the jade gurss blog

Your Turn

I see the gaping collective yawn regarding paint schemes, so let's stir the pot with a purely hypothetical (emphasis added) question: if there were a book written about Dale Jr's "Budweiser" years, what events would you most like to read about? What behind-the-scenes stories are you most interested in learning? Here's your shot to have your say, so let the suggestions fly in the 'Comments' section. 

What I'm Reading These Days: 

The Lefsetz Letter:  Unless you're really into music or the music business, some of this is a little 'Inside Baseball,' but there's no mistaking his passion for the music. I don't always share his taste in artists, but I love the energy.

Awkward Family Photos: Oh, devilish good fun. Who doesn't have a few of these stashed away in a shoebox somewhere?

Jeff MacGregor: Some might recognize Jeff from his NASCAR book "Sunday Money," but he's now doing a column at ESPN.com on the question of "what are sports for?" A superb literary writer who's scary smart and always set on full power. 

Corn Flakes with John Lennon: the new book by Robert Hilburn. Sadly, it's not available for the Kindle. 

Autosport.com: All fast things not-NASCAR. (And some NASCAR too, if you must...)

Wired.com: 'cuz it's good to be informed. And wired.

Google FastFlip: New and interesting. For interesting news.

UPDATE: For those who enjoyed the Greg Moore blog entry (see below), here's a lengthy piece about Greg from a Canadian paper. A lot of good memories with Dario Franchitti, Jimmy Vassar, Max Papis and Tony Kanaan. It will be 10 years ago on the last day of October.

There is one here as well (with several nice photos), and I'm sure more to come in the next couple of days. 

SPEEDtv.com has a rememberance from Robin Miller and a nice photo retrospective as well. 

What's Up With Special Paint Schemes?

Special paint schemes in the Cup Series used to be just that: special. It was a one-time thing, maybe at the All-Star race or perhaps the Bud Shootout. Now, we see untold numbers of paint schemes that cascade across the season, which undermines any effort to be memorable, unique or meaningful. 

The confusion of running multiple paint schemes is a problem that will only get worse as teams increasingly rely on many sponsors for each car. By rotating five or six sponsors and paint schemes, the ordinary fan has no idea what to look for each week. Quick - do you know what color Jamie McMurray's car will be this week? Can you guess what sponsor Elliott Sadler's car will have? My bet is unless you are an extreme fan, you have no idea. And that is not good for any of the companies spending millions of dollars to go racing. Will teams and sponsors follow the lead of the No. 5 Hendrick car, where multiple brands work together as a part of a single, universal scheme? 

The one-off specials were also used to sell more merchandise and die-cast cars. Based upon the financial gloom facing Motorsports Authentics, it seems only drivers whose name ends in "Earnhardt" truly move product these days. 

In case you missed it, Budweiser and the USOC announced that Kasey Kahne will drive a special Olympic-themed paint scheme at the first two races of the 2010 season. The proceeds of the diecast sales will go to the USOC. So, why would I have a negative view of such a well-intentioned cross-promotional program? Tell me, will you buy an Olympic diecast? And will you tune in to look for a white Bud car in the biggest race of 2010? (Seriously, use the "Comments" section to have your say.)

The photo above is the only passable one I could find in an extensive web search (which is another issue altogether). Quick -- tell me how that photo says "Budweiser" in any way? The underwhelming bland design (Oh, I get it... white... snow... winter Olympics) is one thing, but the brand messaging is even worse, which is surprising based on the track record of the good beer folks in St. Louis. Historically, the Bud marketing team fought to keep changes to the look of the car to a minimum each season, relying upon an immediately recognizable design.

The Daytona 500 coincides with the Olympics, so the timing - on first glance - makes sense using racing's biggest stage to promote Bud's sizable USOC investment. The tie-in between the two programs has history, as Bud has run Olympic paint schemes in the past. Dale Jr. ran an Olympic paint scheme at Bristol in August of the 2000 season. However, that scheme merely added flourishes to the recognizable red design. 

By running a non-descript car in the event that draws the largest television audience of the 2010 racing season, Budweiser will fail to leverage more than a quarter-century of NASCAR equity. How many will tune-in to see the red number 9 car - only to be forced to search for a plain white car out of a field of 43? 

The lessons of 2004 have been forgotten, when Dale Jr. won the 500 with the "Born-on dating" color palette. It was a missed opportunity for Budweiser, not only because it didn't show up well on television, but for many years to come. The iconic, simple and bold red scheme is not associated with a memorable Daytona 500 victory. 

