THE Official 2008 NASCAR Thread!

[DanGarion]

So I looked around real quick and realized that we don't have a 2008 NASCAR Thread, well now we do.

Jimmy and Michael on the pole. Dale Jr. wins the Bud Shootout for his new team owner. Those are just some of the stories from the first weekend of NASCAR.

I think Dale Jr. has a great chance of winning this upcoming weekend top 10 in qualifying. And I got to say even though I'm normally a Chevy guys I really have a soft spot for Boris Said and I hope he's able to get in on Thursday. Should be an interesting season with 4 former Indy winners now in the Cup and all these new open wheel guys coming to race with the good ol' boys.

[Lathum]

I started an fofc nascar fantasy league for any interested parties.

http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=63712

[DanGarion]

Busch and Stewart both get on probation for 6 races after their little incident during/after practice last Friday.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news?slug=ap-nascar-daytona500&prov=ap&type=lgns

[DanGarion]

Dale Jr. wins the first Twin-125 Qualifier! (http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news;_ylt=AsTamzV5mudBuZQlSCNGwQXov7YF?slug=ap-nascar-daytona500&prov=ap&type=lgns)

[JonInMiddleGA]

Dale Jarrett & John Andretti race their way into Sunday's race in the 2nd qualifier, leaving David Reuttiman to fall back on his qualifying time and leaving hardluck Boris Said on the outside looking in.

Most of the newer import drivers (from other series) were fairly quiet today, although Patrick Carpentier looked good until the car went away from him & eventually sent him into the wall.

[DanGarion]

Dale Jarrett & John Andretti race their way into Sunday's race in the 2nd qualifier, leaving David Reuttiman to fall back on his qualifying time and leaving hardluck Boris Said on the outside looking in.

Most of the newer import drivers (from other series) were fairly quiet today, although Patrick Carpentier looked good until the car went away from him & eventually sent him into the wall.

Sucks for Carpentier he really seems like a nice guy from his conversations last weekend I saw. I'm not a big fan of how they are doing qualifying nowadays, I don't think last years team points should factor into qualifying for this years race. I'm looking for a starting grid for Daytona but they don't have it posted yet.

[DanGarion]

I love this quote from Tony in this article from Yahoo.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin win qualifiers; Dale Jarrett races his way into Daytona 500 (http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news;_ylt=AtM8NOC023NdnHNhrurfZH3ov7YF?slug=ap-nascar-daytona500&prov=ap&type=lgns)

Hendrick drivers Jeff Gordon and Casey Mears start from the next two rows, meaning six of the first 10 starting spots will be filled by Hendrick or Gibbs drivers.

It pits NASCAR's top two teams against each other in a battle between Chevrolet and Toyota. Gibbs left General Motors this season when it grew tired of playing second fiddle to Hendrick, which won 18 of 36 races last year.

``It's going to be the epic battle, and it should be the battle of a lifetime and the century,'' Stewart quipped. ``There may not be another battle of this proportion for the rest of my life, my career, for the century.''

[DanGarion]

I can't believe this, are Jon and I the only people interested in NASCAR?

Order Driver (No.) Car Qualifying Speed
1 Jimmie Johnson (48) Chevrolet 187.075 mph
2 Michael Waltrip (55) Toyota 186.734 mph
3 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) Chevrolet 185.479 mph
4 Denny Hamlin (11) Toyota 185.947 mph
5 Reed Sorenson (41) Dodge 184.264 mph
6 Tony Stewart (20) Toyota 185.651 mph
7 Ryan Newman (12) Dodge 185.143 mph
8 Jeff Gordon (24) Chevrolet 185.858 mph
9 Casey Mears (5) Chevrolet 186.054 mph
10 Kasey Kahne (9) Dodge 184.828 mph
11 Carl Edwards (99) Ford 184.487 mph
12 Mark Martin (8) Chevrolet 185.429 mph
13 Bobby Labonte (43) Dodge 183.857 mph
14 David Ragan (6) Ford 185.594 mph
15 Juan Pablo Montoya (42) Dodge 184.241 mph
16 Kevin Harvick (29) Chevrolet 184.589 mph
17 Kenny Wallace (187) Chevrolet 184.953 mph
18 Greg Biffle (16) Ford 185.071 mph
19 Sam Hornish Jr. (77) Dodge 184.226 mph
20 Dale Jarrett (44) Toyota 185.345 mph
21 Paul Menard (15) Chevrolet 184.415 mph
22 John Andretti (34) Chevrolet 183.673 mph
23 Brian Vickers (83) Toyota 185.475 mph
24 Kyle Busch (18) Toyota 184.809 mph
25 Martin Truex Jr. (1) Chevrolet 184.290 mph
26 Robby Gordon (7) Dodge 184.850 mph
27 Scott Riggs (66) Chevrolet 185.193 mph
28 Matt Kenseth (17) Ford 185.517 mph
29 Regan Smith (01) Chevrolet 184.964 mph
30 Travis Kvapil (28) Ford 185.958 mph
31 Clint Bowyer (07) Chevrolet 184.106 mph
32 David Gilliland (38) Ford 185.410 mph
33 Jeremy Mayfield (70) Chevrolet 184.612 mph
34 Dave Blaney (22) Toyota 186.120 mph
35 Elliott Sadler (19) Dodge 184.521 mph
36 Jeff Burton (31) Chevrolet 183.884 mph
37 J.J. Yeley (96) Toyota 182.994 mph
38 Jamie McMurray (26) Ford 185.010 mph
39 Kyle Petty (45) Dodge 183.374 mph
40 Dario Franchitti (40) Dodge 184.351 mph
41 Joe Nemechek (78) Chevrolet 186.498 mph
42 David Reutimann (00) Toyota 186.463 mph
43 Kurt Busch (2) Dodge 184.540 mph

