How many sponsors can you count in this picture of Ricky Stenhouse in Victory Lane?

Someone somewhere decided that it would be a fantastic idea to run the NASCAR Nationwide race on Friday the 13^th under the lights at Texas Motor Speedway.  What could possibly go wrong?

Did anyone bet on the lights?

The lights in Turn 3 tried to be the star of the show tonight at Texas Motor Speedway.  We had a caution earlier in the race because those lights went out.  Track officials felt that the lights were overheating.  So, what was their solution?  Send a track worker over to the panel to waive some cardboard as fan to cool it off.

Millions of dollars in technology and we use an old cardboard box.  I cannot make this stuff up.  Redneck ingenuity at its finest, folks.

» Continue reading “NASCAR Nationwide Series: The Night The Lights Went Out In Texas”

Amanda Beard and Carl Edwards After a Win

For those that didn’t know (myself included), Olympic gold medalist swimmer Amanda Beard has published a tell-all book titled “In The Water They Can’t See You Cry.”

And how is this NASCAR news? Because she dated our very own Carl Edwards in 2005.  Carl was just making a name for himself with his first year of running both the Busch (now Nationwide) and the Sprint Cup series.  During that year, he combined for 9 wins, 28 top 5′s, and 39 top 10′s.

She dedicated 16 pages of her memoir to her relationship with Carl, calling him self-absorbed, insanely jealous, and controlling.

Hang on, I’m practicing my shocked face. He was in his rookie season in the elite divisions of the career he worked so hard to develop.  Of course he was self-absorbed!

» Continue reading “Amanda Beard Thinks Carl Edwards Is Self-Absorbed? You Don’t Say.”

And then THIS happened after Reutimann drew the caution...

How do you lead well over 400 of a possible 515 laps and NOT win the race?

Let’s ask David Reutimann.

Hendrick Motorsports embarrassed the competition in Martinsville by their total dominance of the Goody’s Fast Relief 500.  Jeff Gordon led the most laps with 328, Jimmie Johnson led around 105 laps, and even Dale Earnhardt, Jr led a handful of laps.  At one point in the race, those three Hendrick cars were running 1-2-3 and one of them was poised to earn Rick Hendrick’s 200^th win.

It was not to be.

» Continue reading “NASCAR Sprint Cup: How Reuti!”

Houston is go for launch in 2013 with the Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston!

So I’m excited.  Not because I don’t live in Houston but because IndyCar is expanding their 2013 schedule by one more race next season.

Say hello to Houston, Texas which will host the Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston in the first week of October next year.  The city has been working its butt off for the last two years to get this race organized and their efforts and hard work have finally paid off.

There is a little hitch though:  the race will run on a temporary 1.7-mile street course consisting of the parking lots near the home of the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. 

Details about how many years the race has been sponsored by Pennzoil and Shell were not available.  Interesting.

Funny story about Houston:  remember the good days of Champ versus IndyCar?  Yeah, Houston was one of the races that got the axe when Champ and Indy merged in 2008 so to that I say welcome back.

One of the reasons the race was cancelled was because the Champ car drivers were complaining about he bumpy surface of Reliant Park at the time but drivers and promoters have assured fans and drivers will be plenty of time to remedy the situation at hand.

Ready to race in the South? Join us in Martinsville and Birmingham this weekend!

Racing season is in full swing this weekend, folks.  That’s right. 

Time to put on your fun hats because we’re in partying in the South with the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Camping World Truck Series in Martinsville and our IndyCar drivers are hitting the streets in the Grand Prix of Alabama.

The Nationwide Series has a couple of weeks off before heading to the great land of Texas the second week in April but that doesn’t stop us from getting our racing needs fulfilled this weekend.

We’ll see if Helio can make it two in a row in Alabama and who the heck knows, maybe Smoke will join him and we’ll have a repeat weekend all around.  That would be fantastical, won’t lie.

Let’s take a look at our schedule for the very last weekend in March.  Bring on spring!

» Continue reading “Weekend Hot Pass: March 31 – April 1, 2012″

Might be calling this place home sooner than I think...literally. Fingers crossed.