To boil it down to the simplest terms, the goal is to make it easy for fans to find your car and your branding on television week after week. Viewers, whether they be die-hards or casual, shouldn't have to search. 

Maybe I'm missing something, as the Budweiser sports marketing people have a long track record of doing things very much the right way. Because of that, maybe I'm holding them to a higher standard.  Still, this one seems like a swing and a miss.

-----

According to People.com, Dale Jr. will be a presenter at the CMA Awards. I wonder how much arm-twisting was applied to get him to agree to that appearance? Could it compare with his 2001 appearance at the MTV Music Video Awards? You can read all about that evening (in three parts!) by clicking the link to surf on over to ye olde blog. (Did I mention it's in three parts?)  

Remembering Greg Moore

Dario Franchitti won the IRL finale and clinched his second championship last Saturday evening at Homestead. In victory lane, Dario dedicated the triumph to his buddy, Greg Moore. I have been reflecting this week on the ten-year anniversary of his death. When I started the blog in 2004, one of the first entries I wrote was about Moore, who had been an open-wheeled version of Joey Logano. Hugely talented, incredibly fast and mature beyond his years. 

In the Cup race at Fontana in 2004, Kurt Busch had done a lurid slide off of turn two, but because the area inside the backstretch had been paved, he was able to continue without damage other than a few flat tires. Sadly, the same was not the case when Moore crashed off of turn two in 1999. Here is the blog entry as it ran from September 6, 2004.

Greg Moore and California Asphalt

Date Created: Sep 06, 2004, 12:23 AM

Watching Kurt Busch spin off of turn two and slide toward the inside wall Sunday night gave me an awful sense of deja-va -- echoing back to an incident in the exact same location which began as a similar slide.  When Greg Moore lost control of his Indy car on lap 10 of the California 500 on the final day of October 1999, the asphalt that allowed Busch to scrub speed and regain control was not there. The inside of the back stretch was grass, intersected by access roads. Moore's car slid through the grass, and then was launched into the air when it hit an access road. His blue and white car flipped sickeningly -- roll cage first -- into the inside concrete wall, killing the 24-year-old Moore instantly.  As a comparison, the only other crash I can recall similar in visual savagery was Geoff Bodine's infamous truck accident at Daytona several years ago. At that time, CART cars were traveling at incredibly high speeds at California Speedway. Mauricio Gugelmin set a lap record with Mercedes power at an average speed of more than 240 mph! So, imagine Bodine's crash at 60 to 70 miles per hour higher speed. Much like Dale Earnhardt's death sparked a flurry of safety improvements in NASCAR, the Moore accident led to the decision to cover the inside of the back stretch at California Speedway with asphalt. After his slide Sunday night, Kurt Busch re-entered the race with damage no more serious than a flat tire.  Racing is inherently dangerous, but we must never lose sight of constantly trying to improve safety in every area. More and more tracks followed suit (most notably Daytona and Talladega) with more areas of asphalt as run-off areas, and hopefully many more will do the same as they also add improvements such as SAFER barriers. I worked for Ilmor Engineering (the race-engine building and engineering arm of Mercedes-Benz) at the time of Moore's crash. It was to be my final day on the job before moving to Charlotte to start fingerprint inc. As the engine manufacturer on Moore's car, an Ilmor engineer's laptop computer held all of the real-time computer telemetry from his car. This laptop was soon confiscated by CART officials. (The data could provide many details in the impending crash investigation.) No one needed to say a word: we dreaded the worst from seeing the crash. And the worst had come to be.  It had already been an eventful weekend as the season finale. Mercedes-Benz hosted a huge party Saturday night before the race to watch the final Formula One grand prix race of the year and celebrate a world championship for Mercedes-Benz and Mika Hakkinen with engines designed and built by Ilmor. Moore and his girlfriend attended the party briefly - which was a surprise because he had been injured in a freak accident earlier in the day. He had been riding his scooter in the garage area when a woman driving a catering van pulled out and hit him. He fell from the scooter, breaking a finger. It wasn't clear whether Moore would even be allowed to race on Sunday. Unlike NASCAR, CART holds a Sunday morning warm-up session, and Moore gingerly put his gloves on and demonstrated to the officials and his team that he was physically able to drive the car despite the injury. (I believe he was required to do six laps at speed to prove his fitness.) I have no idea if his broken digit played any role in the crash, but some have speculated that it led to his losing control.  Also that morning, Team Penske had announced publicly that Moore would be one of their drivers the following year, moving the Canadian into the most successful Indy car team in history. (After Moore's death, Penske quickly grabbed a charismatic young Brazilian driver from another Mercedes team. It would mark the start of the Penske era for Helio Castroneves.) Despite crushing sadness and dread - the race continued. Ilmor-Mercedes provided engines to a number of the other teams, including Marlboro-Team Penske, and many of our staff remained working along pit lane.  Before any public announcement was made, CART (or the track officials, I'm uncertain) decided to drop the flags along the front stretch to half-mast midway through the race. Not many people noticed, but those who did knew the worst had happened. The drivers completed the 500 miles - and were then told the news after the checkered flag. The post-race news conference with the top-three finishers turned into a tearful wake for Moore. Anyone who says racers don't show emotion should have been there that day. (Check this link for some of the emotional, heartfelt post-race tributes.)

