Scared Monkeys Discussion Forum

Want to discuss the upcoming Daytona 500 or anything else to do with NASCAR?  I really do have all my teeth and only a few tatoos!

Lovinlife  :)

LOL  I love NASCAR!  Can't wait for the new season to start!

Me either Casa!  My son actually got me into it a few years ago and I never thought I would be into it at all. 

Love Rouch-Fenway!  And who can't love Dale Jr.! ? ! We've got the count down going until Feb 15th!

Hmm I initially thought this was a thread for None's son. ::MonkeyCool:: Ok. Well who is your pick for Daytona?

Don't slap me silly but I think Kyle Bush will win.  ::MonkeyNoNo::

i knew casa was a nascar fan.....glad to meet you lovinlife!  ::MonkeyDance::i never would have thought i would be such a big fan as well....but i got into back right before dale e crash(that is kind of morbid) but i have really come to appreciate the sport....and it doesn't hurt that there are a lot of hot guys ::MonkeyCool::...lol!!!
i am so jealous.....my best friends daughter received a Christmas gift from her boyfriends parents.....plane tickets,hotel and race tickets for the daytona 500....now that is a gift!!!
being from ark i will always be a sentimental fan of mark martins and with him being with hendrix this year he should have some good cars...so who knows. i love dale jr too...who doesn't? will be intersting to see how tony stewart does with his new team. i just love kasey kahne...i hope he has a better year this year than last.

Nice to meet you too, thecuz & Kiwi! 

I have always been a sports nut of all kind so even though I didn't follow NASCAR as much at the time, I was deeply saddened by #3's death.  I have friends who go to Daytona EVERY YEAR for their "family vacation" but wow to be given a trip package for a gift sounds awesome.  My son keeps begging me to take him to a race and we live in OH so the closest is Michigan.  I don't think he has a clue what an actual race would be like (6yrs old).  I keep telling him that Michigan in August would be better viewed in our A/C'd living room! 

I also love Mark Martin.  It broke my heart in 2007 when he lost to Kevin Harvick!  I love the way that all of the younger drivers respect him.  Since I am a "new" fan, I have also become interested in the history of NASCAR although my son could care less!  And the Petty's so sad to see what's happened in their organization.  I hope that they can bounce back. 

Since my son is a big Roush fan, I have been assigned #16 for my appointed driver (not the best looking choice!)  AAAHHHHHH but Kasey Kahne is Dreamy!  ::MonkeyWink:: I hope the Dodges do better this year too. 

So anyone else want to put in their two cents on who's gonna win Daytona?

cuz the girls dad gave DD#1 and her husband tickets for the April race in Texas.  She said "Mom please dont be mad at me cause I am going."  She knows how bad I want to go to a race and have not.  I am thrilled for her and not mad at all. 

18 days until Budweiser Shootout!  ::MonkeyDance::

25 days until Daytona 500!  ::MonkeyDance::

I used to be a Die  Hard Nascar fan. Would not miss a race for anything. It had been my dream to work with a team........................finally happened. Didn't work out real well, but that didn't kill my love for the sport...................NASCAR did!

Within the past 2-3 years, I got to the point, don't even care to watch a race on tv, or even go to one in person anymore for that matter. NASCAR has taken the grass roots element right out of the sport. It has become tooooooooooo big time corporate for me. I have always been a root for the underdog type of person and those days have been removed by the corporate image and Nascar's greed. Unless you belong to one of the mega teams, you don't stand a chance.

JMO of course.  Itruly love the sport, just dislike the direction it has taken. I am still heavily involved in another form of motorsports tho.

Hi JR,

TY for your input!  I agree that this sport has become another "haves & have nots" just like all other major sports.  The $ involved is discusting and with the plite of the American auto industry you just have to wonder where it will all end.  I have a friend that took a car to race in Daytona in 1960something.  He has lots of great stories about it. 

Stepping off soap box now to say that the reason I started this thread was to see if there was anyone out there that wanted to chat about it.  But all opinions are always welcome!

Lovin

Budwiser shoot out this weekend & looking forward to the Gadorade duel 225's on Next thursday.  I look for Hendrick cars to do well, of course that's not reaching is it! ::MonkeyHaHa::

I won't be able to watch the duels as I will be at work but will surely be watching the shootout on Saturday!

Hi Casa!  Do you have a favorite driver/team?  Who's your pick for the Daytona this year?

kevin harvick out of nowhere comes from the pack to win just like 2 years ago at daytona when he beat mark martin by a second(i was so pulling for mark during that race since he had never won that one).....maybe this year....noticed he had the second best qualifying time...not bad for the "old man"...btw...he is my age...lol!!!!

lovinlife....you cannot pick the winner of these races....all depends on the drafting,friends that are around, and timing...its a crap shoot!!!

jr....sorry it did not work out for you....i have noticed that dale jr has really taken some of the track owners to task to make the races more affordable for race fans. ticket sales are way down due to the economy so something has to be done!

Lovinlife, my favorite driver is Dale, Jr.  I have NO idea who will win Daytona.  Like the cuz said there are so many variables that affect the win.  Friends, drafting, etc.  Of course, I hope Dale, Jr. wins!

Thanks you all for reminding me that you can't pick who will win Daytona but it is fun to guess, at least for me!   ::MonkeyDance::

I missed the Duels, ugh, had to work!  I love to see the cars nose to tail drafting and shooting one another to the front.  Although after the Talledaga fiasco no one wants to draft with most of the Roush cars, especially #99. 

I think it will be interesting to see how Stewart/Haas fairs.  Oh and I think I might jump on the Joey Legano (sp?) band wagon.  That kid is just too cute!

Wow, just 2 more days, I can't believe it!

The drafting also amazes me!  Love to watch everyone trying to get lined up and go!  Stewart seemed to do pretty good in the duel but I agree I am interested to see how they do as a team.  I will be watching Nationwide tomorrow and Daytona on Sunday.  DD#3 is home and she and a friend are going to watch Sunday with me!  I can't wait!

i hate it that the race had to be decided by the weather!! but can't do anything about mother nature? i was glad to see matt kenseth's emotions after he was declared the winner! i did feel sorry for elliot sadler who lost the lead 1 lap before the rain came! did not feel sorry for kyle busch getting caught up in the big wreck! dale jr must not have had his head on straight yesterday.....2 miscues on pitroad and then pretty much causing the wreck?

Yes, Dale Jr. did seem to be a bit out of it yesterday.  Not sure what was going on;however, I do think Vickers has part blame also. It was sweet to see how excited and moved Kenseth was.  I was sorry for Sadler also.  I would liked to have seen him win.  Kyle Busch has wrecked several people before so he got a taste of his own medicine.  He is so whiney!

Well, well Daytona's over and have to say I was disappointed.  Other than the Vickers/Dale Jr. ordeal it was pretty boring.  And too short!  I can't even say that I was happy about a Roush guy winning, for some reason Kennseth bugs me.  I didn't see them announce him as the winner and glad that he showed some emotions (for once).  And the pomp & circumstance, come on...1.5 hours before green flag!  Ugh!  Just say the BS starts at 2:00 and the green flag drops at 3:30 and save us from having to sit threw that!

Glad to see the Petty/Gillet guys run well although I honestly think that if the race ran all of the laps they wouldn't have been up near the front.  I'm just glad #14 & #18 were not in victory lane!

Well, Fontana came and went and it was a snoozer too.  I hope LV is more interesting because I'm not sure I can continue wasting Sunday afternoons (or evenings) watching this crap.  I the blind squirrel (#17) found a nut again.  No offense to any blind people, squirrels or Nutt44X4!

Cuz~How was your friend's trip to Daytona?

have to agree with you lovinlife....fontana was a bore!!
they had a great time...were a little disappointed in the finish...but their seats were under a overhang so at least they didn't get wet until they had to walk to the car!!!

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-nascar-feuds-20110822,0,6952442.story
Feuds have long been a NASCAR tradition
With its recently adopted "Boys, have at it" policy, NASCAR gives drivers the opportunity to release pent-up emotions, often without any penalties.
August 21, 2011

I really enjoy NASCAR.  I just don't like it when drivers intentionally wreck someone -- it could cost a life and wreck other drivers.  Want to fight? wait until you're out of the car.
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http://www.nascar.com/news/111018/inside-nascar-fuel-injection-replaces-carburetor/
NASCAR takes 'really big step' with fuel injection
After several decades of use, sport says goodbye to carburetors, embraces EFI
October 19, 2011

"Gentlemen, start your semiconductors!"

That probably won't be the command given at the beginning of next February's Daytona 500. However, it might be appropriate, given NASCAR's decision to require fuel injection for Sprint Cup engines beginning with the 2012 season.

After ruling the roost since the Kennedy Administration, the iconic -- and museum-worthy -- Holley four-barrel carburetor is finally being put out to pasture as NASCAR's fuel system of choice. The Cup Series is joining the computer age, and that means engine builders and tuners are trading in their wrenches and wet flow benches for laptops and software mapping.
"The technology's moved on. It's time to move on," said Howard Comstock of Dodge Motorsports engineering. "But NASCAR understood this is a big step. It's a really big step for racing, it's a big step for these teams.

