This week’s playlist was constructed by a friend of mine – Stacy – and myself. We’ve been really good friends since I got the opportunity to race at Oswego Speedway in the ASA Late Model Series. Her dad owns the “Steel Palace” so she keeps me up to date on everything that goes on there and all the local supermodified news. Check it out yourself at www.oswegospeedway.com. If anybody checks the site out, or has ever been there let me know.
When I raced there a few years ago, it was an honor to qualify on the pole and set the track record at such a historic place. I had always heard of the history of Oswego Speedway, but I’ve been really surprised to see how often people refer to Oswego Speedway in the NASCAR world. I have heard a surprising amount of stories from people who grew up racing in the Northeast at and around Oswego Speedway, and it’s cool to see such a great racetrack turn out so many quality racers.
Last week, before I left for Richmond, I got the neat opportunity once again to go out to Dale Jr.’s place and help him and Josh Snider on his XM Satellite radio show, “Dale Jr. Unrestricted.” As always, the radio show was a lot of fun, and it was really cool to just kick back and talk about upcoming races and the latest news in auto racing. Their guest on the show last week was Danica Patrick, and it was really cool to listen to Danica talk to Dale Jr. about her first IndyCar victory in Japan.
This weekend in Richmond was definitely an up and down weekend for the National Guard team. We had a very fast car in practice and strong qualifying effort, and we even passed some cars at the beginning of the race. But as the race went on, the handling became an issue. From then on, it was just a very long, tough race, and a battle trying to dial the car back in and be as competitive as possible. My next race in the No. 5 National Guard Chevy is at Dover International Speedway on May 31.
If you had the chance to drive an Indy Car, would you and what track would you race it at?
LC: I think it would be really cool to get a chance to drive an IndyCar, and I’ve heard that the easiest track to drive them at is Texas Motor Speedway. So, I would like to go there first. But if I really had my choice, I would like to drive one at Richmond or Indianapolis.
“Leigh K.” wrote:
I have a question. Is it actually you who answers these questions?
LC: Yes, of course it is me! I usually devote about an hour a week to writing my blog and answering the fan questions. I enjoy hearing what the fans have to say about my racing, and look forward to reading your e-mails each week.
What a wild week it’s been. From fishing to taking my first spin in the truck race to gearing up for Richmond -- the time is just flying by.
So let’s start with last Wednesday, when my No. 5 JR Motorsports team and I went fishing in the National Guard Fishing Challenge Competition at Mountain Island Lake near the Charlotte area. This was my second time in the tournament, and it was a pretty cool experience because we get to fish with professional FLW bass anglers. It's neat to be in their environment, and it's especially cool to see how some of the trickiest things such as casting, and setting a hook, and other fishing techniques look so easy when the professionals do it. I guess that’s why they are the pros.
My 20-year-old brother, Zac, made it out for the event, so fishing with him and the National Guard’s FLW angler Ramie Colson made it even more fun. Zac is a professional bass angler in the FLW Stren Series so he’s just as intense about his fishing as I am about racing. I love to watch Zac do what he does best, and it was neat to be right there in on the action. It was also cool to see my team have a good time out on the lake. We all have very hectic schedules, so for them to be able to have a fun, relaxing morning on the water was a great thing. I’ve included a photo of me, my brother Zac and Ramie from the event last week.
After the tournament -- which I didn’t win, by the way -- I had to start getting ready for my debut in the Craftsman Truck Series. I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but when the Morgan Dollar Motorsports team asked for my help at Kansas Speedway, I was happy to give it a shot. I got the call on Tuesday to drive for the team, so last minute, I went to their shop to meet the team and also get my seat fitted for my truck. Extra seat time always is a good thing. The truck -- the No. 46 Chevrolet -- was good, and I felt like I caught on really fast. Finishing 13th was a great confidence booster for me.
The IndyCar Series was at Kansas last weekend, too, so I got to meet Vitor Meira. Vitor drives the No. 4 Delphi National Guard car. He was a really cool guy and was very interested in checking out my type of race car. I was very impressed with his knowledge for NASCAR. He obviously follows the sport to an extent and had a lot of good questions about our cars. I really liked sitting in his IRL car too. It was a much different experience from what I’m used to. I couldn't believe how little space there is inside his car and how high-tech the steering wheel was with all its buttons and stuff. It definitely looked like something I’d enjoy driving! I’ve included another photo for this week’s blog – it’s a photo of me inside Vitor’s car and him showing me things – such a cool experience!
Now I’m getting ready for this week to compete at Richmond in the Nationwide Series, driving the No. 5 National Guard Chevrolet. But I can’t sign off without sharing what music has my attention right now. This week I bought a copy of what is probably the best album that ever has been known to music – “How the West Was Won” by Led Zeppelin. It’s a multi-disc set, and it’s tough to skip any one of the songs. It’s definitely some classic rock from way before my time, but I still love it. I’ve also been listening to Forever the Sickest Kids all week. The band’s album comes out today, so make sure to check it out.
In the meantime, keep your e-mails and questions coming -- landoncassillfoxblog@live.com. And don’t forget to flip over to ESPN2 on Friday at 7 p.m., ET to watch me in my fourth NASCAR Nationwide Series race of the season.
Cheers!
Landon
“Nawlinz” wrote:
Dale Jr said you were having trouble getting approved for some races early on, well what exactly do you have to do to get approved to run all the races?
LC: NASCAR has an approval process that rookie drivers have to go through in order to drive at certain tracks. The approval process includes different stages depending on the size of the race track. Rookie drivers have to keep record on their racing resume with what experience they have and what tracks they’ve raced at. From there, NASCAR has a committee that reviews the resumes and then your eligibility is decided on what they think is best for the driver. Of course, they have the driver in their best interest because they want everyone to be safe on the track.