[JonInMiddleGA]

I can't believe this, are Jon and I the only people interested in NASCAR?

That's probably not as far from reality as NASCAR would like to think ;)
And my interest, while up a bit simply because of the start of a new season, isn't even remotely close to what it used to be.

Meanwhile, from the "new drivers coming into Cup" newsfile

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Bill Davis Racing has announced that it will tap into its pool of veteran Cup Series drivers to pilot the No. 27 Toyota Camry during the next several Sprint Cup Series races. Truck Series standouts Mike Skinner and Johnny Benson are both expected to step behind the wheel of BDR's No. 27 entry.

Bill Davis Racing will continue to support Jacques Villeneuve in his pursuit of a successful career in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Villeneuve failed to make the Daytona 500 when he crashed out of the second Gatorade Duel. (watch video)

"We know that Jacques has the talent and the desire to be in NASCAR, and are diligently working on a long-term relationship with him," team owner Bill Davis said.

Mike Skinner, last year's Truck Series runner-up, will drive the No. 27 Toyota Camry next weekend at California Speedway.

[DanGarion]

That's probably not as far from reality as NASCAR would like to think ;)
And my interest, while up a bit simply because of the start of a new season, isn't even remotely close to what it used to be.

Meanwhile, from the "new drivers coming into Cup" newsfile

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Bill Davis Racing has announced that it will tap into its pool of veteran Cup Series drivers to pilot the No. 27 Toyota Camry during the next several Sprint Cup Series races. Truck Series standouts Mike Skinner and Johnny Benson are both expected to step behind the wheel of BDR's No. 27 entry.

Bill Davis Racing will continue to support Jacques Villeneuve in his pursuit of a successful career in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Villeneuve failed to make the Daytona 500 when he crashed out of the second Gatorade Duel. (watch video)

"We know that Jacques has the talent and the desire to be in NASCAR, and are diligently working on a long-term relationship with him," team owner Bill Davis said.

Mike Skinner, last year's Truck Series runner-up, will drive the No. 27 Toyota Camry next weekend at California Speedway.
That seems like a cop out. Was Villeneuve only signed for this race?

[JonInMiddleGA]

That seems like a cop out. Was Villeneuve only signed for this race?

I'm not sure anybody over there is signed per se.

From Jayski (http://www.jayski.com/past/080211.htm#12), (citing AP, SI, and a Canadian newspaper) it appears that Bill Davis Racing is basically running on fumes with no sponsors & on the verge of shutting down. "The financial limitations have him lagging behind the super teams, and even though his years of open-wheel success made him a very rich man, he's not prepared to finance this venture himself because he spent so much to get the operation off the ground late last year, and money is a little tight. "

So there's no sponsor at the moment, Villeneuve can't/won't fund the operation himself, marketing efforts to find a sponsor apparently took a hit when he (Villeneuve) fired his business manager in late January, and so that leaves Davis trying to find some way to get the car into a race or two. Enter Benson & Skinner.

As for Skinner at CMS (http://www.onebadwheel.com/mike-skinner-nascar/bio/), in six career starts there he's got two top 10's with an average start of 21st and average finish of 22nd, so he seems like a reasonable bet.

