as i pointed out in the 2009 thread, they do have a car in the chase - it's just run under the EGR banner with the #42 on the side of it.

"The Toyota retreat can be added to news that the Obama Administration has pressured Chevy and Dodge to pull out of the NASCAR racing series to save $250 million a year."

Pretty F'in stupid for the Government to get involved in the marketing efforts of any of the entities that they decided to bail..., errrr, loan money to.
But, hey, it wouldn't surprise me at all for this administration to write off all motorsports fans and the racing industry as a whole.

[the only thing ever reported on Obama pressuring Chevy/Dodge ended up being an April Fools joke]......(MSN's Money Central blog by Top Stocks writer Douglas A. McIntyre <jayskie's source>, an editor at 24/7 Wall St, who from reading his stuff is not a big fan of the manuafactures in racing or much of a fact checker using an April Fools hoax in his post)

Almost everybody who watches TV sports is an instant critic. One exception: Sports leagues themselves, who almost never publicly criticize the networks that cover them. And when it comes to ESPN, and its various TV platforms including ABC, the last criticism you'd expect is that the worldwide leader in hype wasn't enthusiastic enough about something it had paid to cover. But NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston, in a blog posting on nascar.com, specifically knocked ESPN/ABC's coverage of Sunday's Sprint Cup race in Talladega, Ala. At issue: Whether the race was boring.
Usually, TV sports analysts go to great pains to avoid even hinting what they're showing is boring. But Poston suggested ESPN/ABC analysts, including Dale Jarrett, "certainly weren't happy with the race and felt compelled to remind viewers of that virtually every lap. ... And along the way, ABC missed a lot of very good racing." On Sunday's race on a long track with steep banks, NASCAR cited safety reasons for prohibiting so-called bump-drafting to provide extra room between cars on turns. Although ESPN/ABC let viewers eavesdrop on driver Tony Stewart asking his crew during the race to tell him something interesting "so I don't fall asleep out here," Poston says the event had "seriously intense racing." ESPN, in a statement, said only that it had a "strong telecast" and had no comment on Poston's post.

home for lunch, few new things on jayski....

first off a correction

Exactly.

The Chase was a good idea, but now Jimmi and Chad know how to play the game it's completely backfired.

I do like the idea of adopting F1 points though... Even Bernie's medal system would have worked great:

1 - Johnson - 6 wins
2 - Martin - 5
3 - Stewart - 4
4 - Ky Busch - 4 (Stewart has more second places)
5 - Hamlin - 3

Yeah, I saw that thing about Nascar complaining about the TV coverage. In all honesty, they need to shut up and be thankful ESPN paid them a truckload of cash for the broadcasting rights. Because if ESPN could somehow snag NFL games for the fall on Sundays, they'd drop Nascar in a heartbeat.

you still need to award points to positions 16-43.. everyone makes money in NASCAR based on the position they finish,,

Just give them money. They don't need points.

I don't see your concern, here. F1 teams score non-points finishes, and at the end of the year they're compensated based on where they finish in the championship. It's the same deal.

The problem with not awarding points for mid-field positions is that it leads to midfield teams being ranked by fluke results. The team that finishes in 8th once due to a string of retirements, and 16th in every other race, is not as good a team as the one that finishes in 9th every race, but F1 points would say otherwise.

I quite like the crippled cars actully

I'd prefer they stay in the garage. Watching 80% of a car slowly circulate at the bottom of the track just doesn't say "racing" to me.

think of them as a moving chicane, not so much that they're racing, but are adding to the challenge that the other drivers have to race each other around. to me, however, it does say racing, instead of saying " opps i broke my car, my day is done", their saying " i can keep driving this thing and pick up a couple of spots off of the other guys who quit." - do whatever you can to gain a position, instead of just giving up because you can't win - that is racing.

they don't just get paid at the end of the races - they also pay for every finishing position in the end of the year standings. some one who would normally finish in the to 20-30 would be losing out on money if they wern't award points for mid pack finish's.

Toyota and Richard Childress, who is part of the joint venture which currently supplies Chevrolet engines to Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, gave co-team owner Chip Ganassi an ultimatum for a decision on manufacturers next year. Following several early morning meetings at Texas Motor Speedway, EGR opted to stay with Chevrolet. Ganassi spoke with General Motors Racing manager Mark Kent in a closed-door meeting inside the #1 team's transporter Sunday morning at Texas Motor Speedway and Alba Colon, GM Racing's Chevrolet program manager, camped out in front of the hauler for part of the morning. He also met with Toyota senior manager Andy Graves before making his decision. When asked for a comment after his meetings, Ganassi said "It's nobody's business."

