Danica Patrick says "thanks, but no thanks" to the 2012 Indianapolis 500. Oh well, I won't miss her. (photo credit: Fox Tampa Bay)

Danica Patrick’s boss is clearing the air today by letting the entire world know that the decision for her to NOT run in this year’s 2012 Indianapolis 500 was completely hers.

It’s been confirmed today through various sources that instead of running the Indianapolis 500, Danica Patrick has opted to add the 2012 Coca-Cola 600 to her schedule instead.

This is actually a little bit surprising because it was initially said that Danica was running ten Sprint Cup races in 2012.

Eight races had already been confirmed and today’s announcement seals the deal for number nine.   Queue Beatles music.

Her boss, you ask?  None other than my racing husband, Tony Stewart:

We didn’t tell her she couldn’t run the 500. It was left up to her…It shows how dedicated she is to making this transition. (Tony Stewart via AP)

She didn’t site a a specific reason as to why she’s not doing double duty on Memorial Day weekend but distance was definitely a factor in her decision.  Both races will be ran on May 27th this year.

Three drivers have ran both races in the past which include bossman Tony Stewart, Robby Gordon and John Andretti.

That's right, people. I'm back and it's on like Donkey Kong. (photo credit: Red Bull USA)

Everybody remembers Pastrana-thon 2011, right?  How could we all forget because it’s all NASCAR talked about for like three months straight.  It was annoying, won’t lie.

It was supposed to be the weekend X Games legend Travis Pastrana was going to make his NASCAR debut but came to a skreetching hault when he shattered his right ankle during a stunt gone wrong during X Games 17 in L.A. only two days before his scheduled debut.

Back in August we reported a few months after Travis’s accident that he was going to hold off his NASCAR debut until 2012 and it’s now that time.

Guess what, hippies?  Travis has decided when and where his debut (again) will be and the lucky venue is Richmond International Raceway and he’s even scheduled to do some testing next week according to SPEED.

But Morgann, I’m so excited I can hardly stand it!  When is Travis going to make his NASCAR debut?  Sorry kids, but you’ll have to wait all the way until April to see Travis behind the wheel of a Nationwide series car.

However, if you’ve been keeping up with Pastrana-thon you’d already know he’s been testing race cars since December so shame on the slow hippies in the house.  No biggie but he actually tested couple weeks ago for the Rolex 24 at Daytona so that’s old news, kids.

So instead of the twenty races he was planning for 2012 after his seven races he was going to compete in 2011, he’s obviously changed gears a little bit. 

He’s actually going to be doing seven Nationwide races in 2012 AND a full K & N Series East season.  Three cheers and a flippin’ tiger for Travis.  I’m so happy. 

Nobody made a huge stink about Tony Stewart’s Nationwide debut like a hundred years ago (really was 1996) so forgive me if I’m a little bitter when it comes to noobs joining NASCAR.

If any sugar daddies out there want to buy this car-loving momma a car (see above) this weekend, please contact Barrett-Jackson and send it to me. (photo credit: Barrett-Jackson)

Yes, I would be the proud owner of this beautiful piece of monstrous machinery.

It’s a 1971 Dodge Challenger Custom 2 Door Hardtop with a 529 Hemi in a 5-speed manual.

Racing fans it’s almost time to get your freak on and get ready for Daytona Speedweeks but mine always starts about the middle of January with the Barrett-Jackson classic car auction in Scottsdale, Arizona.

So today since there is no news to report, I’m making a shameless plug to let you all know that you should sit on your butt all weekend and watch the auction like I’m doing.

It’s literally going on…all…weekend…long.  Like eight to ten hours of non-stop auction coverage from today all the way through Saturday night. 

The coverage actually started on Tuesday, January 17th but who’s keeping track, right?

Please, call me a car fanatic anytime you’d like. 

Here are some links for your viewing pleasure to catch you up on the weekend’s festivities.  Please join me.

2012 Barrett-Jackson Program Schedule

2012 Barrett-Jackson Vehicle Submission List

Barrett-Jackson on Twitter

I’ll be around all weekend so if anybody wants to hit me up on Twitter during the auction because you feel sorry for me that I have no life and enjoy classic automobiles, give me a shout at MorgannSpicer on Twitter.

Not quite the twin girls from the Shining, but equally as creepy.

Kyle Busch Motorsports announced earlier this afternoon that they have a new sponsor in Monster Energy for his Nationwide team.  KBM also announced that both Kyle and Kurt Busch will be sharing the driving duties of the #54 Toyota Camry.

I’ll wait while you process all the jokes that “Monster” brings to the table where these two are involved.

Kyle is set to run 10-15 races while brother Kurt will take the rest of the season.  It was “recommended” to Kyle Busch that he not compete in the Camping World Truck Series after his poor choices involving Ron Hornaday, Jr.  He has not announced his intentions with the drivers or sponsors of his trucks.

As much as I hate to admit it, the combination of these two drivers in this car will be at the top of the leaderboard each weekend.  The Busch Brothers may be hot-headed jerks, but I can’t question their abilities as drivers.

It look like the NASCAR Nationwide Series drivers will have work just as hard to get their cars in Victory Lane or even a slight bit of TV coverage this season as well.

No wonder why Carl Edwards turned down the 2012 Nationwide schedule in favor for (rumored) the ESPN broadcast booth.  Even he knew this would be the only way to get on TV this season.

Welcome to the all Danica/all Busch Brothers media circus that NNS will  become.

