NASCAR drivers come and go. To hang around in this sport you have to be talented, rich, or related to the King. You would think that talent alone would be enough to keep a driver in a racecar. Yet, we all know good drivers who aren't racing, or they're not in a ride that their talent would warrant. On the other hand, we see some unguided missles out there every week, too.

A few people have been asking me where driver so-and-so is now. So, I've put together a list of drivers who aren't racing in a major NASCAR series right now. Everyone on the list has raced in one of the three major series in the last decade. Some are more talented than some other gainfully employed drivers. Some are not. I need you, the insightful reader, to help us out. If you have any updated info on any of these drivers, please let us know. I'm sure that some of these guys, and gals, are still racing somewhere. Let us know what they're up to.

My Dad was Famous....

Justin Labonte....Jason Jarrett....Ritchie Petty....Andy Houston

Jamie Skinner....Ronnie Hornaday....Hank Parker, Jr....

Matt Martin hasn't raced in a major series, but what the hell happend to him? He was supposed to be the next Joey Logano.

Have You Seen Her....

Erin Crocker....Deborah Renshaw....Tina Gordon....Kelly Sutton

I Must of Got High....

Aaron Fike....Tyler Walker....Shane Hmiel....Kevin Grubb........all of these guys are currently under indefinite suspension by NASCAR for drug issues. Hmiel is banned for life. I know all of these guys except Grubb are racing somewhere right now. Where at?

America's Got Talent....

Bill Lester....Jeremey Mayfield....Steve Grissom....Tim Fedewa....Steve Park....Danny O'Quinn....Michael Jourdain....Christian Fittipaldi....Buckshot Jones....Andy Santerre....Glen Allen Jr....Lyndon Amick....Kenny Hendrick....Rich Bickle....Trevor Boys....Boston Reid....Joey Clanton....Blake Feese........Have you seen any of these guys lately?

If you have any info on any of these drivers, let us know. If you have a driver to add to this list, please feel free to do so.

In the summertime when the weather is hot, the hot go on vacation. The Sprint Cup Series is taking their last weekend off this year. When they come back next week at Indy they go racing for 17 straight weeks. Their only other weekend off was in late March for Easter. Two weekends off in 9 months. Hey, if it was easy, women and children would be doing it. Just kidding. Had to put that in there to ruffle 24x2's feathers. She's in the garage area right now, but she'll be back out on the track in no time at all. Highlights, downlows....

The NNS races at Gateway Saturday night. NASCAR will delay bringing the COT into the NNS for one year. Small teams are having enough trouble finding sponsors without having to build, or buy, all new fleets of cars. NNS driver, Marcos Ambrose will compete for the Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year title next year with a brand new team. JTG Motorsports and Brad Daugherty have formed JTG Daugherty Racing with Ambrose driving and Little Debbie coming along as the sponsor. Daugherty is an ESPN race analyst. ESPN has told fellow analyst, Rusty Wallace, that he is forbidden from owning a Cup team while working for them. Maybe this situation will lead to some housecleaning in the NASCAR TV booth at ESPN. Please, please, please.

DEI has announced that their two developmental drivers, Trevor Bayne and Jeffrey Earnhardt, will both run full schedules for them in the NNS next year. Why does DEI keep announcing plans for next year? The U.S. Navy has declined to renew their $7.5 million contract with the #88 JR Motorsports Chevy. They still will honor their $800,000 personal services contract with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Glad to see the 31% off the top of my paycheck every week is going to good use.

The CTS runs Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway. The C will be K next year as Kobalt Tools takes over as title sponsor from Craftsman Tools. The man you love to hate, Kyle Busch, will be in the #51 Toyota in Kentucky. Then he'll be in a Late Model ASA race at Iowa Speedway on Sunday. Matt Kenseth will also be racing in Iowa.

Ryan Newman claims to have three teams bidding for his services next season. JGR, RCR, and Stewart-HAAS are his suitors. Joey Lagano keeps throwing his name out there as a candidate to drive the JGR #20 next year. The #28 of Travis Kvapil picked up Hitachi Tools as a sponsor for 6 races starting at Indy.

Three drivers have won at least one race in each of NASCAR's three major series in the same season. Terry Labonte in 1995. Kevin Harvick in 2003. Who is the third driver, and what year did he do it?

Finally, a woman driver won an open wheel race at Nashville last Saturday, and you didn't hear anything about it. Did you? 23 year old Ana Beatriz of Brazil won an Indy Lights race in her 11th start in that series. She never raced on an oval track until this year. She's third in points, and has 6 top-five finishes in her 11 starts. Danica never won an Indy Lights race.

