Are Goodyear Tires Causing Bad Year for NASCAR Teams?

"If I were Goodyear, I'd be very embarrassed about the tires they brought this weekend, Stewart said. "It was ridiculous. If they can't do better than that, pull out of the sport. I guarantee you that Hoosier or Firestone could do a better job than that."

My questionis this, why in the world would NASCAR sign off on a five year contract with Goodyear or anyone else for that matter? I know that Goodyear has been on board for 54 years but it just doesn't make good business sense to me. 

Just like they have this multi-year contract with Sprint, but now Sprint is in trouble and they are loosing customers by the droves because of that "Walkie Talkie" system that never has worked. So now, in my opinion they just make NASCAR look bad because they may have to go looking for another sponsor for the top series in our sport. That's time and money folks, time and money, look at all the money they spent changing Nextel to Sprint in the cost of signs alone! 

Needless to say I agree with Tony Stewart that something has to be done with these tires, it's come to the point where it's costing drivers huge losses in the points standings and I'm sure that Kyle Busch would agree since he lost the Nationwide Series race on Saturday due to a right front tire blow out in the final laps of the race. Talk about frustration! 

I heard that there will be a ton of meeting to discuss this situation in the days and weeks to come. We may even see some heads roll if the drivers have anything to say about it.

Roush Saga OR "Oil-Lid Gate @ LVMS"

I guess Jack Roush was "Smokin'" Friday morning after hearing that Lee White made some comments to the media on Thursday when he told USA Today that Roush Fenway Racing knowingly caused the lid to come off to increase the car's speed.

Of course, NASCAR officials declined to comment on the topic, but got a kick out of the way Roush and White were attacking each other. At one point Roush said the White was "an ankle biting Chihuahua". Maybe the two simply are following the edict of chairman Brian France and showing more of their personalities.

Here are some interesting comments from some of the drivers:

"Him saying that there was a mistake in the bolt failing, that's ridiculous. That's comical. That is really comical, actually, and they should not allow him to make those kinds of comments. They should have the crew chief get in there and state an honest answer and they would be better off. But I enjoyed reading his version of the story." Dale Earnhardt Jr.

"One thing that I have learned about these race cars is typically thing don't fall off of cars that hurt the cars." Jeff Burton

"That's been a tool for years that people have used. NASCAR has gotten onto it, and we saw a lot of fines earlier in the year." I think that was last season Jimmie, since this season is only four races old. This coming from a driver that never knows anything, never sees anything and he never does anything wrong. He just drives the car. Yeah, right Champ!

Complaint Department

How about it, Racefans, we have an additional member for the complaining NASCAR drivers association. By George, it's none other than Kevin "Happy" Harvick. Kevin says TOYOTA is ahead of everyone else on horsepower and we've only run two full Sprint Cup races !  I have to laugh out loud on that one! ! !

However he does join an illustrious group of whiners and complainers such as Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Robby Gordon just to name a few. I really can't wait to see what happens as the season progresses ! ! !

NASCAR GEAR - - - BUYERS BEWARE ! ! !

On Thursday, the U.S. District Court issued a preliminary injunction against producers of counterfeit merchandise.

Among the teams and drivers that joined NASCAR in the suit are Richard Childress Racing, Roush Fenway Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Jeff Gordon, JR Motorsports, Rusty Wallace Inc., Penske Racing, Dale Earnhardt Incorporated, Gillett Evernham Motorsports, Red Bull Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing and Chip Ganassi Racing. NASCAR and/or teams occasionally file lawsuits in order to seize merchandise from unlicensed dealers.

WOW ! ! !  Six Crashes In The First Sprint Cup Practice

Patrick Carpentier                                         Reed Sorenson

Sam Hornish Jr.                                             Kasey Kahne

Juan Pablo Montoya                                     Bobby Labonte

What was the car manufacturer?   Dodge

How many foreign drivers?            Three

May I suggest that Carpentier, Hornish Jr. and Montoya go back to where ever it is that they came from - - - and take Robbie Gordon with them ???

So Whose Going To Win @ Las Vegas Motor Speedway???

While I'm NOT a fan of Hendrick Motorsports, I'll have to say Jimmie Johnson. He has won here, what, the last four years??? I'm hoping that the "new car" and the bumpy track will be a big enough challenge to prevent him from winning but we will just have to wait and see. I'm picking Johnson or Jeff Gordon to win just to get them off of my "picks list" early in the season ! ! !  I'd really like to see "Happy" Harvick's  predictions come true and see a big bad TOYOTA win the UAW-Dodge 400!!!

I'll see you at the racetrack ! ! !

NASCAR News With Attitude 

February 18, 2008 Edition 

 

Let The Voting Begin! Voting has begun for the Chex Most Popular Driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2008 Season.  Fans can log on to www.mostpopulardriver.com and cast their vote! Fans can vote once a day, every day, for more than 40 of their favorite NASCAR Sprint Cup stars. Voting continues throughout the season and will conclude on November 18th at 12:59 am. EST. The winner will be announced at the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Luncheon in New York City in December. This award has been won by NASCAR greats such as Richard Petty, David Pearson, Bobby Allison, Dale Earnhardt, Bill Elliott, and others, since the inception of the award in 1953. This program award program is administered by the National Motorsports Press Association. Last season, fan favorite, Dale Earnhardt Jr. earned his fifth consecutive award. I'd like to challenge all Michael Waltrip Fans to get those votes in each and every day and see if we can "Crown a new King"!

 

Victory Junction Gang Camp Expansion Plans VJGC co-founders Kyle and Pattie Petty have announced plans to try to expand with a camp in the Kansas City area. The Pettys, have met with business and civic leaders in the Kansas City area over the last few months studying the feasibility of building a second camp in the Midwest. "We have been overwhelmed by the interest expressed by Kansas Speedway President Jeff Boerger and other civic and business leaders throughout the area," Pattie Petty, CEO of the camp, said. "We would like to thank the Kansas City Area Development Council for all of their help and support throughout the process of determining the sustainability of expanding the Victory Junction Gang Camp to Kansas City. Their help has been invaluable." While the new campus would be similar to the one in Level Cross, N.C.  it would also involve other major sports themes from the Midwest. Let's all get behind the Petty family and support this cause that hosts chronically ill children, allowing them to "Just be kids" for the duration of their stay. My hat is off to the Pettys ! ! !

 

Junior Nation Does anybody really know how many fans Dale Earnhardt Jr. has? As I was watching the Pre Race Festivities on Sunday, I just couldn't help but notice the difference that I have seen come over Junior! He just seems so laid back and relaxed prior to the "Super Bowl of NASCAR"! I could even see it in his face. While I am a BIG Michael Waltrip fan, I have to say that I like Junior's "new look". I must admit that I never thought I'd like anything other than the "Budweiser Red" I was pleasantly surprised, I think I'll have to go "AMP" Myself!