I first met Moore in the early 90s, when he was a skinny, bespectacled 16-year-old. He was quiet and shy, but had an air of confidence (maybe even cocky) on the track. And he had wicked speed. He rocketed through the lower open-wheel ranks and joined the CART series with Mercedes-Benz at age 19. He had a special sense of car control and speed that was a delight to see as he became the youngest-ever CART race winner.  Moore - who was beloved in his native British Columbia and all across Canada - was clearly a driver of abilities that stood out among a field of other great drivers. I'm struggling to find the right NASCAR driver to compare him. (Perhaps Jeff Gordon? Jeff was also very visibly talented at such a young age with a father who coached him along the way.)   (In 2009, Joey Logano is the best comparison...) I don't want to over-glorify Greg. He was a typical race car driver and he could be moody and difficult at times. I remember fuming after he had pointed at the Mercedes engine as the reason for a poor showing on more than one occasion. (In retrospect, he was probably right.)  Moore was a special driver, and he joined the too-long list of other drivers who were lost too soon - long before their immense potential was realized. Perhaps Adam Petty is the closest NASCAR example (Rob Moroso also comes to mind), and it is the lost potential of a driver and a young man that hurts everyone so deeply.  My most lasting memory of Greg Moore - beyond some of his great wins- is of the routine he and his father had before every race. Greg would strap into the racecar, and then before pulling away, his father would lean into the cockpit, clasp his hands and tell him "I love you."

Chatting the Chase (SHOOTOUT STYLE!)

(Photo: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)

With the Chase for the Championship format now entering its sixth year of existence, I am surprised at the number of folks who still complain and gripe about it with disingenuous arguments. Sorry folks, the Chase is a great addition to the sport. It brings drama and excitement to the end of what is a way-too-long season of action and has been a superb and much-needed addition. 

One category of complaints seems to come from the "no change is a good change" crowd. They won't be happy no matter what NASCAR does, unless the Cup series goes back to racing at Rockingham and North Wilkesboro. Yes, those were charming locales, but they have no place in the sport's modern state. If all of the people who made those arguments actually bought tickets for the races at the Rock, we might still be racing there. Yes folks, the future can be scary and change isn't always comforting, but the Chase is here to stay. 

These are likely the same people who pine for the days when ESPN first started broadcasting races in the early 1980s. I agree the current ESPN announce crew is a somnambulist's delight, but the constant barrage of complaints and whining has worn me out. (Please leave your additional complaints in the "comments" section, below. Really.) Have you really watched replays of those old races on ESPN Classic? The good ol' days weren't all that good in contrast to today's high-tech coverage. Yes, the TV ratings shrink once the NFL kicks in, but imagine how bleak it would be without the Chase. Seeing the past through rose-colored specs is fine when you're waxing nostalgic with old school chums, but it's not a productive way to direct a massive national sports franchise. Nostalgia and tradition are an important and integral part of the whole, but it's not the only factor. (An NFL nostalgia sidebar: how cool are the AFL throwback uniforms this year... except for the Broncos' UPS-brown and mustard-yellow disasters? And what's up with those striped socks?! Ha...) 

