on Daytona 500 qualifying!

To see how everyone finished the race, keep reading after the jump.

NASCAR, Budweiser Shootout Results 2008

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Name: Carl Edwards
Car #: 99
Series: Sprint Cup (also current Busch Series Champion)
Sponsor : Office Depot
Manufacturer : Ford
Car Owner : Georgetta Roush
Team : Roush Fenway Racing
Crew Chief : Bob Osborne
Birthday: Aug. 15, 1979
Hometown: Columbia, Mo.
Personal: Single

The 2007 Busch Series Champion Carl Edwards may be known for his back flips, showing off his hard abs on the cover of magazines, and his 1000 watt smile, but the racer has proven his potential on the track as well in both the Busch Series and the Nextel Cup Series where he finished 9th this year.

Carl is the son of accomplished Midget Car driver Mike Edwards and has known nothing but racing his entire life. In 1993, a 13 year old Carl began his racing career running mini-sprints. After a few years and 75 wins later, Carl switched over to dirt track racing and started tearing up the tracks in his native Missouri. He won the 1998 Rookie of the Year honors for Modified racing series and won the championship the following year. Edwards continued his domination in the NASCAR Weekly Series, winning the Rookie of the Year award in 2000. He continued racing in ARCA until he was tapped in 2003 to run a full truck series schedule for Roush Racing.

After a short two seasons in the Craftsman Truck Series, Jack Roush asked Carl to finish out the 2004 season for the #99 Nextel Cup team recently vacated by Jeff Burton. Since he started in 13 races, he was not eligible for the Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors in his first full time Nextel Cup season in 2005. He did, however, go on to win 4 races that year and ended up third in the Championship Point Standings. He was also able to claim Rookie of the Year honors in the Busch Series for that season.

Carl has remained competitive in the Nextel Cup series and has been involved in the Chase for the Championship every year since his rookie season.

Carl Edwards Websites:
Roush-Fenway Racing
Official Carl Edwards Site
NASCAR.com Driver Page

If you know a great Carl Edwards Website that should be added to the list, please leave a comment below!

NASCAR, NASCAR Driver Bio, Carl Edwards Bio

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson were docked 100 points each Tuesday, and their crew chiefs were both fined $100,000 and suspended for six races for violations at Infineon Raceway.

The two Hendrick Motorsports cars failed an initial inspection Friday in Sonoma, Calif., when NASCAR officials found unapproved modifications to the fenders on their Chevrolets. NASCAR refused to let either driver on the track the entire day, and neither was allowed to qualify.

But the fenders were fixed, the cars passed inspection Saturday and were allowed to race Sunday. Gordon, the four-time series champion, finished seventh while defending Nextel Cup champion Johnson was 17th.

Gordon remains the Nextel Cup points leader after the deduction, but his margin was cut to 171 points over Denny Hamlin. Johnson dropped from third to fifth.

But both will have to race through the summer without their crew chiefs. Chad Knaus and Steve Letarte are not eligible to return to the track until Aug. 15. The crew chiefs also were placed on probation through the end of the year.

There was no immediate word from Hendrick Motorsports on if it plans to appeal the penalties. Gordon and Johnson are the most dominant drivers in NASCAR this season they’ve won four races each and Hendrick has 10 victories this year.

Car owner Rick Hendrick traveled to California after the failed inspection, and argued his crew chiefs were operating in a ”gray area” of the NASCAR rule book as it pertains to the new Car of Tomorrow.

”I don’t necessarily say they bent the rules I think they thought they were working inside an area in which they could,” Hendrick said. ”It’s going to be tough, as we go forward, on what’s intentional and what’s accidental and how they handle it, so you’re definitely going to have to show up with these things measured up.”

But NASCAR has insisted this season that there no longer are any questionable parts of the rule book, particularly when it comes to the COT. Teams were warned in March that any infractions dealing with the car were subjected to a loss of 100 points, a $100,000 fine and a six-race suspension.

NASCAR adhered to those guidelines last month when it penalized Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his crew chief, Tony Eury Jr., for modifications found on the wing of their COT at Darlington Raceway.

Now the Hendrick teams have been hit with the same penalties, although many believed Knaus a repeat offender should have received a stiffer punishment.

This is at least the 15th time Knaus has been penalized for something during his crew chief career, and this was his fourth suspension since 2001. He sat out four races last season when NASCAR found illegal modifications following Johnson’s qualifying run for the Daytona 500.

Johnson went on to win the 500, and again at Las Vegas, without Knaus. The two reunited in March and went on to win their first championship.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Sorry for missing my “Biggest Winners & Losers” article this week. I have started back to work and haven’t been home much. Of course this week’s biggest winner was Martin Truex Jr..

On days that I will be working, I’m going to start writing my articles the night before and posting them in the morning before I head to work.

Thanks for sticking with me, and I will be back to my normal schedule this week.

His father may have founded NASCAR, but Bill France Jr. made the sport what it is today. France died yesterday from complications from cancer. He was 74. Below are a few links to tributes. I will post a few more in the coming days.

NASCAR.Com

ESPN.Com

SPEEDTV.com

FoxSports.Com

Expect my “This Week’s Winners & Losers” article late this even or early tomorrow morning.

NASCAR.Bill France Jr., cancer, SPEED, Fox Sports, ESPN, NASCAR.Com

Due to starting a new job and the lack of subscribers, I have decided to put the newsletter on the back burner for now. The newsletter will happen, just not at this time.