"We've basically used the same carburetor for 40 years, and there's a lot of people who have made a life's work out of learning carburetors and making them work as efficiently as they are today. It's unbelievable how efficient they are. But they're purpose-built for racing and every car on the road uses fuel injection. NASCAR felt like it was time to update our technology and here we are."
More...

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/10/rain_washes_out_nascar_sprint_2.html
Rain washes out NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying at Martinsville Speedway
October 29, 2011

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Safety workers wait out the rain at Martinsville Speedway. (NASCAR/Getty Images)

http://stockcarspin.com/2011/10/29/nascar-sprint-cup-series-tums-fast-relief-500-preview/
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Tums Fast Relief 500 Preview
October 29, 2011

http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/cup/story/_/id/7161511/nascar-martinsville-speedway-spooky-proposition-halloween
Halloween week at Martinsville? Spooky
October 29, 2011

ARTINSVILLE, Va. -- Rain, particularly on Halloween weekend, can bring out the craziness at a racetrack.

Take Friday at Martinsville Speedway, for example. We had Jeff Gordon talking about the time he dressed up for Halloween as a "one night stand" with a lampshade on his head and Brad Keselowski talking about the many "ethical lapses" of the past weekend at Talladega.

We had Dale Earnhardt Jr. dissecting how NASCAR has leveled the playing field way too much, what he'd do to fix the two-car tandem racing at Daytona and Talladega, and how he'd dress up as Cale Yarborough if he were at a NASCAR-themed Halloween party.
 ::snipping2::
It got so crazy that we had Jimmie Johnson talking about how he still has a chance to win a sixth straight championship.

Seriously?

Is there a full moon behind those clouds?

But when we all settle into reality on Sunday (1:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), when the bad weather is gone and we're back to racing, we'll be talking about how the Chase has come down to five drivers.

Maybe six.
With four races remaining in the Sprint Cup season, there are four drivers within 26 points of leader Edwards, who has a 14-point advantage over second-place Kenseth. Nobody outside the top five has rallied to win the championship under the Chase format this deep in the playoff, but just to be nice we'll say that Kyle Busch at 40 points down in sixth place has a shot.
 ::snipping2::
1. Carl Edwards (points leader)

He says he's nervous about Martinsville, and he should be with no wins, only four top-10s and a 23rd-place finish here in the spring. He should be nervous about Texas as well. Despite three wins there, he's finished 19th or worse in two of the past three races there.

He was 28th at Phoenix in the spring, as well.

But Edwards is comfortable with the points lead and seems to be having a good time with it, something Denny Hamlin wasn't having in the final few races last season, when he lost a sizable lead to Johnson.

He also got a break from the rain, earning the pole for Sunday because qualifying was washed out. That's huge for a driver whose average starting position here is 18.2.
 ::snipping2::
2. Matt Kenseth (-14)

This would be Denny Hamlin's pick if the points were even now. He'd be mine, too, based on the way he's run the past month.

Unfortunately for Kenseth, it's not even.

In the 2003 Cup champion's favor, he finished sixth at Martinsville in the spring, and his average finish at next week's stop, Texas, is 9.0 with a first and second in his past two starts. He also seems as loose or looser than any of his fellow contenders, joking about two-car drafts at Martinsville that never will happen.

Even Edwards realizes his teammate is a threat, saying, "He could literally go win three out of the next four races and dominate this thing."
 ::snipping2::
3. Brad Keselowski (-18)

We talk about wild-card tracks such as Talladega and Martinsville, but Keselowski may be the wild card of the field. He doesn't have much history on any of the tracks, and, as we've seen since his summer resurgence, what little history he has doesn't matter.

For the record, Keselowski's average finish of 21.3 for the final four tracks is by far the worst of the contenders.

For the record, he doesn't care.
 ::snipping2::
4. Tony Stewart (-19)
Like Edwards, the two-time Cup champion has to be worried about Martinsville, where he's finished 34th, 24th and 26th in his past three starts. A repeat Sunday will bury his chances.

But when you ask other drivers who they'd keep an eye on for the title, most have Stewart on their list.

Smart. Stewart's average finish at the last four tracks is 12.8, second only to Harvick's 12.7. He is the only driver to win the title under NASCAR's old points system and the Chase.

Plus, he knows how to stay focused -- as he has reminded us over and over and over and over -- on his performance and not the performance of everybody else.
 ::snipping2::
5. Kevin Harvick (-26)

When you go beyond average finishes at the last four Chase tracks and look at what the Richard Childress Racing driver has done in at those tracks recently, the numbers are hard to beat.

Harvick won the spring race at Martinsville, finished 20th at Texas but was sixth and seventh in the two previous starts, was fourth at Phoenix and third at Homestead.

Maybe that's why he says it's far from over, although 26 points will be tough to make up unless Edwards has a bad day, which you have to figure he will, since no Chase winner has survived 10 races without one.

Harvick didn't seem to mind that Chad Knaus told Johnson to damage the back end of his car if he won at Talladega, so you know how hungry he is.

"It's one of those things where you do what you have to do to try to win the championship and you suffer the consequences later," Harvick said. "For me, I am all for doing whatever you have to do to win the championship."
 ::snipping2::

http://www.nascar.com/lap-by-lap/111030/lblmartinsville2/
Lap-by-Lap: Martinsville
By NASCAR.COM
October 30, 2011 8:02 AM, EDT

8:01 a.m. ET -- Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson have won nine of the past 10 races at Martinsville. The one exception? Kevin Harvick, who won this year's spring race.

7:57 a.m. ET -- It's going to be chilly in Martinsville, so chilly the crews may need to pull out the ice scrapers this morning, but it's going to be beautiful in Southern Virginia. It's currently a balmy 29 degrees without a cloud in the sky. It will warm up to the upper 50s today with nothing but sunshine. Carl Edwards brings the field to the green at 1:58 p.m. ET with all 12 Chase drivers starting right up front.

Sister, I remembered this particular post you made about not liking it when drivers intentionally wreck someone.  It looks like NASCAR is finally taking some measures.

http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/cup/story/_/id/7192951/kyle-busch-penalty-fit-crime-nascar
NASCAR finally draws a line
November 5, 2011
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Finally, NASCAR took a stand to try to stop the have-at-it madness.

Enough is enough.

Kyle Busch was sent home for the weekend Saturday morning after one of the most blatantly dangerous actions I've ever seen in a racing event.

He sent Ron Hornaday Jr.'s truck head on into the outside wall at a high rate of speed under caution, a despicable act of inexcusable aggression, in the Camping World Truck Series race Friday night at Texas Motor Speedway.

Luckily, Hornaday walked away. And thankfully, Busch walked away, too, as in left the building after NASCAR officials told him he was done for the two other races at TMS.

Sunday's Cup race -- an interesting showdown between the top two Chase contenders, Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart -- will be better, and saner, because of it.

Everyone who takes the green flag Sunday (3 p.m. ET, ESPN) will think twice before making a senseless retaliation move over a racing incident.

Some NASCAR fans will say this was long overdue for Busch, an often volatile driver who has experienced more than his share of controversial on-track incidents.

That really isn't the point. This isn't about Kyle. It's about a philosophy gone haywire.

The whole have-it-it-boys theme, which NASCAR blessed two years ago, has allowed drivers to play Russian roulette on the racetrack, endangering each other's lives without fear of meaningful consequence.

"When we gave the responsibility back to the drivers, there was a clear understanding that a line could be crossed," NASCAR president Mike Helton said Saturday. "As annoying as this is to hear, we've always said we would know it when we see it. We saw it last night."

We all saw it, but it wasn't the first time. That line has been crossed over and over again without a penalty that would fit the crime.

The best example was Edwards' returning to the track in Atlanta in 2010 to deliberately wreck Brad Keselowski at more than 180 mph, sending Keselowski's car flying into the catch fence.
His penalty for that move? A three-race probation. Essentially nothing.

Edwards did receive a stiffer penalty later for a similar move on Keselowski in a Nationwide race (60 points and $25,000), but there was no suspension.

Again, this isn't about Edwards or Busch. It's about bringing an end to the idea that everything goes, that NASCAR is pro wrestling on wheels.

Fortunately, NASCAR made a bold move this weekend before someone is seriously hurt. Busch is in the Chase, although he was no longer in realistic title contention at 57 points behind and in the seventh spot with three races to go.

His No. 18 Toyota has one of the sport's most successful, big-money sponsors in M&M's (Mars Inc.). Mars officials haven't spoken, but as a company that markets primarily to children, will they complain that Busch was parked?

Joe Gibbs, team owner of the Cup car that Busch drives, said it's too early in the process to say what other actions may come internally for Busch. Journeyman Michael McDowell will be behind the wheel of Busch's car Sunday.

 ::snipping2::
Busch was driving a truck he owns, not one owned by Gibbs. But knowing Gibbs, a legendary NFL coach for many years and a deeply religious man, I doubt he will let this pass without additional punishment.