What's left of the original Evernham Motorsports engine shop is expected to shut down on Monday, according to multiple sources. Richard Petty Motorsports will retain the necessary personnel to complete the final two races of the season when engine duties will revert to Roush Yates engines with the move to Ford. With the merger of RPM and Yates Racing, the Petty crew chiefs were told that each team would be able to keep 17 crewmen per team. The overall reduction for the organization is expected to be 200 of 250 employees once the deal is complete.

After six months of research and a year of development, Rob Brush believes he has a better alternative to help dry race tracks. The project manager for a steel fabrication company in Canada has designed a track dryer that travels about twice the speed as the current jet dryers used at NASCAR tracks. Rather than just blow hot air on the track as the jet driers do, Brush's vehicle also uses a vacuum to suck up water akin to a Shop-Vac. "With eight of these units at Daytona International Speedway, we could dry the track in under an hour," Brush said, estimating he could cut the current drying time in half. Brush has built a prototype that was given a successful trial run by NASCAR when a shower followed Sprint Cup qualifying at New Hampshire Motor Speedway two months ago. Brush is expecting to meet with NASCAR officials in Daytona Beach, Fla., in two weeks before bringing the prototype dryer to the season finale at Homestead, Fla. The invention could be a boon for NASCAR, which has been plagued by rain this year (three Cup races were delayed a day and three were shortened by bad weather). The dryer also would fit with NASCAR's green initiatives because it runs on propane. Brush estimates it would burn less than 500 gallons to dry Daytona vs. 3,000 gallons of jet fuel. Brush has attended several races over the past two seasons, taking nearly 4,000 photos in researching the dryer.

Lee White, president of Toyota Racing Development, said Toyota's departure from Formula One has no bearing on its NASCAR program, but he also said NASCAR should learn from F1's mistakes. "Leaving Formula One was not an easy decision to make," White said Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway. "Obviously, it affects a lot of people, and a lot of those people are friends of ours, so we feel for them. But it should have no effect whatsoever on our NASCAR program, our NASCAR plans and our NASCAR future. We remain completely committed to NASCAR and NASCAR is completely committed to us."
White's biggest concern at the moment is finding a way to compete with Hendrick Motorsports and its Chevrolets. Jimmie Johnson probably is headed for an unprecedented fourth consecutive Sprint Cup title and Hendrick drivers hold down the top three spots in the standings. "The Hendrick organization is a tier higher than everyone, including other teams from that manufacturer [Chevrolet]," White said. "So give Hendrick credit. They've done a fantastic job. We don't begrudge them that. We just want to work hard and find ways to beat them." White understands the Hendrick domination has left a perception of a lack of competition, but he doesn't blame NASCAR. "It's very hard to legislate competition," White said. "How can you legislate against Hendrick other than making their life miserable by checking their cars every week and taking them apart? Oh, wait. They did that and it didn't work. I give NASCAR credit for trying. They are doing the best they can. Some of these things just take time until someone figures out how to get as good as they are."

Aric Almirola has filed a lawsuit in North Carolina Superior Court alleging that Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc. have breached their contract with him. Almirola, who drove in seven Sprint Cup races this year for the team before his car was parked because of a lack of sponsorship, filed the complaint last Thursday. DEI had announced last year that Almirola would run a full season in 2009, but the organization later merged its Cup operation with Chip Ganassi Racing to form Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. The complaint does not detail the circumstances surrounding the breach-of-contract claim and asks the court to refer the matter to arbitration. Almirola had filed two notices of a claim last month, and he had until Thursday to file the actual complaint. He is dismissing his claim against Chip Ganassi Racing and EGR co-owner Teresa Earnhardt but proceeding in the one against EGR and DEI. The team had no comment.