Everybody remembers their first kiss, their first time, and their first car. Let's just keep this family friendly and stick to our first car stories. Some of you had rich parents who gave you a nice sports car on your 16th birthday. Some of you got a hand-me-down from a family member. Some of you worked your #### off to buy your first car.

 

No matter how you got that first car, or how nice (or ragged) it was, it was yours. Finally, freedom to get away from the parents, or your clingy little siblings. Some of the great memories of our youth occured in that first car.

I'll get it started with my first car. My Dad gave it to me for a Christmas/birthday present when I was 17. That's a great thing about having a birthday the week before Christmas...the old one gift for two occasions from your family. Ahh, good times. Anyway, it was a 1967 (unrestored) Mustang that he bought for $200. It was in pretty good shape though, and after all the hell I put it through, it was still running a couple of years later when it was handed down to my brother. He totaled it in a matter of weeks.

You can't look back and not think about the dates, the concerts, the games, the street races, and all the good times you had in that first car. Most of you probaly had a nickname for that first car. We want to hear what it was, and why. I didn't have one for mine. I was more of the guy who nicknamed everyone else's car.

So, let's hear it, sports fans, what was your first ride, nickname, if any, what you were rocking in the tape/CD player, and what ever happened to that hooptie.

The IROC racing series is now defunct. It was a great diversion during the 30 years that it held races and crowned a champion. The IROC series featured between 6 and 12 drivers from different racing disciplines. The first six seasons the champion came from the open wheeled ranks. Mark Donahue was the first champ with AJ Foyt winning two championships, and Al and Bobby Unser, and Mario Andretti making up the first six champions.

The next 24 seasons of IROC only had two championships won by an open wheeled driver. That would be Al Unser Jr. both times. With his last series championship coming in 1988. After that it was all NASCAR drivers for the next 18 years. With Mark Martin winning a record five titles, and his 13 race wins is also an IROC record.

           

What happened? Open wheel snobs will tell you that they have the best drivers in the world. Yet stock car drivers won the last 18 IROC titles in a row. Is that why they cancelled the series, the open wheel guys didn't want anymore? They didn't even want to try and compete against NASCAR's best?

You can say that the cars had fenders, and that the open wheel jockeys were at a disadvantage, racing stock cars. Well, that's how you prove that you're the best in the world. You come into NASCAR's back yard like Foyt, Andretti, and the Unsers did, and you prove that you're better than they are. It's all a moot point now, as the IROC series is no more.

Which brings me to the point of this post---It's about F-N time, Han. Let's pretend that we are starting the IROC series back up this weekend at Mid-Ohio in conjunction with an IRL event. The other three events will be companion events, two with NASCAR Sprint Cup races and one more with an IRL race. The other fantasy IROC races will be, Bristol on Aug 23, Detroit's Belle Isle Park on Aug 31, and the finale at Talladega on Oct 5.

Here's where you, the knowledgeable reader, come in. We need 12 drivers to fill our lineup. Let's just stick to American racing series. I mean this is below the dignity of the F1 drivers anyway, right? So, I'll start with my 12. Add, or subtract your own choices. Please give your reasons, and, "so-and-so is my favorite driver", is not much of a reason.

1. Tony Stewart

2. Jimmy Johnson

3. Scott Dixon

4. Kyle Busch

5. Carl Edwards

6. Tony Kannan

7. Jeff Gordon

8. Dan Wheldon

9. Mark Martin

10. Dario Franchitti

11. Scott Pruett/MemoRojas

12. Sam Hornish

'Sweet Home Chicago'. It's good, and I love the Blues Brothers. But, let's face it, it ain't no 'Sweet Home Alabama'. The boys are in Chicago, not Alabammy this weekend, though. So baby don't you want to go, back to that same old place, sweet home...Chicago. Highlights, downlows, all aboard.

In the worst kept secret of the year news, Tony Stewart left JGR, and will be a driver/owner of the newly renamed Haas-Stewart Racing team. I first posted this news back in April. The link to my original post is at the bottom of this page. If you want further details on this, I hear it's all over the internet. Check it out.

Qualifying was rained out today (Thursday) for the Cup race at Chitown. Starting posistions will be set by owner points. Which means that Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr will make up the front row.

Special sponsors and paint schemes at Chicagoland include Nicorette on Jeff Gordon's #24 Chevy. Martin Truex Jr will have Cub Cadet lawnmowers on his #1 car. Ryan Newman will be in the Kodak #12. 'The Mummy' part 16 (?) will also be on that Penske Dodge. USG sheetrock is headquartered in Chicago, and will be on Matt Kenseth's #17 Ford.

