Nascar Nation Help Katrina Victims

 

Nascar Nation Help Katrina Victims

I am sure that in the coming weeks and months. NASCAR will rally those in the sport to raise funds for the victims of one of the worst naturaldisasters in this great nations history.

The devastation we all see and hear is almost incomprehensible. You and I will never know what these victims are going thru...

So what can NASCAR fans do to help?

There are several avenues to take:

Donate Money To The Red Cross...http://www.redcross.org

Clothing drive....thousands have nothing but the clothes they are wearing right now! You ever wonder what happens to all those old clothes you donate? Well, here it is.Contact your local chapter of the Salvation Army...http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/

Let's not forget about our four legged friends...many beloved pets are suffering. Please check this site to see what you can do...http://www.noahswish.org/

They are in need of skilled workers...Lineman, Electrical Workers, Doctors, Carpenters, etc.

So get your NASCAR buddies together and come up with a plan of action.
Get the kids to help too...

Word of caution: there will be alot of scum-sucking morons taking advantage of your emotions....asking you to donate money thru their website's.

DON'T DO IT!....unless, you know this organization personally or they are recommended by someone you trust.

There are many slick websites that will show gut-wrenching pictures and can write compelling stories that make you want to go empty yourbank account and send it to them...

I've already seen many of them....asking for your cash and then asking you to donate thru a PayPal button...

If there is no phone number, which you can call or actual physical address shown and you know that is where this charity operates.

Stay away.....

Money is what is most needed for these relief organizations. Just make sure they are credible before you give them a penny.

NASCAR fans are the most real and down to earth people on the planet.

Do what you can.

Thank you,
Mark

Dude, Where's My Car?

 

Dude, where's my car?
By Mark DeCotisFlorida Today

Kevin Harvick's change of heart might have saved his career.

Of all the sins committed at Bristol on Saturday night, the biggest was one that in the end didn't occur.

But had it, the once-promising career of Kevin Harvick could have and should have gone up in smoke.

Harvick, who failed to qualify for NASCAR's championship playoff in 2004 and is all but mathematically eliminated this season, has made no secret recently of his disenchantment with how business is being conducted by the man who signs his paychecks -- Richard Childress.

And Saturday night, thanks to the brainless antics of Dale Jarrett -- more on him in a minute -- Harvick was involved in a wreck not of his making and saw his shot at the playoff disappear.

Understandably upset because Harvick is a racer and racers want to race -- and win -- Harvick stormed to his hauler. Had the drama ended there, little or nothing further would have come of it.

But, it didn't and Harvick came as close as one can come to committing one of the unpardonable offenses of racing, refusing to get back into his car for no other reason than just being ticked off.

As his crew worked to repair the Chevy, Harvick stewed and by two accounts -- the TNT race broadcast and reporting at www.thatsracin.com -- when it came to getting back in the car, he initially refused. Things progressed to the point that his team went looking for a fill-in and Scott Riggs -- whose MB2/MBV Racing Chevy earlier had blown an engine -- was ready to climb into Harvick's car.

Whether Childress -- a man not known for backing down to anyone -- soft-sold Harvick or held the ultimate "come to Jesus" meeting in the hauler isn't known, but Harvick got back in the car, avoiding major embarrassment for himself and his oft-beleaguered boss.

It appears that Harvick has been looking for any excuse not to return to Childress when his contract is up after 2006 and came so close Saturday to giving Childress a perfect reason not to offer him a renewal.

What was he thinking?

Along those lines, what the heck was Jarrett's thought process as he lie in wait to wreck Ryan Newman, who punted him on lap 210, on lap 317? The melee collected not only Newman, damaging his chances at the playoff, but Jarrett as well, and Harvick.

Didn't Jarrett stop to think that by punting Newman he could also wreck himself and miss the playoff again? Apparently not -- Jarrett left the track on Saturday night without comment -- and that's shocking coming from a racer of his experience.

Such moronic behavior hasn't been seen since the first playoff race of 2004 when Robby Gordon intentionally wrecked Greg Biffle, collecting championship contenders Tony Stewart and Jeremy Mayfield in the process and ruining their chances at a title run.