Gibbs will do the right thing. NASCAR officials did the right thing, but they had little choice. Consider how a slap on the wrist would have looked coming only three weeks after the death of Dan Wheldon in the IndyCar Series finale in Las Vegas.

TMS also is a track where truck series racer Tony Roper was killed in a crash during a race 11 years ago, before the enormous safety advancements that came following Dale Earnhardt's death at Daytona in 2001.

NASCAR has suspended drivers in the past -- Kevin Harvick (in 2002) and Robby Gordon (in 2007) are two examples.
But this is the first time in the have-at-it-era that NASCAR has put its powerful foot down. It's the first time a Chase driver has been suspended during the 10-race playoff.

"The fact that we took this step speaks of the severity of the topic," Helton said. "We understand the ripple effect to this type of move. But we take our responsibility very serious about maintaining control of the event."

Regaining control is a must. NASCAR showed that a driver faces major consequences for such a reprehensible decision as the one Busch made Friday night.
 ::snipping2::

Video at link.  http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/cup/story/_/id/7192951/kyle-busch-penalty-fit-crime-nascar

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2011/11/09/ford-police-cars-coming-to-nascar/?intcmp=obinsite
Ford Police Cars Coming to NASCAR
November 8, 2011

One of the best things about being a professional race car driver is getting to go as fast as you want without worrying about the police showing up to slow things down. That ends now.

NASCAR will be using the latest Ford police vehicles as pace cars for its season-ending races at Homestead Miami Speedway the weekend of November 19-20th.

Ford is bringing its Taurus and Explorer Police Interceptors to the track, both fitted with a very un-NASCAR-like all-wheel-drive system. The Taurus is powered by a 365 hp 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 giving it a top speed of 148 mph, while the Explorer Police Interceptor Utility has a 300 hp 3.7-liter V6 under the hood.

 ::snipping2::

Ford ended production of the Crown Victoria sedan in September, bringing to an end its decade-and-a-half run as America’s best-selling police car. The automaker is hoping to retain its 70 percent share of the law enforcement market with the Taurus and Explorer even in the face of stiff new competition from the all-new Dodge Charger and Chevrolet Caprice. Both of those are rear-wheel-drive cars that are available with V8 engines, traditionally the preferred choice of police departments for pursuit vehicles.
*******************************
I hope the new  Ford's hold up better than the Dodge Chargers.  I have a relative in law enforcement that had been driving  Crown Vics for years, and they held up well under hard use and had plenty of room in the trunk.  The powers that be decided to buy Dodge Chargers, (he was excited at first)  but then  he's had so many problems with the Chargers, including a/c going out, radiators overheating, transmission going out,  and power steering going out.  It makes for long days when you're in a hot patrol car  for twelve hour stretches with no a/c in July in Texas and have no power steering at the same time.  He had to wait to get car fixed, since his was at least still mobile.  He said he was getting arms like "Popeye" from no power steering. Lol  Oh, and he didn't like the smaller trunk, which they need to carry equipment and the interior was smaller (no room for his Stetson)  ::CowboySmiley:: I guess they got a deal on the Chargers, but they're paying for it now. 

M&Ms is not sponsoring Kyle Busch this weekend.  Now, that's when it gets serious . . . we're talking about the money.  What Kyle did is road rage, plain and simple.  He is such a good driver that he shouldn't resort to intentionally wrecking (under caution no less) . . . very childish and just outright dangerous.  Thank goodness neither Hornaday or Busch were killed or seriously injured.  JMO

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/11/first-lady-michelle-obama-to-be-nascar-grand-marshal/
First Lady Michelle Obama to Be NASCAR Grand Marshal
November 12, 2011

Gentlemen, start your engines!”

Famous words soon to be uttered by … Michelle Obama?

Yep. The NASCAR season is coming to an end, and first lady Michelle Obama will help preside over its final race of 2011 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 20. She and Dr. Jill Biden, as part of their efforts through Joining Forces — a group that helps military families — will serve as grand marshals at the championship Chase for the Sprint Cup finale, the Ford 400.

In a statement, the White House says: “As part of the season-ending NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship race, NASCAR will rally its millions of fans at the speedway and online to serve military families through the holiday season by asking them to visit www.NASCAR.com/Unites and JoiningForces.gov to find service opportunities and ideas to give back to those who serve our country.”

Generally, Michelle Obama’s name has not been connected to NASCAR, but the first lady’s work for military families ties in nicely with the event.
 ::snipping2::

http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/Tony-Stewart-wins-NASCAR-Sprint-Cup-title-Homestead-race-112011
Stewart wins NASCAR Sprint Cup title
November 20, 2011

Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards engaged in a battle for the ages in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season finale.

In the end, it was Stewart who snared the Ford 400 win -- and the 2011 Sprint Cup championship. It is Stewart's third series title and came in a tiebreaker scenario. The drivers ended the season equal in points, but Stewart's five wins compared to Edwards' one secured the title.
 ::snipping2::

Was an exciting race . . .

Whether fired or "mutual agreement" -- both Busch brothers have some real anger management problems IMO

Kurt Busch fired from Penske Racing

http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar/story/2011-12-04/kurt-busch-fired-from-penske-racing?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl2%7Csec3_lnk3%7C117637

I can understand competitiveness, I can understand a fair amount of ego and etc. in this sport, but those with anger management issues are dangerous.  No place for uncontrolled rages on the track.  ::MonkeyNoNo::

Let me clarify my last post, please.  Although Kurt Busch was fired for bad off-track behavior (he was in the garage), he has anger management issues and I think this can bleed on over to the track.  He's a loose cannon.  And what he did is very bad for the image of racing.  There are many families that watch NASCAR, and what Kurt Busch tarnishes the image of NASCAR and Penske racing.    And there are a number of drivers that don't have rides.  If Kurt Busch couldn't behave himself, then I think there is probably a driver that deserves to drive in his place.  JMHO 

http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/cup/story/_/id/7318821/nascar-kurt-busch-learns-hard-lesson-penske-racing?google_editors_picks=true
Kurt Busch learns lesson the hard way
December 5, 2011

Video at link

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http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/nascar/story/2012-02-17/Jimmie-Johnson-car-fails-early-inspection-at-Daytona/53135778/1
NASCAR confiscates part from Jimmie Johnson's car at Daytona
By Nate Ryan, USA TODAY
February 17, 2012

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR confiscated the C post Friday of Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolet during a prerace inspection for the Daytona 500.

NASCAR officials said the piece of sheet metal, which connects the roof to the rear quarter panel, was modified in a way not permitted in the rulebook.

NASCAR is allowing the five-time Sprint Cup champion's team to fix the area of the race car. Hendrick Motorsports was flying down new bodywork for the car today, and the team planned to have its car through inspection Saturday before the first practice. Front-row qualifying for the biggest race of the season is Sunday.
 ::snipping2::

http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/cup/story/_/id/7586777/daytona-500-nascar-says-jimmie-johnson-car-was-modified
Jimmie Johnson's car said modified
By David Newton
ESPN.com
February 17, 2012

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Crew chief Chad Knaus and other members of five-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson's Daytona 500 team face possible suspensions after NASCAR said it found modifications on the rear quarter panel of Johnson's No. 48 car.

The C-posts -- pillars that come down from the roof to the quarter panel -- were confiscated by NASCAR on Friday after going through an initial inspection for the 500 at Daytona International Speedway.

Sprint Cup Series director John Darby said the changes were a major violation of NASCAR's policy banning alterations to the series' template.

"Suspensions are not out of the realm of possibility," Darby said.
But Darby also said that it's unlikely team members will be banned from the race, because the apparent violation was found so early.

"The team will be allowed to fix the car,'' Darby said.

Darby said penalties could come as early as next week, but NASCAR spokesperson Kerry Tharp said sanctions are unlikely until after the February 26 race.

"They found some things they didn't like and they asked us to remove them,'' Knaus said Friday. "We'll get the car fixed up and ready to qualify.''
 ::snipping2::

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505245_162-57380234/danica-patrick-in-spotlight-at-daytona/
Danica Patrick in spotlight at Daytona
February 17, 2012

(AP)  DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The buildup for Danica Patrick's first Daytona 500 began in earnest at Thursday's annual media day, where auto racing's sweetheart was saddled with a full schedule of commitments.

Patrick was shuffled from interview to interview, answering questions and shooting promotions for her first full season in NASCAR. She couldn't even find solitude in the bathroom: an autograph seeker followed Patrick inside and patiently waited for the driver's signature.

Patrick will make her Sprint Cup Series debut in the Feb. 26 season-opening Daytona 500. It's the first of 10 races this year at NASCAR's top level driving for three-time champion Tony Stewart.

She's also racing for the championship in the second-tier Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports.