On the bright side, I cannot wait until Kurt and Kyle Busch go at each other in the pits or on the radio.  Any bets on if Kurt Busch starts complaining right away about the equipment?

We can only hope.

Totals for the Dan Wheldon Family Trust breached $627,000 and all thanks goes to Graham Rahal because of his kindness.

In times of tragedy, people you least expect to lend a helping hand or just simply lend their support are there when you need them. 

Everything happens so quickly that for the next few months or even years life just seems to go by in a big blur of events you really can’t seem to recall or ever will. 

How do I know this?

I know this first-hand because I lost my only brother in a car accident in 2005 and people from all walks of life (friends, family, colleagues) reached out to my family to help us and it’s something I’ll never forget.

Graham Rahal is one of those people and in 2011 he extended a helping hand out to the family of our late Indy 500 champion Dan Wheldon.  More importantly, he reached out to his wife and children.

» Continue reading “IndyCar: Graham Rahal’s $627K Gesture Of Kindness”

Carl Edwards choked out of both Sprint Cup and NNS titles in 2011. His destiny is not meant for both. Oh well, too bad for him.

Sure it will, people.  Get a grip on yourselves.  Truthfully, I think NNS racing just got a helluva lot more exciting from where I sit and that’s speaking to you as a race fan.

This NNS “non-commitment” announcement by Carl Edwards is awesome news for drivers because this means there is one less Sprint Cup “spoiler” to ruin their chances of winning each weekend. 

Carl made thirty-three Nationwide series starts in 2011 and won eight of those races.  He also sat on the pole seven times with twenty-three top fives and twenty-seven top tens. 

His average finish was 6.5 – yeah, he was that good and I’d be willing to bet most NNS regulars probably loathed him by November.

As an avid race fan who tunes into NNS races each weekend I hated his freakin’ guts.  He and all the other Sprint Cup regulars made NNS races very boring in 2011.  I mastered the art of the nap in 2011 because of Carl Edwards.

» Continue reading “Will NNS Survive Without Carl Edwards In 2012?”

Testing is over and my brain is fried. Any questions? NASCAR crews had plenty.

Testing is over.  Fans and drivers can get down to business getting ready for the 2012 Daytona 500 coming up on February 26th. 

Now I become officially excited because the next action on the track we’ll see in packs is practices, qualifying races and the “big show” coming up next month at Daytona International Speedway.

Before all of the fun can commence, however, there was some official testing done at Daytona over the weekend as we reported to you last week.

NASCAR had a new restrictor plate and new fuel injection system to worry about.  Did both survive the weekend?  One change survived hours upon hours of testing but the other did not. 

» Continue reading “Daytona Speedweeks Testing Is Over. Explain It To Me In English, Please.”

This cutie-patootie finally has a home for 2012 with Front Row Motorsports. (photo credit: Twitter)

David Ragan will not remain a “homeless” driver after all in 2012 as it’s been officially announced that he’ll be joining Front Row Motorsports for a full-time 2012 Sprint Cup series schedule as reported by SPEED.

This news probably comes as more of a relief than anything to Ragan because he was one of the only Sprint Cup regulars from 2011 that remained without a ride until Monday.

David will be driving the No. 34 Ford Fusion and race along side Front Row’s second car which will be piloted by David Gilliland in the No. 38 Ford Fusion.

Sponsorship for Front Row is still pending but will be announced soon according to team owner Bob Jenkins who was thrilled at signing David Ragan to his team for 2012:

I am committed to building a competitive race team by employing the same fundamental business principles that have worked for my other successful endeavors, and it all begins with the people…We took some pretty big steps in our race program last year and adding David Ragan is another giant step in the right direction. (Bob Jenkins via SPEED)

So it seems “silly season” is officially over with testing that started last week which leaves Brian Vickers being the only driver that appears without a ride at the moment.

However, being the busy bodies we are it wouldn’t be fitting if we didn’t break any last-minute signings to you as they occurred which believe me with Brian Vickers we shall.

All this moola can't land one of IndyCar's most colorful personalities a ride in 2012.

Good news on the IndyCar front this morning, folks:  Sebastien Bourdais and Katherine Legge are both returning to IndyCar racing in 2012 full-time with Dragon Racing which is owned by Jay Penske.

Both drivers signed contracts for a full-time 2012 IndyCar season and this is great news because Sebastien only made nine starts in 2011 with Dayle Coyne and hasn’t raced full-time since 2008 when he teamed Toro Rosso in Formula 1.

Katherine Legge returns to IndyCar after spending 2006 and 2007 in Champ Car and after three years in Europe racing with Audi’s DTM team.

This is great news to me because that means Paul Tracy doesn’t have a ride right now nor will anybody take the bait.  It’s time to stir the pot and fuel some tempers because Paul Tracy’s predicament has me in a very good mood today.

» Continue reading “IndyCar: Paul Tracy Talks But His Money Does Not”

Have your calendar marked for February 26, 2012 yet? You should. Do it now.

Since I’ve already expressed my sheer joy at the 2012 Sprint Cup season “unofficially” starting today with testing at Daytona International Speedway I’ll say it again:  I just might have a stroke.

It’s time to tighten the straps on your party hats because this season is about to get underway in full swing this afternoon.

Why is today an important day? 

Because it puts to rest many questions that have been flying around in the offseason and it gives fans a chance to see their drivers for the first time since November. 

» Continue reading “2012 Daytona 500 Testing: 2012 Starts Today, Be Excited Like Right Now”