“mack9799” wrote:
Landon, what is the biggest difference in driving a craftsman truck and a stock car?
LC: A truck in the Craftsman Truck Series has a lot more drag and down force than a stock car. It also has a longer wheel base. All those aspects combined make the truck more forgiving, but you also have to push it a little further – pretty much, you have be on the gas more and push and run the truck harder. Because the truck’s body punches such a big hole in the air, the truck moves around a lot in traffic and depends a lot on clean air.
I’ve had a lot of traveling in the past week. I spent four solid days in Mexico and had some fun stuff on the side.
This week’s playlist is pretty much a recap of what I did on Tuesday night. I went to the Tremont Music Hall in Charlotte and watched a band called The Rocket Summer play. I have been listening to the band since its first album “Calendar Days” and enjoyed it ever since. This was my first time seeing them live, and it was a great show. Two other bands (All Time Low and The Sickest Kids) played as well, and they were great, too. I have heard of both of them in the past but never listened to them, so I definitely bought their CDs and have been wearing them out on my iPhone. I’ve also been listening to We the Kings quite a bit. Their song called “Check Yes Juliet” is a great one. Check it out!
I’m really excited to share the experience I had while in Mexico. Aside from the new experience on the road course, the actual cultural experience there was pretty wild. We stayed at the hotel Nikko, which was actually a very fancy place. It has a few nice restaurants and a great view of the city. Friday was a long day of practice and time spent at the racetrack, but after qualifying on Saturday, the teams had the afternoon off. I took advantage of this time to do some relaxing in my room, but I decided to venture out a little and check out the surrounding blocks of our hotel. I met up with a friend of mine that writes for NASCAR Scene, Jeff Gluck. We walked a few blocks down and found a local marketplace, which is where I think we gained our most interesting Mexico experience.
Aside from checking out all the unfamiliar candy stands, we didn’t find anything too intriguing until we met two young boys playing soccer. I figured it would be a neat deal to join these kids, so I actually played soccer with the two boys, who were probably about 12 and 8 years old. It was a really good experience for me because it really reminded me how simple and fun life can actually be. These two boys had nothing to worry about other than to keep their soccer ball out of the vendors’ fruit tables or frying pans. It reminded me of being their age and how simple and easy everything was. Now I know what all the grown-ups meant when they told me they wish they could be a little kid again. Even though everyone is so busy these days, I suppose we should always take the chance to kiss the ground and be proud of the country we live in and the opportunities that it provides us, and maybe just let life be simple and easy for a while.
My Sunday in Mexico was a solid experience on the track. My goal was to run 80 laps and keep the car on the road and that is exactly what happened. I can’t thank my team at Phoenix Racing enough for preparing my car and bearing with me through my road course learning curve.
P.S. The picture I've included in this blog is one of me at the JR Motorsports souvenir hauler while in Phoenix. Every time I'm in the No. 5 National Guard Chevrolet, I will try and make it out there to sign some autographs for fans, so please stop by!
“David via email” wrote:
So what is the difference between good feedback and too much feedback and is that just something that takes time to learn?
LC: The amount of feedback that a driver gives is always relevant to the situation that he is in with the race car. There are times when a team is testing, that a driver can give extensive feedback. However, in a racing situation it is always good to be able to get your point across as quickly as you can, allowing your crew chief time to process your information. Decisions happen fast during the races, so the proper feedback needs to be quick and efficient.
“Chris Berg via email” wrote:
I want to know how you got into racing and if anyone ever told you that your a dream would never come true.
LC: One time in fifth grade some kids at school told me that I would never be a NASCAR driver, and I would have a better chance of winning the lottery. Well that didn’t really stop me I guess, I’ve always wanted to race, and my parents put me in the right positions to fulfill my dreams. I never gave up, and I worked hard, and that is a big part of how my dreams came true.
This week’s playlist is simply “The Sun and the Moon” by the Bravery. It’s a pretty good album; fairly uneventful but pretty relaxing music. I first heard them at Urban Outfitters a while back, and I bought their CD on iTunes. Check it out!
Other than the music, it’s a little hard to think of anything to write at the moment because I’m a little distracted by Bryan Clauson playing baseball on his PlayStation 3. I’m not even a major baseball fan, but he is winning, and it’s getting pretty interesting. It is currently Monday night, and we (me, Bryan, Ricky Stenhouse and Kirk Spridgeon) just got back from the bowling alley, where we definitely confirmed that I am not only terrible at bowling, but I look weird while I do it. However, it surely was entertaining.
Spridge had the night of his life, bowling an incredible 173 and a 186. Bryan and I had a great battle for 3rd and 4th, hovering around the 100 point mark. Ricky was better than Bryan and I, but no contest to Spridge’s superior skills. The four of us just played some cards before bed, and I’m going to be crashing on Bryan’s couch for the night and heading to the shop in the morning.
After another race under my belt, I’m very excited for more races to come. It seems like I’m catching on every time I get in the No. 5 National Guard Chevrolet, and pretty soon we’ll be able to finish ofBLEEPood run that we have been working towards. In Phoenix, I feel like I did pretty well towards the middle of the race, and if it weren’t for a few other circumstances we could have pulled off a top-15 finish. It has been very difficult racing in the Nationwide Series, and the more I learn from these first few races, the better off I’ll be towards the end of the season. The most important part is that I’m continuing to bring the cars back in one piece and running all the laps, because that is the best way to learn and improve from week to week.