Petty Enterprises celebrates Richard Petty's 50th anniversary in racing this weekend with special paint jobs on Bobby Labonte's #43 and on Terry Labonte's #45. The King made his first NASCAR start in the convertible division on July 12, 1958 at Columbia Speedway in Cayce, SC. I went to Columbia Speedway about 15 years ago. To say it was run-down would be a hell of a compliment. And, the people...let's just say if they ever remake the movie 'Deliverance', using dirt cars instead of canoes, this is where the filming will take place.

The Pettys haven't won a race in over 9 years, have now sold controlling interest in their business, and are having trouble finding sponsors for next year. On the bright side, Terry Labonte has 2 top 20s in his five starts while filling in for Kyle Petty this summer. How many top 20s did Kyle have previously? Do you even have to ask? Last week's rumor was that Jamie McMurray was coming to Petty, with a sponsor. This week it's David Reutimann supposedly coming next year.

This week in Silly Season news I'll hit ya with some sponsor and team rumors. Such as UPS going to #07 with Clint Bowyer at RCR, with Jack Daniels leaving that car and going to Tony Stewart's new outfit. Uh oh, more 'flu like' symptoms? Still hearing Ryan Newman in Tony's 2nd car with Jack Daniels. I still can't believe Tony and Ryan together. Several smaller teams are talking merger with each other. Among them Chip Ganassi throwing in with M Waltrip Racing. Or, Ganassi with Red Bull Racing. Or, Red Bull with Bill Davis.

I reported last week that DEI was ready to fold. Now they're not denying that they are for sale, but they're saying that they are listening to outside investors. Here's the rundown on Dale Sr's legacy...The #01 team is closing down any minute now due to no sponsor. Mark Martin looked like a rat leaving a sinking ship last week when he signed with HMS. Paul Menard's Daddy is buying him a ride with another team. Rousch heads that list. And lastly, Martin Truex Jr is pissed off that his team screwed up any chance he had at making the Chase. Thanks to getting caught cheating last week. DEI is appealing all the penalties that the #1 team got from NASCAR this week. Look for Truex to go with Stewart, or Penske next year.

Finally, anyone reading this that knows, or has read somewhere that Toyota has 20, 30, 50 more horsepower than the other makes of cars, please leave the link or source in the comments below. Oh, and I don't consider screen name... AMP88DEW...or the like, to be a credible source.

http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/Hanahan/2
008/04/23/Smoke_is_a_Real_Gone_Cat

You've got questions, I've got answers. A look back at the major American racing series from the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

Q.   Who is responsible for Jeff Gordon's long spin on the final restart of the Coke Zero 400?

A.   That would be Jeff himself. He kept slowing down as the field made it's way to the restart. He wanted to leave some room between he and the leader, Kyle Busch, so that he could get a run on first place. He kept slowing down, so Busch kept slowing down, so he wouldn't leave that separation. This stacked the field up when the green dropped, and Gordon paid the price.

Q.   Why didn't NASCAR throw the yellow when Gordon spun?

A.   Because Kyle Busch was leading at the time.

Q.   Are you trying to say that if someone else had been in the lead when Gordon spun, say a certain camo painted #88, that the caution would have flown immediately?

A.   Of course it would have. Are these the toughest questions you have?

Q.   In last weeks Q & A you were pretty confident when you picked your winner for the 400. Who was that again?

A.   Tony Stewart.

Q.   How'd that prediction work out?

A.   Not too good. Tony was dehydrated and suffering from 'flu-like' symptoms. I've felt like he looked after he climbed out of his car.

Q.   You've felt that bad from 'flu-like' symptoms?

A.   Yeah, but I just call it a hangover.

Q.   What's the latest conspiracy theory on Kyle Busch's winning ways?

A.   Well, not just Kyle, but all Toyotas have anywhere between 20 and 50 more horsepower than the other three makes of cars.

Q.   Wow. I guess Toyota led every lap?

A.   Not exactly. Of the 162 total laps Busch led 31 laps. Hamlin led 6, and Waltrip led 1, under caution. 

Q.   Why did Mark Martin sign with HMS to race full time next year?

A.   He said it was because, his ride sharing DEI teammate, Arik Almirola deserves to race the full schedule next year in the DEI #8. Good one, Mark.

