T'was the Night Before Christmas: NASCAR Style

 

T'was the night before Christmas, when all round the track

Not an air wrench was stirring, the lines were all slack

The gloves were all hung on the tool boards with care

In hopes that Daytona soon would be there

The crews were nestled all snug in their beds

While visions of Nextel Cups danced in their heads.

And mamma in her 'kerchief and I in an old Allison cap

Had just settled down to fool around, you know like we used 'ta

When out of turn four there arose such clatter

I sprang up off ma to see what was the matter

Away to the pits I flew like a flash

Stopped and hid behind a can full of trash

When what to my wondering eyes should appear?

But some big fat dude surrounded by a herd of deer

They were all dressed like drivers wearing helmets of red

Sitting in stock cars ready to go head to head.

The fat man stood in front and showing no shame

He whistled and shouted then called them by name:

"Now Dasher, now Dancer! Now Prancer and Vixen!

"Ok Comet! Ok Cupid! On Donner and Blitzen!"

"Start up them engines! Let's keep it off the wall!

"Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!"

As dry leaves before the wild hurricane fly,

They took off in a fury, that fat dude laughing when they went by.

When they got the green flag it was a heck of a sight,

Racing door to door through that cold winter night,

More rapid than eagles his coursers they flew,

Then the fat dude jumped in the pace car, (Guess he decided that he'd race too!)

He'd caught the field within one lap,

And whenever he came by I could hear him laugh.

Then to my amazement he began to set them back.

One by one he passed all those deer and lapped the whole pack.

I laughed as I watched him in spite of myself

Thinking of all the weird die-cast we could put on a shelf!

They got the white flag; there was one lap to go

Then strangely, without reason, it started to snow.

The moon on the breast of this new fallen snow

Gave the luster of mid-day to the cars in the show

In to turn three the cars they did roar

Then a fog bank rolled in and I could see them no more.

I cocked my head and turned my ear

Strained and strained and tried to hear.

Were they coming onto the front stretch, I tired to tell

When suddenly I heard the sound of jingle bells.

Out of the fog directly above

Came the eight tiny reindeer harnessed all in a drove.

The old fat dude was being pulled behind,

Flying in a sleigh and our eyes met, his and mine.

He had a broad face and a little round belly

That shook, when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.

His eyes how they twinkled, his dimples how merry

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

Why that little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

As they crossed the finish line and then flew over

I heard him shout "Ok boys next race, it's on to Dover!"

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up off the first turn he rose.

He waved from his sleigh, then gave his team a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

Greg Engle, the Editor of the Cup Scene Daily is seeking employment within the motorsports journalism industry. If you are interested, please contact him at:greg@cupscene.com

Follow The Money

 

The Cup Series banquet is now in the books, along with the 2005 racing season. It's a done deal. This season's big money winner set an all-time record that surpasses Jeff Gordon's last championship windfall at the end of the 2001 season.

Tony Stewart's season total of $13,578,168.00 beat Gordon's record season earnings by more than 2.6 million. That's not bad for a year's work! Stewart claims that he's never raced for the money, but just for the enjoyment of driving racecars and winning races. Stewart won more than $6.1 million from the point's fund and over $500k in other awards.

In a previous article, I made reference to how much Chad Knaus cost Jimmy Johnson by failing to bring in the championship contender's car for a tire change. Close to the halfway point of the championship event at Homestead, Johnson had complained that he had a bad vibration which he thought signified tire trouble. The faux pas on Knaus' part ended up costing Johnson more than $900k in championship points fund money, and a fifth place finish instead of a probable second. It would be a long shot to even consider that Johnson could have beat Stewart, but at one point it was a mathematical possibility. Rumors abound asserting that Knaus is leaving the Hendrick Motorsports organization. Even though the rumors have been denied, it still may come to pass, with Johnson taking to the track in 2006 with a new man at the helm of the #48 crew. We've seen denied rumors become reality on more than one occasion.

Second place points winner Greg Biffle didn't do too bad either, taking more than $2.6 million, followed by Carl Edwards in third taking $2 million and Mark Martin in fourth at $1.7 million. The three Roush Racing drivers, along with Matt Kenseth in 7th place and Kurt Busch in 10th, brought in more than $8.7 million in point's money. There's something to be said for having five teams in the Chase for the Championship competition.

The above season money totals are from Jayski.com . Check out Jay's Cup Awards Page and get all of the facts and figures, including driver's career totals and the news covering the entire championship week activities in New York City.