This weekend I am off to Mexico to drive the No. 4 Chevy for Phoenix Racing. I have absolutely no road course experience in a stock car, so I’m expecting to learn a lot this weekend. Brad Keselowski and I went to Bondurant Driving School in Phoenix in November, but other than that, I have not driven on a road course since I raced go-karts as a kid. Most of the advice that I’m getting is to just keep the car on the racetrack. From the tapes that I’ve been watching, and the advice I’m getting from other drivers, it seems like a possible top-15 finish if I just keep the car on the track all day.
After I get through Mexico, I’ll be looking ahead towards continuing my season in the No. 5 National Guard Chevrolet at Richmond. I’m hoping that we can improve on our car that we tested with, and go to Richmond with a strong race car and full of confidence.
“Flcourt07” wrote:
Ok, if you like Cobra and Metro Station then you should check out We The Kings. They all toured together that past few months. WTK are going to be at Warped Tour too...
LC: Once again, thanks for the new band ideas! Those guys are awesome. I’m pretty sure WTK played last weekend at the local venue I used to go to back in Iowa called the Picador.
“Sarabug” wrote:
I think it’s pretty cool how you play golf! i love it! i play with my dad and best friends all the time....i recently got to play in myrtle beach nc when i went to the bristol race! it was sooo great! what are some of your favorite places to play?! P.S. good luck april 11 i wont be watching its my prom!
LC: I can’t remember what it was called, but my grandma and I played golf at some resort in the mountains in Pennsylvania, and it was pretty awesome. It was a very nice course and just about every hole had a beautiful view of all the surrounding mountains.
“Mack9799” wrote:
Hey Landon. Congrats on your finish in Phoenix. I know you wanted a top 15 but you would have had one had the 59 car not gotten you loose. That was a really nice save and I was wondering what do you have to do inside the car to keep it from hitting the wall once the car has started to spin?
LC: Most of the time when you get spun out like that it’s a matter of luck whether you save it or not! It always just depends on how fast you are spinning around and what direction you are going. In this case, when I was turned around backwards I thought I was going to hit the wall, so I pushed the clutch in to keep from blowing the engine, and I turned the wheel right to whip the car back around. At that point, I just gassed it up and went on my way. Saves like that are almost always luck though because they happen so fast. Hopefully I don’t do it enough to get too good at it!
All right. I hope everybody has a good week. Don’t forget to e-mail me your questions – landoncassillfoxblog@live.com.
Cheers!
Landon
P.S. I've included a picture of me from Phoenix. I'm talking with Rex Stump, Hendrick Motorsports engineer, during the Nationwide Series practice session last Thursday afternoon.
Well, I’m back online after a pretty good weekend in Texas. I had the opportunity to spot for Dale Jr. on Thursday during the Nationwide Series practice sessions, which was a pretty neat experience. I managed to make it through practice without screwing things up and getting yelled at -- haha. Dale Jr. made the comment on the radio that I probably shouldn’t get too good at spotting -- I strongly agree.
This brings me to my next subject, driving. I’m going to be back in the No. 5 National Guard Chevrolet for JR Motorsports in Phoenix this Friday night, and I couldn’t be more excited. You all know how much I’ve been waiting for these races to come, and I’m totally focused on them now that they’re here. I’ve been studying endless tapes of previous Phoenix races in preparation for this event, and I’ve also been in the shop fine tuning the interior of my car so that I am 100 percent comfortable in the seat.
This weekend, I am very confident with my goals and my plan for Phoenix. First, I plan on going out in the first practice session and attacking the track with confidence. I have some laps around Phoenix, and I really want to show myself and my team that I can go out there and catch on fast. The Nationwide Series has a limited amount of practice, and I do not want to waste much time relearning the racetrack. The more we get done on Thursday will put us in a much better position to tune the car on Friday. It’s really not that important to go out and “win” the first session of practice, but the lesson that I’m trying to learn is that it’s important to get into the habit of catching on to these tracks fast in order to utilize all of our practice time. I also want to qualify and finish in the top 15. Plain and simple. I’ve been improving as a driver in all of my Nationwide Series races and after being so close to a top 15 finish at Nashville, I plan on sealing that deal in Phoenix.
OK this week’s music isn’t quite as appropriate for the older ages…I had to revert back to my generation again.
-Shiny Toy Guns- “We Are Pilots” (It’s the album, and it’s pretty darn good. I can’t really pick out a song that I like the most.)
-Hellogoodbye- “Bonnie Taylor Shakedown” (OK I’ll admit I like HGB, but this is on the list mainly because my little sister Echo texted me today and told me she was listening to them, so that was a pleasant surprise.)
-The Starting Line- “Bedroom Talk” (Props to anyone that can truly say they know this song.)
-The Thermals- “Brace and Break” (And also props if anyone actually knows who The Thermals are.)
On Monday, I played in a celebrity golf tournament in Cornelius, North Carolina. I love playing in those types of events because I love playing golf. I have a few scheduled this year, and I’m looking forward to all of them. If anyone knows of any, let me know! They’re hard to turn down.
Make sure you all leave me some comments and watch the new episode of “The Office” on Thursday night! My e-mail address is landoncassillfoxblog@live.com.
See ya next week.
Cheers,
Landon
“Kasey1 99” wrote:
"Hey Mr. DJ" is one of my favorite Cobra songs! Since you're into Cobra, another band you would probably like would be Metro Station. They're also a Techno/Alternative band and they remind me of Cobra. Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana's step-brother Trace is the lead singer of the band.
Can't wait till Phoenix! Good Luck!!
--Kasey
LC: Thanks for the advice on that band! I really liked them, and I bought their CD.
“Racing lover10” wrote:
I saw “21” with two of my friends Friday night, and that movie was awesome. I absolutely loved the way it ended.