Q.   Why didn't Scott Dixon win his 4th straight IRL race at Watkins Glen?

A.   He wrecked under caution while scrubbing his tires back and forth. True story. I can't make this stuff up.

Q.   Isn't he the same guy that called Danica Patrick an on-track menace a couple of weeks ago?

A.   Yeah, what's your point?

Q.   How much, er, how many bottles of research went into this edition?

A.   Yeah, what's your point?

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, our tale begins. Our future hero, young Dale of Lionhardt, was born the son of a simple blacksmith, Rolf. Lionhardt, the elder, shoed the jousting steeds and fashioned armor in his back yard under the shade tree. Jousting was a rich man's sport, but Rolf and his commoner friends would get together on Sunday's and joust among themselves. This is where young Dale learned how to handle a horse and lance.

Even though jousting was a rich man's game, young Dale worked two jobs, to get up the money to enter smaller tournaments. He won more than he lost, and rose up through the ranks, leaving two wives along the way, until he made it to the highest level in the land, NASJOUST.

Lionhardt was a natural. No one had ever seen a jouster with such a feel for his horse. And, the lance. If you were not paying close enough attention, not only would he beat you, you would end up in the grass of the infield. The commoners loved Lionhardt. He was one of them, except that he was a winner. The commoners were for the most part, poor, insecure, scared, shoeless, and semi-literate, at best. Lionhardt winning, made them feel better about their lot in life. Remember this was back in the days of plagues and such.

Dale of Lionhardt stayed on top of NASJOUST for about 20 years. He was an eight time season champion. He had been with his third wife, Thriza, for almost 20 years also. His two sons were following in his bootsteps, and jousting as well. Lionhardt had it all, a castle on the hill with a three carriage stable. Dale Lionhardt Limited, DLL, was to be his legacy. A jousting team that he would build from nothing and mold into a championship contender. It was not to be.

Way back in '01, 1601. The biggest joust meet of the year was underway. Lionhardt's two young proteges, Dale the Younger, and Michael the Mouth, were vying for the victory. Lionhardt wanted them to win so bad that he got too close to the action, and caught a wayward lance. He was still wearing the outdated armor that his father had made for him so many years before. It wasn't enough protection this time, and Lionhardt left this mortal coil.

Thriza decided that DLL would continue on, and that Dale the Younger would be the heir apparent to the fallen champion. Young Dale won a few jousts. Usually on a longer joust course that required a special armored breast plate. He, and, to a lesser extent, the Mouth dominated these plate jousts for a short period. Sadly, Thriza showed why women weren't allowed to own businesses back in the days of yore. DLL wouldn't stay up with the competition, and fell on hard times.

Dale the Younger saw this down period as a time to try a semi-hostile takeover. He overplayed his hand and failed to gain his birthright. Thriza also overplayed her hand, though. She thought family ties would be enough to keep young Dale in servitude. But other joust teams were anxious to have Dale on their team. Thriza was the only one in the land who was surprised when Dale went to the best team in NASJOUST, Richard Hendrick Carriages.

Which brings us to the stopping point of this tale. Young Dale has won just one joust, by oat management, up to this part of the story. He and the entire sport of NASJOUST are under siege by a young knight known as Busch the Brash.

To be continued.....

Back to the Beach. No, it's not vacation time yet. First we take care of some business on the high banks at Daytona. The Pepsi...er, Coke Zero 400 will have some fireworks of it's own Saturday night. Highlights and downlows...

I'm a big believer in a free market and survival of the fittest, but seeing Coke on this race instead of Pepsi is damn hard to get used to. Pepsi has been with NASCAR at Daytona since day one. About a half a century (HR13's got neckties that old). Of all the #### that Brian France has pulled, this irks me the most for some reason.

Some breaking news from earlier today (Thursday). Kurt Busch had the fastest time in Cup practice at Daytona. That would have been great, except he totaled the car and will go to the backup. Martin Truex Jr's #1 DEI Chevy failed inspection twice. NASCAR kept the car, and Truex, also will be in a backup. Randy Moss has bought half of Mogan Dollar Motorsports CTS team. It will be renamed Randy Moss Motorsports and sport #81 on the Chevy Silverados. Their first race will be at Kentucky in two weeks. Sponsors and divers will be announced soon. Excuse me if I don't hold my breath waiting on the sponsor announcement.

On to this week's silly season updates. Hendrick Motorsports has a press conference scheduled for noon Friday, July, 4. They will be announcing that Mark Martin will be driving the #5 HMS Chevy full time next year. Bad idea. Tony Stewart is scheduled to make his big announcement when NASCAR hits Indy later this month. Expect Tony to take over CNC HAAS Racing with Office Depot as a sponsor. Ryan Newman is still rumored to be Tony's teammate/employee in the second car. I don't see that. These two do not get along at all.