For former NASCAR Sprint Cup driver J.J. Yeley, being forced to sit idle and watch races as opposed to driving in them has been one of the toughest things he's had to endure since he first began racing 16 years ago. Everything changed the night of Aug. 22 for the Phoenix native when the Sprint Bandit car he was driving at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., quickly turned Yeley into a passenger on a wild, hair-raising ride. The race had just restarted for the third time when the 2003 USAC Triple Crown champion, who was running third at the time, took off into turn one. As he went into the corner, his car caught the track, flipped and barrel-rolled at least eight times. Although Yeley thought he had nothing more than a sore neck following the crash, he soon learned that he had fractured three vertebrae. Since that night, Yeley has worn a neck collar and undergone neck surgery, where doctors fused two vertebrae with screws and a metal plate. And now, just a month after the outpatient surgery, the 33-year-old is working out daily to rebuild the muscles in his neck and shoulders. So far, his healing process has been speedy, above average according to the specialists and doctors Yeley has spoken with in the last two months. With one more test to pass, he hopes to be cleared by doctors in December, which he says is just in time for the 2010 racing season. With that in mind, Yeley, who has 95 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts and 118 NASCAR Nationwide Series starts, has been working the phones, talking to prospective teams and sponsors about a return to the sport that he loves. Being a spectator has refueled Yeley's passion, and he is ready to race again.
Will you have an announcement soon about your plans for 2010? "That's been the major hurdle. Obviously, the economy has hurt every form of racing there is. We're getting closer and closer to getting something 100 percent signed. Hopefully, in the next two to three weeks, things will go like they are looking and we'll be able to make an announcement and let everyone know what's going on with J.J. Yeley and the future for 2010."

Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates and Starbucks Coffee Company will provide NASCAR fans attending this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) event at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) a taste of Starbucks VIA Ready Brew, Starbucks latest coffee innovation, through an extensive trackside sampling effort. Beginning Friday, Nov. 13, the thousands of NASCAR fans in attendance at PIR should be on the lookout for a fleet of Starbucks branded golf carts combing the race-track property passing samples of Starbucks VIA Ready Brew. Starbucks ambassadors will be ready to introduce race fans to an instant coffee that is full bodied and flavorful, just like the Starbucks coffee they have already come to know and love. As part of the promotion, both the Starbucks and Starbucks VIA Ready Brew logos will have associate sponsor placement on the TV Panel of the #1 Rain-X Chevy driven by Martin Truex Jr.

The stepdaughter of legendary NASCAR engine and car builder Ray Fox was arrested Tuesday after police said she embezzled more than $20,000 from an auto racing organization headed by her stepdad. Deborah Sue Burdick was charged with grand theft after South Daytona investigators said she pilfered about $21,000 from the Living Legends of Auto Racing, according to an arrest report. Living Legends, founded in 1993, recognizes, honors and promotes the pioneers of beach and stock car racing. The organization has more than 600 members from around the world, according to its Web site. The 56-year-old Burdick, who was released from the Volusia County Branch Jail on Tuesday afternoon on $10,000 bail, did not return a phone message. Police said she had been siphoning the money since April 2006. Fox, now in his 90s, was an early NASCAR engine and race car builder, as well as an engine inspector in his later years. He is also president of Living Legends of Auto Racing, based in South Daytona. He did not return a call for comment. Based on police reports, it's not clear why the money was taken. Burdick's husband told detectives she provides financial assistance for her son. Two Living Legends board members told investigators that Deborah Sue Burdick's gambling problem is why she stole, the report states. When Burdick was confronted by Coolidge at a board meeting in August about the $7,500 check, Burdick said "she needed the money," and she did not have her mother "or anyone to turn to," the report states

The dominos continue to fall at Richard Petty Motorsports. When Keith Barnwell was released on Tuesday, that left #44-A.J. Allmendinger sans spotter. On Thursday, the decision was made to reunite Allmendinger with former spotter Tony Hirschmann, who had been reassigned to #43-Reed Sorenson in the crew chief swap. Sorenson's crew chief Sammy Johns will spot for him this weekend. Kevin Buskirk, who was #19-Elliott Sadler's crew chief earlier this season, is expected to make the calls on the #43 pit box. Pete Rondeau, who served as the director of research and development at RPM since July 2005, was also released on Tuesday. The former crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr. says he's ready to become a road warrior again and is interested in any upcoming crew chief openings.