What are some of the other movies you enjoy, besides the ones you mentioned?
LC: There are definitely a handful of good movies I like, including “Ocean’s Eleven,” “Ocean’s Twelve,” and “Ocean’s Thirteen.” “Superbad,” “300,” “Blazing Saddles” and “The Big Lebowski” are probably my top favorites.
I’m changing my playlist up a little bit this week for my boss. I was told that it needs some older music … haha.
With that in mind, one of my favorite Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) performances is of their song “White Summer.” You should check it out on YouTube.com.
All right, so here’s this week’s playlist – all music of my choice, but here are a couple songs accommodating for those readers of my parent’s age. Showing some love for everyone!
Between the Buried and Me - “Ants of the Sky”
Led Zeppelin - “How many more times”
Tsunami Bomb - “Take the Reins”
Cobra Starship - “Hey Mister DJ”
Peter Frampton - “Do you feel like we do?”
This week was definitely a change from what I’ve been used to. The Nationwide Series teams had the weekend off. We had our Richmond test early last Monday and Tuesday, so the rest of my week was pretty relaxing. Because the Richmond test went late into the night both days, I was pretty tired when I got home late Tuesday night. I did go to JR Motorsports on Wednesday and Thursday, but with my road crew off Thursday and Friday, my days were all messed up.
On Friday, I played racquetball, and in the evening I went to see the movie “21” with my friend from the shop, Cameron. You should really check that movie out; it was pretty interesting if you’re into casino-themed movies. I enjoy watching “Ocean’s Eleven,” “Ocean’s Twelve” and “Ocean’s Thirteen,” so I definitely enjoyed this movie.
I didn’t go back to Iowa for my off weekend, but on Saturday I did have an appearance at JR Motorsports with the Twin Rivers Corvette Club. I really enjoyed this appearance. The folks in the club were very friendly and thoroughly enjoyed the shop tour. I was able to spend some time with the people, sign some autographs, and hang out in the retail store at JRM. When I got home that afternoon I literally took a nap from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. I was really tired for some reason.
The word “tired” pretty much summed up my entire weekend. On Sunday, I lounged around the house, watched the Sprint Cup Series race, and watched “The Truman Show” with my Grandma. Great movie!
I guess a NASCAR driver does have a down weekend every once in a while. I’m too anxious to get back in a race car to have any more weekends like this one. I’ll be heading to Texas this week, where I’m spotting for Dale Jr. on Thursday, and after that I’ll be looking forward to my next event in the No. 5 National Guard Chevrolet at Phoenix.
One last thing, I’d really like to give a shout out to the Davidson College men’s basketball team on an outstanding performance in the NCAA tournament this week. They definitely made a fan out of me. Davidson College is like five miles away from my race shop, and it’s really cool to see a small local college competing with the major universities.
OK time to answer some e-mails/comments.
“Kristina” wrote:
Hey Landon, Loved the blog..ill have to check out those songs!!! I saw ya at testing today. Me and my girls went up to watch you and the 88 test!! I just love seeing you boys out on the track. How did the car feel? Are you racing the 5 at Richmond in May? Have a great week Landon!
LC: Glad that you went to visit our test in Richmond! Hopefully the car was fast enough for you. It was almost fast enough for us, but you can never go fast enough. We worked pretty hard on the car Monday and Tuesday and learned quite a bit about what to do and what not to do. Yes, I will be racing at Richmond in May, driving the National Guard Chevrolet. In fact I’ll be driving both Richmond Nationwide Series races this season.
“Nawlinz” wrote:
Is Jr going to let you race on his computer to get ready for Mexico?
LC: I sure hope so! Normally, I would be practicing on my own simulator, but the computer has been acting up lately, so it’s currently at the racing computer repair shop right now.
Have a great week and catch ya next Tuesday! Don’t hesitate to drop me an e-mail in the mean time – landoncassillfoxblog@live.com.
Cheers,
Landon
P.S. Also, please be sure to check out my web site - www.landoncassill.net - the next couple weeks. We are in the process of re-designing it and making it look cool!
All right folks, I promised you a playlist, so go look these songs up, add them to your “Landon’s Playlist” on iTunes and turn the music up before you read the rest of this entry.
I tend to listen to different kinds of music depending on what I’m doing. Like anyone else, I have music that pumps me up, calms me down and any other kind of music that I just listen to in any mood. So here is a little bit of what I’ve been listening to this week:
“I am Hollywood” – He is Legend
“You’re all I have” – Snow Patrol
“Aside” – The Weakerthans
“7 weeks” – Gym Class Heroes
Now that you are listening to this week’s playlist, I can start talking about my race on Saturday at Nashville Superspeedway. As you all know, I was pretty excited to get back into my National Guard Chevrolet this weekend after quite a long wait. It’s pretty difficult getting back into a car after such a drought of races, especially to jump in six races behind everyone else.
We had a decent day on the track. It was more of a “getting back in the swing of things” day for me, so I was just getting re-acquainted with everything that was going on. I was pretty happy that I was able to improve from practice to the race like I had planned. There are a lot of new things that a new driver like me picks up on during a race, and I feel like I caught most of what came at me. We were on our way to a top 15 finish when the radiator pan broke, which kills the downforce in the front of the car. Basically, that terribly affected my handling, and even though we still finished 19th, I wasn’t able to hang on to the top 15 that the No. 5 National Guard team deserved. I look forward to improving once again at Phoenix International Raceway in April!
So following this exciting weekend at the race track, and Easter Sunday, I am now in Richmond, Virginia testing my National Guard Chevrolet for our upcoming Nationwide Series race in May. We were pretty fast on Monday, but we struggled with the car later in the day. Hopefully today, my crew chief Chad Walter and the rest of my guys can get the car back on track.