Her defection from the IndyCar Series is complete, and Patrick will be the center of the spotlight for Speedweeks at Daytona. She's fine with it, though, as seven years of running the Indianapolis 500 taught her how to handle intense attention.
 ::snipping2::

http://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2012/2/18/2808143/2012-daytona-500-schedule-date
Daytona 500 2012: Key Dates And Schedule For Speedweeks
by Alfie Crow
February 18, 2012

http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/Budweiser-Shootout-nine-car-wreck-occurs-early-in-race-021812
Waltrip, Ragan part of nine-car wreck
February 18, 2012

http://www.boston.com/sports/other_sports/autoracing/articles/2012/02/19/shootout_win_no_accident_for_kyle_busch/
Shootout win no accident
Kyle Busch eludes wreck, Stewart
February 19, 2012

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The front fender of his No. 18 Toyota wrinkled from two spinouts he survived in last night’s crash-marred Budweiser Shootout, Kyle Busch pulled a last-lap slingshot move to outsprint Tony Stewart in an exciting green-white-checkered finish by 0.013 seconds, the closest margin in Shootout history.
 ::snipping2::

http://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2012/2/19/2809522/nascar-daytona-international-speedway-weather-forecast-rain-could-be
NASCAR Daytona International Speedway Weather Forecast: Rain Could Be A Problem Today
 by Brian Neudorff
February 19, 2012

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/othersports/autoracing/nascars-exhibition-shootout-at-daytona-will-include-past-event-winners-and-2012-pole-sitters/2012/02/19/gIQA9CmbNR_story.html
NASCAR’s exhibition Shootout at Daytona will include past event winners and 2012 pole-sitters
February 19, 2012

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — About 12 hours after the closest finish in Budweiser Shootout history, NASCAR has tweaked eligibility requirements for the exhibition event.

The sanctioning body says next year’s field will include 2012 pole winners in the Sprint Cup Series and past Shootout winners who attempt to qualify for at least one race this season. The new rules mirror those used between 1979 and 2008.
 ::snipping2::

Thanks for all the articles MuffyB -- I am delighted racing is about to begin again!  Me loves me some NASCAR!

You're welcome Sister.   ::CowboySmiley::

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/danica-patrick-wins-nationwide-pole-daytona-gives-naysayers-211403103.html
Danica Patrick wins Nationwide pole at Daytona; gives naysayers something to chew on
By Jay Busbee | From The Marbles
February 24, 2012

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A moment of silence, if you please, for the "Danica Patrick gets gifts she doesn't deserve" argument. Cause of death: Patrick's triumphant capture of the pole for Saturday's Nationwide Series Drive4COPD 300.

Here it is: You have to either accept that Patrick is a bona fide, legit stock car driver, or you have to buy a conspiracy that the entire Nationwide field, including Daytona 500 and Sprint Cup champions, laid down for her.

"Anytime you show that you have a fast car, it's encouraging for people to want to help you," Patrick said. "That starts to earn you some respect and credibility."

The pole comes just 24 hours after Danica PatrickPatrick walked away from a brutal crash in the Sprint Cup Series' Gatorade Duel 150, a qualifying race for Sunday's Daytona 500.
Video at Link

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/os-daytona-500-main-0227-20120226,0,7857211.story
Daytona 500 live updates: Heavy rain could delay start
February 26, 2012

It's raining heavily at Daytona International Speedway, and the planned start time of 1 p.m. is in jeopardy.

Carl Edwards is on the pole. Edwards' teammate, Greg Biffle, will start on the outside of the front row.


2011 champion Tony Stewart qualified third, Matt Kenseth fourth and Dale Earnhardt Jr., fifth.

Jimmie Johnson, who won four straight championships between 2007-10, is starting eighth. Danica Patrick, in her first Daytona 500, is starting 29th.
 ::snipping2::

http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20120226/SPORTS/120226001/Hit-by-teammate-Patrick-finishes-38th?odyssey=nav|head
Hit by @*$)+#!! teammate, Patrick finishes 38th
February 26, 2012

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/os-daytona-500-main-0227-20120226,0,7857211.story
Daytona 500 live updates: Heavy rain delays start
By George Diaz, Orlando Sentinel
February 26, 2012

Heavy rain has delayed the start of the 54th annual Daytona 500, and could push the race into the night.

"We are prepared to turn on the lights if we have to," said Joie Chitwood, president of Daytona International Speedway.

"Once we  go through our standard pre-race schedule, we will make a call if weather is still an issue, which looks likely."

The race was officially supposed to start at 1:29 pm., but since it takes two hours to dry the track and rain was still falling hard at start time, it is unlikely the race will start before 3:30 p.m.
 ::snipping2::
Weather has never pushed the race to Monday, although it was shortened because of rain four times: in 1965, when Fred Lorenzen won; in 1966, when Richard Petty took the checkered flag; in 2003, when Michael Waltrip won; and in 2009, when Kenseth won.
 ::snipping2::

http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-daytona-500-postponed-until-monday-20120226,0,3037372.story
Daytona 500 postponed until Monday
It's the first time in the 54-year history of the race that rain has forced it to be delayed by a day.
By Dan Loumena
February 26, 2012

The Daytona 500 has been postponed by NASCAR until Monday at noon Eastern time. It's the first time in the 54-year history of the race that rain has forced the sport's signature event to be delayed a day
 ::snipping2::

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-400_162-57385759/daytona-500-more-rain-in-the-forecast/
Daytona 500 now set for 7 p.m. start
February 27, 2012

(CBS/AP)  DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - NASCAR president Mike Helton says the Daytona 500 will start Monday night at 7 p.m.

Heavy rain soaked Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, forcing NASCAR to postpone the event for the first time in its 54-year history.

A 80 percent chance of rain and thunder showers is in the forecast until Monday evening before the percentage drops to 20 percent tonight, according to weather.com.

Earlier, NASCAR vice president of operations Steve O'Donnell said the sanctioning body was prepared to hold the race under lights if necessary.
 ::snipping2::

It was an exciting race.  Didn't end until after midnight!

I agree Sister, it was an "exciting race" alright!!  I stayed up to watch it.  It was hard to believe after all the wait from the rain, the race finally started and right off the bat a big crash.  And then of course there was the matter of Montoya hitting the jet dryer.   It truly was like watching a train wreck fixin' to happen and you can't stop watching!   ::MonkeyShocked::

http://blogs.ajc.com/mark-bradley-blog/2012/02/28/fire-rain-tide-twitter-daytona-was-crazy-like-a-fox-wink
/?cxntfid=blogs_mark_bradley_blog
Fire, rain, Tide, Twitter: Daytona was crazy like a Fox (wink)
Mark Bradley
February 28, 2012

(http://bestsmileys.com/cars/9.gif)

http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/Matt-Kenseth-wins-rain-delayed-NASCAR-Sprint-Cup-Daytona-500-022712
Kenseth wins Daytona 500
By Rea White
February 28, 2012

Wow what a fire!  The pics this morning looked wild.  Glad no one was hurt.

I think it was amazing no one was injured in the fire imo.  When I was watching the race last night, it was said there was 200 gallons of jet fuel on board the service vehicle, along with the diesel fuel the vehicle ran on.   ::MonkeyNoNo::

Almost...  But he still couldn't break his winless streak. 

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2012/02/28/cup-earnhardt-jrs-last-lap-run-falls-short/
CUP: Earnhardt Jr.’s Last-lap Run Falls Short
February 28, 2012

The end of The Streak was so close – but so far away.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. rolled home second in the Monday night/Tuesday morning Daytona 500, losing to old friend Matt Kenseth after he and Greg Biffle couldn’t put together a winning charge over the final two laps.

The failure to win stretched Earnhardt Jr.’s winless streak to 130 races.

The final lap of the race began with Kenseth, Biffle and Junior running in a line. Biffle and Junior hooked up in a draft but couldn’t make a run at Kenseth. Entering the trioval for the final time, Earnhardt Jr. broke away from the draft and drove to the outside in an attempt to challenge Kenseth.

But Earnhardt’s run fell short. He finished second, barely in front of Biffle.

“I’d like to have won, but I told Greg I would push him on the last restart,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “I thought we’d make a run, but I was waiting and waiting. It looked like Greg would make a move on the back, but nothing materialized.

“I kind of waited until the last minute, and nothing was happening. I just pulled out and went around him (Biffle). Matt had a strong car. The Roush cars were strong all week.”

Earnhardt Jr. said he was disappointed to miss a shot at winning the race but added that he was happy for Kenseth and pleased to leave Daytona with a good points night.
 ::snipping2::

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/nascar/story/2012-02-28/daytona-500-one-to-remember-thanks-to-fire-matt-kenseth/53294872/1
Daytona 500 night to remember
By Nate Ryan, USA TODAY
February 28, 2012

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – An eerie fog settled in over Daytona International Speedway at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, 30 minutes after the 36 Hours of the Daytona 500 had been won by Matt Kenseth.
As weary teams waited on the runway of the airport behind the track's backstretch, social media sites began exploding with the incredulous and defeated musings of Sprint Cup stars and crewmembers realizing their planes couldn't take off in the soup.