[RendeR]

I'm a fan, I've just been too busy with work and some extracurricular activities to spend a ton of time on the boards lately. I'm keeping an eye on this though and will pipe in whenever I can =)

[Lathum]

Just a reminder to get your drivers set for the race tomorrow.

[gkb]

I'm a fan as well...although new to the sport. I didn't follow too closely last year, but for whatever reason my interest has been rekindled this year.

[Cringer]

I'm not a huge NASCAR guy but I will watch a race if I have nothing going on. Just saw the end of the Daytona 500 and it was a damn good finish. Kind of wanted to see Stewart win it at the end, but still pretty damn good. I am a Dodge kind of guy anyways.

[Lathum]

Great finish

[BigDPW]

Wow... I really can't believe Ryan Newman of all people one the Daytona 500... I have never been a big fan of his and he is a good driver but he never seems to put it together when it really matters.

Congrats to Ryan...

[oliegirl]

I'm a fan, but not to the degree that JiMGA or Dangarion are...I watch the races and keep up with the drama, but that's about it. My dad and some friends go to Daytona every year, I just talked to him and he said the finish was amazing and it was one of the best races they've seen. It was great on TV so I can only imagine what it was like in person...a great opening to the season...

[Galaxy]

I hated the whole "NFL-ization" of yesterday's race.

I love the 500, but I always why it is the "Premier" race (besides the history). How much of it is luck? How much comes down to skill, car, and a team; when you can bounce 10-20 spots in two laps? Anyone know where I'm going with it.

To me, the Coke-Cola 600 seems to be the ideal race.

[JonInMiddleGA]

This is ridiculous.

Currently NASCAR is planning to resume today's rain delayed race at Fontana ... 15 minutes from now, at 1am eastern time.

[Rich1033]

This is ridiculous.

Currently NASCAR is planning to resume today's rain delayed race at Fontana ... 15 minutes from now, at 1am eastern time.

Ha, thats hilarious. Im asking myself if there is a channel that will really carry this race at 1am(yes, I know its 10pm there), then I turn the channel to Fox and there it is. Odd, but I will watch until I fall asleep.

[edit- well nascar.com says it will resume at 2am, I dont think I will last that long]

[JonInMiddleGA]

FoxAtlanta didn't even break away from whatever the heck this syndicated sci-fi show they're carrying.

[Pumpy Tudors]

They've decided to wait yet another hour because the track is still seeping water. I wonder if the drivers have even had an opportunity to nap or something. If they only had maybe 30 or 40 laps to go, I'd think that fatigue wouldn't be a big issue. They still have 163 laps to go, however. I know these guys are professional drivers and all, but they had prepared themselves for a 1pm PT start, and now they have to do two-thirds of the race starting at 11pm PT. Fatigue's going to be a pretty decent factor by the end of this, huh?

[Rich1033]

They just came on fox and said they have finally decided to wait until daylight. Its been moved to later today at around 1pm est.

Why would they even attempt to run a race at 2am(or 2:30 by the time they start)? I only have passing interest in nascar, but do they even care if their fans get to see the race?

[Lathum]

They just came on fox and said they have finally decided to wait until daylight. Its been moved to later today at around 1pm est.

Why would they even attempt to run a race at 2am(or 2:30 by the time they start)? I only have passing interest in nascar, but do they even care if their fans get to see the race?

Either way fans won't see the race. NASCAR does everything possible to get the race in on the same day.

Does anyone know if it will be of Fox?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Does anyone know if it will be of Fox?

Yep, Fox.

And the Nationwide (nee BGN) race starts afterwards, maybe around 5pm, on ESPN2.

[rkmsuf]

Nascar should be required to use alternative fuels. What a waste of gas.

[Lathum]

Nascar should be required to use alternative fuels. What a waste of gas.

I'm curious what you mean by this

[Pumpy Tudors]

i think it's time for the rkmsuf bye week

[rkmsuf]

I'm curious what you mean by this

I was just watching a race the other day and at the same time thinking about gas prices. Then noticed they all raced 500 miles in a circle. Sometime later when someone helped me crunch the numbers I was like wow, that's a lot of gas.

[rkmsuf]

i think it's time for the rkmsuf bye week

Like I would fall for that schtick.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I was just watching a race the other day and at the same time thinking about gas prices. Then noticed they all raced 500 miles in a circle. Sometime later when someone helped me crunch the numbers I was like wow, that's a lot of gas.