I’m not quite sure what I’m doing with my off weekend yet. I’m thinking I might go back and visit my family in Iowa, but I’m not sure if I have time to. Any ideas?
One more thing before I answer emails/comments. I’m not sure if you guys heard this interview, but I was on XM Satellite Radio (Channel 144) with Claire B. Lang last week, and she had people call in and give me good ideas for a lucky charm. I’m not sure if I should be relying too much on luck, because most of the luck that comes my way isn’t very good luck anyways, but what the heck, give me some of your ideas!
P.S. Forgot to mention… Please note the picture I’ve included with this blog. It’s of me and Dwight Schrute (or more like a bobblehead version of the character from “The Office.”) We’re just hanging outside my hauler before driver intros at Nashville. He will be traveling with the No. 5 JR Motorsports Chevrolet team for awhile – we’re basically doing the whole “Flat Stanley” deal with him at the various tracks this season. Good times!
Dwight Schrute (The Office): “As of this morning, we are completely wireless, here at Schrute Farms. But as soon as I find out where Moses hid all the wires, we'll get that power back on.”
“Racing Lover10” wrote:
Awesome job at Nashville!
I saw somewhere that you're driving the #4 at Mexico, is that true?
LC: Yes I am! I’m extremely excited to be racing with James Finch and Phoenix Racing at Mexico City. I think it will be a great opportunity for me to get some extra seat time and some valuable experience at the road courses. That should be pretty exciting. I mean wow, a race in Mexico.
“Sara Bug” wrote:
You are right driving to Bristol is the only way! it was such a beautiful drive! hope you didn’t drive by yourself....company makes it so much better!
LC: Yeah it was fun. Steve Crisp, JR Motorsports’ director of motorsports, did ride back with me, but I did have to drive down alone from Charlotte to Bristol. Can you believe no one would ride with me? I still had a good time even by myself. A co-pilot would be nice next time though.
“Elizabeth from Louisville, KY” wrote:
Landon, I was wondering what favorite foods you eat?
LC: My truck driver Andy Taylor makes us pizza rolls all the time and I really love those. They are terrible for you but that’s OK, I love them. I was born and raised in Iowa, so I’m definitely a steak and potatoes guy, but I do have a little wild side. I LOVE sushi. I think the main reason that works with me is because I’ll try almost anything once, and most of that stuff isn’t as gross as it looks.
Only two more days and I’m off to Nashville, Tenn. for my first Nationwide Series race of the season. It has been fun traveling with the team and being a spectator, but I’m without a doubt ready to drive the No. 5 National Guard Chevrolet.
I spent a decent amount of time behind the wheel of my own sports car last weekend. Instead of flying to Bristol with the team, I elected to drive through the mountains to the racetrack. I figured I wouldn’t have too many more opportunities to take my Corvette (which is for sale, by the way) through the back roads to Bristol, Tenn. It was a beautiful drive through the windy roads up and down the mountains. It is definitely a drive that I recommend for anyone traveling through North Carolina or Tennessee. And oh, by the way my Corvette really is for sale.
Right now, my mind is so focused on this upcoming weekend that I can hardly think about anything else. I’m just so ready to get to the track with my No. 5 Chevy, buckle in and fire up that engine. I’m hoping that we can go to Nashville Superspeedway with a competitive car that will run in the top-10. It’s very important for me to go to this race and just show that I can run a clean race and be competitive. It has been quite a while since my last race, so I think getting into a rhythm for the summer stretch is going to work to my advantage. Look for me in the No. 5 National Guard Chevrolet this weekend in Nashville – also, we’ll be recognizing the 128th Military Police Company on the car.
Oh yeah and by the way I beat Ricky Stenhouse at racquetball yesterday, which NEVER happens. I think he let me win. Either way, it’s all about that “W”. I hope he reads this.
Cheers,
Landon
“Racinglover10” wrote:
I checked out the p!atd song, it seems pretty cool. They have quite a few other songs that are really good too.
What I was wondering, is what are the favorite tracks in NASCAR you've run on so far? And what ones are you most excited to be able to race on?
LC: So far, I really enjoyed racing at Dover International Speedway. It’s a pretty wild place to drive, and the grooves really open up towards the end of the race. I’m also looking forward to racing at Chicago this year, and returning to places like Dover, Richmond, Memphis, and Gateway.
“Indykay43” wrote:
hey landon, seems like you need to post a playlist everyone likes your music so much! looking forward to nashville! good luck!
LC: Let me know what you all think of this idea, and maybe I’ll start a weekly playlist of what I’ve been listening to. Some of it can get very interesting!
All right, it’s really late right now, like 1 a.m. on Tuesday and I GOTTA go to bed so I’m typing fast. I had a pretty good week overall, nothing too eventful happened, which can be good at times.
This past week at JR Motorsports, I’ve been helping my team reconstruct my leg supports in my National Guard Chevrolet because I haven’t been 100 percent happy with them. The leg supports are situated on the seat and help hold up my legs during the race so it’s important to get them exactly right.
On Saturday, I flew out to Atlanta for the Nationwide Series race to support Dale Earnhardt Jr., who drove the No. 5 National Guard/48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Chevrolet. I really enjoyed watching the race from the spotter’s stand. I learned a lot about how to work the momentum at such a fast track in the lower horsepower cars. I think the information I learned there is going to be very useful when I go to a place like Chicago later in the year. So my weekend basically consisted of watching races!
Quick side note: check out the new single by “Panic! At the Disco” – “Nine in the Afternoon.” It’s a very catchy song, and I’ve got it preordered on iTunes so when the new CD comes out, it automatically downloads. It’s important to be on top of the new music!