After the longest, most bizarre Speedweeks in history, they still couldn't get off the ground.
 ::snipping2::
It might not have been precisely the season kickoff NASCAR was seeking after an avalanche of hype surrounding Danica Patrick's Sprint Cup debut and a dramatic finish to the 2011 season. The early returns, though, indicated it might not have blunted the sport's momentum considering Fox said the race drew more than 36 million total viewers (who saw all or part of it) — the second-largest audience in Daytona 500 history.

NASCAR estimated about 140,000 fans were in the stands.
 ::snipping2::
The national rating peaked at 8.8 at 10 p.m., just after the 9:50 red flag for a spectacular inferno triggered by Juan Pablo Montoya spinning his car into a truck towing a jet dryer. The impact dumped 200 gallons of fuel all the way down the banking in Turn 3, and it burned for about five minutes before being extinguished. Fire images went viral on the Internet in minutes.

Web traffic to NASCAR.com set a single-day record for unique users (2.3 million, beating last year's Daytona mark by 38%), and total video streams were up 96%. National sports talk radio host Jim Rome compared the race to a Michael Bay film and said it was better than any Monday Night Football game last season.
 ::snipping2::
Among the other bizarre and compelling story lines that capped a week of crashes and fluky plot twists at Daytona:

•The two-hour stoppage to fix the track produced some of the most surreal driver scenes.

Brad Keselowski became the first driver to send tweets from his car and gained roughly 100,000 followers in the process. NASCAR said it wouldn't fine him, as other professional sports have done with athletes tweeting during competition, though questions were raised about the legality of using digital devices in cars equipped with electronic fuel injection.

NASCAR announced late Tuesday that drivers could keep phones in their cars and continued to encourage the safe use of social media.

As soon as his Toyota stopped, Kyle Busch unbuckled, wriggled out of his cockpit and hopped the backstretch wall to dash to a port-a-potty. Patrick was followed by fans on her trip to the restroom.
More...
Video at Link

http://jalopnik.com/5888944/how-twitter-took-over-nascar
How Twitter Took Over NASCAR
February 28, 2012

Last night on national television, America's wonkiest social media platform, Twitter, and its supposedly most backward sport, NASCAR, exploded together into a massive fireball fueled by jet propellant, secret phones, and good/bad timing. Here's the story of how one driver picked up 100,000 followers in two hours and how the sport of good ol' boys may be forever changed. UPDATE!
More...

(See the pic & tweets in article at link)

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/nascar/story/2012-02-29/Jimmie-Johnson-Chad-Knaus-penalized/53304856/1
NASCAR docks Jimmie Johnson 25 points, suspends Chad Knaus
By Chad Leistikow, USA TODAY
February 29, 2012

Five-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson was docked 25 driver points and crew chief Chad Knaus was suspended for six races on Wednesday by NASCAR after Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolet failed a Daytona 500 inspection on Feb. 17.
Car owner Jeff Gordon was also docked 25 owner points, and Knaus was fined $100,000. Car chief Ron Malec was also suspended for six races.

Knaus and Malec won't be eligible to return until the STP 400 at Kansas Speedway on April 22.
The hefty penalty puts Johnson in an even more precarious situation than did his 42nd-place finish in the season-opening Daytona 500. At minus-23 points, he'll likely need to finish in the top 20 at Phoenix International Raceway this weekend to just get back to the zero mark.

Johnson has never finished lower than sixth place in points. One race in, he's 70 points behind leader Matt Kenseth.

At issue was an illegal "C post" — a piece of sheet metal that connects the roof to the rear quarter panel. NASCAR said it was modified in a way not permitted in the rulebook.

On its website, Hendrick Motorsports said it would appeal the penalties.

Hendrick and NASCAR said it would not comment further on the matter.
More...

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/nascar/story/2012-03-20/Jimmie-Johnson-Chad-Knaus-win-final-appeal/53672046/1
Shock ruling: Jimmie Johnson gets his 25 points back
By Dustin Long, Special for USA TODAY
March 20, 2012

CONCORD, N.C. – In a ruling that came as a shock to some, NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson's 25-point penalty and crew chief Chad Knaus' six-race suspension were overturned Tuesday by NASCAR Stock Car Racing chief appellate officer John Middlebrook.
 ::snipping2::
Only a $100,000 fine for Knaus will stand.

Middlebrook's decision was final.
At issue was a failed pre-Daytona 500 inspection in which NASCAR deemed there were illegal modifications made to the "C posts" — the pieces of sheet metal connecting the roof to the rear quarter panel — on Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolet.

The car never turned a lap on the track with the C posts and the team was allowed to correct the issue.

Unlike the previous appeal hearing, in which a three-member panel unanimously upheld the penalties last Tuesday, NASCAR and team owner Rick Hendrick were in the room together.

"There was no ill intent on our part," Hendrick said outside the side of the hearing, NASCAR's Research & Development Center. "We felt by the rulebook we were approved. By the rulebook the car was legal."
 ::snipping2::

Wow is all I can say.  Usually NASCAR doesn't do a reversal, but I still don't understand why the fine if the car was legal.

http://www.khou.com/sports/Rusty-Wallace-heads-NASCAR-Hall-of-Fame-group-153396095.html
Rusty Wallace heads NASCAR Hall of Fame group
May 23, 2012

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/nascar/story/2012-06-17/Dale-Earnhardt-Jr-snaps-143-race-drought/55654266/1
Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins at Michigan, snaps 143-race skid
June 17, 2012

BROOKLYN, Mich. – Dale Earnhardt Jr. ended a 143-race winless streak Sunday at Michigan International Speedway, winning the Quicken Loans 400.
Earnhardt rallied from a pit stop on lap 11 that dropped his No. 88 Chevrolet to 37th. Crew chief Steve Letarte made two suspension adjustments that seemed to bring the car to life, and Earnhardt was helped by two competition cautions that bunched up the field.

He took his first lead on lap 70, breezing by pole-sitter Marcos Ambrose after whizzing past Greg Biffle in second a lap earlier, and he was able to build big leads under long green-flag runs.
More...

I am thrilled -- maybe this will be the beginning of a lot of wins.

Maybe Junior's got his mojo back!!   ::MonkeyCool::

So glad Junior won, but I root for any of the Hendrick boys.

 ::HelloKitty::  Hi SuzieQ!!  It's good to see you.  I really like to watch good old fashioned competition and some rivalry and having Junior back in the mix helps stir it all up some more!  That's not to say I like to see mean spirited, dangerous stuff that pops up now and then  ::MonkeyNoNo::  That's not my bag. I guess there's always got to be one or two in the the bunch. 

Me too SuzieQ -- glad Johnson won the week before (?).
Though I admit I am taken with Trevor Baine and the Wood team.

It has been a great season, so far.......let's keep them all safe!

Nut, I agree.  There's been some terrible wrecks last couple of years and all have walked away relatively unscathed.  Many thanks to old number 3 for making safety a priority.
 ::MonkeyBike::

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/nascar/story/2012-08-05/fans-struck-by-lightning-at-pocono-raceway/56811334/1
Fan killed after lightning strikes NASCAR race
August 4, 2012


LONG POND, Pa. – One fan was killed and another was in critical condition after multiple lightning strikes occurred after a NASCAR Sprint Cup race was cut short by thunderstorms Sunday at Pocono Raceway.

Track spokesman Bob Pleban said 10 fans were taken to hospitals. He said Pocono had a policy in place for emergency evacuations but said the track might not have further updates until Monday morning.
Pleban said the fan, whose identity has not been released, was declared dead on arrival at Pocono Medical Center. One of the other nine injured fans was in critical condition.
More...

http://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2012/10/7/3467318/nascar-talladega-superspeedway-2012-start-time-lineup-grid-streaming-tv-radio-schedule
NASCAR at Talladega 2012: Start time, lineup, TV/radio schedule, live streaming info and more
October 7, 2012

It's NASCAR race day at Talladega Superspeedway, and we've got the actual race start time, the starting lineup and some other facts about today's Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500 for you below.

What time does the race start today? First of all, you'll note a later start time than most Sunday races due to the Chase: Most Sunday races in the final 10 weeks will begin at 2 p.m., and the last few races will start at 3 p.m. As for today's race, movie star Kevin James will tell the drivers to start their engines at 2:11 p.m. Eastern (1:11 local time). The exact start time of the Talladega race is 2:23 p.m. ET.

Race name/distance: Today's race is the Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500. Talladega is NASCAR's largest track (2.67 miles), so there's 188 laps around the track for a total of 500 miles today.

TV, radio and live streaming: Today's race can be seen on ESPN. Every race for the rest of the year will be on ESPN except for Charlotte (which is on ABC). There IS live streaming of the race today, which can be found at NASCAR.com's "RaceBuddy" site and on the "Watch ESPN" app. If you'll be away from your computer and TV, check the Motor Racing Network's web site for a list of affiliate radio stations in your area.

