Kes waived the checkers at Talladega on Sunday with a little help from his friend Kyle Busch (photo credit: NASCAR)

Okay so drivers have heard and been told a bazillion times to “be patient” on the track.

Yeah, we’ve all heard it on radio communications during races and have even probably preached audibly to our drivers during races as well.

I know I have.  I’m the queen of talking to the television during racing season.

Matt Kenseth looked poised to win the Aaron’s 499 with about five laps to go and clearly had one of the strongest cars (along with teammate Greg Biffle) all day long.

Until…the two K’s came rolling along on the green-white-checkered finish.  I’m talking about Keselowski and Kyle.

» Continue reading “Sprint Cup: No Patience? No Problem Says Lord Kes”

This Wisconsin native was the "Big Cheese" in Daytona tonight. (photo credit: Chris Graythen)

The race technically ended on the twenty-eighth day but who’s counting, right?  This weekend’s Daytona 500 kind of ran together in one, huge blur of weirdness that started way back yesterday around noon.

And just ended about five minutes ago.  No joke.

In twenty years as a race fan, this was the most unusual of them all.  Rain was our problem on Sunday and fire was our problem on Monday.  Go figure, right?

Unless readers sat and suffered through the more than two-hour long caution for a strange, almost  God-like act at Daytona trust me when I say readers have no idea.

Until tonight I thought I’d seen it all at the track…until the jet dryer nearly burned the track down.  Thanks, Juan.

Oh yeah.  And Matt Kenseth won the 2012 Daytona 500 with an overheating car and nearly zero radio communication.

» Continue reading “Daytona 500: And On The 27th Day…Everything Happened.”

Well, if Tony Stewart raced both Duels he would have won them both but there are rules in NASCAR that says certain dudes who win everything (like Tony) can’t be awesome all the time.

But alas, Gatorade Duel #2 had a winner and here’s the lucky man…

He's not Tony, but he'll do...Congrats, Mr. Cheesehead. (Photo by Tom Pennington)

No joke, these really do exist for NASCAR fans.

Okay, people.  Christmas is approaching (in nine days but who’s counting)!  Have you finished your shopping for that die-hard NASCAR fan such as myself?

Just in case you haven’t and were wondering what NASCAR and racing-related gifts rock our faces off this holiday season look no further than right here at Lipstick and Lugnuts.

In salute to our top ten drivers in the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup we have something for every, single race fan on our Christmas shopping list. 

» Continue reading “10 NASCAR Christmas Gifts That Sort Of Don’t Suck”

My message to the sanctioning body of NASCAR: Dudes, WTF?

Each week I try to feel a little bit more sorry for Brian Vickers because the dude is without a ride for 2012 and each week I’m reminded more of why he doesn’t have a ride at the moment in his near future.

I believe he’s finishing out 2011 with the “screw it, I’m doing what I want” attitude and he honestly doesn’t care what people think about it him right now and he really should. 

Right now he’s making himself look like a classless ass on the track. And this brings me to why I’ve got a beef with NASCAR on this fine Monday morning. 

Speaking of fine, NASCAR announced they were not going to fine or penalize Brian after Sunday’s intentional retaliation against Matt Kenseth on the track.  What a crock, NASCAR.

Sound familiar?  It should.  Know a dude by the name of Kyle Busch?  So why is NASCAR just a bit more harsh on Kyle and not Brian?  Yes, I’m asking myself that same question believe it or not.  Let’s take a look and throw out some possible reasons why.

» Continue reading “Motormouth Monday: Thank You For Being Consistently Inconsistent, NASCAR.”

Stay with your buddy! Kahne/Vickers of Red Bull Racing. Bowyer/Burton of Richard Childress Racing.

I feel like I have almost sufficiently addressed how much I cannot stand the current “racing” that we have at both Daytona and Talladega.  Almost.

Team Orders.

I hate those words so much that it’s almost painful to type.  Team orders need to be banned from racing events.  Why can’t we just let the events unfold as they will and go back to racing?  Please leave the politics to the interviews, the closed door meetings, and the blowhards in Washington.

I’m not kidding myself.  I realize that team orders have been in place for years now.  We hear some form of team orders almost every race.  Let your teammate around you to lead a lap for the bonus points.  Stay with your teammate and push them to the victory.  When a battle between teammates gets a little heated, the team owner will get on the radio to calm it all down.

But, at Talladega?  These team orders just got completely out of control.

» Continue reading “Monday Meltdown: Let Me Tell You Where To Stick Those Team Orders…”

That's right, fans. Mr. Cheesehead himself took home Charlotte's checkers at the Bank of America 500 on Saturday night. (photo credit: NASCAR.com)

Okay, so maybe I was a little bit off in my prediction that the Sprint Cup race wouldn’t be as exciting as Saturday’s Camping World Truck Series race was.  Saturday night’s Sprint Cup race was pretty exciting by a lot.

We had a points shake up, drivers literally shaken up in more ways than one and a driver that I didn’t even have on my radar walked away with the checkers!  Mayhem all around!

We also had some drivers you wouldn’t even expect to finish in the top ten, even on a great weekend.  Did any of you geniuses pick Marcos Ambrose or A.J. Allmendinger to finish in the top ten?

If you did, please send us your credentials so you can start writing for us immediately.

So let’s get this party started and take a look at what was a bitter, disappointing night for me (as a Tony Stewart fan),  a disastrous night for Hendrick Motorsports fans all around and a great night for the Matt Kenseth fans in the house.

» Continue reading “NSCS at Charlotte: Kenseth Reigns As King Of The Queen City”

The NASCAR Sprint Cup series is making their return visit to the Monster Mile at Dover International Speedway.  This is a mile track that, like New Hampshire, involves more finesse than horsepower.  Those that hit their marks in the corners have the best chance at being around for the checkers at the end.  Miss those marks and the Monster will chew you up in a hurry.

The Monster:

When the NSCS came to Dover earlier this year, it was right before we started our little website that could.  In fact, we were still posting over at the Kitchen Sink.  If you’d like a refresher in what Morgann and I had to say then, please feel free to click here for the preview and here for the post-race.

Let’s just summarize and say that both Morgann and I expected twisted sheet metal and endless drama.  We were treated to hugs, flowers, and fluffy kittens and puppies.  This was NOT the normal Monster race or mentality.  Some of the boys were newly penalized for this race in May and everyone was big picture racing.

This will no longer be the case.

» Continue reading “NSCS: AAA 400 Preview- The Monster, A Hat Trick, and The ESPN Nickname”

Matt Kenseth running to check on his wife Katie after her practice crash. (photo courtesy of wcnc.com)

Katie Kenseth, wife of past series champion Matt Kenseth, has retired from racing this year. Katie was going to be one of the drivers in the Better Half Dash at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October.  This race will feature drivers consisting of 14 NASCAR personality wives and girlfriends.

Wait….make that lucky 13.

Katie Kenseth suffered a broken shoulder blade in a practice crash last night at Charlotte Motor Speedway.  She hit an inner pit road wall which did not appear to be reinforced with a safer barrier.  Katie was taken to a local hospital where she was treated and released for her injuries.

Matt Kenseth joked on Twitter that Katie’s was the shortest racing career in history.  We all hope she has a speedy recovery.  (All puns intended.)

» Continue reading “Garage Gossip: The Better Half Crash Edition”

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”