Speaking of new things, I solidified a sunglass sponsor this week, which is a pretty cool deal. Puma added me as one of their athletes about a year and a half ago, and just recently hooked me up with Kaenon Polarized. Kaenon is a really cool West Coast style company, and I have always loved their product. It’s pretty cool to be on a deal with them now, and help introduce them to NASCAR. Check them out www.kaenon.com.
On Monday, I had a pretty busy and exciting night. Bryan Clauson, Ricky Stenhouse, Kirk Spridgen and a few of Bryan’s friends from Indianapolis came over to my house to hang out. Grandma made chicken noodle soup and some excellent sandwiches on the grill, and we played a couple rounds of Russian Rummy. The card games were great, but I must say the hit of the night was the new bubble hockey game. If you haven’t heard of bubble hockey, it’s a really cool game. It’s a lot like foosball, except with hockey players. I always have wanted one of these, and I got very lucky and acquired it from none other than Dale Jr. We played the heck out of that game tonight.
I have to be up at 7 a.m., so I can meet Ricky Stenhouse to play some racquetball at the gym. I’m thinking an AMP Energy drink will be my morning wake up call.
All right, I’m off to bed. I look forward to reading your comments and e-mails this week. Again, my e-mail address is landoncassillfoxblog@live.com
Cheers!
Landon
“Iowa Girl” wrote:
Landon - Your card party sounds like a lot of fun. I've watch Bryan in USAC, and he is definitely one of my favorites. And Spridge, well, he's just a walking encyclopedia of racing information!
The best part is your Grandma is involved - I have the best memories of my Grandma playing games with me, so cherish those times (and don't let her beat you too badly!).
LC: Yeah the parties are getting exciting at my house. I forgot to add that we play Nerf basketball in my foyer! I think we’ll be able to play that until we break something and Grandma takes down the hoop -- haha. It’s a pretty good time!
“Yee Mum” wrote:
One for the good guys indeed!
Thanks for once again sharing your adventures with us.
My son is currently in Fort Benning, Ga. National Guard basic training. He should be home in time for us to make the Talladega race- (proud mom can't wait)
LC: Hey! I got your email, and I just wanted to let you know and anyone else that wants an autograph (once I get my hero cards from the Guard) that you can send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:
JR Motorsports
Attn: Landon Cassill
349 Cayuga Drive
Mooresville, NC 28117
Thanks!
Also, I've been getting a lot of e-mails asking when my first Nationwide Series race is, so to answer that, it will be at Nashville Superspeedway on March 22. I'll be driving the No. 5 National Guard Chevrolet. Can't wait!
So I’m sitting here in my office at JR Motorsports thinking about what I did this past week, and I’m thinking to myself, “I’m gonna need to write two blogs.” This week went by so fast, and I did so much that I can hardly process it all. I think the biggest thing that made it go by so fast was the rain delay out in California. The Nationwide Series race was run on Monday – which made that day feel like Saturday – and then the next thing you know I was on a plane to Las Vegas three days later.
To round up my week, the most interesting thing that I did back in Charlotte was play cards on Tuesday night. Basically, every Tuesday night at my house, Grandma and I have some people over and we play a little card game called Russian Rummy. It’s a lot like Phase 10 for those of you that know that game -- but I think it’s way cooler. We have a core group of guys that come play - Ganassi and Roush drivers Bryan Clauson and Ricky Stenhouse, as well as MMI agents David Smith and Kirk Spridgeon. It gets pretty competitive at Grandma’s house, and I think that’s why they keep coming back. I’ll keep you all posted on how we do this week.
Thursday afternoon I arrived in the city that never sleeps and headed straight to the Raybestos Rookie Cooking Challenge at the ESPN Zone Las Vegas. Before we go any further into this topic, I would first like to state that I was a little skeptical about doing a “cooking contest.” Doesn’t sound too tough, right? And trust me, I am definitely getting grief from the guys at the shop for winning a cooking contest. However, I would like to let you all know that I did have a really good time at the ESPN Zone cooking up some pasta for the kids from the Boys and Girls Clubs of Las Vegas. I don’t really know how to cook, so I wasn’t sure how it would turn out. But the food didn’t taste that bad, and I had a good time attempting to entertain everyone. Entertainment, that’s what this is all about right?
The rest of the weekend went by pretty fast as well. Friday night I had an autograph session at the Stratosphere hotel with my teammate Brad Keselowski. We had a pretty solid flow of people for about 40 minutes, and we had a really good time for the last 20 minutes of the session talking to people and goofing off a little (seems like that’s all I ever do anyways). My crew guys even stopped by for a few minutes and picked on me and Brad while we were trying to sign autographs. The picture that I included is of Brian Campe (my race engineer) and me; Brian sat down in my seat as if he was a driver and proceeded to sign autographs. This picture best represents me being a NASCAR fan, and look how excited I was to get my picture taken with THE Brian Campe, race engineer of the No. 5 JR Motorsports Chevrolet.
Well let’s see, what else, oh yeah we raced out in Vegas too. And hey, we won! Mark Martin drove our Delphi Chevrolet into Victory Lane this weekend, a great win for the guys and for JR Motorsports – which was the organization’s first win. I was really excited to see this win, but I was very bummed to see Brad get booted with four laps to go. I think he drove the wheels off his car and put his heart and soul into holding onto the lead.
All right, that’s all I can remember! Hope you all have a great week and enjoy watching the NASCAR races in Atlanta.