*** NOTE: If you're out and about today and can't watch the race, make sure to follow me (@jeff_gluck) on Twitter. I'll be tweeting updates about the event. ***
More...

http://paddocktalk.com/news/html/story-206921.html
2012 Talladega II: NASCAR Sprint Cup LIVE Streaming, Timing, Weather & TV Schedule
October 7, 2012

The NASCAR Sprint Cup will be racing today in the Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. Kasey Kahne and his No. 5 Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet will lead the 43-car field to the green flag after taking the Pole on Saturday. Pole winners have gone on to win this event in three times in the last 45 events held here.

PaddockTalk has also released a beta version of our new NASCAR news android app! Check it out at Google Market - NASCAR News

TV coverage today will start airing at 1 PM ET on ESPN until 5:30 PM. The green flag is scheduled to drop at 2:19 PM.

If you'd like more or need alternative coverage you can check out web streaming, live-timing, and radio.

For LIVE timing and scoring be sure to check out nascar.com which has LIVE timing and scoring, and lap by lap commentary.

Audio web streaming will be with MRN (Motor Racing Network) handling the call at motorracingnetwork.com beginning at 1 PM.
More...

Yeah -- let's go racing!

http://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2013/2/24/4025474/daytona-500-results-2013-finish-order-winner-jimmie-johnson
2013 Daytona 500 results: Full finishing order
February 24, 2013

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20708644,00.html
NASCAR Driver Jason Leffler Killed in Sprint Car Accident
June 13, 2013

(http://i.imgur.com/Sx1p8B6.jpg)
Jason Leffler
JASON SMITH/GETTY

NASCAR driver Jason Leffler died after an accident Wednesday night in a heat race at a dirt car event at Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey.

Leffler, 37, a two-time winner on the NASCAR Nationwide Series who had the nickname "LefTurn" above the driver's side window on his race cars, was pronounced dead shortly after 9 p.m., New Jersey State Police said.
More...

http://www.statesman.com/news/ap/earnhardt-jr-wins-2nd-daytona-500-a-decade-later/ndZNg/
Earnhardt Jr. wins 2nd Daytona 500 a decade later
February 24, 2014

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Through rain and wrecks, on Daytona's longest day, this was a drought Dale Earnhardt Jr. was determined to end.
NASCAR's most popular driver won the Daytona 500 for the second time — a decade after his first victory — to snap a 55-race losing streak dating to 2012.
The victory Sunday night ended a streak of futility at Daytona International Speedway, where he finished second in three of the previous four 500s.
"Winning this race is the greatest feeling that you could feel in this sport besides accepting the trophy for the championship," said Earnhardt, who climbed from his car in Victory Lane and hugged every member of his Hendrick Motorsports crew. "I didn't know if I'd ever get the chance to feel it again and it feels just as good."
 ::snipping3::

http://www.statesman.com/weblogs/formula-austin/2014/feb/24/dale-jr-celebrate-daytona-500-victory-fans-scholz-/
Dale Jr. to celebrate Daytona 500 victory with fans at Scholz Garten in Austin
February 24, 2014

Fresh off his victory Sunday night in the season-opening Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be in Austin for a meet and greet from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Scholz Garten, 1607 San Jacinto Blvd.
Earnhardt's victory was his first in a decade at the Great American Race and broke a 55-race winless streak that dated to last his win at Michigan in 2012.
 ::snipping3::
Junior is the 11-time reigning NASCAR most popular driver, as voted by the fans. His legendary father and namesake was killed in a crash on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.
Tomorrow's event will also feature free beer and appetizers. A Q&A session is set for 5:30 to 6 p.m. Fans are encouraged to arrive early as space is expected to fill quickly.

This is really sad. My condolences to the Ward family.    ::MonkeyAngel::   I hope Tony Stewart gets the help he will most likely need. 

http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/10/justice/tony-stewart-hits-driver/
NASCAR's Tony Stewart hits, kills driver at dirt-track race in New York
August 10, 2014

(CNN) -- NASCAR driver Tony Stewart hit and killed another driver who was walking on a track during a dirt-track race in upstate New York, authorities said early Sunday.
Kevin Ward Jr. died from injuries suffered in the incident, which occurred Saturday night at the Empire Super Sprints series event at the Canandaigua Motorsports Park.
Ward's sprint car hit the outside wall during lap 14 of a 25-lap race, Ontario County Sheriff Philip C. Povero said.
A video of the incident shows Ward out of his crashed car, walking on the track toward the race cars, which had slowed for a yellow flag. Ward points a finger and appears to be yelling. One car swerves to avoid Ward on the track.
Tony Stewart is scheduled to drive Sunday in the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen International raceway.
Tony Stewart is scheduled to drive Sunday in the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen International raceway.
Stewart's car passes close to Ward, and it appears that its right rear tire hits him.
An ambulance took Ward to a hospital, but he died before it arrived, Povero told reporters.
 ::snipping3::

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/11/sports/autoracing/tony-stewart-kills-driver-during-confrontation-on-racetrack.html
Nascar Star Tony Stewart’s Car Kills Driver During Confrontation on Racetrack
August 10, 2014

The Nascar driver Tony Stewart struck and killed another driver Saturday night while competing in a dirt track sprint car event at Canandaigua Motorsports Park.

A graphic video posted on YouTube showed Stewart, a three-time Sprint Cup champion in Nascar, hitting the driver, Kevin Ward Jr., 20, as Ward stood outside his racecar on the track.

Ward and Stewart had bumped cars during an earlier lap, sending Ward’s racecar into an outside wall and prompting a caution flag. Ward then exited his racecar and approached on foot as Stewart’s racecar came around again. As Ward stood on the track and pointed at Stewart, Stewart’s racecar fishtailed as it approached, the right tire hitting Ward and dragging him under the car.

Ward was thrown several feet behind the car, and he was later declared dead at F.F. Thompson Hospital.
The death occurred about an hour away from the site of a Nascar Sprint Cup race on Sunday at Watkins Glen. Greg Zipadelli, vice president of competition for the Stewart-Haas Racing team, announced Sunday morning that Stewart would not race. He was replaced by Regan Smith.

“There aren’t words to describe the sadness I feel about the accident that took the life of Kevin Ward Jr,” Stewart said in a statement released by his race team. “It’s a very emotional time for all involved, and it is the reason I’ve decided not to participate in today’s race at Watkins Glen. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and everyone affected by this tragedy.”

Stewart was cooperating with an investigation by the Ontario County sheriff’s office, but was allowed to return to Watkins Glen, where he had been preparing to race Sunday. Zipadelli earlier told USA Today it would be “business as usual” at the track and that Stewart would compete. .

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends, and fellow competitors of Kevin Ward Jr.,” Nascar said in a statement released before Sunday’s race. “We support Tony Stewart’s decision to miss today’s race and we will continue to respect the process and timeline of the local authorities and will continue to monitor this situation moving forward.”

Ontario County Sheriff Philip Povero is expected to hold a news media briefing on the investigation at 3 p.m.
 ::snipping3::

Witnesses offered conflicting opinions about the wreck, some blaming Ward for approaching Stewart. Others blamed Stewart.

Although it seemed Ward had put himself at grave risk by walking onto the track while racecars were on it, that kind of action is not unheard-of in racing. Drivers have confronted other drivers directly on the track. In 2012, Stewart walked onto the track at Bristol Motor Speedway after a wreck with Matt Kenseth and threw his helmet at Kenseth’s racecar in disgust.

A witness to Saturday night’s crash, the sprint car driver Tyler Graves, told Sporting News that Stewart’s action led to the fatality.
“I know Tony could see him,” Graves said. “I know how you can see out of these cars. When Tony got close to him, he hit the throttle. When you hit a throttle on a sprint car, the car sets sideways. It set sideways, the right rear tire hit Kevin, Kevin was sucked underneath and was stuck under it for a second or two, and then it threw him about 50 yards.”
 ::snipping3::

Video (Caution:  Coarse language)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2014/08/10/tony-stewart-kevin-ward-jr-driver-killed-raises-nascar-questions/13862327/
Ripple effects for Stewart, NASCAR, sponsors could be huge
August 10, 2014

The essence of Tony Stewart is that he touches nearly every part of auto racing. The three-time NASCAR champion owns short tracks, races grassroots series in his spare time and has ownership stakes in a multitiered racing empire with interests in NASCAR and sprint cars (and a partner, Gene Haas, who will enter Formula One).

After his car struck and killed Kevin Ward Jr. in a Saturday night race at Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park, the ripple effects could be enormous across myriad racing series, sponsors and teams.

But aside from replacing Stewart with Regan Smith in the No. 14 Chevrolet for the Cheez-It 355 at Watkins Glen International, Stewart-Haas Racing wouldn't address those ramifications and its future plans beyond Sunday's Cup race.

Experts in handling PR crisis management said it's the right approach while the Ontario County Sheriff's Department continues its investigation. In a statement, NASCAR said it would "continue to respect the process and timeline of the local authorities and will continue to monitor this situation."

"The facts here are critically important," said Ramsey Poston, president of strategic communication firm Tuckahoe Strategies and a former NASCAR executive. "Tony Stewart and SHR should limit what they say publicly to the facts and only the facts as they continue to cooperate with law enforcement.