One would expect such behavior from upstart Carl Edwards -- and he didn't disappoint by wrecking both Petty cars, Kyle Petty and Jeff Green, in separate incidents on Saturday night. But at least Edwards got firmly lectured post-race by Petty and Edwards has had it coming.

One would hope Childress did the same with Harvick, but who is going to read the riot act to past champion Jarrett?

NASCAR? Hello? Anyone home?

Mark DeCotis is a 27-year veteran of the newspaper business and has lived in Florida since 1985. He is sports editor of Florida Today's four weekly newspapers.

Post Race Bristol Boxing

 

Hey, here's a thought...

Post race boxing rings?

You'd think that Matt Kenseth leading 415 of 500 laps to win, would've been the biggest story coming out of Bristol Motor Speedway..

Not at Bristol...We got teammates banging on each other (Jeff Gordon and Brian Vickers), Carl Edwards putting the entire Petty effort (Jeff Green and Kyle Petty) into the wall, and Dale Jarrett retaliating against Ryan Newman in the most stupid move of the night that all but ruined Kevin Harvick’s chances at making the chase.

So as an extra bonus for...we fans...what do you say, we put up three rings for each post race and let the drivers work out their frustration?

I'm pretty sure that Newman and Harvick would love a big piece of Dale Jarrett right about now...King Richard would love to bitch-slap Carl Edwards around...and last, but not least....Brian Vickers put a round house right upside Jeff Gordons cranium.

Oh, did I mention that Matt Kenseth led 415 or 500 laps at Bristol!

When Newman got Jarrett turned around it was clearly a racing incident...but then, Jarrett decided to turn right into Newman quarter panel and send them both into the wall, collecting Kevin Harvick in the mix....NASCAR gave Dale Jarrett a slap on the wrist(2 laps in the penalty box)...BFD...they should park him for California!

Sure... Harvick is pissed, but the way we heard it...his spotter told him to stay low and he clearly drove right into Newman's car....Kevin’s fault there...then he throws a hissy fit and goes back to his motor home to sulk and almost refused to return to the car to gain points after his crew busted their ass to get the car put back together..

Sometimes Carl Edwards looks like a veteran driver...unless, you are on a short track, where his inexperience shines through...Calm down Carl, and spend a Lil more short track time on your Play Station 2.

Oh, did I mention that Matt Kenseth led 415 or 500 laps at Bristol!

But hey, Bristol is Bristol...and that's why it's one of the toughest tickets in all of sport to get...

In closing, I'd like to propose this....

How about, every time, that moron Bill Weber (NBC/TNT race announcer) says something stupid or sounds like he has NO idea what the hell he's talking about...

we bring one our troops back home from Iraq?

I figure, by the Charlotte Nextel Cup race in October..all of our troops would be home!

Mark

P.S. California’s Nextel Cup race is next Sunday Night...Green flag at around 7:35 pm EDT.

It's Bristol Baby

 

One of the best ways to describe Bristol Motor Speedway:
"It's like flying F-16's in a gymnasium!"

This Saturday short track on steriods crams over 150,000
to look inside a fishbowl to witness 43 Nextel Cup cars do
their version of roller derby.

At the end of the night, if your car isn't bent, broke or banged
up...then you didn't run!

No other phrase in the English language can put a smile on the face of a NASCAR
fan quicker than those four magic words.

And no, it’s not “Gentleman start your engines.”

Try “Bristol racing at night.”

Charlie can have his Chocolate Factory; for a NASCAR fan attending the night
race at Bristol is their Golden Ticket. Because it’s a place where anything goes
and usually does. Where the racing is so close you can actually taste it.

And while Bristol is one of most anticipated races of the year for fans, for the
teams and drivers, Bristol could make or break a season especially as the cutoff
for the ‘Chase’ is fast approaching.

“Bristol will be the race that makes it or breaks it for a lot of teams, as far
as getting into the 'chase' is involved,” said Ryan Newman. “We went into last
year's race with that mentality and came out with our best ever finish there.
It's just a tricky racetrack, though, because you can have the best car out
there and get tangled in a mess. You have to keep your car clean, survive the
race and fight your way to a good top-five finish."

For Rusty Wallace this weekend means a final trip to the place he calls his
favorite track.

“It’s Bristol,” said Wallace in his weekly team preview. “I love the place. I
always have and I always will.”