Okay.  So hi again, everybody.  Yeah, I’ve been away for awhile.  For that, I apologize to everybody and anybody that gazes at our site from time to time or on a regular basis. 

I’m trying to relocate to the Racing Capital of the World (yes, Indianapolis – squeee!!) so I’ve been driving like mad between interviews, seeing my boyfriend on the weekends and still maintaining sanity here in Northwest Indiana. 

It’s been a bumpy ride, kind of like Jeremy Mayfield’s journey through the justice system that ended in utter failure a couple days ago.  Ouchie.

Let’s see what’s shakin’ in racing this week and get back on the speed freak wagon, shall we?  

» Continue reading “Let’s Catch Up With The Rest Of The Field, Shall We?”

Helio honors Dan Wheldon after his victory in St. Pete.

When Holly Wheldon, Dan Wheldon’s sister, dropped the green flag on the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, the start of the healing process was almost tangible.  It was like Dan himself gave us permission to dry our tears and get back to our beloved racing and nowhere better to do so than his adopted hometown of St. Pete.

Helio Castroneves took the checkers Sunday afternoon for the first time since the September 2010 in Motegi, Japan.  Helio’s Penske #3 had just the right amount of speed and fuel conservation to take him to an uncontested win over Ganassi’s Scott Dixon.  Ryan Hunter-Reay of Andretti Autosport took the remaining podium finish in 3^rd.

There wasn’t a dry eye for Helio’s celebration including his own.  He is known to be the first (ahem, Tony Stewart) to climb the fence as his regular victory celebration.  Helio did climb the fence in turn 10 which is Dan Wheldon Way honoring his fallen friend.  Helio was visibly moved in his Victory Lane speech as well.  Castroneves is pure emotion, always wearing his heart on his sleeve.  And let’s face it, when this man smiles and those dimples come out, angels get their wings.

» Continue reading “IZOD IndyCar: Helio Back On Top”

I think I have finally recovered from my excursion to Bristol Motor Speedway last weekend.  I’m ready for this weekend of spectating from my couch and chatting you guys up on Twitter.  It’s definitely the most comfortable way to go even if it is not the most exciting.

We’ve got almost a full schedule of racing this weekend with only the Camping World Truck Series still on vacation.  So, you know what that means…

INDY IS BACK!  INDYCAR IS BACK!!!

» Continue reading “Weekend Hot Pass: March 24-25, 2012″

Chad Knaus cannot help but be relieved...

So, Chad…about that suspension…

As you all know from my earlier post, NASCAR had found Chad Knaus guilty of altering parts on Jimmie Johnson’s 48.  He and car chief Ron Malec were suspended for six races.  The 48 car and owner lost 25 points for each of their respective championships.  NASCAR assessed a $100,000 fine and probation until May 9th.  Needless to say, Hendrick Motorsports was not happy with the outcome and chose to appeal.

In a shocking development, NASCAR chief appellate officer John Middlebrook overturned the previous decision on appeal.  Chad Knaus and Ron Malec will not have to serve suspensions, but will pay the $100K fine and remain under probation until May 9th.

So, wait…there was some sort of a rules infraction, but not to the degree of a six race suspension and severe point loss?  We’ll keep your money, but you can have everything else back?

» Continue reading “Chad Knaus Returns To His Winning Ways”

IndyCar and TMS's Eddie Gossage are at it again but the drivers have put the drama to rest this week...hopefully.

Good morning, race fans.  It’s a b-e-a-utiful Tuesday morning and it’s time for some news.

There’s not much in the way of “new stuff” this week in NASCAR and IndyCar but a couple of updates and follow-ups on stories we’ve already reported about.

We’ll talk about the EFI system that seems to be plaguing NASCAR as of late, the announcement of a new DreamWorks film that revolves around the Indianapolis 500 (staring my man-crush Ryan Reynolds by the way) and of course the ongoing drama between IndyCar drivers and Texas Motor Speedway.

So let’s dive in that way everybody can spend more time outside in the gorgeous weather today.  Oh yeah, nevermind I have a day job.  Everybody else have fun outdoors while I wallow in jealousy and sorrow.

» Continue reading “Garage Gossip: Snails With Magical Powers Anybody?”