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 ReganSmith 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, MarkMartin, Martin Truex Jr, JamieMcMurray, 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.
Ouch.? I think it is quite friggin hilarious that the media keeps touting Smoke as the person who controls everyone elses future in NASCAR this year. I think that is absurd.
Nice RSO. Can I have some left sides this week as well? I've got some serious driving to do tonight :)
Guess I'll have to create a few more IP adresses to get the vote count up. But you know I'm voting for Schrader, too. Can I take votes away for Mikey? Sorry photogr...
Is the rumor of the US Army sponsorship going to the #22 car dead now? Don't think Jayski has updated it this week.
Fun fact here - Do you know who has completed the most laps at Loudon? Come on now, anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller....
HFL...You don't think everyone's waiting to see what Tony does? I think most of those guys would love to drive that #20. So, they're waiting to see if it becomes available. News flash...it's hot in Memphis.
SRM...Martin might go to drive the 5. Stewart also has been rumored there.
If Tony goes to HAAS, it won't be called HAAS anymore. He would be an owner/driver. Or he could go to Hendrick to drive while owning the old HAAS team.
Hanahan--whats up brother another great Right Sides Only and Danika is like Britney shes not happy unless her name is in the news shes a publicity H0 and I thought Stewy was going to start his own team or was that just a rumor.?
And K.Busch is having a great season last weeks whammy didn't help me I guess I have to put some special whammy sauce on it this week..lol
Mark Martin/Brad Keselowski in the #5, I would think.
Smoke leave the 20? I really don't know, Han. My heart hopes he stays, at least through 2009 and then Dale Jr./Smoke has their own team in Cup, Smoke driving. Who really knows. When Smoke does leave the 20, Logano will be in it.
Oh, and Jeffrey Earnhardt will be driving for DEI in the Nationwide series next year. How *cool* is that. An actual Earnhardt driving for DEI again.
It's not any hotter in Memphis than it is here, trust me.
Last edited by HotfootLori on June 27th at 9:17 AM.
Hotfoot - If they finish 1-2, I'll be checking myself into detox, because it's a hallucination.
The drivers do have a lot to say about it, but are you telling me that JGR equipment is the same quality as MWR? Hendrick is the same as DEI? Penske/GEM is the same as Petty?
If your answer is yes, then I am driving to Alabama next week to check YOU in to detox. Have a great trip to Memphis, though!
mose...I've heard that about Martin, and that he would share the seat with Keslewoski also. Mark couldn't win the championship in a much better car against lesser competition. Doubt he can get it done now in HMS's 4th team.
JW...that would look as good as it tastes. The idea is to use OPM for a sponsor. Tony's sauce sponsored Chrissy Wallace's Late Model race car last year at Hickory Speedway in NC.
Well, it's a sad day in "volville" because Mears is going to leave HMS. Please, NO! I can't stand that disgusting Mark Martin and his negative attitude. He is the only driver that I really don't like. Say it ain't so! Mark Martin is a NOTHING to me. How do people like him?
volfan...wow! I can take him or leave him, but I thought I was the only one that wasn't buying his act. I always thought he whined a lot more than other drivers who were called whiners. He seemed to get a free pass from the fans though.
hanahan
Considering that wine country is now the sport's most potent market in terms of marketing and revenue. Then it's a given that they'd want the maximum exposure . As to F1 until Ecclestone and Mosely are on the same page then there won't be an F1 race here on US soil and that'll be to the detriment of the sport and
That's indeed the stupidy of the hierarchy and the custodians of F1 .
Dave...here's the clean version for Indy. Have a BM, or get out of the WC.
State your case for Indy. Besides the track's history, not much of a case. Don't you think F-1 needs some more palm trees and barely dressed female fans/groupies?
There is NO venue better suited to handling the USGP than Indy - both in terms of housing the fans and providing a great race on the track - particularly with the new, expanded layout that will extend outside the current oval track to add a little elevation change and greater opportunities for passing.
No place else can hold as many fans for a single day racing event. Few cities are as well prepared as Indy to handle such large crowds descending upon their towns in such a compact and well-planned area (without scorching the bejeebers out of them, Las Vegas style).
And NO racing facility is already set-up to meet the highly exacting standards of an F1 race in terms of pits, garages, on-site hosting facilities, etc.
Palm trees? What's so cool about palm trees? Are there palm trees at the Nurburgring? Silverstone? Monza? If you'd have said Watkins Glen or someplace like that, I could understand. But DAYTONA? What case can you make for Daytona that beats Indy? It's certainly not a larger facility. And Daytona, USA is certainly not capable of handling the massive hoard of fans that invade an F1 event nearly as well as Indianapolis, Indiana. The Daytona road course handles the LeMans style event very well from year to year - although the road course is hardly a great course. And Daytona has history - albeit exclusively the stock car variety.