As a publicist, the argument that makes me craziest is the cry of "less teams get media coverage during the Chase."  In reality, the opposite is true, as more teams earn coverage than they would have without the Chase. Using the 'old' format this season, Tony Stewart would still have a cushy, triple-digit lead over the field right now, as he had for several months. The championship would be a foregone conclusion- and even if Stewart were to stumble, only one or two other teams would have a realistic shot at the title. With the Chase, twelve teams and drivers get a large amount of coverage, which is much more than they'd ever hope to achieve under the old format. 

The argument of "less media" is better interpreted as "my driver doesn't get attention." Sadly, that's the nature of sports: to the winners go the spoils. If your team/driver wants coverage, they have a chance to run up front as many as 38 times per year. Does your fourth-place baseball team get much coverage when the MLB playoffs start? No. And they shouldn't. 

The Chasers have dominated the top-10 finishes in the championship races, which shows the strongest and most deserving come to the fore when it matters most. Whether you like them or hate them, the consistent excellence of the entire No. 48 team is worthy of massive respect. A fourth consecutive championship? Wow. I have no adjectives to describe the difficulty of that feat. If they win it again, huge credit to them. And, the same respect goes to anyone good enough to knock them off their throne.

So, we have six races remaining with competition so tight that a finish outside of the top-five means you'll likely lose positions in the standings. Hell, a finish inside the top-five can mean a drop (see: Mark Martin). That's good racing. It's compelling and exciting to watch. Because these are the good ol' days.  Relish it. Enjoy it. 

Who Would You Select for the NASCAR Hall of Fame?

The fan voting is now open for the first class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The hall will open in uptown Charlotte in 2010 and induct an inaugural class of five hall-o'-famers. 

Which five would you select?  The 25 nominees (plus fan voting details) can be found here. 

Here are my picks for the first five: 

There are three 'no-brainers' that should likely be unanimous selections:

1.) Bill France - (pictured at left with his son, Bill Jr.) "Big Bill" was the founder and original iron-handed leader of NASCAR. He also created and built Daytona International Speedway. 

2.) Richard Petty - He still holds most of the statistical records and his 200 wins will never be duplicated. 

3.) Dale Earnhardt -  Tied with Petty as the only seven-time Cup champions. His life and death still hovers over the sport almost a decade later.

After the first three, the choices become less clear. The 25 nominees are all deserving, and will likely be inducted in future years, but here are my votes for the remaining inductees:

4.) Bill France Jr. -  Led the sport through what is known as 'the Modern Era.' His tenure included the most extensive national growth period in the sport's history (late 90s - early 00s).

5.) Junior Johnson - This final spot was a tough choice because an argument could be made for many of the nominees. But, Johnson gets my vote for his 50 victories as a driver, his numerous championships as a team owner, and his influence in bringing major sponsors into the sport. For example, Johnson chose not to sign Winston as a team sponsor but instead pointed them toward sponsoring the entire series. It turned out to be a successful 30-year relationship for Winston and was essential for the growth of the sport.  

Disagree? Leave your selections in the "Comments" section.

Back on the Grid

I've been away for more than a week... went home to help my mom with some things and relax in Kansas. It was good to disconnect for awhile. 

It has been quite a weekend already. The Felipe Massa accident was a freak occurrence, but it's not the first time an open-wheel driver has been hit in the helmet by debris. Usually, the impact is fatal - such as last week when Henry Surtees was killed after being struck by a loose wheel at Brands Hatch in England. (Surtees' father, John, was the first to win world championships on two wheels and then on four in Formula One.) Tom Pryce was a promising F1 driver who was killed after being struck by a fire extinguisher in a tragic accident that also killed a track worker in 1977. I'm not sure what would solve the problem, but I suspect the drivers will push for a safety review. 

What a feat for Ron Hornaday to win four Truck Series races in a row. That 33 team is hitting on all cylinders on all types of tracks. 

Now, it's time for the Brickyard - and double-file restarts with a narrow turn one entrance. Could be calamitous and should be exciting.

More GM Racing Fallout

A federal judge ruled Monday that GM can "shed" a long series of sponsorship and support contracts, mostly in the sports and motorsports category. These are in addition to the motorsports cuts that were already made in the past month. If you look at the list of contracts that are now null and void, you'll find tracks (Daytona, California, Richmond), teams and series (GM-backed Grand-Am competitors plus sanctioning bodies like the NHRA and Grand-Am), and NASCAR drivers with race teams or personal services deals (Ryan Newman, Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer for example). The full list of contracts can be found here.  (It will appear in your browser as a PDF file.)

