The Monster Mile is Upon Us!!

The Monster Mile happens this weekend. The Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway marks the 13th race of the 36 race season. We're almost at the halfway point and Hendrick Motorsports still owns the series. An amazing year for Rick's teams.
Sunday's race will once again feature the COT (for those of you not familiar yet...that's Car of Tomorrow) This is the sixth race of the year with the COT. But drivers will have a unique challenge this week. Bad weather negated a test at Dover this year so everybody's sort of going into the weekend in the dark. Well sort of. Crew Chiefs will likely use data from the tests at Bristol, which if you'll remember was the first track to host the COT this year. And Dover has high banks just like the Bristol half-mile so set ups will probably be similar to what they were at Bristol. None the less, the lack of a test could pose some interesting questions for many crew chiefs as they prepare.
The race will be televised Sunday at 1:00pm on FOX 50 in Durham. Matt Kenseth is the defending champion and I think he could do well again. However I somehow get the feeling that Jeff Gordon is gonna groove to the front once again this week. I'm picking Tony Stewart to finish top five as well. He's due.
The Childress drivers should be strong as well.
Qualifying for the Monster Mile is slated for 3pm on Friday!
Let's go racin'!!!

Heavenly Harvick!!

Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus....Kevin Harvick has never said much good about the NEXTEL CUP All Star race in the past but now he's got a million($$$)reasons to love the race after winning the race under the lights at Lowes Motor Speedway on Saturday night!!!

I'm proud of Childress Racing. The last year and a half has been incredible for this team. Crew Chief Todd Berrier and the rest of the guys at the shop in Welcome, NC have many reasons to be proud.....not the least of which is the combined efforts of every member on the team, in the shop and the drivers themselves. Kudos and may many more wins follow for the RCR Gang!!!

Winston-Salem Journal columnist and NASCAR dot com writer Joe Menzer has some other great news about Childress Racing here: http://www.nascar.com/2007/news/opinion/05/21/weekend.was.all.star/index.html

More to come...Stay tuned...and listen to Racing Today each weekday at 9:40am and 5:40pm on the NEW 99.9 Genuine Country!!!

Merchandise Mania!

I've discovered the secret to selling lots of NASCAR merchandise. Tell people you're leaving your team at the end of the season. Of course it helps a whole lot if you're already the biggest name in the sport.
Dale Jr. merchandise sales have shot up 107 percent in the past week since he made the announcement about leaving DEI at the end of the season. People must be thinking resale on Ebay in about ten years. I mean ya gotta figure it'll be worth a lot. Dale drove the #8 for a long time. I imagine he'll change numbers with a new team but I'll bet the farm on the fact he keeps his main sponsors. So no worries there.
More detail on this story can be found at http://www.thatsracin.com/242/story/4295.html

The All-Star race is coming up Saturday night in Charlotte under the lights and I'm with Track President Humpy Wheeler.......Jimmie Johnson is gonna win this. I'm beginning to believe it's no coincidence that his sponsor is Lowes and the track has the same sponsor as well. Jimmie's got Lowes Motor Speedway dialed in.....and on top of that he drives for Hendrick Motorsports. They've won 8 of the 10 races so far. I don't see anybody stopping them this week.
Jeff Gordon will finish 2nd....
Kevin Harvick will rise from the ashes this weekend and do well!!
Just my two cents!!

Bombshell from Junior!!

Well maybe it's not a bombshell, if you'll check the archives of this blog you'll see I predicted Dale Jr. would leave DEI....in fact it was many months ago when I said that he would either join Richard Childress Racing or form his own team. The prediction has now come true. Of course the big press conference yesterday in Mooresville, NC just confirmed what so many NASCAR fans have been able to discern for themselves. The Dale Jr./Teresa Earnhardt relationship has never been a bed of roses. Looks like Lil' E got tired of the thorns and is ready for greener pastures and more control of his future. Dale Jr. said he will wait to hear from "anybody who wants to talk" about bringing him to a differenct team. Do you think there are some salivating owners out there? Talk about a money machine. Dale Jr. single-handedly brings in more endorsement money and exposure, recognition and fan support than any other driver. Who wouldn't wanna have the sports most bankable star? You've have to have blinders on to not want this guy on your team. Details on the happenings coming up today at 5:40pm on Racing Today on 99.9 Genuine Country.
Meanwhile here's a link to a great article on fan speculation after Dale Jr.'s announcement yesterday http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?series=2&id=2866850

On to Darlington......
Predictions galore....
1.Jimmie Johnson
2. Denny Hamlin
3.Greg Biffle
4.Jeff Gordon
5. Kyle Busch....
That's my prediction for this Car of Tomorrow race....another Hendrick dominating performance....

