We have a half schedule this weekend but a full plate of craziness set up in Talladega. Join us!

It’s May and we’re in the midst of a jam-packed racing season.  Speaking of  jam-packed it’s time for some pack racing this weekend in Talladega with the Sprint Cup and Nationwide series.  Are you ready?

I don’t think any of us are truly ready for what happens at this track but we all take our headache medicine prior to the start of the races in hopes our favorite drivers survive to the end.

We only have two races this weekend but the two we have lined up will more than make up for our half schedule that’s in store for this weekend.  Let’s see what’s shakin’ in Talladega.

» Continue reading “Weekend Hot Pass: May 4 – May 6, 2012″

I was kidding, Mikey. I really can't drive five races for you...sorry, my bad.

Some interesting news on the Sprint Cup front this afternoon regarding Elliott Sadler and his supposed (well former supposed) deal with Michael Waltrip Racing.

Sunday it was announced via several media sources that Elliott Sadler would pilot MWR’s No. 55 for five Sprint Cup races in 2012.

After Sadler’s Phoenix Nationwide win, needless to say he received some attention from prospective Sprint Cup owners that needed rides fulfilled. 

Michael Waltrip was one of them and offered Sadler five rides that included Bristol, Martinsville and New Hampshire.

Cool deal, America loves Elliott Sadler.  What’s the issue?

» Continue reading “NASCAR: Confused About MWR/Sadler Deal? We Are Too.”

Ready for some short track racing at Phoenix this weekend?

Phoenix.  Won’t lie and tell you this place is exciting because to me it’s really not.  The only thing exciting about Phoenix is someday when I’m old (in like a year and a half) I’ll be able to retire there. 

Oh wait, that would require my face not melting off.  Never mind.

We’re going to have hot temperatures and even hotter tempers this weekend because this place gets blistering hot, especially with forty-three cars circling this tiny, little place.

Phoenix was my first racing experience EVER (IndyCar race back in 1998) so I love this place for sentimental reasons unknown.  I even peeled a piece of paint off pit road wall to take home with me.  Yeah, I’m a nerd.

We have a relatively quiet weekend with the Sprint Cup and Nationwide drivers in action so let’s take a look at the weekend’s activities on the schedule.

» Continue reading “Weekend Hot Pass: March 3 – 4, 2012″

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.

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.

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?”

Happy 53rd Birthday, Mark Martin!

Today we celebrate the birthday of a living NASCAR legend by the name of Mark Martin who was born on January 9, 1959  turning him fifty-three on this lovely day.

Yeah, not going to lie he looks a lot older than he actually is. 

Mark is a four-time ASA champion, five-time IROC champion and has finished runner-up in the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings in 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2009. 

So it’s safe to call him a bridesmaid.  Sorry, I’m not a hater. 

He has 438 top tens (this is not a mistake), forty wins and fifty-one poles in the Sprint Cup series. 

Mark also has 151 top tens, forty-nine wins and thirty poles in Nationwide competition.

I say Mr. Martin definitely deserves a salute on his birthday!  Keep up the great work, old timer!

Yes, I'm this excited about Kurt Busch's part-time NNS schedule. Really.

Another Kurt Busch headline and I’m completely thrilled needless to say.  Anybody share those same feelings?  Good, let’s continue.

This isn’t shocking news by any means but ESPN reports Phoenix Racing is adding twelve Nationwide series races to Kurt Busch’s already full-time Sprint Cup schedule.  Queue epic, suspenseful music now.

The ride thus far has no sponsor but Steve Barkdol said now is the perfect time for a great sponsor to jump on board with their organization.  No kidding, buddy.  

Sorry, but if I had the moola I’d be investing in David Reuitimann’s new-found ride myself but that’s just me.

Let’s not forget Kurt Busch has only signed a one-year deal with Phoenix Racing so if he screws up in any form this year it’s pretty safe to say his career in NASCAR will be over.

So look at it this way:  Phoenix Racing just gave Kurt twelve more chances to possibly screw up in 2012.

If Rusty looks pained, it's because this apple fell VERY far from the Championship tree. (Credit: Autostock and nascar.com)

Rusty Wallace, Inc. announced that they would be suspending their on-track operations for the 62 and 66 Nationwide Teams.  This announcement comes a few months after the 66 team’s main sponsor 5-Hour Energy decided to leave RWI to sponsor Michael Waltrip Racing’s Clint Bowyer.  With about 50 days left until Daytona, this leaves both Steven Wallace and Michael Annett scrambling for rides.

This seems to be a trend in the NASCAR garages.  Teams are closing doors due to lack of sponsorship funds.  The entire Red Bull Racing team shut down this year and decent drivers such as David Ragan, Brian Vickers, and Reed Sorenson are still looking for rides.

This makes me worry for the sport that I love.  No sponsors = No Rides.  No Rides = No Races.  No Races = me trying to get excited about baseball again when hockey is over for the summer.  No good.

I really can’t blame 5-Hour Energy for pulling out from sponsoring RWI and Steven Wallace.  When Steven spends most of his races either causing the wreck or being involved in it, it’s hard for a product guaranteeing  ”No Crashes!” to find this amusing.

» Continue reading “Steven Wallace and Michael Annett Now Without Rides As Rusty Wallace, Inc. Suspends On-Track Operations”

Turn that frown upside down, boy! You have more driving time in 2012! (photo credit: www.redbullusa.com)

Poor Kasey Kahne.  The boy can’t seem to cut a break in the new year but today I’m giving him some positive airtime to smile about that I’m sure will make his day for a change. 

Plus it gives me an excuse to put up a Kasey picture to make Erin’s day too, right honey?

In case anybody hasn’t heard or read at this point, Kasey made some pretty ballsy remarks about public breastfeeding last week as reported by our very own Erin McCowan that he’s still suffering through I’m sure and will continue right up until the Daytona 500. 

That’s not why I’m here today though.  There’s good news in Kasey’s future and it involves the NASCAR Nationwide series.  Turner Motorsports announced on January 2nd that he’ll compete in fifteen Nationwide races in the No. 38 Great Clips Chevrolet.  This was Kasey’s first ride when he made his appearance in the Nationwide series way back in 2002.

He shares this seat time with Brad Sweet who’s been competing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck series on a limited schedule for the last two years and also in USAC driving for none other than Kasey Kahne Racing for the last four years.

So it’ll be pretty interesting to see if this Nationwide duo turns into a serious contender in 2012.  I’m thinking the answer will be yes indeed.