Wallace has good reason to love Bristol: it’s the site of his first NASCAR Cup
win on Apr. 6, 1986, a victory that would begin a record that now stands at nine
here. He’s also firmly entrenched in the top ten in points right now and would
love nothing more than to leave here with a win in route to another NASCAR
Nextel Cup Championship in his final year of competition.

“I’ve always said it felt like my home track and there are so many reasons for
that, “Wallace said. “As for confidence on the Bristol track, when you’ve had
all the success we’ve enjoyed through the years – nine wins and seven poles –
hell, it’s easy to get all jacked up every single time we go there.”

Not only can Wallace talk the talk when it comes to Bristol, he has the stats to
back it up.

During his 22-season big league stock car career dating back to April 1, 1984 on
the .533-mile high-banked oval, he has amassed a record that along with the nine
wins, sports 21 top-five finishes. The active career statistical leader at
Bristol has led at least one lap in 28 races and a total of 3,734 laps (18.7
percent of all laps he was running in) in 43 prior races entering this weekend.

Don’t be expecting Wallace to be waxing poetically and reminiscing this weekend
though. He has his eyes squarely on the big picture.

“After the last few races, that 20 team is really on a roll and looks to almost
be in a league of their own,” said Wallace of Tony Stewart, the current points
leader who finished fifth at Michigan on Sunday to gain a 126-point advantage
over second-place Johnson.

“We certainly want to go out on top of our game at Bristol with a strong run and
I think we’re primed to come in there and do just that.”

Wallace will be among 43 drivers who’ll be trying to taste the sweet success of
victory this Saturday night. He’ll be hoping to carry momentum out of Bristol to
finish his career on a high note by adding another Championship trophy to his
collection.

“Bristol is a place where things happen really fast and it can have a big impact
on the points deal,” Wallace said.” We’re hoping to have a big night there on
Saturday night, both in the race and in the points.”

This weekend’s “impound race” schedule at Bristol has practice on Friday prior
to the 6:10 p.m. single round of qualifying that sets Saturday night’s 43-car
starting field.

Saturday’s Sharpie 500 has a 7:40 p.m. EDT starting time and with live coverage
by TNT-TV and PRN Radio.




Mark

For Michigan, It's A Wrap!

 

During my Nextel Cup pre-race interview on WGST - Atlanta. The host Art Mehring asked me.."So what do we look for today at Michigan International Speedway?"

My reply..."Hot Dog Wrappers and Kyle Busch!"

Sure enough, Kyle Busch piloted his Chevrolet to the front, only to be taken out by a hot dog wrapper.

Kyle Busch had to leave the race after 81 laps because of engine failure.
Busch had led 28 laps.

"The first (hot dog wrapper) we were able to shake loose," said Busch, driver of the Kellogg's Chevrolet.

"Kasey Kahne helped us out on that. When I let (brother) Kurt (Busch) go by me, he didn't slow down in order to let me get up underneath him (to help dislodge the wrapper). And it wasn't any of his doing. He could have helped us or he could have went on. But it's a shame we weren't able to get that second piece off. The engine got up way too hot and ultimately ended our day."

Several drivers were affected by the blowing trash. Rusty Wallace took an unscheduled pit stop on Lap 69 because of debris on the front of his car.

On Lap 165, leader Matt Kenseth's grille was completely covered by wrappers. He ducked behind Kurt Busch to get air to blow the debris off.

"I checked my temperature and it was real hot," Kenseth said. "I had to slow down, I got up to (Busch's) bumper and got it blown off the grille. The same thing happened earlier in the race. I let (Busch) get behind me to get debris off his front."

Tony Stewart said this is simply part of racing at Michigan.

"With as windy as it was, I expected it to be worse than it was," Stewart said.

Series points leader Tony Stewart - who came into the race as the hottest driver in stock car racing with five wins in seven starts - never led on Sunday but finished fifth for his eight consecutive top-seven.

Race winner Jeremy Mayfield’s Dodge was never a factor all day. But as the leaders began to drop out starving for fuel, Mayfield inherited the top spot with six laps to go in the 200-lap event. "We robbed a bank and got away with it," said (Crew Chief) Labbe. "It was a gamble but it paid off."

