Or, Why does my back hurt so much after watching 9.5 hours of racing in one shot?
Wednesday night is the first qualifying night for Modifieds. So, what does that mean for the fan? It means 40 modified heat races, 8 B Mains, and two A mains, all crammed into one evening. Three hundred and three modifieds checked into the pits for racing last night with a variety of states and Canadians represented.
But, before the modifieds took the track, there were still Saturday Night A Main positions for stock cars to fill. In the photo above, Luke Veren takes the lead off of turn two. Complete results are here. In all, fans were treated to 63 individual races, a couple of wrecks, a runaway stuffed skunk, and a visit by Dale Jr's National Guard car (No Dale Jr in sight).
By the time modifieds took the track, fans packed into the Grandstand anticipating a great show. By early the next morning, most were not disappointed. By the time racing was done at around 1:30 a.m., only 8 of the 303 modifieds qualified for Saturday's A Main. Naturally that means that the remaining modifieds will be back tonight for their Second Chance to qualify. In addition, Sports Mods (or B Mods) invade the speedway tonight for their first chance to qualify for their Saturday A Main. Once again, fans have approximately 72 races on the schedule for tonight/tomorrow morning.
Maybe the hours of racing is the reason fans prefer to stay at the track instead of going home or back to a a hotel. This is the mini-city that has sprung up around the track.
The Grandstands last night were full, even though the weather did not cooperate with race fans. With highs only in the mid-60's and a sharp wind, fans bundled up like it was a frostbuster instead of early September. The weather did not dampen fans enthusiasm or their tailgating. What else would a track farming session be good for?
Before the Sport Mods have checked in today, total car count is near 700 cars, and it is anticipated that the car count could be over 800 cars before the end of tonight. Combined with a $10 ticket for most nights of the week (Monday, Friday & Saturday are a bit more), where else can you watch this many cars race over a week long party?
Now remind me, why aren't you here? Listen online here at RaceTalkLive or here at Pitwall.
Carl Edwards recently remarked that the one race he'd like to run is the Modified feature at the IMCA SuperNationals. However, he also remarked that he would be scared to run it given that some of the nation's best dirt trackers run the race, and he'd be a bit out of his element. Edwards isn't alone in his admiration for the SuperNationals, as hundreds of fans plan their vacation around the event in Boone, Iowa.
Tonight starts the Boone SuperNationals. For the uninitiated, the SuperNationals are a once a year event - on the line are bragging rights for drivers amid a week long party featuring racing.
Car counts this year are already at 200 pre-entries, with a typical field of 350 to 400 cars checking into the pits. Six classes of cars run during the week: Late Models, Sprint Cars, Stock Cars, Hobby Stocks, Sport Modifieds, and Modifieds. Racing runs from hot laps at 4 p.m. until complete (usually midnight to 2 a.m. each night). Wednesday night, which starts the heats for modified drivers hoping to qualify for Saturday night's A Main, has about 40 heat races for modifieds alone.
The other interesting feature to the SuperNationals is that the track is regularly ripped up and repacked. Approximately 10 heats are run, then the track is wet down, pulled up and rolled back in. All in 12 minutes.
All in all, the SuperNationals has it all - lots of cars, lots of race fans, lots of good food, and lots of racing. All compacted into a 6 day event. And even though Nascar sets its field for the Chase on Saturday, hundreds of race fans will gladly miss the Richmond race to watch 40 modified drivers run for the title of "SuperNational Champion."
You can bet if Carl Edwards weren't otherwise engaged, he'd be there to watch, if not compete.
A CD arrived via Fed Ex today. The Following is a transcript of that CD.
Jack Roush: Matt, David, Greg, Jamie & Carl. Welcome to my house. Grab a drink and mingle. I'm just so happy that Toyota got busted by Nascar. However, I do have a few things to talk about with each of you.
Jamie McMurray: I'm never told anything. What did he mean that he needed to talk to each of us? Do you think he's reached a decision?
Carl Edwards: I'm sure it's just a word of encouragement. Like he always does.
Matt Kenseth: What do you mean, "like he always does."
Carl: I mean like he does - the little talks before the race. The notes mid-week.
Greg Biffle: Jack writes you notes mid-week?
Jamie: Jack has never even called my cellphone this year.