Heard that General Mills wants Casey Mears in RCR's new fourth car, #33, next season. Petty Enterprises may have to drop one of their cars next year due to lack of sponsorship. But wait, Jamie McMurray may go to the #45 with a sponsor in his pocket. Or, Michael Waltrip may bring the one sponsor he'll have left, when his three car team goes under, to his best friend, Kyle Petty's team.

Aric Almirola has been named as the full time driver of DEI's #8 Cup car for next year. Double A, don't be surprised when you show up at Daytona next February, and you're the only one from DEI there. Current DEI driver, Paul Menard, may take his sponsor to #26 at RFR next year. Funny, his family's name is the same as his sponsor. BAM Racing says they'll be back with Ken Schrader driving at Indy. Guess when 43 or less cars show up, BAM can make a race.

New sponsor/paint schemes for this weekend. Kevin Harvick will be in an orange, Reece Cup Chevy Saturday night. Dale Earnhardt Jr's #88 HMS Chevy will have a special camo paint job to celebrate the 4th of July. Truex's #1 will have the new movie 'Swing Vote' on board . The #96 of J.J. Yeley also features a new movie, 'Journey to the Center of the Earth'. Polaroid will be on Reed Sorenson's #41. Jamie McMurray's car will have Irwin on it. Irwin was on the car last year when J Mac won this race. Don't expect lightning on Saturday night. Kerry Earnhardt will be in the DEI #8 in the NNS race Friday night. Just wondering, is Kerry part of the Nation?

Chip Ganassi Racing shut down the #40 team this past week. Rookie driver Dario Franchitti is among the 70 some employees out on their ####. Lack of sponsor was the official cause of death. Chip has offered Dario a NNS ride, or become Chip's third driver in the IRL. That's a tough choice. Learn stock cars in a lower series, like he should have to start with, or go get shown up by Scott Dixon every week. On the bright side (besides Ashley) he's got a $30 million contract with Ganassi. So expect him to be somewhere in a Ganassi car.

Just like the other major racing series, it takes a tragedy for the NHRA to begin closing the barn door. After Scott Kalita's senseless death the NHRA is evaluating, and analyzing the implementation of potential changes. In the meantime they have reduced the race track length from 1/4 mile (1,320 ft) to 1,000 ft for Top Fuelers and Funny Cars. Do they really think Kalita would have survived if the track had been 320 feet shorter?

Finally, a holiday weekend right in the middle of the long hot summer. Thank you Continental Congress. Stay thirsty, and keep an extra fifth for the Fourth.

You've got questions, I've got answers. A look back at the major American racing series from the last weekend in June.

Q.    Who would have won the Lenox 301 Cup race if it had not rained?

A.     Kurt Busch. There were enough slow cars between he and Mears, Hamlin, and Stewart. There also would have been at least three cautions in the last 25 laps. Just like every other Cup race. Hard for cars to improve their posititions under caution.

Q.     Why isn't Jr Nation calling for Jamie McMurray to be executed, or at least suspended?

A.     They are more concerned with some backmarker standing up to that bully, Kyle Busch. Plus, they know deep down that Jr was at least partially to blame.

Q.     You're crazy. How was it Jr's fault?

A.     When coming into the pits the driver should be waving his hand going down the backstretch, and the car should be down on or below the line in between turns three and four. Jr did neither of these. He was trying to enter pit road at the last instant so he could keep his speed up for as long as possible. He pulled down out of the racing groove, and cut across J Mac who was running his line. Jr's spotter also deserves some of the blame.

Q.     OK, who was at fault in the Juan Pablo/Kyle Busch clusterbomb?

A.     That was a 50/50 deal. Two hard headed, hard driving, ####s. Both of them have never been wrong or caused a wreck. One of them is the Cup points leader though. While the other one will be looking for a job soon enough. JPM did get the last word in. Rowdy should leave it at that. Cut your losses when dealing with Juan. It's like wrestling a pig. You get all muddy, and the pig likes it.

Q.     Did anyone not know that Casey Mears was getting the axe this year?

A.     Yes, that same guy that actually thinks that Jamie McMurray will be back with Roush/Fenway next year.

Q.     Who will win at Daytona Saturday night?

A.     Tony Stewart will win. It's time. Heaven help anyone who gets in his way. Teammate or not.

Q.     What was the IRL thinking by starting 26 cars at 3/4 mile Richmond International Raceway?

A.     They must have thought that they could handle the 200+MPH laps, and that half the cars wouldn't crash out. Didn't happen, but they must have thought it.