I bet it would make it even worse for you to find out that Sunoco gives them the gas at no charge (as part of their deal to be the "Official Gas of NASCAR").

[Lathum]

I was just watching a race the other day and at the same time thinking about gas prices. Then noticed they all raced 500 miles in a circle. Sometime later when someone helped me crunch the numbers I was like wow, that's a lot of gas.

Yeah, but I think you can take any sport/ pasttime and find those kind of holes.

[rkmsuf]

I bet it would make it even worse for you to find out that Sunoco gives them the gas at no charge (as part of their deal to be the "Official Gas of NASCAR").

that's fabulous

[JonInMiddleGA]

Here's an odd trivia bit I hadn't thought about: The cars average around 5 mpg. The trucks that haul the cars to the race average 4.5 mpg (and average a lot more than 500 miles each week).

A typical race weekend uses about 6,000 gallons.
Average daily fuel consumption in the U.S. is around 400 million gallons.
That's 0.0015% of a day's gasoline.

NASCAR also uses less fuel than other sports use just to transport their teams from place to place.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Meanwhile with about a dozen laps to go, it looks like it'll be a battle between one unlikable MF versus another unlikable MF.

Welcome to Hollywood.

[Young Drachma]

So when a race gets rain delayed, do fans stay the next day and watch? Or are the crowds sparse and thinned out as a result?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Usually around half or less.

[Dr. Sak]

So when a race gets rain delayed, do fans stay the next day and watch? Or are the crowds sparse and thinned out as a result?

The half that stay are the ones that got so drunk the night before they passed out in the parking lot. And when they woke it up it was like they hit the lottery when they realized there was still a race to watch.

[DanGarion]

Nascar should be required to use alternative fuels. What a waste of gas.

Yes what a waste of gas. I mean come on look at all the alternative fuels all the other sports use for transportation, and the fans, and everything. Not to mention all those alternative fuels that concerts use.

Do you really think that NASCAR has much if any impact compared to any other major event (sporting or not)?

[DanGarion]

Meanwhile with about a dozen laps to go, it looks like it'll be a battle between one unlikable MF versus another unlikable MF.

Welcome to Hollywood.

If you don't like Jimmie then you yourself must be an unlikable MF... :)

[RendeR]

Jimmie? jimmie Johnson? Talk about UNLIKABLE


Tha guy is an asshole.

[Chubby]

How hard is it to turn left?

[RendeR]

How hard is it to turn left?



Get in a car that will do 195+, go that fast, and try. When we peel you're ass off the concrete, you'l know its harder than you think ;)

[DanGarion]

Jimmie? jimmie Johnson? Talk about UNLIKABLE


Tha guy is an asshole.

WTF? What about him is unlikable? Unless you are a ford loser there is no reason to not like the guy!

[Galaxy]

Get in a car that will do 195+, go that fast, and try. When we peel you're ass off the concrete, you'l know its harder than you think ;)

Do it for 3 hrs or so with 42 other cars going the same speed all around you in tight situations.

I gotta say, NASCAR screwed up the handling of the rain delay of the race. They need to get fined and prohibition.

[gkb]

Do it for 3 hrs or so with 42 other cars going the same speed all around you in tight situations.

I gotta say, NASCAR screwed up the handling of the rain delay of the race. They need to get fined and prohibition.

When I first read this I thought your last sentence said, "They need to get fined and probed."

That would, indeed, be punishment that would deter future infractions.

[DanGarion]

I've never seen this site before, but it's pretty funny.

http://blackflaggedonline.com/

[JonInMiddleGA]

WTF? What about him is unlikable?

Just another big mouth candy ass from California. The only place he belongs at a NASCAR track is stuck to a wall.

[Lathum]

Just another big mouth candy ass from California. The only place he belongs at a NASCAR track is stuck to a wall.

Maybe since the Frosted Flakes car didn't give it away Nascar stopped being about the good old boys about 10 years ago

[JonInMiddleGA]

Maybe since the Frosted Flakes car didn't give it away Nascar stopped being about the good old boys about 10 years ago

And it hasn't been nearly as interesting or entertaining since.

Of course, in JJ's case, driving for the Evil Empire doesn't help either.

[CU Tiger]

NASCAR was headed corporate and slick in the mid 90s.
It was kind of a bad omen, when the first race of the network TV deal was the end of the line for #3.

Dale took NASCAR to the grand stage, but he didnt get to play.