David Ragan: I know what he means.
Carl: Maybe Jack just likes me and, ah, what was your name again? Better.
David: David Ragan. I've been your teammate for years now.
Carl: Right. I'm gonna go talk to Geoff Smith. Isn't that him in that grass skirt and Hawaiian shirt?
Matt: You know who has my vote to go at the end of the year.
Greg: Me too.
Jamie: Do you think Jack would listen to you?
Greg: Isn't that Dario Franchitti by the pool?
Matt: Dario. What are you doing here?
Dario: Jack invited me. He told me he wanted to talk about my Cup plans for next year.
Greg: That's crazy.
Jamie: You mean, he's thinking about cutting TWO of us? I don't have a prayer then!
Dario: I don't know.
Matt: Maybe he just wanted to have Ashley at the pool party.
Jack: Greg. Let's talk. Over there.
Greg: Ah, OK. (sounds of footsteps walking away).
Jack: Greg, I've heard some very disturbing things about you. And Toyota.
Greg: What?!? What have you heard?
Jack: I heard your father once owned a Toyota.
Greg: Uh. Hmm. Maybe back in the early 80's. I'm not sure.
Jack: That's very concerning to me. You know how I distrust Toyota.
Greg: But Jack, it was my Dad. Decades Ago.
Jack: That may be all that saves you in my book. (Footsteps walking)
Greg: Can you believe Jack talked to me about a car my Dad may have owned in the early 80's? He's worried because it may have been a Toyota!
Matt: Can you keep a secret?
Greg: You know me.
Matt: My Grandma test drove a Toyota last July. She really wanted to buy it, but fortunately she talked to me about it, and I sent her a Ford.
Greg: Thank God or you would have been fired!
Matt: I know. (Sound of shrubbery moving)
Carl: Ha! Wait until I tell Jack! So much for the "Champion"!
David: You will do no such thing. Or I'll show Jack the photos Schrader gave me of a Toyota motor in your dirt car a couple years ago.
Matt & Greg: What!?!
Jamie: So much for Flipper!
Carl: I, ah, don't, ah, know what you are talking about.
David: Well, let's keep it that way.
Jamie: But nothing can stop me from telling Jack! On all of you!
Matt: You may want to think that through.
Greg: Yes. Especially since your last girlfriend drove a Toyota.
David: I remember that. She would park near me at the shop and track. I think I still have her number from that time she locked herself out. Should we call her to confirm it?
Jamie: Ah, No. Don't call her. Is that Mark Martin talking to Jack?
Matt: Yeah. What is he doing here?
Greg: This makes me very uneasy.
David: First Dario, now Mark.
Jamie: Mark, what are you doing here?
Mark Martin: Jack said he wanted to talk to me about my running a full Cup season next year.
Matt: Why? Your deal is done with Hendrick.
Mark: I guess.
Greg: Guess?
Mark: Well, it isn't all sign, sealed and delivered. Let's leave it at that. Jack said he had an offer I may not be able to refuse.
Jamie: Oh, no!
Carl: Then he'd have to cut THREE of us?
Greg: I hate to break it to you, but Juan Pablo Montoya, Bill Elliott, Casey Mears, and Dave Blaney just walked in.
Jamie: I'm really getting worried now.
David: I'm not worried at all.
Jamie: Why not? Just because you're running well.
Greg: Or cute.
Matt: Doesn't mean you'll be safe.
David: I'm safe because I know how the magnets got into the Gibbs cars.
Matt: What?
Greg: How?
Carl: Care to explain that?
David: Nope. It pays to be the silent type. Good grief, what is that?
Matt: Where did Jack get Kyle Busch's car?
David: I have no idea.
Jamie: And why does he have it hanging in the air like that?
Jack: Boys, I hope you remember how to break a pinata. I thought the perfect end to the night would be to bash the Toyota in. So, who's first?
Three audio CDs arrived in the mail via FedEx. The following are transcriptions of the CDs.
Tape #1
Voice #1: OK, if we tweek the chasiss & tire set-up that way, how can we divert their attention from it?
Voice #2: Yunick always said you should meddle with something obvious and get penalized for that. Then they never check the other stuff.
Voice #1: Thank you Smokey. That is @!#$@% brilliant.
