Kansas Speedway's new casino overlooking the track is open and ready for fans in 2012.

As if NASCAR races aren’t entertaining enough, right?  At least I thought so.

But then again, I’m not a huge gambler at all.  Matter of fact, I hate casinos and the entire idea of your hard earned money being fed into a machine.  I don’t make enough money to afford gambling on the side.

However, everybody has a hobby (it’s no worse than my obsession with shoes and clothes) and Kansas Speedway is providing a means for NASCAR fans to channel that inner high roller right at the track in 2012 with the opening of their brand new casino right at the racetrack.

The newly unveiled Hollywood Casino was opened at a cost of $411,000,000 but created 1,000 jobs for area residents so hopefully this will turn that area’s economy around for the better.

Kasey Kahne and Clint Bowyer were in attendance to help with the official opening of the casino which will hopefully attract more fans to the track which has a 60s and 70s theme.

Kansas is also constructing a road course within the infield after April’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

Clint Bowyer picks up a win for Richard Childress Motorsports. Too bad he'll be driving for Michael Waltrip next season.

NASCAR!  You need to figure out how to get the racing back at the plate tracks.  This two-car draft racing style is absolutely ridiculous.  I feel like I’m watching some weird NASCAR/2-man bobsled hybrid.  Let me point out the main flaw of the 2-car draft.  This should be so painfully obvious to the powers that be….

THE FIELD IS 43 DRIVERS!

This means that someone is left without a dance partner from the beginning of the race.  That poor driver, Denny Hamlin in today’s fiasco, is left running alone until the right amount of other cars wreck or start and park to leave them a partner.  Denny, a Chase contender, was a lap down before a wreck freed up a car to run with him.

This isn’t racing.  Daytona and Talladega hasn’t been racing in quite a while.  You have top tier drivers spending their day logging laps at the back of the pack because they are terrified to get caught up in someone else’s mess.  They lie in wait until about 25 laps left and decide it is go-time.  That is when the racing begins and we two by two they push to the front.

» Continue reading “NSCS Talladega: NASCAR, You Have Some Work To Do”

Let someone else win for a while, Carl...please?

I’ve had guilt, race fans.

It’s been a ridiculously busy week in my world with hospitalizations (both my mom and Morgann—both are fine so far), work this weekend, and races in all four series.  I hate that I’m recapping Saturday races on Sunday night, but this is when I have had the time to sit down and actually watch them.

After watching (I mean fast-forwarding) Saturday’s Nationwide race, my guilt is partially gone.

» Continue reading “NNS: How Watching One Race Eased A Portion of My Guilt”

Where else can you win a checkered flag, a trophy, and a lobster?

Did you hear that screaming and cheering earlier this evening?  That was our very own Morgann Spicer cheering her driver, Tony Stewart, to his second victory in just as many races.  Was this really the guy that just a few weeks ago said they didn’t deserve to make the Chase?  This is the drama that NASCAR was looking for when they created the Chase.

Somewhere, Mike Helton is twisting his moustache and giggling with menacing glee.

Every sport loves their “Cinderella” story and it seems that Tony Stewart is finding his glass slipper.  Remember this race last year?  Tony was leading the race when he ran out of fuel giving Clint Bowyer the win.  This year?  The race finished with the mirror image of that.  Clint Bowyer was leading with just 2 laps to glory when he ran out of fuel giving Smoke the back to back Chase wins.

I don’t think that anyone, except Morgann, would have predicted Smoke to be the belle of the ball after just two races.  Cue the bandwagon jumpers.

» Continue reading “NSCS: Sylvania 300- Nothin’ But Smoke and Mirrors”

What's the running theme for this weekend's Sprint Cup race at Richmond? You got it. Complete and utter chaos.

This is it, Race Fans.  The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Richmond International Raceway for the final race to qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup. 

Eight drivers have clinched their spot in the Chase- Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, and Ryan Newman. 

Brad Keselowski has achieved one of the two Wild Card spots into the chase with his 3 wins.  Three spots in the Chase remain and 14 drivers are still mathematically eligible to qualify.

Hold on to your hats, fans.  This race is gonna be a good one.

» Continue reading “NSCS Richmond Preview: One Last Chance to Make the Chase”

On Wednesday, KHI and RCR announced a Nationwide Series merger for the 2012 season. Good news or bad news?

Okay, let’s be honest with each other.  Who didn’t see this one coming? 

I saw it coming and knew it was only a matter of time before Kevin Harvick locked arms with Richard Childress in the Nationwide Series.

On Wednesday, KHI and RCR announced they will merge together in operations for the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series.

What does this mean?  Let’s take a look.

» Continue reading “KHI and RCR announce Nationwide Series merger (with Friday updates)”

Ron Hornaday captures the checkers for his 49th career win in Atlanta. (photo by Geoff Burke)

It’s no secret that there has been more than a little drama between Kyle Busch and anything remotely involving Kevin Harvick this season.  Kyle vs. Kevin Harvick.  Kyle vs. KHI racing.  Kyle vs. Elliot Sadler. And so on.

In Atlanta, the trucks of Kevin Harvick Incorporated were able to best Kyle Busch without giving him a chance to cry about anything.

» Continue reading “NCWTS Good Sam 200: And This Round Goes To…”

The NASCAR Sprint Cup series has taken a deep, cleansing breath, and we are moving on to New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon.

Loudon hosts two Sprint Cup events during the season.  The Lenox Tools 300 is the first of the two races, with the other being the second Chase race in September.  This race may even be more important that the second, because teams are here to gather that all important information that could make or break a Chase contender.

» Continue reading “Lenox Industrial Tools 301 Preview: The Magic Mile”

Let's get this yakkfest going with some Garage Gossip. Party on with your bad selves. You know you love your racing gossip.

Good morning, everybody!  I hope you’ve had a chance to inhale that first cup of coffee because we have a lot to cover today in Garage Gossip. 

Tons of rumors are flying around in NASCAR and IndyCar about tracks losing races, tracks getting races back, crew chiefs leaving teams, drivers signing extensions and even some Dan Wheldon news.  So grab a cup ‘o java and let’s get this yakkfest going.

Let’s start with the IndyCar series.  After last weekend’s Marco Andretti win what more could there possibly be to talk about in the IZOD series, right?  Wrong.  There’s plenty for everybody to go around a few times.

How can there possibly be more NASCAR news too?  Especially after all the on-track meltdowns and post-race sarcasm there can’t possibly be anymore dramatics. There are plenty, trust me.

» Continue reading “Garage Gossip: Is Zippy leaving JGR? Is IndyCar losing the Milwaukee Mile?”

Yes, I'm mad. How mad? Enough to bite NASCAR's head off before I mutate into a giant, snapping dog like Rufus here.

I need to get this off my mind and what better way than to share with our adoring readers.  Why?  Because you all love Erin and I.  I need to vent my frustration to our understanding race fans across the universe.  So please join forces and help me decode what NASCAR should do about an ongoing issue that’s been around for years.

What should NASCAR do when a car fails post-race inspection?  Why is this coming up now, you ask?  Because Kyle Busch’s car failed Pocono post-race inspection on Sunday night following a THIRD PLACE finish.  How many points does that calculate into?  Precisely 42 points with one point awarded for leading a lap (he actually led two the entire race).  Luckily for him, this didn’t move him up or down in the points standings or I’d be really upset.

How did Kyle fail post-race inspection?  The left front of his car was 1/16^th of an inch below the allowable height NASCAR deems acceptable.  So what happens after this?  Absolutely nothing, and that’s where I have a problem.

» Continue reading “Motormouth Monday: What to do with cheaters in NASCAR?”