Pictures of Tony Stewart's #94 Modified are at Racedriven.com.

This NASCAR fan's view at NHIS from behind the fence.

This past Saturday I got the chance to take a day trip to New Hampshire International Speedway to take in the days action. After a three hour car trip up from Massachusetts and getting there for 10:30am or so, I sat through the final practice section for the Nextel Cup Series. Beyond that, I watched a little of the Busch Series qualifying for the Busch 200, but the time it was over, I didn't not even know most of the line beyond who took the pole.

Once 1pm come around, those grandstands were packed..

The main event and the real reason that I went up to NHIS was the Whelen Modified Tour, anytime I get the chance to watch the modifieds in action at NHIS I will grab at the chance to and this time for the New England 100, I was not disappointed, the Modifieds put on a incredible show from start to finish. This past Saturday's 100 laper had a bonus in it, two Nextel Cup drivers, Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart, qualifyied mid-pack in a 42 car field. This was a great race almost from the begin for the regulars, Carl edwards climbed up to fourth or fifth before a earlier wreck with the wall somewhere out of view of my seat sent Edwards to the garage and retired from the field, he would finish 39th. For Tony Stewart, I watch him come up through the field twice after a two mid-race pitstops, with just under 10 laps to go, stewart was battling for second and trying to go for the lead when going into turn 3, he got hit and ended up in the grass and on the aprin to save his car, Stewart would end of finishing in the 9th position, but the race would come down to the regulars, just when the fans would see an incredible race for the victory, the caution flag came out and the race ended under under the yellow flag. What a shot in the air for the racing fans, no one in the grand stands was happy with that at all. It was announced that RON YUHAS had won the race and he even went to victory lane, but later on, it was JOHN BLEWETT, III being declaired the winner of the New England 300.

Official Results: 1. JOHN BLEWETT, III, 2. JAMES CIVALI, 3. REGGIE RUGGIERO, 4. ED FLEMKE, JR, 5. MICHAEL STEFANIK, one note, TED CHRISTOPHER finished 7th.

Again, the modifieds was the race that I wanted to see and for the most part except for ending the race under the yellow, the modifieds was great to see...see yeah in September.

As for the real main event to lots of people, the Busch 200 was up next, for the bUsch race, I didn't find this race as good as I found the modified race, sometime during the race, it was just boring with follow the leader as the Nextel Cup guy domanated the race. Kyle Busch, who started on the pole, got bowed during the introductions, lead in the early laps, before giving up the lead to Clint Bowyer, Bowyer lead through most of the race until he got caught out pitting under green with the caution coming out just a couple of laps later. the real action was in the final laps with Carl Edwards leading with 2 laps to o and Mr. Busch Series Kevin Harvick tried to close the gab, but just ran out of laps and Carl Edwards got redemption from crashing out of the Modified race as he held on to get the victory.

For both my father and I, the day was not over, we left the grand stands right after the checkered flap waved to go home, I was dead on my feet, 90+ degree temperatures, humid and partly to mostly cloudy, we still got roasted, of course we sat in the grand stands from 1pm (the start of the Modified race) until 5:30, when the Busch race ended.

Here's the low...the NHIS parking, we parked behind the backstraight around turn 3 and the traffic getting out was horrible, we idealed in the parking lot moving a 10th of a minute for 1.5 hours to 2 hours to squize out one gate two cars wide. This was a nightmare...NHIS needs to fix its parking, getting into the speedway along route 106N was bad enough on a two lane blacktop squeezed one more lane using the breakdown lane, but the parking, coming in, was lots of NHIS employees parking cars, but on the way out, there were no NHIS employees helpping us leave. I turned a great day trip into hell and we still had a three hour drive home. When I go in September, we will find a different place to park...that simple.