I believe this is a sign of things to come for the rest of the year and into the 2010 season. Many sponsor budgets and contracts are set each year before January 1 rolls around, so many current contracts for 2009 were completed long before the economy tanked in the fall of 2008. Now, as teams try to renew or find new sponsors, the conditions are simply not good for most companies. It's going to get worse before it gets better, so if you don't like start-and-parks, you may have a rough year ahead of you. 

Jimmie Johnson's "Winning Confidence"

Nascar Champ Jimmie Johnson's Self Help DVD from Jimmie Johnson

Ricky Carmichael and Ken Block meet "Top Gear"

Ken Block and Ricky Carmichael go head-to-head to the apparent delight/terror of "Top Gear" co-host James May (aka "Captain Slow"). Soon to air in the United States on BBC America.

Robert McNamara Has Died: One of recent history's most reviled yet compelling figures, Robert McNamara, has died at age 93. He is the subject of one of my all-time favorite films, "The Fog of War." The brilliant documentary looks at McNamara's eleven essential lessons of war and chronicles a very smart and complex man who went from being the president of Ford Motor Company to the Secretary of Defense under John F. Kennedy. I cannot recommend "The Fog of War" strongly enough. Here is the film's trailer.  

Been Working Out...

I've been working out lately. I've really developed a helluva six-pack for an old man... What do ya think of the new abs?

(does it looks like this Dale Jr. fan is actually drinking... Coors Light? Well, with a tattoo like that, no accounting for taste...) 

What did you think of Ralph Sheheen's performance in a clutch pinch-hitting role as the play-by-play anchor position with TNT on Sunday? I thought he did very well - and you can get some of the behind-the-scenes details in my SPEEDtv.com column. You can now see the column with a simple click here: "Have Mic, Will Travel."

Update: NO! That is not really my belly (it was just a joke, kids)... and Bill Weber is 'out' for the final two races on TNT. Sheheen is in for Daytona and Chicago... 

A Good Day at Sonoma

It was a sparkling NASCAR race Sunday afternoon at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA. I'd like to hear from the road race haters after this one. (Seriously. Leave your comments below.) It had so many twists and turns, literally and figuratively. The event had superb racing with a lot of passing, an array of strategies, a lot of carnage and an unexpected victor with the silky smooth drive by Kasey Kahne. Very entertaining and well-done to the No. 9 Bud team for the best pit strategy backed up by a strong drive. 

The Cat Daddy: I've often joked that I want to be like Dan Gurney when I grow up. Kudos to TNT for featuring Dan on their seemingly twelve-hour pre-race show. If you missed it, you can still see the Gurney feature by clicking here. Or, visit Dan's All-American Racing site for more details about his celebrated career as a driver, constructor, innovator and even a presidential candidate. 

The New Ken Block Gymkhana Video

(AKA Motorsports EYE CANDY.) Enjoy.  

Update: Since everyone else has thrown in their two-cents worth (and more) on the topic ad-nauseum, I've thrown my hat into the ring as well with this week's SPEEDtv.com column: Getting Junior's Swagger Back. It seems to be highly unpopular with several Speed readers already, so I suppose I said something right.

The Milk Can Wait

It was great to see Helio Castroneves win at Indianapolis, but I was disappointed in the race that saw few meaningful passes. What I was most disappointed in, however, was seeing Indy Racing League officials attempt to prevent Castroneves from climbing from his car to traverse the fence. Especially with a series that is fighting to grow and find an audience, all sincere forms of emotional expression should be encouraged - not discouraged. It was equally sad to see the same officials dragging Helio forcibly from the embrace of his parents and sister to Victory Lane. People like emotion. People want emotion. Here is a significant win for the most popular driver in Indycar racing - and the celebration should have reflected the extreme emotion of the moment - not prevented because of the television time-buy or the sponsored tradition of the drinking of the milk. The milk can wait: let the winner, his team and his family enjoy the win. 

What does it say about the relative strength of the two series when two Target-sponsored cars are leading the biggest single race of the year, only to cut to a commercial including Target's NASCAR-sponsored racecar?... Paul Tracy provided the most cubic inches of bravery (or sheer craziness) to make most of the scary, incredible passes of the race day. 

How I Spent My Holiday Weekend: Yes, the blisters are healing quite fine, thank you. The 24 Hours of Victory Lane.  The 600 only seemed like it lasted 24 hours, while others really did race twice around the clock. 