Court ordered discovery proves counterfeit HANS post anchor issue in IMPACT RACING Products' helmets is more far reaching than originally reported. HANS Performance Products is continuing its free anchor replacement program both direct and through its authorized dealer network. HANS Factory Trained Dealer, Racing Radios has been servicing the NASCAR teams and leading support in NHRA comes from Factory Trained Dealer Simpson Performance Products. Simpson CEO Chuck Davies said, "Like the people at HANS, we take safety very seriously. Racers trust our products and we're proud our trackside services are able to help racers."
HANS CEO Mark Stiles said, "We didn't create this situation but it is vitally important that racers have full confidence in their HANS Device." He continued, "We have always been impressed with Simpson Performance Products' commitment to safety and service. They have helped tremendously to minimize any concerns our customers may have. " As the 2009 season comes to an end, HANS is encouraging all racers to make a special effort when they inspect their gear for the 2010 season. Details of the program, other information and program updates are available at hansdevice.com, by calling HANS direct at 1-888-HANS-999, or by contacting one of the 200 authorized North American HANS factory trained dealers nationwide.

Jerry Nadeau, who suffered a head injury in a crash at Richmond in 2003 and has not competed in NASCAR since, was at the track Friday. He's trying to find funding for a Grand Am ride for next season.

Richard Petty said the Richard Petty Motorsports-Yates Racing proposed merger is still in the hands of the lawyers, but with the likelihood of it happening, RPM had to begin its staff reductions this week. Sources indicated more than 150 people were laid off earlier this week or were told they would be laid off after the season ends next week at Homestead-Miami Speedway. RPM, which fields four teams, and Yates, which fields two, announced in September they planned to merge  and with NASCAR's four-team limit, the staff reductions were anticipated. "If we're going to do what we're going to do, we've got to start somewhere," Petty said Friday at Phoenix International Raceway. "This is basically where we're starting." Many of those laid off were in the engine shop and the car manufacturing department, sources said. The new organization will use Roush Yates Engines and likely will be based in the current Yates shop in Concord, N.C.  about 45 miles from the current RPM shop in Statesville, NC. "I think we're moving there to the [Yates shop near the] airport," Petty said. "As far as I know. Tune in next week."

Dale Earnhardt Jr. says a deal to put Danica Patrick in his Nationwide Series car isn't imminent, and even if it were, JR Motorsports wouldn't necessarily have the funding for the IndyCar Series' most popular driver. Multiple media outlets have reported in recent weeks that Patrick was on the verge of signing with JRM for a part-time Nationwide schedule next season while continuing to run the Indy Racing League. Patrick and JRM share a sponsor in GoDaddy.com, but Earnhardt says it doesn't make the deal a cinch. "We've had a relationship with GoDaddy, so that makes us look like a nice fit, but they're moving (next year), so we don't really have it anymore," Earnhardt said after Sprint Cup practice Friday at Phoenix International Raceway. "We're having to search around." JRM's #88 Chevy currently driven by Brad Keselowski is sponsored by GoDaddy.com, but the company will move to Cup next year to back the #5 Chevy of Mark Martin at Hendrick Motorsports, which has an alliance with JRM. Earnhardt says JRM has only "three-quarters to half a season" of sponsors for the #88 in 2010. Earnhardt says the lack of funding is what's driving JRM's interest in Patrick, who also has been pursued by Roush Fenway Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing. Patrick also has met with Joe Gibbs Racing and Richard Childress Racing, and Earnhardt says he's talked to her along with Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick. Patrick lives in the Phoenix area, but offseason sponsor commitments are expected to keep her from attending Sunday's Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500. "She's very interested in trying NASCAR, and a lot of people weren't sure whether she was serious or not, but she is serious," Earnhardt said. "There's a lot to learn there for her. She's got to get in the cars. She's got a lot of (stuff) to do before she ever takes the green flag for anything. But she's talked to a lot of people. I've spoken with her a couple of times just about the lifestyle and the difference in the series vs. what she does now." Besides GoDaddy, Patrick has sponsorship ties to Motorola's Boost Mobile brand and Tissot. Earnhardt believes she might be able to bring those companies to NASCAR, though without some TV advertising campaigns that could be considered risqué.

good to see jerry getting back on his feate http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTB3UjLOYhE ; the most dangerous wrecks are the ones that do a sudden stop, so not very spectacular, but a hard slam on the drivers side.

Nothing against the COT, I find it hilarious NASCAR thinks more passing or 4-wide instead of 3-wide automatically means "better racing". By that definition, Talladega would be the best race of the year - no arguments.

I saw that article too. The anomaly that is Talladega aside, if it's an attempt to justify the new car it doesn't have much meaning without the numbers for the old car for context. Have they released the data for other tracks?