Regardless of what some thought of him, he was beloved by his peers, and respected by Mike Helton and many of the NASCAR officials. He could tell them to go to hell, and would, and get awy with it. NASCAR has been largely unchecked for 7 years.

I remember being in North Wilkesboro for a race in the mid 90s in early October and it rained like a bitch. Nascar was drying the track and such, when Dale walked up to Helton and Bill, Sr (my step dad used to work for a number of Nascar teams and we would go to the locals and be in the pits, so this literally happened 10 feet away from me) and says "You guys do what you want, the weather man saidd its raining all day and into tonight, Im leaving and going to [he called a guy's name I dont recall, obviously a mutual friend] deer hunting I will see you tomorrow.
Helton fired back, "Go ahead. The minute you leave the grounds before the race is called, you will be disqualified even if we run tomorrow.
"Fine by me, but move that car off the front row your damn self, and oh by the way, it's your ass that's going to b paying fans their refund when you tell them you DQ'd me for leaving a wet ass track that no one could race on. And by the way, every fan who has to work will be an Earnnhardt fan tomorrow, gonna cost ya a bunch."

He slipped the Gargoyles sunglasses on and walked away. They raced the next day, he was there and I got to skip school and stay. He didnt win, but he beat Nascar that day.

They need it today. I pulled for who ever the steep dad drove for and he never worked for Dale, but I've never forgot that, and the leveerage it represented.

[JonInMiddleGA]

The influence that Dale, Sr. had & the role he played as essentially the check & balance system between the drivers & the officials has been a topic I've seen in numerous articles over the past couple of years, most often specifically about the vacuum that's existed since his death (and subtly how it's contributed to the changes that have taken place).

For several years it seemed that Tony Stewart was the closest thing to an heir apparent but it didn't seem he really wanted that role/wasn't always completely comfortable speaking for every driver instead of just himself. Oddly enough, it seems that Jeff Gordon has started to age into that role on occasion being someone that the suits will listen to and who really doesn't have much fear of them at this point in his career.

I say "oddly" although I believe Dale knew that eventually Gordon would be more typical of what NASCAR would become, he just wasn't interested in seeing it happen before it's time/before his time was finished. He also knew that Gordon wasn't ready to take on that role, which I believe had a lot to do with why he rode him early on ("Wonder Boy"). The fact that his time was cut short impacted the course of events almost certainly more than we will ever know.

[DanGarion]

And it hasn't been nearly as interesting or entertaining since.

Of course, in JJ's case, driving for the Evil Empire doesn't help either.
Ah jealously for the California boy. Oh well, not everyone can be as great as us...

[JonInMiddleGA]

Ah jealously

I don't think that word means what you think it means.

(or is spelled the way you think it's spelled either) ;)

[DanGarion]

I don't think that word means what you think it means.

(or is spelled the way you think it's spelled either) ;)

It's alright to hate the best. I'm used to people hating the best, since everyone else wants to be it. But IMO if you hate the best you tend to be jealous of the fact that they have something you don't. ;)

[JonInMiddleGA]

Video of a scary looking crash (javascript:cnnLaunchVideo('/video/cup/2008/04/04/cup.tex.quals.mcdowell.nascar/index.html');) during rookie Michael McDowell's qualifying run today at Texas. Hits the wall head on at speed then barrel rolls down the track ... and walked away waving to the crowd.

The SAFER (Steel And Foam Energy Reduction) barrier saved this guy's life as far as I'm concerned.

[DanGarion]

Video of a scary looking crash (javascript:cnnLaunchVideo('/video/cup/2008/04/04/cup.tex.quals.mcdowell.nascar/index.html');) during rookie Michael McDowell's qualifying run today at Texas. Hits the wall head on at speed then barrel rolls down the track ... and walked away waving to the crowd.

The SAFER (Steel And Foam Energy Reduction) barrier saved this guy's life as far as I'm concerned.

IF only there was a video...

[JonInMiddleGA]

Okay, maybe this one will work

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/N4oSZIm3YAw&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/N4oSZIm3YAw&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

[RendeR]

Holy

Hell


Thank god for safer barriers....

[BigDPW]

Yeah I switched to SPEED right after this crash and the replay floored me... I was delighted to hear that he was fine... That car was trashed when they had it on the hauler...

[Lathum]

jesus

[CU Tiger]

Its a horriffic looking crash, but Im not sure SAFE saved him there....the car never stopped and was able to flip, role and dissipate the energy....