See Yeah!
By Brian from Racedriven.com

If the first 8 races of the season is any clue, NO!, well...we have seen stranger things happen in Formula One before, there is only one or two drivers in the lineup that come to mind who might have an outside chance of becoming a contender and challenging him for a multi-victories, let along the championship, Michael Schumacher/Ferrari with 2 victories this season and maybe Raikkonen/McLaren.

But for Fernando Alonso, After winning an impressive champion last year and becoming the youngest champion in Formula 1 history, Alonso aims for a second straight championship and with eight formula one races in the books, Alonso is well on his way with five victories in Bahrain, Australian, Spanish, Monaco and earlier today's British Grand Prix along with a couple of second place finishes to boot.

The headline on Formula1.com for earlier today's British Grand Prix reads "Alonso cruises to first British win", that headlines doesn't even begin to describe that grand prix, let along the 06 season, in the British GP, Alonso lead from pole to checkered flag with no one coming anywhere close to challenging him for position at all, it was a fight for third-fourth on back..

So, will Fernando Alonso be challenged at all this season for the championship or does he have the winning formula for the 2006 Formula One championship, with 10 races in the 2006 Formula One Season left, it is still too earlier to just award him the championship and don't count out the rest of the top 5 in points,

Top 5 Points (After British GP)
F.Alonso - 74
M.Schumacher - 51
K.Raikkonen - 33
G.Fisichella - 32
J.Montoya - 26

One Note: It was brought up in the CBS broadcast (which was taped delayed again...) reminding us that Alonso has signed a multi-year contract for 2007 and beyond to go drive for McLaren and with McLaren's performance...one must think..but I will say, he will continue his winning formula next year and for years to come in just about any ride (Ferrari or McLaren), its not just the car or driver, its the entire team's (car, crew, crew chief, owner and etc) communications and chemistry that makes a championship caliber team, along with some luck.

See Yeah!

With the Indy 500 in the books and the quick turn around, it was time for the Nextel Cup Series longest race, the Coca-Cola 600 from Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, how would it play out with the harder tires, the 13.5 gallon fuel cell and the must needed racetrack repaving..

The 600 was a longer version of the All-Star race, and I would describe as frustrating from the first caution flag coming out on lap one when R. Gordon's bone-headed move going into turn three that took out Jarrett, to the endless pitstops, I lost track how many times they pited and for what, the pitstrategy was interesting with just fuel or fuel and either two or four tires, but having to pit every 18 mins or so was outragis and seeing that clock come up every now and then and once it come up, something would happen on the track to bring out yet another caution flag.

The did however like the race once the sun finally went down and the race was finally under the night sky, by that time, you know what you had, the last 100 laps was interesting, they got down to racing.

There were a couple of positive things about the race and one big surprise to me, first, I agreed with Jeff Gordon in what he said during his interview about the harder tires, the racetrack and that they could have put on a better show, second, good side-by-side racing for the remainder of the last 100 laps, third, no more "this is my house" from Jimmie Johnson, sorry Jimmie its not funny anymore and finally, that Kasey Kahne not only survived, but won the Coca-Cola 600.

The 600 was just what DW commented "the race will be more getting on and off to pit road than on the track.", well put.

Final thoughts on Memorial Day Weekend racing from Saturday to Monday..
The Craftsmen Truck race from Ohio had its moments with good side-by-side racing, and seeing Ron Hornaday Jr. win, capped off a good Saturday. The Busch Series race "or Cup Lites" was a shorter version of the 600 with 24 buschwackers in the field, enought said..the 90th running of the Indy 500, described as "the Greatest spectacle in racing" lived up to its name creating the 2nd closest finishing of all time with a first time winner, Sam Hornish Jr. over a very impressive Marco Andretti. The Coca-Cola 600 was simply frustrating...and finally a interesting GT race from Lime rock. Great weekend, don't forget to support our troops.

From my desk at home, this is Brian saying See Yeah Next Week..its Dover and Watkins Glen.

Welcome to one of the biggest weekends in Motorsports today with over four different racing series in action from Saturday to Monday night.