Mayfield moved ahead of Kurt Busch in the season points with just three races remaining before the 10-race NASCAR playoffs begin. And Mayfield will most certainly be locked in when the final ten races of the season just three events from now.

This weekend is at Bristol....it doesn't get any better than that!

Mark

"Front Row Joe And Four To Go!"

 

It was reminiscent of a week ago, when all but just a few cars qualified for the Nextel Cup Race, then the rain came. Unlike at Watkins Glen International, the sky cleared and qualifying was completed leaving Joe Nemechek's Army Chevrolet on point for the GFS Marketplace 400 at the Michigan International Speedway.

The speeds are slower this year due to the smaller spoiler, Ryan Newman (who qualified 5th) holds the record at 194.232 mph. Front Row Joe surprised many by wheeling the Army Chevy around Michigan International Speedway with 191.530 mph.

Don't put to much stock into qualifying for this impound race. There are many cars capable of coming from the back in this 200 lap race. Keep an eye on Sterling Marlin, Robbie Gordon, and Kevin Harvick to add a few surprises.

Right now, nobody is hotter than Tony Stewart, his Home Depot Chevrolet rolls off from 36th spot. Gregg Biffle has been referred to as "Mr. Michigan" going for his third win in a row at this track where you can have 2 or 3 wide battles.

The bottom and the middle groove proved to be the best...maybe that upper groove will come in better. This track changes thru outthe race. So you have to be flexible in changing your line.
Over 150 thousand will watch from the stands and as in the past,all it takes is one hot dog wrapper to land on the grill, car overheats,and engine explodes....it happens every year.

Another thing to watch for is tire wear...for the first time...there is a new camber rule...no more than 8 degrees. So if you see a blown tireand the car eats it...then the driver explains..."It must have hit some debris!"

Repeat after me..."Uh Yeah, Right!...it was too much camber"

Top five in points can have a bad day and really not sweat it, with only four more races to the Chase...but, those that are 6th thru 15th in points better keep it rockin' or they very well could say goodbye to any chanceat making the final 10 for the Chase... Never in the history of this sport has the competition been this fierce...and it just keeps getting better.

Here's why..... Bristol is next!

Mark

Nextel Cup Win, But No Fence!

 

One by one, they gathered behind him.

Robby Gordon. Boris Said. Scott Pruett. All of them boasting impressive road-course resumes. All of them coming from the back of the field. All of them preparing to make a run at the leader.

Just one problem, though: It's hard to challenge what you can't catch.

For the second August in a row, the story at Watkins Glen International was Tony Stewart and how his fiery orange No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet smoked the competition. Stewart led a Watkins Glen-record 83 of 92 laps, including the last 34, and was barely threatened Sunday as he held off a handful of road-course specialists to win the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup Sirius Satellite Radio at the Glen.

"He beat us. What more can you say?" said Robby Gordon, who won here in 2003. "He flat beat us. He's leading the points and got to start first and just beat us. We did everything we could to get there and it wasn't enough for today."

Sunday's win continued a red-hot run for Stewart, who has won five of his last seven Nextel Cup races and has finished in the top seven in eight straight. He's won three straight road-course races and three of the last four at the Glen, including the past two. It was his 24th career Nextel Cup win.

The entire weekend belonged to Stewart. Just about the only thing he didn't do was climb the fence in celebration, something he's taken to doing recently at other tracks. Instead he took the checkered flag and peeled out for a victory lap.

"This place is not good for fence climbing," said Stewart, explaining how the flag stand is not in front of the grandstands at the Glen. "There were only going to be about three people that would be able to enjoy it with me (at the top of the fence)," he said. "So I looked at it and thought, man, I really don't feel like wasting my time going up this fence today. I'm convinced I'm still going to fall off one and crack my head wide-open."

"Considering I want to go to Knoxville (Iowa) tonight," added Stewart, who was hoping to race a Sprint car there Sunday night, "I was better off just grabbing the flag and doing a couple of burnouts for the fans. I didn't forget about them. It just didn't work into our normal plan."