Q.     How was your first trip to Memphis Motorsports Park Saturday to watch the NASCAR CTS race?

A.     It was fantastic. One of the finest facilities I've ever been to. I would recomend a visit to MMP for anyone. TV does not do it justice. Check it out when the NNS is there in October.

Q.      Where do you come up with these questions?

A.     A lot of research is involved.

Q.     By research, do you mean Bud Light?

A.     Yeah.

Q.     Are you full of it?

A.     What do you think?

Welcome to the new game show that is taking the nation by storm, 'Name that Blogger'. It's easy to play. You get clues to identify your fellow bloggers. Clues go from easy to hard. Easy answers are worth 10 points. Hard answers are 25 points. Keep your own score at home, and no cheating.

Easy ones, 10 points apiece....

1. "Hello is this thing on?"..............Name thatBlogger!

2.  He will blow up the comments on your blog with pics of hot women..........Name that Blogger!

3.  She alledgedly burnt down her own kitchen............Name that Blogger!

4.  USC Superfan. Bigger Homer than Marge's husband..........Name that Blogger!

5.   Tony Stewart/Joey Logano would be her perfect man/boy..........Name that Blogger!

I told you they were easy. The clues, not the women bloggers. Ready for some harder ones? Here we go, 25 points apiece......

6.   "Thank you. Try the veal, I'll be here all week."............Name that Blogger!

7.    This blogger's screen name could be mistaken for the city of Chicago's nickname............Name that Blogger!

8.    This blogger with the quirky middle initial reps the new Title Town.........Name that Blogger!

9.    This folically challenged blogger has been MIA for a few months..........Name that Blogger.

10.  The incredible shrinking blogger................Name that Blogger!

11.   Oh God, not another contest..............Name that Blogger!

12.    Simply the best..............Name that Blogger!

Special, and I do mean special, bonus clue for 50 points......

Bonus.   !!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????...............Name that Blogger!

We have one last clue as a potential tie-breaker. It's a visual clue, and it's worth 100 points.......

Tie Breaker.

              

.............Name that Blogger!

How'd you do sportsfans? There were a possible 400 points, including the bonus clue. Plus 100 for the tie-breaker.  If we still have a tie, there will be a sudden death playoff Name that Blogger.

***Note: this is an entry into Jokerswild's humor contest, so don't get your granny panties in a ####. If you can't take a joke just think about what your significant other has to put up with on a daily basis.***

Anyone else out there hungover from NASCAR's yearly trek to wine country? With Sonoma in our rear view mirror we cross the country once again for the show in Loudon, NH. Highlights and downlows, with that New England flavuh.

NASCAR's TV ratings have been up all year. Until now, that is. Last week's race broadcast on TNT from Sonoma was down 8% from last year. Kyle Busch stinking up the show could have had something to do with that. Then again, TNT is terrible. They need to find a way to fill time during those long #### caution laps at Infineon besides commercials.

Jeff Burton has four wins at Loudon to lead all drivers. Burton has 16 top 15 finishes in 16 races this year. His #31 Chevy will be sporting special colors and sponsorship from Lenox this week.

Other sponsor news for New Hampshire. The Boston Red Sox will be splashed all over the #6 of David Ragan. Will Smith's new action movie, 'Hancock', will be featured on Elliott Sadler's Dodge. Robby Gordon is apparently sponsorless again this week. Last week he picked up Camping World at the last minute. Marcos Ambrose makes his first oval start in a Cup car driving the #21 Honey Buns Ford. Carl Edwards will pilot the Under Armor #60 in the NNS race on Saturday.

There have been reports that DEI may shut down the #01 team of Regan Smith due to lack of sponsorship. I haven't heard any rumors as to who will buy DEI at fire sale prices, but rest assured it will happen, sooner rather than later. Martin Truex Jr. is looking for a lifeboat to jump on. Other teams are courting Paul Menard, and Mark Martin. Nice legacy you're destoying there, Theresa. Maybe Mr. Hendrick will help Dale Jr. put the E back in DEI.

Silly Season never ends. Several drivers are waiting to see where the dominoes fall before they resign with their current teams, or move to greener pastures. Tony Stewart is keeping the other free agent drivers in park until he announces his plans. Greg Biffle, Ryan Newman, Mark Martin, Martin Truex Jr, Jamie McMurray, and Casey Mears are all waiting for a Smoke signal. Ouch. These drivers have one thing in common. With the exception of Newman's lone win, none of the drivers listed has a victory this year.