Speedway Motorsports Responds

 

Speedway Motorsports Responds to NASCAR Television Package

Speedway Motorsports, Inc. reacted positively to the details of NASCAR's new eight year, approximately $4.48 billion television package that was announced Wednesday. The agreements run from 2007 through 2014 and provide for the broadcast rights of 36 NEXTEL Cup races and the Busch and Craftsman Truck series events.

We understand Fox, ABC/ESPN, TNT and SPEED Channel will carry the events for an average annual rights fee of approximately $560 million - a 40% increase over the current average. The remaining details about the transaction are still under negotiation.

"I am excited to see the 40% increase that comes with this new TV deal," said SMI Chairman and CEO Bruton Smith. "In an era where ratings are decreasing for most major league sports and competition is fierce for viewers, this shows the strong and growing value of NASCAR."

"This is a positive development for our company and our industry. The 40% increase is a signal that our sport continues to grow. Increased broadcast exposure will increase our marketing opportunities and help us win more fans," said SMI president and chief operating officer H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler.

"I'm real happy with the increase of 40% over the current broadcast contracts. A large percentage of our revenues through 2014 will be already contracted. Racing fans will be able to see two thirds of NEXTEL Cup series events on network television with the remaining events on cable. The Busch and Truck series events gain additional exposure as well. Overall, this deal underscores the expanding popularity of the sport."

The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series events broadcast by FOX, ABC, ESPN, TNT and SPEED Channel will include: the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway on May 28 and 12 additional points events (FOX); six consecutive races in June and July (TNT); and the final 17 events (ABC and ESPN), with all 10 races in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup to be aired on ABC.
ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 will broadcast the NASCAR Busch Series (no less than four events on ABC). SPEED Channel will continue to telecast NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with the exception of two races, which will be shown by FOX.

This article courtesy of Greg Engle, the Editor of the Cup Scene Daily is seeking employment within the motorsports journalism industry. If you are interested, please contact him at:
greg@cupscene.com

Another Year, More Surprises, Stars Who Rise and Fall

 

by Monte Dutton
Gazette Sports Writer

To one extent or another, every season begins with issues that, by year’s end, are virtually forgotten.

The 2005 Nextel Cup season began with new rules that made the cars more difficult to drive. Some liked the presence of shorter spoilers; others didn’t. Still others were undoubtedly reluctant to complain.

The new rules probably contributed to the fact that no NASCAR season was ever as full of crashes and caution flags, though veteran hands like Martin scoffed at the notion. Martin suggested that the problem was that too many drivers had never had to fix the cars they tore up. He cited a certain callous lack of regard for preserving the equipment.

The changes played right into the hands of certain drivers, most notably Tony Stewart, who wound up winning the championship; and Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards, the Ford drivers who ended up tied, 35 points behind Stewart.

The driver of the year was undoubtedly Stewart, and not just because he won the title. Stewart wound up with 6,533 points, 27 more than Kurt Busch’s total in winning the championship the previous year.

But a full appreciation of Stewart’s performance can only be achieved by abandoning the point system in place, weighted as it is in favor of the final 10 races, and converting Stewart’s total to the system used before 2004.

Based on adding up Stewart’s points in all 36 of the season’s races, the total comes to 5,199. In 2004, the race-by-race allotments had been adjusted to award the winner of each race five additional points.

Stewart won five times, so he got an additional 25 points. Take those away and he would’ve wound up with 5,174. That would’ve been the most points by a champion since the turn of the century.

The last champion to accumulate more was Dale Jarrett, who ended up with 5,262 in 1999.

When Stewart won his first championship, in 2002, he compiled only 4,800 points. Stewart made many friends in 2005, attributable in part to the fact that he began the year with so many enemies.

The 34-year-old champion entered peace negotiations with the media and fans but more notably seemed to find peace with himself and his team. It was almost as if he discovered a long-lost first name.

Unofficially, he became New Tony Stewart. For the first time since he enrolled in NASCAR in 1999, Stewart spent practically no time in detention. Stewart didn’t win any of the 10 Chase races. Busch had won only one the previous year.

In the Chase, only Jimmie Johnson and Edwards won more than once. In the summer months, though, Stewart reeled off a streak of 13 consecutive races in which he finished eighth or better. In a span of seven races, he won five.

That streak of seven races, beginning with a victory on one road course, Infineon Raceway, and ending with another victory in the other, Watkins Glen International, bracketed Stewart’s victory total for the entire year. He also won in Daytona, Loudon and Indianapolis.

The leader in victories actually wound up being Biffle, who collected his sixth in the final race. Edwards, Johnson and Jeff Gordon all won four. Kurt Busch won three. Younger brother — and Raybestos Rookie of the Year — Kyle Busch won twice.