Carmichael Rides with the Ft. Worth Police Department

Ricky Carmichael became an honorary member of the Ft. Worth Police Motorcycle Unit Tuesday at Texas Motor Speedway. Carmichael, at the track promoting the upcoming NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at TMS, rode through the skills and precision course used for police training. Carmichael, riding a Suzuki RM-Z450, completed the course in 49.733 seconds compared to Officer Mike Richey, who finished in 52.971 on his Harley-Davidson Electra Glide. Carmichael then led the officers for a few laps around the 1.5-mile speedway, including some few high-speed wheelies by the 15-time AMA motocross champion. 

You can see a photo gallery of the event at KevinHarvickInc.com plus read the full details of the day. Carmichael will compete in the Monster Energy / KHI All-Stars Silverado at Texas Motor Speedway, Friday night, June 5. 

Click on the video for highlights of Carmichael riding with the Ft. Worth Police Motorcycle Unit and doing burnouts on his Suzuki. (Photos by Tom Pennington/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway. Video courtesy of TMS.)

Ricky Carmichael Rides with the Ft. Worth Police Dept. from Jade Gurss on Vimeo.

The Beast

Check out this week's SPEEDtv.com column: "The Beast." It's the story of the most powerful engine ever to race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Mercedes-Benz 500I registered 1025 horsepower on the dyno!

Thanks and... happy reading. 

A Sparkling Sprint All-Star Finish

How many people will remember only one pass for the lead in the first 90 laps after that sparkling 10-lap finale Saturday night at the All-Star race? The final laps were a great example of what happens when extremely talented teams and drivers go all-out for the win. I've not been moved by much in the Sprint Cup category this season, but that was one damn-fine finale. How many of you would agree that the double-file restart is something that should be considered for points races in the future? Especially since the leader is nearly impossible to pass these days, the double-file starts really give the field a legitimate shot at racing into the lead. 

Let's hope the 600 is more than a snoozefest and the Indy 500 is a battle royale like the good ol' days. 

State of Speed: Did anyone read my SPEEDtv.com column this week? It was a good idea with poor execution, but some have enjoyed it. This Tuesday's column is a topic that I find fascinating. I am considering dropping the SPEED column, in favor of more frequent blog posts. The brain space and energy for the column (not to mention Facebook and Twitter) is detracting from the blog. What do you think? Use the "Comments" section below. 

State of the Nation:  Do you buy bird seed or generic motor oil? Your choices could determine whether you get your next credit card. Check out an in-depth NY Times article, called "What Does Your Credit Card Company Know About You?"  Scary... and fascinating. 

Wilco: The new Wilco record can be heard in streaming glory at the band's website. Check it out. "Wilco will love ya, baby..."

Why Poole's Passing is Sad for the Sport

David Poole passed away today at the age of 50. The Charlotte Observer columnist was considered the dean of American motorsports writers (a vastly diminishing group these days due to the troubled newspaper industry) and co-hosted a four-hour daily radio show on Sirius-XM satellite radio. 

I can't say I was close with David, though I knew him through my work with Dale Jr. and usually chatted with him whenever our paths crossed. I didn't always agree with his views, but what constantly marked his work - both the printed word and on air - was his passion. He had a passion that is similar to the spirit that makes great literature or great music. His passion for the sport showed through in every syllable. In a sport that is often a life-and-death endeavor, passion is the element that drives its very existence. 

The exciting racing and near-disaster at Talladega has reminded many of what makes us passionate about racing, and it's sad to have lost Poole's fervor in the discussions and debates that are sure to rage on in the weeks ahead. 

You can see some of Poole's best work or leave your condolences and thoughts at ThatsRacin.com. 

All the best to his family and friends.

A Guest Blog: Formula 1 2009 – From Putt-Putt to Gooney Golf

 

Dr. Jack Cathey apparently doesn't share my glee that Brawn GP have won the first two races of the F1 season. Here's his guest blog... for more about Cathey, check out some of his previous blogs. (And watch out for that windmill...) 

by Jack Cathey, Ph.D.

Growing up on the east side of Charlotte, NC, I spent more than a few steamy summer evenings playing the great American pastime of miniature golf.  We were fortunate to have two courses to choose from.  First, there the Putt-Putt course which was a classic facility.  Every hole was designed so that if you had some skill with the putter you could score a hole in one.  The greens were clean, the rails were straight, and all you had to do was know how to use the banking and figure the angles.  In fact, Putt-Putt courses were so well done they were the host for televised matches of the Professional Putters Association complete with whispering commentators just like the big leagues of the PGA.