Voice #2: Where is the rulebook?
Voice #1: It's that index card over there.
Voice #2: Well, Nascar didn't like our engines last time it was on the dyno. Build the better mousetrap and get penalized. So, maybe we should pretend to screw with the Horsepower.
Voice #1: Works for me. Maybe we should try that gas tank addition too.
Voice #2: Nah, we don't need to get too crazy. After all, next week they'll only tech the engine again anyway. We can mess with the tank next week.
Voice #1: OK. So what do we do? Maybe we could paint the restrictor plate pink or something.
Voice #2: Too obvious. What would they tinker with to dyno it?
Voice #1: Steering wheel, accelerator, ignition.
Voice #2: Don't all the inspectors wear steel toe boots?
Voice #1: Yeah, why?
Voice #2: Well, we used to pull this prank where we'd put a magnet on someone's accelerator - then they couldn't get their foot off of it with their steel toe shoes.
Voice #1: That should work great!
Voice #2: Is it too obvious if I use those magnets Nascar gave us at the beginning of the year to hang the rulebook on our toolbox?
Voice #1: Nope.
Tape #2:
Voice #3: Robin, my foot is stuck on the accelerator!
Robin Pemberton: What?
Voice #3: Oh, it finally came off. Musta caught my shoe on somethin'
Robin: All right?
Voice #4: The numbers look in order.
Robin: What are you doing in there?
Voice #3: I think somethin' is wrong with the accelerator!
Voice #4: What?
Robin: How could there be something wrong with the accelerator? They just ran a race with it.
Voice #3: Hey, there is a magnet stuck on the bottom of the accelerator!
Robin: We finally caught them! Joe Gibbs Racing Cheats! Ha! Give me that magnet. And check that other Gibbs car.
Voice #4: There is one there too.
Robin: They were trying to make the horsepower numbers appear smaller than they are!
Voice #4: But, they are within the guidelines. How is it cheating to put something on your car that makes it go slower?
Robin: It's cheating because it is against the rules.
Voice #3: Which line is that on this index card?
Robin: The line that says Nascar decides the rules, stupid!
Voice #3: I don't see that on here.
Robin: Just go and get Mike Helton for me.
Voice #3: Shouldn't we check the rest of the car?
Robin: No. Why bother? We caught them.
Voice #4: Just so I'm clear about this - it is illegal to make your car go faster by tinkering with the gas tank, weight, tires, engine or template items.
Robin: Right.
Voice #4: But it is also illegal to make your car go slower by tinkering with the gas tank, weight, tires, engine or template items.
Robin: Of course.
Voice #4: And if you find an advantage within the guidelines, then...
Robin: We change the guidelines and make it illegal.
Voice #4: Well, that's clear as mud.
Tape #3:
JD Gibbs: So the engine department tinkered with the engine after Nascar limited the horsepower? And then tried to hide it with ... magnets?
Mark Cronquist: We had nothing to do with it. The engine is legal and we didn't do anything with magnets.
JD: But then, why would we put magnets on the accelerators?
Mark: Beats me.
Jimmy Makar: I have a feeling that maybe the shop guys can answer that.
Voice #1: The engine is completely legal.
Voice #2: But the chassis and tire set-up is, shall we say, innovative in a Knaus-like way.
Joe Gibbs: And the magnets?
Voice #2: To divert attention from the chasiss and tires.
JD: So if they tech the whole car?
Voice #1: They may or may not find the chasiss development or the new tire set-up.
Joe: And it is Knaus-like because ...
Voice #2: Nascar will definitely not like it.
Voice #1: And this way the other teams don't figure it out for a couple weeks either. Maybe the rest of the season.
Mark: Why did you smear my engine!?
Voice #2: Nascar was already looking at it.
Voice #1: And you know Roush thinks the Toyota engine is the issue.
Voice #2: So we pulled a Yunick and pointed to the engine.
Mark: Ugh.
Joe: Pulled a Yunick?
Voice #1: Think of it as a a type of quarterback sneak. Everyone is looking at the engine and ignoring the real play.
Joe: Do you think the chasiss development is worth this?
Jimmy: Kyle loves it. Hammy can learn to love it. And Smoke only has a few races to deal with it. It will absolutely light a fire under our COT program.