If the transponders are counting changes at every inch of the tracks, on a plate track it's going to shoot up every time one of the 2/3 wide lanes shift; that's an immediate 15-20 position shifts that add up quickly over 190 laps. Double file restarts would boost the count as well.

I'm not that concerned about Brad.

Hinton: NASCAR doesn't care if nobody likes the COT--their data shows the racing is better.

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/cup/c...&id=4647144

What I love most about this article is it shows how utterly stupid John Darby and Nascar are. The car drives fine because wing and spoilers "do the same thing"? Bump stops and coil springs "do the same thing"? Splitters and valences "do the same thing"?

Rick Hendrick said Sunday he has no deal to bring IndyCar superstar Danica Patrick to NASCAR, and there's no certainty she'll even be driving stock cars next season. "I just think that they are not even close to making a decision on whether to even do it this year or next year," Hendrick said of Patrick and her representatives at IMG. "You never know until it's done. You never know until it's signed. And anybody can change their mind. When you get down to the nitty gritty of any deal, it's always complicated. There can always be someone who comes back and says `I can't do it because of this.' So until it's done, it's not done. And that's the honest truth." Patrick is reportedly in the final stages of a contract that would partner her on a limited Nationwide Series schedule with JR Motorsports, the team owned by both Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. But speaking before Sunday's race at Phoenix International Raceway, Hendrick called the reports "premature" and insisted nothing is imminent. "I think everything is an option, and it's just too early to really comment on it," he said. "I can't give you anything concrete, because there isn't anything concrete right now. Nothing is imminent until it's signed. Too many things can happen." Hendrick, who just returned from a weeklong vacation in Israel, said there have been no new developments in talks with Patrick and that IndyCar remains her first priority. Existing contracts she has in that series could also complicate a potential venture into NASCAR. Patrick has said very little about her 2010 plans, including an apparent contract extension to stay with Andretti Green Racing. Part of that holdup is a pending change of team ownership, which is expected to be transferred solely to Michael Andretti.

Don't you mean coil bind?

Wildmouse/OLB, you may now add the National Enquirer to your NASCAR news links


Pal: Earnhardt Jr. in 'death spiral'

The life of NASCAR superstar Dale Earnhardt Jr. has turned into a train wreck, and pals fear he's headed for an emotional breakdown.

The 35-year-old driver is feuding with the owner of his racing team, he's burned through a string of girlfriends, and he's still haunted by the tragic death of his legendary father, sources say.

Now the troubled bachelor may be turning to booze to cope, insiders say.

"Dale Jr. seems almost in a death spiral," disclosed a close pal. "He's locked himself away from his closest friends, and he's upset all the time.

"Those closest to him are concerned about his mental health and well-being. No one wants to see him do something stupid. We've suggested that he get help, take some time off and regroup, but he won't listen."

Another source divulged: "Dale tries to downplay his reputation as a hard drinker, but he's lived his life like a frat boy at a kegger. But now he's drinking not for the fun of it, but to heal deep wounds that are eating away at him. We're all worried about him."

A major source of pain for Earnhardt is his stunning drop from the top of the NASCAR heap. He jumped ship from his father's NASCAR team in 2007 after fighting with his father's widow Teresa over control of the team.

He joined the powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports team, which a source described as "like signing on as a free agent with the New York Yankees."

But he has just one win since joining the team, and team owner Rick Hendrick reportedly isn't happy with his performance.

"On race days lately, when Dale should have been up and ready to win, he instead seemed listless, morose and disturbingly unfocused," a close source told The ENQUIRER.

"One NASCAR writer was shocked to hear that Dale was found alone, weeping, after a poor finish in a race. Another time, he punched a wall of a trailer and screamed profanities.

"Dale has never recovered from the loss of his father, and sometimes it seems like he has no interest in continuing his racing career."

http://www.nationalenquirer.com/dale_earnh...celebrity/67629

Why all the liveries of Harvick, Bowyer and Ambrose so similar with the yellow and red? They are quite hard to tell apart.

This actually sounds all quite possibly true.

He's had a reputation as a hard drinker. He supposedly gave it a rest.

The attention combined with lack of success would get to anyone.

Hendrick told him he needs to work out and he balks (I think he still does it but not much and he complains about it).

Apparently, a one-year deal was inked last Wednesday between Jamie McMurray and Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and is expected to be announced sometime on Tuesday. Kevin "Bono" Manion is expected to continue on as the crew chief.