The single-race winners were Mark Martin, Ryan Newman, Matt Kenseth, Jeremy Mayfield, Kevin Harvick, Dale Jarrett, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne. Notably absent from victory lane were Rusty Wallace, Jamie McMurray, Elliott Sadler, Joe Nemechek, Ricky Rudd, Bobby Labonte, Michael Waltrip, Robby Gordon and Sterling Marlin. Casey Mears, Brian Vickers and Jeff Burton came reasonably close.

Amazingly, Jeff Gordon and Earnhardt Jr. failed to finish in the top 10. If Stewart was the driver of the year, then certainly Edwards was the season’s biggest surprise. The 26-year-old began the season with only 13 previous Cup appearances. When he won for the first time, in the season’s fourth race, it was considered a surprise. When he made the Chase, it seemed a miracle. By the time he closed in on Stewart at the end, the astonishing had become commonplace.

Jack Roush fell short of a third straight championship with his extraordinary team, but his Ford drivers – Biffle, Edwards, Martin, Kenseth and Kurt Busch — combined to win 15 of the season’s 36 races.

Rick Hendrick’s Chevy powerhouse placed only Johnson in the Chase but piled up 10 victories. Stewart stood virtually alone at Joe Gibbs Racing. Former champion Bobby Labonte endured his second straight winless season and departed at season’s end. Next year Stewart’s teammates, Denny Hamlin and J.J. Yeley, will both be rookies.

Rusty Wallace and Ricky Rudd both retired at season’s end. Mark Martin had been scheduled to join them but didn’t. Roush asked the driver who has been with since 1988 to stick it out for another year, and Martin reluctantly agreed.

The season was also notable for the elimination of one familiar track, North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, and the diminution of another, Darlington Raceway in South Carolina, from two annual races to one. The beneficiaries were Phoenix and Texas, both of which hosted second races for the first time.

Jeff Gordon won his fourth Daytona 500. Stewart realized a lifelong dream by winning at Indianapolis and filled out his resume by winning for the first time at a so-called “restrictor-plate race,” the second Daytona event. Those two, both of whom honed their skills racing open-wheeled cars on the short tracks of the Midwest, are now the sport’s only full-time drivers with more than one championship.

What’s next?

No drastic changes seem likely until 2007, when NASCAR plans to switch to a new race-car design and perhaps welcome a fourth manufacturer, Toyota. A new tire-lease program and limits on testing will be hot topics in the weeks leading up to next year’s Daytona 500. Wallace and Rudd will be absent.

Kurt Busch, McMurray, Bobby Labonte, Waltrip, Dave Blaney, Jeff Green, Marlin, Ken Schrader and Scott Riggs will all be with different teams. Gordon and Earnhardt will blaze the comeback trail. The rookie crop appears strong, suggesting that there may be another Carl Edwards out there. Undoubtedly there will be plenty to write about.

Stock Cars Meet Stock Market

 

With only one day remaining before the Nextel Cup Awards Ceremony, the flurry of New York City activities picked up for the series' Top 10 drivers Thursday.

Champion Tony Stewart opened the day with his fellow Chase for the Nextel Cup competitors at the New York Stock Exchange. The group, along with NASCAR President Mike Helton and Sprint Nextel Chief Marketing Officer Mark Schweitzer were guests of honor and helped kick off the day by ringing the opening bell.

Activities continued at an afternoon luncheon and press conference at Cipriani. NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France addressed the group with a "State of the Sport" speech highlighting the 2005 season. In his speech, France congratulated Stewart and the Home Depot Team for its championship.

France also pointed out the importance of keeping competition close on the track.

"The close competition we had this year in the three national series is precisely what keeps our fans coming back for more," France said. "Preserving the competitive balance for every team that competes in NASCAR is one of the most important jobs we have."

France also mentioned the long history of having the Champions Awards Ceremony in New York.

"New York is the media capital of the world, we love being here. Tomorrow night, at the Waldorf-Astoria, we'll celebrate our 25th year in New York."

Donahue also spoke at the event, sharing Sprint Nextel's overview of their second season as title sponsor of NASCAR's top division.

Stewart was not the only champion recognized at the event. A special photo was arranged for the champions of each of NASCAR's 12 divisions, including the national touring series, regional touring series and the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series. It is the only time during the year that all of the champions are brought together.