Just down the road from the Putt-Putt course there was a different kind of miniature golf facility called Gooney Golf.  The Gooney Golf course included holes that had incorporated windmills, waterfalls, dinosaurs, and my favorite: the concrete alligator where you had to hit it at just the right time into the beast’s mouth and hope the swishing tail would guide your ball towards the cracked plastic cup. The course was reasonably well kept, but with all the contraptions involved, some things were bound to go wrong.  Sometimes the pipes that spit out your ball after it had traveled through an animal’s innards would be a little off and, even though you hit just the right spot, your ball would glance off the cup and end up buried with pieces of gravel and dead bugs that invariably collect in the corner of the dented rails. 

So you may be wondering what all this has to do with motorsports and particularly with Formula 1, but after watching the first two races of the 2009 season it seems to me that the organizers have decided to change the premier class of motorsport from being a Putt-Putt facility with the straight, pristine, well-designed courses where a professional putter can demonstrate his or her competence to a Gooney Golf course where a five-year-old with a large, lime-green plastic putter might just out-perform a professional if she hits the giant white bone just right as it is lowered to the ground by the orange dinosaur with the evil flashing red eyeballs.

Now don’t get me wrong, I do think certain changes made for this season including the reduction of aero-based downforce and the increase in mechanical grip by replacing grooved tires with the slicks have been good changes both from a competition and safety aspect.  I even think the kinetic energy recovery systems (or KERS) add an interesting engineering and strategic element to the race (that is, of course, once they can figure out a way to avoid electrocuting a driver or safety worker). But the two-step gaps in the tire compounds which result in soft tires that can hardly last a full lap and hard tires that only come up to full grip as you slide off the circuit and the unnecessarily ambiguous technical specifications that allow what was formerly a mid-pack team to build cars that are substantially faster than anyone else have simply gone to far.  And please don’t even get me started about race officiating.

Modern Formula 1 has been, in my opinion, a series where both great drivers and great engineering were kept in proper balance and the result has captured the imagination and passion of the whole world.  This year’s version of F1 feels more like a mix of bad reality TV with way too much off-point drama and a circus act that includes ten clowns squeezed into a small car.  It is my hope the governing bodies, the teams, the manufacturers and sponsors can restore the proper balance while they continue to enhance both the competition and the spectacle that is Formula 1.

See Ya Later No. 8

It's just a number, but it was a pretty powerful icon for awhile. It's a sad day for many folks who held it in some esteem, and sad for those who poured so much into it only to see the No. 8 team collapse like a soufflé. Read the details here. 

I guess the question is.... does anyone care?

Here is Jeff Gluck's take on the issue at SCENE DAILY.  And Jay Hart at Yahoo on "cheapening Earnhardt's legacy."

Truth in 24

 

If you want to see how NFL Films handles racing, check out the Audi/LeMans documentary, TRUTH IN 24. Check out the trailer - and then download the film for free on iTunes.  The photo above is a view of their new turbo diesel R15 racer that will be in action at LeMans this summer. Stunning racecars. Great drivers and a fascinating film about what goes into a 24 Hour race. 

Car and Driver Magazine's annual April Fool's prank apparently set off panicked NASCAR fans. The original post has been taken down, but you can find the Yahoo Buzz report about the story.

Speaking of goofs, leave it to the brilliant minds at the Onion to list "NASCAR's Most Disappointing Finishes." including gems such as:

2005: The flagman accidentally waves the checkered flag to start the Sharpie 500, forcing officials to declare Kyle Busch the winner after only .00001 seconds of racing.

You can find the motorsports archives at the Onion here.

Kyle Can Run, But He Can't Hide

 

What a surreal moment to see Kyle Busch jogging past our pit area after Monday's Truck Series race. I know he's still a young 'un, but that kind of immature behavior won't win him any fans anytime soon. Being a poor loser is one thing, running away from your team (for the second week in a row) is another. In case you missed it, NASCAR.com has the video of the post-race jog... 