Joe: I can live with it. Now what do we do about Robin Pemberton, Mike Helton & Jack Roush's glee at "catching" us?
JD: Well, everyone always comes out and denies it or appeals it. So, what if we fall on our sword. We're so sorry, we didn't know it was going on, it will never happen again, we expect Nascar to punish us severely and we'll accept any penalties. And so on.
Joe: Brilliant strategy there JD. I'll let you take it from here.
I can't find my "Watkins Glen 2008" commemorative magnets. Did they get put in your hauler?
Smoke
August 16, 2008 8:39:07 p.m.
JD - Just informed that Nascar discovered Magnets under the gas pedals in both the #18 & #20 Nationwide cars when they ran the Dyno test. Call me.
Jimmy Makar
August 16, 2008 9:22:45 p.m.
Zippy :
Magnets? You guys can't get more creative than that!?
Knaus
August 16, 2008 11:03:43 p.m.
Brian, Mike & Robin,
I just heard that you FINALLY caught Toyota cheating. How soon will you be throwing them out of Nascar?
Jack
August 17, 2008 9:34:10 a.m.
Smoke,
I ran the fishing clause by our crew chief picks. Both seemed to like the idea that there was a mandatory fishing vacation in the contract. Didn't seem quite as keen on the dirt track provision, but then again, they'll be stuck working on the Cup cars while we're at the dirt track.
I'd say Grubb is very interested, but then again, he's a solid Hendrick guy.
Newman
August 17, 2008 9:58:39 a.m.
Tony Jr:
We're not gambling again this week are we?
JK!
Junior
August 17, 2008 11:08:32 a.m.
Jeff
Danny Sullivan as a Cup owner? Good grief!? How many of these Indy Car guys are going to come over to Nascar?
Jimmie Johnson
August 17, 2008 5:17:18 p.m.
Rick,
Have I mentioned I hate the Chase format? Then again, Shrub would be running away with this thing.
We really need to try something different. Either the cars are off or I can't get them to where I can drive them.
If we make the Chase, then I think we have to stick with what we know. If not, I'm game for any and all changes we discussed. There would be a good 10 weeks to get adjusted for next y ear.
To be a true race fan, you must attend the Knoxville Nationals at least once. Odds are very good that once you do that, you will be back again, and again, and again. What makes Knoxville so special?
Three-peats: History is regulary made in one form or another at the Nationals. This year Donny Schatz won his third straight Knoxville Nationals, a feat only accomplished one other time - by Steve Kinser who won 4 straight. Three-peat may also be a good way to describe the food - try most of it once, and you'll find your way back to that booth a couple times during the week!
Fame: Nascar touts itself as a fan friendly sport. But their efforts pale in comparison to the Nationals: each night the pits are opened, fans are invited in, and the drivers stand around meeting and greeting whomever shows up at their hauler. Try that in the Cup garage sometime without a pit pass.
But there are stars watching the Nationals too: Everyone from Doug Wolfgang, Shane Carson, Bob Kinser and Bob Troestle to Tony Stewart and Kasey Kahne is present to watch another year of the Nationals.
Infamy: What Nascar has banned, dirt trackers have embraced. At this year's Nationals, I ran into two of the four banned former drivers: Tyler Walker (who started in the A Main) and Shane Hmiel (who was watching before driving at Newton on Sunday).
Walker added to his infamy by not pulling off when his engine exploded, causing a caution. That allowed Schatz to restart on the bumper of the then leader Jason Meyers. Meyers fans blame Walker for failing to pull off when it was apparent his engine was done, thus ruining the lead Meyers had built. Schatz fans will tell you that he was gaining on Meyers anyway. Who would have thought race fans would have different opinions on the outcome of an on-track incident?
In addition to attending the Brickyard 400 (I'm still refusing to call it by its commercial name), I went to a dirt track race at Gas City and a pavement race at Anderson.
Anyone know this character?
Gas City was having double purses - so lots of sprint car teams were there.
This is Eric Gordon running a midget at Anderson Speedway.
Tracy Hines pitted next to Gordon. Here his wife Christa works on the front of the car, while Tracy (in yellow) works on the back of the car. Neither Eric or Tracy finished the race due to mechanical problems. Dakota Armstrong won the $10,000 1st place purse.