Afterwards Stewart was taken to Times Square where he posed for a championship picture with his show car and trophy on Military Island. While there, a plaque from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg declaring Thursday "Nextel Cup Day" in the city was presented to Sprint Nextel Vice President of Sports Marketing Michael Robichaud.

The night concluded for Stewart with the Sprint Champion's Celebration. Stewart and his team were honored by Sprint Nextel at the Marriot Marquee.

"Its been awesome and we've had great weather," Stewart said about his week in the city. "I definitely think it's a great place to celebrate the championship."

Busch Meets With The Media

 

What a difference a year makes.

It was one year ago that Kurt Busch was in New York City for NASCAR's Champions' Week and the NASCAR Nation celebrated the Roush Racing star as the Nextel Cup Series champion.

On Thursday the outgoing Champion reemerged from hiding in New York and all the attention was again focused on him...but this time for all the wrong reasons.

Kurt Busch tried to explain the wrongdoing that parked him for the final two races of the 2005 Nextel Cup season and all in all seemed humbled by the experience.

"Everybody has a circumstance come up in life when you want to press the reset button. This is one of those," Busch said.

The Friday before the race at Phoenix International Raceway on Nov. 11, police stopped Busch for driving 60 mph in a 45 mph zone, swerving to avoid a car and running a stop sign. Police also suspected Busch of being intoxicated but tests later showed Busch had a blood-alcohol level of 0.017, well below the Arizona limit of 0.08. Police reports also said that Busch was argumentative.

On the Sunday morning prior to the race, car owner Jack Roush announced he was suspending Busch for the season's final two races.

"That was Jack's decision," Busch said Thursday. "He made a hasty decision, but he made that decision, and I was left to live with it."

The suspension marked the official end of Busch's five years in Nextel Cup with Roush. Midway through the season, Busch had agreed to drive for Penske Racing in 2007. But only days before the Phoenix incident, Roush released Busch from his obligations with the organization for 2006, allowing him to replace Rusty Wallace next year at Penske.

Busch finished 10th in the Nextel Cup standings.

"Sitting on the couch for two races, it gave me time to reflect and to think and it also gave me the time to look forward to what I have in front of me at Penske," Busch said.

When Busch was suspended, Roush Racing general manager Jeff Smith said: "We're officially retiring as Kurt Busch's apologists."

Roush also indicated that Busch's time with the team was less then a positive experience.

"Kurt had been a challenge for everybody that interacted with him on the team at some time or another," Roush said before the final race of the season. "He used up his equity with his sponsors. He used up his equity with me."

Thursday Busch danced around that earlier criticism.

"They've got their business," Busch said. "They said their things at Phoenix and Homestead. I think we had a great career together with winning 14 times and winning a championship. I will leave with my head high and the pride that I developed in that No. 97."

During his time with Roush, Busch earned a reputation for being arrogant and brash.

"It's tough," Busch said. "You have to be confident in this business. You wouldn't be able to go and drive a racecar at 200 mph and not be confident. I hope that that image begins to change and that people begin to realize that I'm a confident driver, not overly confident, not cocky."

Tony Stewart, who will be honored at tonight's Nextel Cup Banquet at the Waldorf-Astoria for his second series title in seven seasons, has had his fair share of problems with the fans and media.

"I talked to Kurt a little bit about it [Wednesday]," Stewart said. "If there's things that I can take from my past experiences and help him, I'm willing. Why wouldn't you want to do that? Nobody wants to see anyone else be unhappy and see someone get in situations that aren't comfortable."

Wallace also offered his assistance in helping Busch change his public persona.

"I'll be happy to help all I can," Wallace said. "I've got a personal service agreement with [Busch's new sponsor] Miller Brewing Company for the next seven years. ... I'll do all I can. Now if something goes haywire and he starts bringing me down with him, I'm going to grab him by the neck and say `Hey pal, I'm here to help, I'm not here for you to screw me up.' But he's a good guy."

Busch promises that fans will see a different personality when he gets behind the wheel of the No. 2 car.

"Everybody has a circumstance come up in life where you want to press the reset button," Busch said. "This was one of those. I'm ready to go jump on the racetrack and race races. ... What has to happen is that the real me has to come out. The fans need to get to know Kurt Busch better. It will take time."

Busch seemed to imply that Roush prevented drivers from showing their true personalities.

"It's going to be fun," Busch said. "Just to be able to look above me and notice that there's not a roof. That the convertible top is down and we're going to be cruising with one arm hanging out the side having a great time with it."

Greg Engle, the Editor of the Cup Scene Daily is seeking employment within the motorsports journalism industry. If you are interested, please contact him at:greg@cupscene.com