The USGP would likely be slotted into the F1 circuit in mid-summer. Ever been to Daytona in the summer?
Last edited by Dave_in_Indy on June 27th at 3:43 PM.
Hanahan, I've tried for years to like Mark Martin. I swear, he whines, complains, moans, groans, whimpers, etc., until I just want to scream. Well, this year I listened to him being interviewed and he said, "Well, Matt (his son) has given up on racing. I'm glad. That gives me more time for me and my racing. I don't have to get cars ready for him and whatnot." What! That is his son. The man just makes me sick and I DON'T LIKE HIM! He is the only person in racing that I really don't like.
And "besides the track's history"???? There is NO track in the US with more diverse and intense history than Indy. What case can you make for Daytona, besides the palm trees?
Oh, and I have attended all of the Indy based USGP's. I know I was pretty impressed by the amazing presence of so many elaborately and/or barely clad Brazilian, Italian, Spanish, Finnish, German, etc. women. It seems they were not so concerned with the lack of palm trees or yachts.
Get your head out of the WC. Although plenty of places in this great country could put on the USGP and do us all proud. But NO PLACE is more deserving or better prepared to handle such a race than Indy.
... and I've also not been a fan of Martin. He seems to be so self-focused, such a primper and a bit of a dandy. Of course, that describes about half of the drivers - - but few of his generation are of this ilk. Hell, few of his generation survived the Civil War, let alone still race today.
Hanahan, GOOD GOSH! Yes, I agree with Dave. I love ya man, but Dave is correct. Now everyone get back to me and my disgust with Mark Martin! Well, maybe not.LOL Anyway, I do disagree with you for the first time. Dave is correct.
LOL! I'm so worked up. I apologize. I meant that I agree with Dave about Indy. Please, overlook me again this weekend. You know that I have the utmost respect for you.
Dave...take a breath. I'm just having some fun. Not trying to run down your town. I have been to Daytona in July. That's why I mentioned changing the schedule to a NIGHT race in OCTOBER in my original post.
The city of Daytona Beach handles half a million bikers twice a year. I think they can handle a couple hundred thousand wine and cheese race fans for a week. How many fans were at the track for the F-1 race at Indy? They don't release attendance figures, but was it even half full?
I hope you were kidding about Watkins Glen. Their facilities were outdated 30 years ago. I doubt they have the infrastructure to accomodate over a 100,000 fans.
Daytona is a destination. Indy is a hotel airport when your connecting flight is cancelled. Go Jags!
Maybe Dale Jr. should buy out DEI before it's completely gutted...
So TS is a done deal on buying out Ganassi?
I like the idea of having F1 in Daytona under the lights. Florida would certainly fill the stands and the weather would normally be great on the beach.
vol, I agree totaly with you on Mark Martin. Everytime I've posted anything negative about him I've been attacked. I remember when Denny Hamlin said something about being surprised at how Mark raced him in a dirty fashion in his rookie season. Of course Denny was treated like "how could you say such a thing!" by the media.
Han, I don't like Daytona's road course at all. But I for one feel that if Montreal can host a race on that narrow course with the asphalt breaking up, then why not Long Beach?
CR...I'm not a big fan of Daytona's road course either, especially at night. But, they have the seats there. All the message boards are suggesting Las Vegas for the USGP. Now, that would be a scorcher in July.
Great calls of info. We will let you use the GGW Racing news room for now on. You better get back to the race cause it looks like you have been in a fender bender with a few drivers.
Great blog. Cheers
jon...UPS was outbid by Aflac on the #99 team. So, now they're looking elsewhere. The 07 is one team they've spoken with. They also would love to get in bed with Stewart's new team. If they couldn't afford the 99, I doubt they can afford Smoke's new team, though.
hanahan
The US Grand Prix will only work in two places Watkins Glen or Indianapolis . Florida isn't the place for such a prestigious race and it'll never happen. The reason being is that the politicians within this state aren't just that bright or would have the wherewithall and know-how.
Look at the bs now happening with the Tampa Bay Rays ? They're liable to f-ck up that whole situation , only to see the franchise move out of state in the end. They're not the brightest lights on a Christmas tree by any stretch of the imagination.
It is extreemly difficult to focus on racing with all the new rumors. Perhaps all should hold a press conference and say " The rumors going around are all false. We don't know What we are going to do except be unemployed if Tony doesn't make up his mind soon."