Mark

146 Cars Jammed In Watkins Glen Garage

 

As usual for a stock car racing weekend at Watkins Glen Inter-national, there are several entries for Sunday's Sirius Satellite Radio at The Glen that are normally foreign to the Nextel Cup Series.All told, 48 cars are scheduled to make qualifying attempts Saturday for Sunday's race.

There are the familiar names like Fellows, Said and Pruett, but also driving instructor Chris Cook, Jose Rameriz, Paul Menard, P.J. Jones and even a car with no driver. But the entry list for the Zippo 200 Busch Series race is the most attention-grabbing with 53 cars listed.

What's most interesting: Of the 53 cars, 25 of the drivers are either Nextel Cup full-timers, professional road racers or Busch North regulars. That leaves 28 full-timers in NASCAR's "AAA" series.

Moreover, of the 53 entries, 20 are direct affiliates of or significantly influenced by Nextel Cup Series operations. Five of the 48 Cup entries will not make Sunday's race, while 10 of the 53 Busch entries will leave The Glen Saturday.Today's Grand-Am Rolex Series race will feature 45 cars, including extra entries for Bobby and Terry Labonte, Tony Stewart, Chris Dyson and Kyle Petty.

Mark

P.S. Look for the Kessler Camp inside turn 7 on the innerloop....you can't miss me....I'll be wearing a Nascar t-shirt and have ice cold canned beer in my hand....

"Double-Duty To Winning At Watkins!"

 

It's been said that "Repitition Is The Mother Of All Skill"

That's why you'll see Nextel Cup drivers participating in all three races
held at the Glen this weekend.

The Grand American Rolex Series race will have Tony Stewart, The LaBonte brothers, and Kyle Petty Friday Afternoon.

The Busch series returns to Watkins Glen Saturday and is chock full of Nextel Cup regulars...Brian Vickers, Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler, Jeff Burton, Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, Carl Edwards, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle, Travis Kvapil, Joe Nemecheck, Robby Gordon, Dale Jarrett, and Michael Waltrip.

Why?

Because repititon is the mother of all skill....They're all going
to be way ahead of the learning curve when the green drops Sunday.

BTW...I can not believe I am about to disclose the location of the biggest party
at the track in Watkins Glen...We will be inside of turn 7 on the inner loop..
Ask anyone where Kessler is and they'll know!
P.S.....BYOB...

Mark
www.NascarStockCar.com

"Watkins Glen vs. Tony Stewart"

 

He's got the momentum of a cement truck with a full load going downhill with no brakes...That's one way to describe Tony Stewart's season so far. After the #20 Home Depot Chevrolet helped Tony fulfill a lifelong dream last Sunday at Indianapolis. He now comes to the fastest road course on the Nextel Cup schedule as the defending champion.

"Smoke" takes a 75-point edge in the Nextel Cup point standings. Of course, that margin means very little in the larger scale, since NASCAR is once again going to realign the top 10 for the final 10 races. Which is just five races away.

Mark Martin has led 204 laps at Watkins Glen, more than any other driver. Jeff Gordon has led 173 laps there. Martin has competed in 17 Watkins Glen races, Gordon in 12.

The keys to being successful at Watkins Glen are qualifying well, keeping yourself up front with solid pit strategy and staying on the course. If you can do all of that, you’re almost guaranteed to have a good finish.

Watkins Glen May Spell Trouble for Some of the Top 10
• Jimmie Johnson has scored only one top-10 finish at Watkins Glen International.
• Greg Biffle has finished 30th or worse in his two races at Watkins Glen International.
• Rusty Wallace has finished 17th or worse in his last five races at Watkins Glen International.
• Carl Edwards has never competed at Watkins Glen International.

More to come "live" from Watkins Glen..

Mark

"Busch Wants To Hit The Road Jack!"

 

Roush Racing announced today that Kurt Busch has advised team officials that he has signed with another team commencing in 2007.

The name of the team is not known. (uh... that would be Penske!) Kurt also requested a release from his contract for 2006. Due to sponsor and team considerations no decision on that request will be made for an indefinite period.

Roush Racing will have no further comment at this time.(Roush Racing PR),

He's going to take over Rusty's ride. After, he buys out his remaining contract with Roush. Odd that Roush is now in the same position that their signing of Jamie McMurray put Ganassi Racing in, as McMurray was signed by Roush to drive the #6 Ford for Roush in 2007, but hopes to get out of his contract to drive the car in 2006.

