Archive for November, 2008

One of the biggest mistakes NASCAR has made, was the decision to ban Sprint “competitors” from sponsoring cars. I said it was a mistake when they announced that AT&T would not be allowed to remain the sponsor of the #31, and it’s more of a mistake now.

With the economy in the state it’s in and teams struggling to find the cash they need, you would think that NASCAR would do what it could to keep the big name sponsors in the game, and on the cars.

With Cingular’s rebranding to AT&T, the Richard Childress Racing sponsor was bumped out of the Sprint Cup Series by NASCAR and its series title sponsor, Sprint.

AT&T is pulling out as sponsor of Jeff Burton’s #31 Chevrolet, yet, if they could, they would stay. If they could, they would spend millions of dollars helping to promote a sport that is going to see some rough times over the course of the next year. Tough times that might not be so tough, if Sprint wasn’t so worried about a competitors name being painted on the hood of a car traveling more than 150 mph and seen for just 3-4 hours per week.

It’s the Sprint Cup, or will be anyway. Every time an article mentions the sport, they will mention Sprint’s name. Every commercial that airs on television will display their name.

If the executives at Sprint would lose the inferiority complex, they could bring millions back into the sport.

It’s another sad day in racing. In fact, it’s the saddest day since Bobby Hamilton died.

Bobby Hamilton Racing-Virginia will cease operations at the end of the week, Lori Shuler Hamilton, chief operating officer for the Truck Series organization, confirmed Monday.

The team, started by the late Bobby Hamilton, moved from its base in Nashville, Tenn., to Martinsville, Va., after the 2007 season when it added partners to the ownership group.

Bobby Hamilton built a great reputation and a great legacy with his organization. It’s a shame to see they are closing down. I wish his family all the best in the future.

Could this get any more exciting?

Carl Edwards tried his best to derail history, but it was not enough to deny Jimmie Johnson.

Needing only to place 36th or better in Sunday’s Ford 400, Johnson played it safe and finished 15th to become the first driver to win three straight series championships since Cale Yarborough accomplished the feat from 1976-78.

Yes I was being sarcastic. This was the most disappointing NASCAR season ever. Congratulations for Jimmie Johnson for staying awake and alert long enough each week to win the championship.

If NASCAR makes things any more “equal” with the Car of Tomorrow, I think I’ll just die.

Congratulations to Clint Bowyer for winning the Nationwide Series championship.

Carl Edwards did all he could but still was unable to capture his second straight NASCAR Nationwide Series title.

Clint Bowyer claimed the series championship despite watching Edwards win Saturday’s Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Entering with a 56-point advantage over Edwards, Bowyer – who has been atop the standings for 29 straight weeks – finished fifth in a Chevrolet. The series-high 29th top-10 finish earned Bowyer 155 points, giving him a season total of 5,132.

The Cup race is going on right now, and I have to say, last night’s Nationwide race was a lot more exciting. It’s time for the NASCAR to ditch the Car of Tomorrow. Cup races just aren’t fun to watch anymore.

You know the economy has hit NASCAR hard when they ban testing of all cars on all tracks.

What will Hendricks, Rousch, and Gibbs do next year? Without all those testing days and all those cars collecting all that data, they’ll have to play on the same field as everyone else.

NASCAR on Friday informed racing teams that is has banned all testing at its sanctioned tracks beginning next season to save millions of dollars in their 2009 budgets.

The elimination of testing includes the traditional preseason Daytona 500 testing and is for all three of NASCAR’s top divisions. Teams will not be permitted to test at any track where a Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series or Truck Series event is held.

Thanks to the economy, next year’s NASCAR schedule could be a lot more exciting.

This may sound like a good idea right now, but something tells me this “deal” is not going to good for anyone involved.

Teresa Earnhardt and Chip Ganassi will combine their slumping race teams next season, an effort to stabilize their organizations in a tough economic time.

The combined team will be called Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. Martin Truex Jr. and Juan Pablo Montoya will drive the Nos. 1 and 42 and Aric Almirola will be behind the wheel of the No. 8. The driver of the No. 41 has not been named.

I know money is tight, and I know it’s a “partnership”, but the last thing either of these teams needs to be doing is selling out at this point.

This just doesn’t make sense to me.

Craftsman Trucks Series points leader Johnny Benson will be leaving Bill Davis Racing at season’s end.

The 45-year-old leads the Trucks series by six points over Ron Hornaday Jr. with two races remaining, including Friday’s race at Phoenix International Raceway.

Benson, who raced in NASCAR’s Winston Cup level for a number of teams from 1996-2003, recorded 14 victories in the NCTS, placed second in points in 2006 and was third a year ago.

“Johnny Benson has been a huge part of our success in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series,” team owner Bill Davis said in a statement . “Johnny, as well as our other veteran driver, Mike Skinner, have helped us get our NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series program where it is today, and I hate to see him go.

Johnny Benson is a rock star in the Craftsman Truck Series. He’s been second or third in the final standings for the past two years and he is currently leading in points. Benson says he wants to do something different, and may even retire.

If he doesn’t retire, what else is there to do? Lose?