Junior wants COT changed

Well, Dale Jr. has spoken, question is, will NASCAR listen. I would think if the powers that be in NASCAR will listen to anyone, then Dale Jr., the single most marketable person in the sport would be the one.

Here's the scoop...................

CONCORD, N.C. — Dale Earnhardt Jr. has used his clout to get things changed in NASCAR before. His next target is the Car of Tomorrow. After struggling with the new-look car at Richmond International Raceway, Earnhardt Jr. called on NASCAR to make it easier to turn and handle.
"It's going to take some time to figure it out, but right now it's about the most frustrating thing I've had to deal with in this sport, and I've had to deal with some pretty frustrating things," Earnhardt said Monday.....
read the rest of the article here: http://www.wral.com/sports/nascar/story/1393109/

Congrats to Jimmie Johnson on the win at Richmond. I'm thinking before June, NASCAR officials will have to change the name of the series to Hendrick Cup Racing. Hendrick drivers have won seven of the past eight races....this is getting silly!!! Between Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, nobody else can win a race, especially in the Car of Tomorrow or as we affectionately call it now, the COT.

Darlington coming up this weekend. Coming up later this week a preview and a look at the silly season so far. Right now my bets are on Jeff Gordon to win it all. He ain't playing around anymore. I think he wants to pass Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough in victories before the year is out.

And P.S. Bobby Allison, one of the greatest drivers ever and a man who is revered at Talladega as much or more than Dale Sr.....said quote, "imbeciles" when referring to the fans who threw beer cans at Jeff Gordon last weekend when he won at Talledega and passed Dale's victory record. Cale Yarborough in a separate interview agreed. Those guys aren't afraid to speak their minds.

Richmond Primer and Weekend Preview!

What a weekend for Jeff Gordon. Once again the Rainbow Warrior was a winner. This time passing Dale Earnhart Sr in victories. Way to go Jeff. The fans were a little disrespectful when they threw beer cans on the track at Talladega. I loved Dale Sr. In fact I grew up three miles from his house in Kannapolis and his cousins lived on my street(they always had the nice Chevys and houses) and I think he was a tremendous driver. But, Gordon deserves his due. He's amazing. He might not pass David Pearson, but he has moved into the upper echelon of NASCAR drivers now and for that he deserves respect and not disdain from fans...whether they like him or not.

News and Notes as we Head to Richmond....

Do you realize that Hendrick Motorsports cars have won six of nine races so far this season. Talk about dominance. Jimmie Johnson has three wins. Jeff Gordon, two and Kyle Busch one.

However, I think that dominance ends this weekend. Richmond is not the track for Gordon or Johnson. Both have struggled there. On the other hand, Kyle Busch has four top five finishes at Richmond in the last several years. Busch was runner-up last year and if any Hendrick driver is gonna win it, then I think it'll be him. With that said, I don't think he'll win it. Too many variables right now. I think this Saturday night belongs to Kasey Kahne. He's due. Plus, he's got one of the best records of any driver at Richmond. It's been 14 long races since a win for Kasey and I think given a bit of luck he will pull it off this weekend. Other contenders who look good at Richmond: Greg Biffle, his average running position at Richmond has been fourth. Denny Hamlin....he's currently fifth in points, a Virginia native and the home crowd could be his edge, as well as his knowledge of the track, plus Hamlin will be sporting a FedEx helmet that was designed for him by 11 year old Children's Hospital of Richmond patient Justin Griffith. It's the first helmet of the 11 that Hamlin will wear as part of the Fed Ex program, "Wear Your Heart on Your Helmet" program.
And finally could the winner be.......Ryan Newman....it's been 54 races since he's had a victory and he knows the Richmond track as well as anyone, and he's done well here.

Elliott Yamin, Richmond's own American Idol native son will perform the National Anthem prior to the Circuit City 250 presented by FUNAI NASCAR Busch Series race Friday night and will sing "God Bless America" before the Crown Royal presents the Jim Stewart 400 Saturday night!!!!


A bit of trivia....who set the standard for second year NASCAR drivers by winning the points championship in only his second year on the Winston Cup?
The answer coming tomorrow!! Think ya know....post your guess.