Cheers,
Landon
“Edhardiman” wrote:
How much post-race analysis do you do? Do you go over a lot of film and such to prepare for a race? Do you turn the damage off when you run EA Sports NASCAR video games? Cause we do and when you know you're absolutely not going to win a race, going the opposite way is a time honored tradition...
LC: That is a very good question about the race analysis. I do a lot of film studying prior to races. I usually watch recorded broadcasts of the most recent races at whatever track I’m going to. There is a lot to learn from what you see on television.
And heck no, I don’t turn the damage off! You gotta be for real, man! But yes I have had my fair share of “turn around backwards in order to win” races on the video games. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.
“Kasey 1 99” said:
Hey Landon! I love that you love Cobra Starship! I just saw them live in January and they were pretty amazing!! My friend and I stood outside in 20 degree Ohio weather for 3 hours before the show!
Anyway, I'm excited to see you race at Kentucky! A bunch of my friends and I are going. Maybe if I'm lucky I'll run into you! Hope you still feel better! --Kasey
LC: Of course I love Cobra Starship! My friend Chelsea back in high school got me hooked on them, and I just can’t let it go. I’m going to try to find some time this summer to see them at Warped Tour in Charlotte. Fangs up!
“Jean M. from Massachusetts” said:
How do we support your sponsor, to support you? With some of the drivers, it’s more clear, but National Guard…. I don’t know how to, you know, give them business, to support you. Ummm….. is there a way your fans can do this?
LC: Great question! There are three options: serve, support and salute the National Guard. Those interested in joining the National Guard can visit http://www.1800goguard.com. The other option is that you can always support the Guard by getting the word out there for people to join. The National Guard has so many benefits for young people that are trying to build a resume, earn money, and build leadership skills. So, if you know anyone that is considering joining the military, talk to them about joining the Guard! Also, be sure to check out http://www.ngb.army.mil/features/supportourtroops /default.aspx to see how you can support our troops and learn about what programs are available. Thanks a lot!
This week probably wasn’t one of the best weeks for me. Last Monday, I woke up terribly sick and had to fly out in the afternoon to go to a Car of Tomorrow test with Hendrick Motorsports. I arrived in my hotel room that evening and didn’t leave it for two days. I was sooo sick. I’m pretty sure I had the flu, but for two days I was cooped up in a hotel room with a terrible fever and headache. I was so dizzy I could hardly stand up. I was planning on going straight to California following the test but my health was obviously not up to that, so I came back to Charlotte, N.C. Another day and a half and I felt pretty well recovered. I figure it was about four solid days of sickness I had to deal with.
Being at home sick on Thursday really wasn’t too bad. By then, I was getting better so it was mainly a day of relaxation for me. My Grandma took great care of me as well, and made some awesome chicken noodle soup! I pretty much just laid on the couch and watched the third season of “The Office” as well as the movies “Fight Club” and “Michael Clayton.” Not sure if everyone has seen “Fight Club” but it’s pretty cool. It’s really psychedelic. But I think Brad Pitt is cool so I like his movies, and he does a great job in “Fight Club.”
Friday night I stayed around the house and actually had the pleasure of doing a really fun live interview on the show “Game Time Live” on Fox Sports Radio with Andrew Siciliano and Krystal Fernandez. They were really exciting to talk to and, for once in an interview, we really didn’t even talk about racing!
The weekend was pretty relaxing as well. Saturday night, I played poker with my neighbor and some of his friends that I met that night. I haven’t played poker in quite a while so it was fun to get back into the game, even though I didn’t win. I felt like I played pretty well. Maybe I should start playing online more often again and get back into it, eh? Haha.
Oh, I’ve also included a sweet picture of Dale Jr. in the No. 5 National Guard/40th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Chevrolet from this past weekend at the Auto Club Speedway during the Nationwide Series race. That’s what my car will look like this season!
Now it’s time to get to some of your comments. Keep them coming!
Cheers,
Landon
“HotFootLori” wrote:
Landon, What songs do you listen to on your iPOD? Have you had an opportunity to hang out with Brad Keselowski yet? What's he like?
Lori
LC: Well I listen to LOTS of different music in my iPOD, so I went ahead and backtracked to my recently played songs in iTunes for ya. My latest songs are from OneRepublic, Lil’ Wayne, Cobra Starship (I enjoyed the remix the band has on its MySpace page), Hellogoodbye (a pretty good pop band I’ve loved since I was a freshman in high school), “The Devil Wears Prada” soundtrack and Chris Brown. You know wish you could dance like CB - we all do!
Also, I do get the chance to hang out with Brad a lot. He has become not just a teammate but a really good friend of mine. Brad has a lot of knowledge of race cars which he very successfully applies to his driving skills every weekend. He’s also a pretty neat guy to hang around with outside of racing. He jokes around a lot like me, and we play video games which is also pretty cool. Brad is always a good guy to chill with.
“Klvalus” wrote:
Hey Landon,
Welcome home...who is spotting for you? Also, saw you on the ESPN show about the NW series. You look pretty relaxed on camera! What is that like?
LC: David Green is my spotter…he is a former Nationwide Series champion, so he is definitely good company. Thanks for the compliment about being on camera; I really enjoy doing things like that, especially with a lot of the fun camera crews.
“EdHardiman” said:
That's hilarious, Schrute constantly references beets, there's another show where he says he wants to run a general store and sell beets with his cousin...I've always been torn between these two...
I am faster than 80 percent of all snakes.
I don't have a lot of experience with vampires, but I have hunted werewolves. I shot one once, but by the time I got to it, it had turned back into my neighbor's dog.
LC: Haha I love “The Office” quotes! That show is still the best…I can’t wait until the fourth season comes out on DVD. And can’t forget to add… FACT: New episodes of “The Office” will be on the air very soon! The saga continues :).