THE INDIANAPOLIS 500
IRL Indy Cars: For this years running of the 90th Indianapolis 500, Penske Racing and Ganassi Racing are the front runners leading up to the green flag with polesitter Sam Hornish Jr. and his teammate Helio Castroneves in the middle and Ganassi's Dan Wheldon on the outside of the frontrow. Last years Rookie of Indy, Danica Patrick will roll off inside row 4 (10th). Green flag just after 1 p.m. EDT on ABC.

COCA-COLA 600
NASCAR Nextel Cup Series: Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte will play host to Sunday night's Nextel Cup's long race, the 600...if the All-Star race last Saturday night was any sign including the 13.5 gallon fuel cell and harder tires, the race well (As DW commented "the race will be more getting on and off to pit road than on the track). The frontrunners will be of course Jimmie Johnson, who owns this track in victories, "Smoke" Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin and anyother driver who doesn't make a mistake. No predictions here on who will win...the green flag sometime after 5 p.m. on FOX. One thing: 35-38 laps fuel window.

Grand Prix of Monaco
Formula 1: Monte Carlo, I don't know why, but I love watching this Grand Prix, Monaco is a sight to see and a very tight street course. Saturday holds qualifying, but this season has been a battle or who can top who season between last years champion Fernando Alonso and 7-time champion Michael Schumacher, but don't count out those McLaren-Mercedes cars for the victory in this race, anything can happen and the polesitter will have a huge advantage. CBS's race coverage (Taped Delayed ofcourse) at 12:30 p.m., yes Indy 500 time.

One Note: SPEED should always have live coverage of all Formula 1 race, I hate Tape Delayed, if CBS wants to reair, so do it, but show the race at 8 a.m. live and again at 12:30 p.m. taped.

Grand American Rolex Series
A Monday live race from Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, CT, Road Racing, live on SPEED 2:30 p.m.. This will be a first for me.


Don't forget NASCAR's Craftsmen Truck race from Ohio and the Busch Series 300 from Charlotte both on Saturday.

See Yeah after the races...
By Brian from Racedriven

With last nights or early this mornings NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge in the books for yet another year, the racing last night was anything but boring, the new pavement, harder tires and 13 gallon fuel cells all played a part in last nights carnage of aggressive driving...turn 4 was the biggest problem all night showing great saves and off the wall spins and wrecks.

After the Nextel Open were Scott Riggs domainated with taking the lead on lap 2 and never looking back, it was on to the main event, the Nextel All-Star Challenge, the introductions were mixed, polesitter Kasey Kahne getting a great responce while Kyle & Kurt Busch getting the worsest reponses I have heard yet. Kyle Petty was voted in for the fan voting, most people including myself voted for him because if he got in, Victory Junction would get a large donation, so why not...

The Nextel All-Star Challenge has 3 segments, in segment 1, mandatory green flag pit stops had to happen and after a caution period, the next lap would be the first of pit stops with a hole pack of cars coming down with Jimmie Johnson making his pit stop and sparking off a spin...the next two laps would give others there chance to pit under green, when it was all over, segment 1 ended with Kyle Busch picking up $75,000 leading at the end.

Segment 2 included an invert of the top 10...During segment 2, the big one happened just off of two 2 with two cars hard into the outside wall and a huge chain reaction taking out a good chunk of the field. Kevin Harvick survivied leading at the end.

Segment 3 (the finale) Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth got together going into turn 1 taking them both into the wall and out of the race, I will leave the comments aftermath out...after the restart, it was single file to the end with Jimmie Johnson winning in his house...and 1 million dollars.

Thoughts: If this is a preview of what might happen next week in the 600, all I can say is for fans and drivers, be ready for anything...as for the all-star races, I didn't know what to expect going in, even after I enjoyed Friday night's trucks, but I don't know about the All-Star race, I had had enough after the big one in segment 2...

See Yeah!
By Brian from Racedriven