So here's what you do....Jack takes Kurt's buyout from Penske and gives that to Ganassi in exchange for Jamie. Waltrip takes over Jamie's ride, until his Toyota deal is good to go in 2007!

Follow me so far?

More to come,

Mark

"Indy 400 Was A Disney Movie!"

 

Tony Stewart dreamed as a little boy of winning a big race at the track he grew up near... Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Who hasn't fantasized about doing something as cool as what Tony pulled off today at the brickyard. Whether you are a Stewart Fan or not...to watch someone's dream come true is pretty cool.

He finally did it Sunday, winning the Nextel Cup Allstate 400 at the Brickyard to end nine years of frustration on the track he calls his "Holy Grail."

"You guys have helped me win my lifelong dream today," he screamed over his radio to his crew as he crossed the finish line.

The deafening crowd continued to shout "Tony, Tony, Tony!"

Tony drove down to turn two after his victory lap and got out of the car to acknowledge all his buddies and a few family members that occupied his suite on the lower level.

Then took his Home Depot Chevrolet to a very crowded start/finish line..where his sponsor had a ladder waiting for him to assist in climbing the fence. This time was different though...Tony's entire team scaled the fence with him to celebrate.

When it came time for Stewart to kiss the bricks at Indy, he lined up on his knees, surrounded by his mother, step-father and sister. Holding hands, they leaned over together for the kiss.

Congrats to you Tony...you earned this win.

See ya next week at The Glen.

Mark

P.S. for the next 10 days this Nascar Wrecks site will be coming to you 'live' from my hometown Watkins Glen, N.Y....drop me an e-mail if you plan on attending the Nextel Cup race there....and I might just let you know where the best party at the track is located! (wink)

"Tire of Indy!"

 

In this issue of "Nascar Wrecks"...I want to give you an idea of what goes on with tires during a Nextel Cup race at Indy.

This is the first time Goodyear has brought this specific combination of left and right-side tires to Indianapolis . . . this is the only track at which Nextel Cup teams will run this combination in 2005 . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run inner liners in their tires.

In other words its a second tire mounted inside the first tire. It mounts to the rim and has its own separate air supply. If the outer tire blows, the inner tire is still intact, allowing the driver to 'whoa' the car up.

All teams run "Goodyear Eagle Speedway Radials"

Cost per tire: around $407.00 each..that's over $1,600 for a set of 4.

How many tires Goodyear brings: 2,800 - 1,400 left side & 1,400 right side

Each team is allowed up to 15 sets for the whole weekend. Practice,qualifying, and the race.
Circumference of tire differs: 87.3 inches for left side and 88.6 for right side

When Cup cars roll thru tech, they have to have 26 psi on the left side and36 psi on the right side. Your personal car is 32 psi on all four.

Goodyear tells all teams the lowest air pressure they recommend is 19 psi for left side, 34 psi for right front and 31 psi for right rear.

So how long before tires wear out from running at different air pressures?

Goodyear suggests a new set every 44 laps....The Allstate 400 at Indy is 160 laps...each team will use at the very least 4 sets of tires.

Most of the teams remove the air from the tires and replace it with nitrogen. Compressed nitrogen contains less moisture than compressed air. When the tire heats up, moisture in the tire vaporizes and expands, causing the pressure inside the tire to increase. Even small changes in tire pressure can noticeably affect the handling of the car. By using nitrogen instead of air, the teams have more control over how much the pressure will increase when the tires heat up.

How do they swap out tires so fast during a pit stop?

In 12 to 14 seconds, seven people manage to completely refuel the car and change all four tires. There are a couple of tricks the teams use to make things a little easier. When the new tire is placed onto the car, the five lug nuts are already attached to the wheel by an adhesive. The studs are long and have no threads for the first three-quarters of an inch. This ensures that the lug nuts do not get cross-threaded, making it easier to put that tire on.

Tires will get as hot as 230 degrees during a race.

Used tires vs. New?

When you say "used" tires, we're talking about tires with only one or two laps on them. It's better to run on used tires because it gives you a better feel throughout the whole run in stead of when you start on stickers (new tires). If you're car is good on used tires, or scuffs, then you're going to be better at the end of a long run.