After spending what felt like a month in Daytona Beach, Fla., I’m finally home. I returned to Charlotte, N.C. on Saturday evening after the Nationwide Series race. It was great seeing my teammate, Dale Jr., in the No. 5 National Guard Chevrolet work his way up the field and finish third.
I had the best seat in the house for Saturday’s race. I was up on the spotter’s stand with David Green the whole time, listening to our team’s radio frequency and learning what I could from that perspective. Obviously, watching it from this location is ideal because you are able to see pretty much everything on the track!
It also was a great learning experience to hang out with David and see how he does his job. As a driver, you rely on your spotter a lot throughout the race for driving advice, you know, to point out when is the best time to change lanes, hit the brakes and so on. Being up there also is a great way to mingle with the spotters before the race and establish relationships with them. The more I know about particular spotters, the more I’ll know how their particular drivers race. This definitely comes in handy when I’m in the driver’s seat.
Thanks again for all the comments and e-mails! It’s great hearing what you guys have to say, and I appreciate all your support. Here are my responses to a couple comments and e-mails I received:
“Lisa L.” wrote:
Landon,
I really don't know where to start. I was so excited to see your blog on FOX Sports. My son, Dylan is a HUGE fan of yours. He saw you race last year and has been a fan since. Dylan is 10 years old and wants to become a NASCAR driver. At school, they have a star of the week and when it was his turn, one of the questions was "If you could meet a famous person, who would that be?" and his answer was you. I had a few people ask me who you were because the star of the week runs in the local weekly paper. He never misses any of your Nationwide races.
I was wondering if you have a product line yet? I would love to get Dylan a hat or a t-shirt with your number and sponsor on it. It would make his day.
Have a great season with JR Motorsports.
Thank you, Lisa L.
LC: Thanks for the nice e-mail, Lisa. Tell your son Dylan that it’s great having him as a fan, and it was really flattering to read that he considers me a famous person – this is something that really hasn’t hit me yet. It’s definitely an honor to be a role model for someone, but it is great to know, and I will take responsibility to be that positive figure in someone’s life. I have a couple role models of my own, including Gary St. Amant and my dad. Both have been major contributors to my success in auto racing, and I can’t thank them enough.
JR Motorsports expects to have merchandise available with my car number and my sponsor – National Guard – on it sometime soon, so be sure to keep checking www.dalejr.com in the near future.
“Stephanie” wrote:
Hey,
How do you feel driving for owner Dale Earnhardt Jr.? Do you gain a lot of experience from him?
Stephanie
LC: It’s truly an honor racing for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and JR Motorsports. Dale Jr. is always there for me when I need advice, and it’s comforting to know that I can go to him with any questions I might have. He’s been in the sport for a number of years now, so he is able to provide me with great advice.
JR Motorsports is a great organization, and I’m proud to be one of its drivers. And I’m also proud to have the National Guard as my sponsor again this season.
If any of you are ever in the Charlotte area, you should visit our headquarters in Mooresville, N.C. JRM is a beautiful facility and is very fan-friendly.
“edhardiman” wrote:
Well then may the Schrute be with you...
LC: It’s great to see another fan of “The Office.” Dwight Schrute is by far one of the greatest characters on TV today – hands down! And now I will share a classic convo from Dwight and his co-worker Jim Halbert (I know most won’t really consider this funny, but again I encourage all to check out the show if they want a good laugh!!!):
Dwight Schrute: Question, is there firewood on the island?
Jim Halpert: I guess.
Dwight Schrute: Then I would bring an ax, no books
Jim Halpert: It has to be a book, Dwight.
Dwight Schrute: Fine, Physician's Desk Reference-
Jim Halpert: Nice, smart.
Dwight Schrute: ...hollowed out, inside-waterproof matches, iodine tablets, beet seeds, protein bars, NASA blanket and, in case I get bored, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. No, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Question, did my shoes come off in the plane crash?
Haha. That’s great! And so are you guys. Keep your comments coming. My e-mail is landoncassillfoxblog@live.com. I hope everyone has a good week!
Monday was a pretty relaxed day for me here in Daytona Beach. I woke up around 12:40 p.m. I spent some time in my motor coach, listened to Lil’ Wayne and watched the Petty Driving Experience cars run around the speedway. I was up pretty late on Sunday night racing go-karts with some friends. When I returned, I stayed up to watch my new favorite TV show – “The Office.” Not sure if any of you watch “The Office,” but if you don’t, you should. It is absolutely HILARIOUS. In fact, when I’m done writing this I’m going to watch another episode.
Anyways, I had a pretty good weekend in Daytona. I drove the No. 88 Stanley-Vidmar-Proto Chevrolet in the ARCA Series 200 on Saturday and finished seventh. It was a pretty good day at the track – got some great experience. I started eighth and ran in the top 10 most of the day. The car got a little beat up in the big crash off of Turn 4 halfway through the race, but I was pretty lucky to only have minor damage considering what could have happened.
I really don’t have any major events going on this week. It’s hopefully going to be pretty relaxing. I’ll be up on the spotter’s stand any time there are Sprint Cup or Nationwide Series cars on the track, and I think I have a couple interviews to do and a photo shoot here in Daytona, so it will be just enough to keep me occupied. I do plan on going out to the beach if the weather is nice enough.
Speaking of the beach, on Sunday, I went with my family out to a seafood lunch and we drove out on Daytona Beach. That was pretty cool. I was surprised to see how many people were out there, and it was only 65 degrees.
It was a lot of fun reading everyone’s comments and e-mails! I love seeing your responses, and I promised that I would respond back as often as possible, so here we go:
