Rick Hendrick is Committed…Is He crazy????
March 26, 2009
CONCORD, N.C. – Team owner Rick Hendrick won’t split Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his embattled crew chief despite their slow start to the season.
Tony Eury Jr. has always been under intense scrutiny as crew chief for NASCAR’s most popular driver, but it has hit a new level this year as the No. 88 team has just one top-10 finish through five races. Earnhardt heads to Martinsville Speedway this weekend ranked 19th in the standings.
“Both Junior and Tony have told me that if they thought they needed to be split, that they understood,” Hendrick said Wednesday in a national teleconference. “That’s my call, and I’m not ready to make that call. Not even close. I am convinced that they’re better together.
“We’ve got the right combination, and I think we’re going to be able to prove that to you guys soon.”
Hendrick said Earnhardt, a notorious late riser, was at the shop early Wednesday morning and participated in a three-hour team meeting aimed at turning the season around. Listen Now
NASCAR team notes as the Sprint Cup Series stays in a short-track state of mind
March 26, 2009
Heading from Bristol to the oldest track on the circuit, Martinsville (Va.) Speedway:
Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
This week: Gordon leads all active drivers with seven victories at Martinsville, but he hasn’t won there since the fall race in 2005. His record in 32 career starts is impressive — 20 top-five finishes and 26 top-10s. He finished second in this race in 2008 and fourth last fall. Gordon takes a 76-point lead into Sunday’s race. “You must have a lot of patience here,” Gordon said. “Just to run a single lap by yourself, you have to be patient and not overdrive the car. And you certainly need to be more patient when it comes to traffic. From an observer’s vantage point, it’s probably just one constant flow of cars. But for me, it’s just that one, two or three cars ahead of me that I’m focusing on. You get into such a rhythm and such a zone here — it’s amazing how you block out how much traffic there really is. I don’t even think about there being 40 cars on the track.” Listen Now
Joey Logano Details His Week…Needs to Wins Races for Home Depot Toyota
March 26, 2009
Despite all the rain curtailing my love for outdoor activities and hanging out on the lake, my first off weekend of the season turned out to be a blast.
I saw Larry the Cable Guy at Cabarrus Arena in Concord, N.C., with Brian Scott, a friend who drives in the Camping World Truck Series. Brian and I went early, and we got to meet Larry the Cable Guy, who was having a tailgate party at his motor home. So we grilled out and then he invited me into his motor home. He’s a cool dude and a normal Joe, which is kind of neat. He doesn’t put on an act onstage; that’s pretty much who he is, and that’s pretty funny because I’ve always liked watching him on TV. Listen Now
World of Outlaws Preview: Manzanita Speedway
March 26, 2009
The sound of the World of Outlaws thundering around the famed Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix will grace the air one final time this weekend on Saturday, March 28 as the best sprint car drivers in the world tackle the half-mile on the corner of 35th & Broadway in Phoenix for a full night of racing with $10,000 on the line to the winner.
The list of drivers that have won at Manzanita over the years is a venerable Who’s Who of racing, with Mario Andretti, Gary Bettenhausen and A.J. Foyt topping that list, as they all picked up wins in the 1960’s at the track.
The World of Outlaws made their debut at the blazing fast half-mile in 1978, with Hall of Famer Lealand McSpadden picking up the win. The following season 20-time series champion and fellow Hall of Famer Steve Kinser picked up his first career win at the track. He has gone on since to win a total of 21 times at the track, with 11 of those coming in World of Outlaws events. He won the famed Western World six times over the years, both in a winged sprint car and a non-wing machine. Listen Now
Patrick Sheltra Cleared To Return To Competition
March 26, 2009
WHITESVILLE, Kentucky (March 26, 2009) – - ARCA RE/MAX Series (ARS) driver Patrick Sheltra has been medically cleared to return to racing competition just in time for the ARCA RE/MAX Series to pick up with their second race of the season, the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 by Federated Car Care at Salem Speedway next Sunday, April 5.
Sheltra, 22 was involved in a nasty accident in the closing laps of the series’ season opener at Daytona International Speedway last month where Sheltra suffered a compression fracture of his fourth vertebrae and a dislocated kneecap.
Sheltra’s determination and vigorous healing instructions have allowed the Indiantown, Florida native a speedy and successful recovery allowing him to return as the driver of the No. 60 Ferguson Pipe-ThePeoplesCars.com Dodge Charger. Listen Now
Rick Ware Race News Earnhardt’s to Race Nationwide Series Kerry and son Jeffery
March 25, 2009
Owner Rick Ware announces that Jeffrey Earnhardt and his father Kerry Earnhardt will drive the No. 31 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nationwide Series car this season. Kerry will debut with the organization April 4 at Texas Motor Speedway. Jeffrey, 19, is scheduled to make his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Dover International Speedway May 30.
Andersen Racing Announces Major Expansion of Its Karting Program
March 25, 2009
Names Wes Phillips as Its New Director of Competition Karting
PALMETTO, Fla., March 25 – Andersen Racing co-owner Dan Andersen announced
today that the Palmetto, Fla.-based team is immediately expanding its karting
operations to the national level, including participation in the Snap-on Stars
of Karting presented by the IndyCar Series, and has named noted karter Wes
Phillips as its new director of competition karting.
Phillips, 28, was the Rotax national champion in 2005, and he’s a
multiple-time Rotax Max Americas team member. He’s also a very respected coach, working
with notable drivers such as Brett Smrz, Jacob Neal, Alexander Rossi and J.R.
Hildebrand. Listen Now
NASCAR Martinsville Speedway News
March 25, 2009
Martinsville Speedway “The Good Old Days”
School to give tours of Martinsville Speedway: Patrick Henry Community College Students Giving Tours of Martinsville Speedway. Motorsports Association will give tours every hour starting at 9am and ending at 5pm. Tour starts at the speedway and continues to HT Motorsports, Arrington Engines & PHCC Motorsports; returning to the Speedway. Cost $10 for adults; $5 children 10 & under
T-38 Jets To Kick Start Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500: Three T-38C jets will rocket across the sky above Martinsville Speedway Sunday afternoon signaling that the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 is about ready to take the green flag. The three jets out of Laughlin Air Force Base, TX, will provide the flyover prior to the start of Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Martinsville Speedway. Listen Now
Its Official Yates Closes 28 Team Due to NO Sponsorship
March 25, 2009
Travis Kvapil “Will work for ride”
BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) – Travis Kvapil had a decent day at Bristol Motor Speedway, but it might have been his final event for Yates Racing.
A lack of sponsorship is forcing the team to suspend operations Monday morning on the No. 28 Ford, team general manager Max Jones said before Sunday’s race. Kvapil finished 18th and his team is 39th in the owner standings.
“It’s not exactly a surprise,” Jones said. “We said all along we’d do five races and try to find something, and we just haven’t found anything yet to run another five. We’ve got some things in the works, but nothing has come together fast enough.” Listen Now
Indy 500 Vet Passes
March 25, 2009
Lloyd Ruby, 81, who led five of six Indianapolis 500 starts from 1966 to 1971 before suffering misfortune, died Monday in Wichita Falls, Texas. The driver made 19 consecutive starts from 1960 to 1977 and finished 12th or higher 11 times, leading 126 laps for seventh best among non-winners.