"Speculation on behalf of fans, media and others as to what might have happened and why can quickly take over the public dialogue and incorrectly frame the matter, which is why SHR needs to continue to steer any further comments to the established facts that are known. Law enforcement is driving the process for the time being. What is determined in that process will obviously set the course for any further action. At some point, the Ward family will possibly weigh in from a legal perspective making the facts and Tony's statements even more important."

As the investigation continues, here are the major issues that have been raised by Ward's death Saturday night

SAFETY

Safety in sprint cars already was at the forefront after a brutal 2013 season that left three drivers dead (including former NASCAR winner Jason Leffler) and Stewart with a broken right leg in a sprint car crash that sidelined him for the final 15 races of the Sprint Cup Series. His injury helped spearhead advancements in sprint car safety technology, but the focus now will turn to procedures that allowed Ward to exit his car and approach Stewart to express frustration after being spun by Stewart.

The review of such policies could transcend sprint car racing, too. In Saturday's Nationwide Series race at Watkins Glen, J.J. Yeley walked to the edge of oncoming traffic under a yellow flag so he could gesture at Trevor Bayne.

More...

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2014/08/10/tony-stewart-kevin-ward-jr-driver-killed-raises-nascar-questions/13862327/

(http://i.imgur.com/GzVpDr1.jpg) (http://imgur.com/GzVpDr1)
Kevin Ward Jr. was struck and killed by Tony Stewart's car Saturday night in an incident at the Canandaigua Motorsports Park in Canandaigua, N.Y.(Photo: KevinWardRacing.com)

http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-tony-stewart-accident-race-20140810-story.html
Tony Stewart accident: No evidence of criminal intent, Sheriff says
August 10, 2014

The sheriff investigating the on-track accident involving Tony Stewart that resulted in the death of a fellow driver says there is no evidence of "criminal intent" on the part of the three-time NASCAR champion.

During a news conference Sunday, Ontario County Sheriff Philip C. Povero said Stewart has been cooperating with the ongoing investigation and that there is no evidence that Stewart purposely tried to hurt Kevin Ward Jr. during a sprint-car race in New York on Saturday night.

 Tony Stewart's Sprint Car Strikes, Kills Driver Walking on Track
Warning: Graphic content and language. Witness video shows the events at Canandaigua Motorsports Park on Saturday night that left a 20-year-old driver dead.
Ward was struck and killed by Stewart's car when it appeared he tried to confront Stewart on foot during a dirt-track race at Canandaigua Motorsports Park.

“[Stewart] been interviewed and....has made himself available again if it’s necessary,” Povero said.

Povero emphasized that video footage of the accident “is very important and crucial to our investigation" and that his department is looking for deeper analysis of the incident from people who are familiar with sprint-car racing. He said Stewart was driving 35-40 mph at the time of the incident.

“There are no foregone conclusions.… We are looking for any information, any relevant evidence.”

 ::snipping3::

Amateur video of the incident shows Ward stepping toward Stewart's car at the Lucas Oil SuperSprint feature race after it appears Stewart cut off his driving line and forced him into the wall, causing him to spin out.
Moments later, Stewart’s car makes contact with Ward and drags him several feet before Ward breaks away from the car and slides an additional 50 feet along the track. People in the crowd can be heard screaming during the incident.

A witness told the Associated Press that it appeared Ward was trying to confront Stewart. A video showed Ward standing to the right of Stewart's familiar No. 14 car, which seemed to kick out from the rear, swerving and hitting him.

“The next thing I could see, I didn't see [the other driver] anymore,” witness Michael Messerly said. “It just seemed like he was suddenly gone.”

Ward, 20, was pronounced dead at F.F. Thompson Hospital at 11:15 p.m., according to the Ontario County Sheriff's Office.

Ward's family released a statement on Sunday:

"We appreciate the prayers and support we are receiving from the community, but we need time to grieve and wrap our heads around all of this."

The incident happened around 10:30 p.m. at the exit for turn 2 during lap 14 of the 25-lap event, according to the sheriff's office. The race was under caution when Ward was hit.

Stewart, 43, has been "fully cooperative" with the investigation, sheriff's officials said. The Associated Press reported that according to Sheriff Philip Povero, the investigation is not criminal.

http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/sheriff-says-no-criminal-charges-will-be-filed-against-tony-stewart-081014
Sheriff says no criminal charges will be filed against Tony Stewart
August 10, 2014

Tony Stewart will not face criminal charges right now after a Saturday night incident in which Stewart's car struck and killed 20-year-old Kevin Ward Jr. during a sprint car race at Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park.
In a news conference shortly after 3 p.m. ET Sunday, Ontario County (N.Y.) Sheriff Phillip C. Povero said, "At this moment there are no facts or evidence that would support a criminal charge or criminal intent."
 ::snipping3::
The sheriff's office is examining videos from fans who were in attendance and also is awaiting formal autopsy results.
 ::snipping3::

A very sad time for NASCAR families, friends, and fans.

Lots of prayers needed for all.

 ::MonkeyTears::

http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/11/opinion/callan-tony-stewart-kevin-ward-race-car-death/
Why Tony Stewart isn't likely to face charges in racetrack death
August 11, 2014

 ::snipping3::
The preliminary signals from the Ontario County Sheriff's Office would indicate a favorable outcome for Stewart. Sheriff Philip Povero has announced that the Ward tragedy is viewed as an "on track crash," and that to date there was no evidence of "criminal intent." The sheriff did hedge a bit by saying that the "investigation was continuing."
The sheriff has undoubtedly been carefully reviewing the amateur video of the crash. It depicts Stewart's car in close proximity to Ward's car coming out of Turn 2 in the race. Ward's car then appears to be pushed into the outside wall, forcing his car out of the race.
Ward then appears to exit his vehicle angrily and charges on to the racetrack, pointing in the direction of Stewart's and other drivers' swiftly approaching cars. In graphic and stunning video footage, young Ward is hit, apparently by the right rear tire of Stewart's vehicle, causing him to be dragged down the track to his death.
We can expect that Povero will continue his investigation by interviewing witnesses and undoubtedly obtaining copies of other videos taken from different angles. He will likely consult with experts in racing.
His key questions: 1. Was Ward's decision to stand in the track, so close to moving vehicles unusual? 2. Should Stewart, knowing he may have struck Ward's car, have anticipated a problem when approaching the turn as a "yellow flag" had been thrown warning drivers to proceed cautiously as an accident or debris ahead was likely?
Povero will be working in close conjunction with the Ontario County District Attorney, R. Michael Tantillo, a seven-term veteran of criminal investigations and trials. Tantillo supervises a staff of about 10 attorneys that serves a county with a population of about 107,000 residents.
New York, on average, prosecutes 5% of vehicular accident death cases as criminal matters. Most cases are viewed as tragic accidents caused by either driver or pedestrian negligence. Cases prosecuted criminally usually involve charges of drunken or drugged driving. So far no allegations of intoxicated driving have emerged in the Stewart/Ward investigation.
In this case it will be impossible to know what was going through Stewart's mind as he approached the Ward vehicle under the warning of a yellow flag. To prosecute this case as an intentional murder or even as a more serious form of manslaughter, there would have to be proof that Stewart "intentionally" aimed his car at Ward seeking to kill or injure him seriously.
Stewart's intent here is impossible to prove regardless of his bad boy reputation unless he were to confess to an intentional murder. I think it's safe to say that is not going to happen.
Prosecutors will next examine whether Stewart operated his vehicle with "depraved indifference," "recklessness" or "criminal negligence" at the track that night. Evidence of such conduct would be necessary to support any nonintentional murder, manslaughter or criminally negligent homicide charge.
The evidence supporting criminal charges is conspicuously absent given what we now know about the case. Ward recklessly choose to walk into an active and highly dangerous racetrack exposing himself to injury or death. An experienced professional driver such as Stewart had a right to expect that his fellow drivers would conduct themselves in a safe and professional manner during the race.