Kyle Busch has finished in the top 5 in half of his starts at Loudon. Which leads us to stat of the week...Rowdy has led 17.45% of all laps in the Cup series this year. Everybody loves a winner. No?

Continuing on with beloved drivers, Danica Patrick is under fire from fellow driver Scott Dixon. At the last IRL race in Iowa, Dixon said Danica was a "menace" on the track. She replied that she doesn't care what Dixon or her fellow competitiors think as long as, "I have the respect of my teammates and that, to be honest, is the only thing important to me." All righty then.

Formula One added a new race to next year's schedule. Abu Dhabi gets a race, but the greatest country in the world is still not on the schedule. Brilliant idea alert...Forget Indy. Work on bringing F-1 to Daytona for a night race on the road circuit during October. I'd even settle for a Miami street course F-1 race.

Finally, online voting is underway for drivers to the Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame. In the active driver category Bobby Labonte is leading Ken Schrader and Mike Waltrip. Go here http://www.talladegawalk.com/  to place your votes. Only one vote per day, Moseby. They also have a category for inactive drivers. One of each will be inducted in October.

Well, we're waiting. We're still waiting for the Busch bashers to try and explain away Kyle Busch's win Sunday as luck, or dirty driving, or a fluke, or something. Instead all we hear are crickets chirping. Could this be the performance that finally opens everyone's eyes?  

I'll be the first to admit that I never saw this one coming. Never expected the rowdy one to lay the wood to a road course. Come on now, how many of you did? How many of you had him on your fantasy team this week? Not me.On a day when the road race ringers stayed busy hitting each other and running off the road, Rowdy got busy. Rowdy got his race on. Rowdy stepped it up.

At a track where he had one top 10 in his three previous starts, most fans expected the points leader to play it safe. Instead he goes out and leads 78 of 112 laps. At a road course, no less. 112 laps. 11 turns per lap. Left hand and right hand turns, at that. No mistakes. Where was the reckless 'wild child' that the haters love to hate?

This performance was so dominating, on a track where he wasn't expected to contend at, that it served notice to everyone that Busch is the man to beat this year. Of course anything can happen in that contrived Chase for the Championship, but it appears that the other eleven drivers will be contending for second place.

NASCAR goes NO CAL this weekend. Ah yes, Northern California, they've got your deadheads, they've got your potheads, and for this week only, they've even got your Saidheads. Stay tuned to this site all weekend for live updates from the lovely and talented, Kristen Valus. She promises to throw the Fox Sports gang sign from Victory Lane if Kurt Busch wins. Highlights and downlows......

Rusty Wallace is an ####. After Dale Earnhardt Jr's win last Sunday Rusty stated that the #88 team is not "championship caliber". Compared to what, Rusty? He has as many top 10s as anyone. That's how you win championships. After winning at Michigan, on Father's Day, Lil E dedicated the victory to his Daddy and all the Dads at DEI and HMS. Funny how he mentioned DEI first.

There are always driver changes for the road courses, but it doesn't seem like as many this year as in previous seasons. Ron Fellows sits in for Regan Smith in the #01. Good guy, Marcos Ambrose, is in the Honey Buns #21. Reed Sorenson is out Sunday for Scott Pruett in the #41 Dodge. Max Papis takes over the #66 for Scott Riggs, who in turn pilots the #70 for the same team, CNC HAAS. I guess they couldn't find a replacement driver who would climb in the #70. Riggs DNQed here last year in the #10.

Boris Said will be back behind the wheel of his #60. From the "it's a damn shame" department, Robby Gordon has no sponsor this week. He led the most laps at this race last year, and now can't get a sponsor. Coolest sponsor of the week...CHP...Travis Kvapil's #28 Ford is designed like, and sponsored by the California Highway Patrol. Supposed to help with their recruiting drive. Travis is Jon, so I guess JPM would have to be Ponch?

Caterpillar has left BDR for RCR effective next season. CAT will be on the hood of Jeff Burton's #31, as A####mp;T leaves. CAT was with Bill Davis for 10 years, and was the sponsor for Jeff's brother, Ward, when he won the Daytona 500, and the Southern 500. Also hearing that Army probably won't renew their year to year deal with DEI. They're talking with Mike Waltrip Racing, or could be part of a new Tony Stewart team.

Joey Logano became the youngest NNS winner ever last Saturday at Kentucky Speedway. I hear his fan club is based somewhere in Alabama. Kyle Busch announced this week that he will not run every NNS race this year after all. Somehow I think these last two items have something to do with each other.