Mark

P.S. Listen for me live on 680 WGST-Atlanta Sunday morning around 11am.When my "Brother from a different Mother" Art 'Madman" Mehring and I talk aboutIndy...You can listen live online by going here http://www.wgst.com then click on the "listen live" link along the upper left hand side of the page.Then you willsee in the middle of the page " Click here to listen to our station online." Click on that and you should be good to go.

"Back On Track At Indy!"

 

Before I begin with this issue of "Nascar Wrecks"...I need to explain why it's been so long since our last issue. Here's why:..I totally screwed up my back.

My neighbor is putting a deck on the second level of his townhouse. So Mr. Conan Construction (me)...decided to help slap that puppy up. We dug 4 holes...30 inches deep and 16 inches wide...no problem. Mixed and poured over 500 lbs of concrete to set the posts. Commenced to sawing, hammering, and screwing the deck together. Within three days, we had that bad boy up and looking good. So, I'm putting ONE more screw in the decking and all of the sudden...the most intense pain a person could ever experience, shot thru my lower back....it was more painful than watching an entire episode of "Nascar Nation!"

(Warning!...comedy comin' atcha!)

Hey Mark, you look like your in pain...what's the matter?
"I have a weak back"...
When did you get that?"
Oh, about a week back!"

So now, I sit here bent like a pretzel, contemplating shooting heroin in my retna... to ease the pain...in the meantime, another handful of Motrin should suffice.

(We now return to regularly scheduled column)

There are two races that all Nextel Cup drivers want more than others. Daytona 500, NASCAR's biggest event and Indy! No need to explain Daytona here, but, Indy is not only one hell of a payday..$9,180,902.00 it's freakin' INDIANAPOLIS. Can you name a more famous and storied track?

The problem with Cup cars at Indy is...it's a boring race! Always has been, drivers usually have a difficult time passing at Indy. Another thing about Sunday's race is...we'll learn more about who actually has a shot at making the chase for the Nextel Cup.

If Jimmie Johnson has an alright day and his car owner/teammate Jeff Gordon doesn't...The Wonderboy (Jeff) ain't gonna be chasing the Cup. Ever notice how Jeff seems to always be able to bring it, for the really big races?

Gordon can become the all-time race winner at Indianapolis with a victory. Gordon’s four NASCAR wins at IMS ties him with four-time Indianapolis 500 champions A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears... I know...I know...It's a different kinda racin' all together...(It's a different kinda racin').

Stop!..now go back and read that last sentence...did everyone do the "all together" part?

The next best at Indy, is Dale Jarrett... he's won two Brickyard events, and has five top-five runs. He's currently 10th in points. Kevin Harvick won at Indy in 2003. Bill Elliott returns to the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series this week in the #91 car. He won in 2002 and has nine top-10 finishes at Indianapolis… Bobby Labonte has one Brickyard victory and four top fives. … Rusty Wallace has five top fives and nine top 10s. … Mark Martin has four top fives and six top 10s. … Tony Stewart has only six Indy starts in NASCAR, but has put together two top-five and three top-10 finishes. He also made five starts in the Indianapolis 500 from 1996-2001, with three top-10 finishes.

There ain't nobody hotter than "Smoke" (Tony) going into this weekend at what he considers his home track...then, again it's home track status for Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon too.

Sunday at 2:40pm EST the green flag waves to start 400 miles, 160 laps around a 2.5 mile oval of follow the leader, single line racing and whoever kisses the brick's when it's over...will not only collect one of the biggest paychecks of their career, but own lifelong bragging rights...."Yeah, I won at Indy!"

Mark

P.S....you didn't actually think we'd do a column without mentioning Dale Jr. did you? He's blowing away everyone in the Most Popular Driver voting. With more than 2.5 million votes cast by race fans nationwide at www.mostpopulardriver.comJeff Gordon is running second followed by Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, Rusty Wallace, Tony Stewart, Michael Waltrip, Dale Jarrett, Mark Martin and Jimmie Johnson.

P.S.P.S...the above info on the Most Popular Driver comes to us, courtesy of the "Who Cares" dept. at Kess Media LLC...(our parent company)

P.S.P.S.P.S....It's not Motrin