Collisions are a common part of the race scene, and one would expect a driver in Ward's vulnerable position to get off the track and out of harm's way immediately. Stewart was, no doubt, shocked to see Ward in the roadway pointing in his direction as he approached the turn again. In fact, Stewart's car appears to fishtail slightly, indicating an attempt to avoid contact with Ward.
In determining whether Stewart's conduct was reckless or criminally negligent, the conduct of the other drivers in the race will be examined. They appear to be proceeding at a similar speed as Stewart under the yellow flag warning. They too were probably surprised to see Ward positioned in such a dangerous place.
The evidence supporting criminal charges is just not here. In the end, all signs point to a red flag for any criminal charges against Stewart in this tragic accident arising from America's most popular summer sport.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/motor/2014/08/11/kevin-ward-funeral-arrangements-tony-stewart-crash/13907351/
Funeral arrangements for Kevin Ward Jr. set
August 11, 2014

http://www.wfaa.com/sports/Autopsy-Kevin-Ward-Jr-died-of-massive-blunt-trauma-270884841.html
Autopsy: Kevin Ward Jr. died of massive blunt trauma
August 12, 2014

 ::snipping3::
"This is an open investigation. What I have just said is not indicative that the investigation is over or conclusions have been made, but that we are continuing to gather all information."
Povero said the investigation into the incident in which a sprint car driven by Stewart struck and killed 20-year-old Kevin Ward Jr. at Canandaigua Motorsports Park was ''progressing well."
He also said an autopsy conducted Monday by the Ontario County coroner found Ward's cause of death to be massive blunt trauma.
Investigators are analyzing two spectator-filmed videos — meaning they have another angle in addition to the one that has been circulating around YouTube since early Sunday morning.
There was no in-car camera in Stewart's car, Povero said.
Law enforcement officers returned to Canandaigua Motorsports Park on Monday afternoon to look at the crash scene and take some other observations that might be relevant to the crash, Povero said.
The sheriff also said he was unable to talk about toxicology results or whether Stewart was tested after the crash.
Stewart and his representatives remain cooperative, Povero said, but he declined to give details on what Stewart told investigators.
Povero added there is no timeline to when the investigation might conclude.
"We would like to see resolution as quickly as possible, but by the same token we don't want to leave any stone unturned."
 ::snipping3::

http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/mourners-gather-for-driver-hit-by-tony-stewarts-car-081414
Mourners gather for driver hit by Tony Stewart's car
August 14, 2014

(http://i.imgur.com/YV7MJNkl.jpg) (http://imgur.com/YV7MJNk)
Rich Barnes / Getty Images North America
Pallbearers help roll the casket of sprint car driver Kevin Ward Jr. at South Lewis Senior High School in Turin, New York. Ward was killed August 9, when he exited his car during a dirt track race and was struck by a car driven by Tony Stewart.

Does anyone else think this is more CYA for NASCAR than a new rule that will be enforced?  I guess we'll just have to wait and see. 

http://www.statesman.com/news/ap/sports/nascar-adds-new-rule-on-exiting-cars-after-crashes/ng3cc/
NASCAR adds new rule on exiting cars after crashes
August 15, 2014

BROOKLYN, Mich. — NASCAR has added a new rule telling drivers to not approach the track or moving vehicles after accidents. The rule comes less than a week after a driver was struck and killed during a dirt-track race at a small New York track.
 ::snipping3::
NASCAR Vice President Robin Pemberton says the new rule merely formalizes reminders that take place during drivers' meetings. NASCAR will address violations of the rule on a case-by-case basis.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2014/08/15/nascar-makes-new-rule-to-keep-drivers-in-cars-under-yellow-caution-tony-stewart-kevin-ward-jr/14100643/
NASCAR has new rule to keep drivers in cars under yellow
August 15, 2014

 ::snipping3::
Vice president of competition Robin Pemberton said the rule was distributed to teams before Sprint Cup practice Friday morning at Michigan International Speedway.

During a caution period, if a driver's car is involved in an incident and stopped on or near the racing surface and unable to make forward progress, the driver must:

--Shut off the car and lower the window net if uninjured;

--Wait for directions from safety personnel or NASCAR officials to loosen safety equipment

--After being directed to exit the car, proceed directly to the ambulance or other vehicle as directed, without approaching the racing surface or another vehicle.

ww.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2014/08/15/nascar-rule-exiting-under-caution-drivers-reaction-tony-stewart-kevin-ward-jr/14126721/
NASCAR drivers approve of new caution rule but ponder necessity
August 15, 2014

http://www.cbssports.com/general/eye-on-sports/24670105/tony-stewart-wont-race-saturday-at-bristol-motor-speedway
Tony Stewart won't race Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway
August 20, 2014

Tony Stewart won't race Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway, the third consecutive Sprint Cup race he'll skip in the aftermath of his fatal collision with 20-year-old Kevin Ward Jr. on August 8th.

Stewart-Haas Racing announced that Jeff Burton, who subbed in for Stewart's No. 14 car last week in Michigan, would race instead.

Stewart's future Sprint Cup plans are undetermined, according to the release from SHR.
 ::snipping3::
The investigation by Ontario County Police (N.Y.) is ongoing, although the sheriff has said there was no evidence to support criminal intent.

http://www.wfaa.com/story/sports/nascar/2014/08/31/tony-stewart-returns-at-atlanta-nascar-kevin-ward-jr/14912093/
Tony Stewart out of Atlanta race in NASCAR return
August 31, 2014

http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-nascar-tony-stewart-20140911-story.html
Tony Stewart probe completed, now in hands of district attorney
September 11, 2014

The investigation into a fatal incident involving a race car driven by NASCAR's Tony Stewart last month is completed, the Ontario County (N.Y.) sheriff's office said Thursday.

The results have been turned over to the county district attorney's office, which "will make a statement late next week advising what action will be taken," Sheriff Philip Povero said in a statement.
 ::snipping3::
Stewart, 43, was not charged with any wrongdoing while Povero's office investigated the incident, which was captured on an amateur video that went viral on the Internet.

Povero said the completed investigation included "a forensic video enhancement recently received from the New York State Police Laboratory in Albany," but it wasn't known if that was an enhancement of the video already widely seen by the public or a different video.

Povero said neither his office nor the district attorney's office would grant media requests for interviews seeking elaboration.
 ::snipping3::

http://www.statesman.com/ap/ap/top-news/grand-jury-to-weigh-case-of-nascars-tony-stewart/nhNmw/
Grand jury to weigh case of NASCAR's Tony Stewart
September 16. 2014

The decision whether to charge three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart in the August death of a fellow driver at a sprint car race in upstate New York will be up to a grand jury.
Ontario County District Attorney Michael Tantillo said Tuesday he made the decision to present the case to a grand jury after reviewing evidence collected by sheriff's investigators. Tantillo could have determined there was not enough evidence to support charges and dropped the case, but instead announced his decision more than a month after Stewart's car struck and killed Kevin Ward Jr. at a dirt-track race on Aug. 9.
 ::snipping3::
County Sheriff Philip Povero spent weeks investigating the accident at the small track in Canandaigua, several times saying investigators did not have any evidence to support criminal intent by Stewart. Ward had spun while racing alongside Stewart and then the 20-year-old climbed out of his car and walked down the track, waving his arms in an apparent attempt to confront the 43-year-old NASCAR veteran.
"Upon my review of all of the information contained in the entire investigation," Tantillo said, "I have made the determination that it would be appropriate to submit the evidence to the grand jury for their determination as to what action should be taken in this matter."
He said the law prevented him from saying when the case would be scheduled or who would be called as witnesses.
Experts have said Stewart could be charged with second-degree manslaughter under New York law if prosecutors believe he "recklessly caused the death of another person," with negligent homicide another possibility.
The sheriff asked in the days after Ward's death for spectators to turn over photos and videos of the crash as investigators worked to reconstruct the accident. Among the things being looked at were the dim lighting, how muddy it was and whether Ward's dark firesuit played a role in his death, given the conditions.
In submitting his findings to the district attorney last week, Povero said they included a "forensic video enhancement" from state police.
After Ward's death, NASCAR announced a rule that prohibits drivers from climbing out of a crashed or disabled vehicle — unless it is on fire — until safety personnel arrive.
 ::snipping3::

Over the weekend, the No. 13 car belonging to Ward returned to racing at the Canadian Sprint Car Nationals at Ohsweken Speedway in Ontario. The car was driven by Ward's best friend, Dylan Swiernik, who finished 14th out of 30. Afterward, Ward's father said he would sell the sprint car that his son drove.
"Life," Kevin Ward Sr. told Canadian Press, "just isn't the same without him.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2014/09/24/tony-stewart-not-indicted-charged-in-kevin-ward-jr-death/15712979/
Tony Stewart not charged in death of Kevin Ward Jr.
September 24, 2014 

Tony Stewart will not face criminal charges in Kevin Ward Jr.'s death, a grand jury in upstate New York decided.

The Ontario County District Attorney's office took the evidence in Stewart's case to a grand jury, which found there was no basis for criminal charges, D.A. Michael Tantillo announced Wednesday.

Tantillo said toxicology reports revealed that Ward was under the influence of marijuana at a high enough level to impair judgment.

Tantillo said there were two charges submitted for consideration by the grand jury against Stewart: manslaughter in the second degree and criminally negligent homicide. He said neither received the necessary 12 votes from the grand jury to charge Stewart. The grand jury heard the evidence and deliberated "over the better part of two days," Tantillo said.
 ::snipping3::

Tantillo said two videos of the incident were examined and revealed there was "no aberrational driving by Tony Stewart."

Stewart still could face a civil suit from Ward's family.

Sunday was a great race for Junior fans (one of which is me)!

http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/franchises/all-videos.sprint-cup-series-talladega-superspeedway-victory-lane-dale-earnhardt-jr.4213613558001.html

Yep!! 

 ::germanshep::

I am loving my new direct tv -- I can record the races and will be able to watch them this winter!

 ::MonkeyBike::