Chrissy Wallace makes her second CTS start at Milwaukee this weekend in the #03 Toyota. Landon Cassill and Colin Braun both are running the NNS and CTS double at Milwaukee. This is a nice, safe, track, where these three youngsters should get a chance to show what they can do.

We'll end it here with an Infineon poll.....

Which road race ace will finish the highest?

A.......Boris Said

B.......Ron Fellows

C.......Robby Gordon

D.......Scott Pruett

E.......Juan Pablo Montoya

F.......Marcos Ambrose

The best actual NASCAR quotes from the weekend. Along with my commentary to help the Kool-Aid drinkers figure them out.

This first one is the best NASCAR quote of the season so far. Tony Stewart's response to a question after the Michigan Cup race on Sunday.....

"Ask Mike Helton. I don't know what we're allowed to say....It's just a priviledge for us to be here and according to (a closed door meeting) Friday, we've all got it a lot better than a lot of us think. We're not allowed to have opinions now....We've all got it great. At least that is what we've been told."

NASCAR only thought they wanted their subject's honest opinions. Four months of letting the drivers 'keep it real' was a long time for NASCAR to bite their tongue. Was it a coincidence that NASCAR cracked down on honesty right after the lawsuit came out?

*

Jeff Burton on NASCAR being diverse and welcoming....

"Whether we've had success at that or not, I don't know."

Which is worse, to lie and claim not to know if NASCAR is diverse, or to lie and claim that, yes, they are diverse? Or, should you just tell the well-known truth that they're not?

*

NASCAR spokesflunkie, Jim Hunter, had an interesting take on Dale Jr. passing the pace car......

the driver must maintain a "reasonable speed" under caution. "It's a judgement call."

Well, that certainly settles it. Can't argue with that brilliant explaination as to whether or not it's legal to EVER pass the pace car.

*

Dale Jr. on being pushed to Victory Lane....

"It might have cranked, I thought it would be a better story to be out of gas."

Hmmmm. With that kind of gas mileage, go on and count on 3 or 4 more wins for Jr. this year.

*

New kid in town Joey Logano....

"I expected to win here. I have to win races. (Losing) is not even an option."

Oh yeah, he sounds a lot more mature than Kyle.

*

Kyle Busch on Ron Hornaday....

"I just got into him. Sorry about that."

What an ####. Always has to make everything about himself.

*

Ron Hornaday on Kyle Busch....

'I don't know if I have to give up this championship to teach him a lesson. I hope I don't hurt him."

Wow, if only Horny was 23 years old, we could say he was an immature brat, who only thinks of himself.

Sources....USA Today, Fox Sports

Another short edition of Right Sides Only. I've tried to post a longer version but it will not go through. So, just a couple of thoughts on the bombshell stories from earlier this week. Sorry, no Jamie McMurray updates, but if you search the NASCAR category I'm sure you can find 10 or 12 this week.

Petty Enterprises has sold a majority interest to an investment group, Boston Ventures. This is the best thing that could happen to the Pettys if they want to stay in racing. The Pettys have shown over the last two decades that they have no clue how to run a winning race organization. They always were famous for taking big money from their sponsors and putting little of it towards winning. The playing field changed in the early 1980s, and they didn't change with it. I'm surprised that they have survived this long.

All the other teams that want to survive have had to go to outside investors. When even Jack Roush had to do it that served as a wake up call to any others who had not done it yet. I believe Richard Childress was the first to do this. About 4 or 5 years ago RCR sold off a large minority percentage of itself to outside interests. It remains to be seen if this will be good for NASCAR or not.

I'm already sick of reading about it, but I'll throw my oppinion out there as to Mauricia Grant and her $225 million lawsuit. I feel that NASCAR has to settle this out of court and quickly. There is no way for NASCAR to come away from this smelling good. Her lawyers know that. I'm not saying who is right, and who is wrong. I don't have the facts. I do know the Duke lacrosse team went through a couple of years of hell just because of public perception. No facts were needed. NASCAR will go through much worse.

At the very least, NASCAR is once again viewed as a bunch of backwards ####, ####, hillbillies. Some of the posts I've read on Grant do nothing but confirm that as fact. People, no matter what we think, we don't know all the facts. NASCAR management does not look very professional at all if only one of her claims is true. In today's business world you have to be professional. You have to keep detailed records and reviews of your employees. You must have documentation that shows how you reacted to your employee's concerns.

This will be my only post on Grant, unless another bombshell happens. We can argue this to death, but it doesn't matter, unless NASCAR does have all that documentation, they're going down.