It was a great day for KHI, finishing one-two, but a long, tough and rainy weekend for their third truck - the No. 4 Oakley-sponsored truck team. Ricky Carmichael is a quick learner and should be good at Kansas in late April...  I thought it was only a Cup and/or Dale Jr. thing to see fans grabbing at loose pieces of bodywork and debris from a crashed race car, but now I've learned it's not. Within seconds of Carmichael coming to the pits with a damaged nose of the No. 4 truck, people had gathered nearby to scavenge any piece they could carry, cut or tote away. As you can see in the picture, one fan even brought his work gloves to get a better handle on the jagged bits after a wreck. I know folks love souvenirs, but it was a bizarre sight to watch...

I had a decent week in SPEEDtv.com's Super 7 Sweep game powered by Wind Tunnel- finishing second to one of my favorite guys, Tommy Kendall, in the "SPEED contributor's" league, and 45th overall among 1300 entries. (I would have really cleaned up if Busch hadn't pulled his bonehead move to drop to 17th place on Monday...) You can play one week or every week and win prizes. Check it out here.

How Do You Know When It Has Rained Too Much at a Racetrack?

You know it has rained a lot when the jet dryers turn so many laps they peel and crack the paint on the walls. 

Challenge Me!

Now's your chance to prove you know more than I do about picking winners in the Super 7 Sweep game powered by SPEED TV's Wind Tunnel. Each week, pick seven drivers from among the top racing series in the world (NASCAR, F1, IRL, Sports cars), and then compare your results against mine and other SPEED personalities. You can create your own fantasy league as well to compete with your friends and enemies. Starting this week, you can qualify for great prizes and make it to "the Chase" for the grand prize - an off-road adventure in Ensenada with Wind Tunnel host Dave Despain. Click the link above to sign-up and get started by building your own race team.

I've made my picks for this week - now is your chance to see how you match up!

Watch for my SPEEDtv.com column on Thursday (instead of Tuesday) this week as a part of their Formula One season preview.

Check out Fan Central

I've had an icon in the right-hand column for a few weeks, but I've not written about the new social networking site from Kevin Harvick Inc.-- Fan Central.  

Kevin and DeLana have created a Facebook-of-sorts for fans. You can create your own blog, make friends, upload pics and videos and also get the latest race news. 

It's a fun site - and I also encourage you to sign up for the "No. 4" Truck Series Group. (We need to overtake the No. 33 bunch for total members!) Group members get all news releases, practice and qualifying updates and post-race reports delivered right to their email in-box. Check it out! 

Look for Ricky Carmichael and a cool sponsor on the No. 4 truck at Martinsville. He was not scheduled to run the event, but KHI has secured a primary sponsor and a rad new paint scheme for the Martinsville race - stay tuned for the full news.

UPDATE: OAKLEY will sponsor Carmichael at Martinsville. Thanks to Oakley for sponsoring KHI and RC for the Martinsville short track Truck Series race! 

Bud Burns Out on Bernstein's Bucks

It was a small surprise to learn today that Anheuser-Busch - now part of Belgium's InBev-  has chosen to end a 30-year relationship with Kenny Bernstein Racing in the National Hot Rod Association at the close of the 2009 season. Bernstein was a multi-time champion in both Funny Car and Top Fuel, and his son Brandon continued in the cockpit when Kenny decided to step aside earlier in the decade. It was the longest continuous primary sponsorship in American motorsports - topping the lengthy reign of STP/Petty Enterprises. No one was as good as the elder Bernstein at personally marketing the brand - especially with the wholesalers and retailers in race markets. 

Bud will also cease as the official beer of the NHRA - following their withdrawal as the official beer of NASCAR in 2008 - as an attempt to direct more funds toward "younger drinkers in the 21-27 year old range." Is this a bad sign for the NHRA, who saw a number of energy drink sponsorships come and go in the past year? Could drag racing's demographics skew too old to make an impact in the current economic climate?

This is more evidence that beer is no longer a recession-proof product (see this startling data from the FiveThirtyEight site). But is this move purely a sign of the economy, or does it foreshadow changes in sports marketing philosophies for the new owners of what had been America's top sports advertiser?

The 2009 Formula One Cars

The dramatic new regulations are in place for the 2009 Formula One season - and it's almost as if they have taken cues from NASCAR's CoT with the restrictions. Here's Sebastian Vettel and a brilliant animated segment to explain the new aerodynamic package, the new tires and what in the world "KERS" really does. Enjoy.

In the category of unbelievable Formula One Fun - check this out! Bluetooth connectivity taken to its extreme. Watch to the end to see Lewis Hamilton and his mobile telly... so nice to have Vodafone as a sponsor.  

Why Are Peanuts Bad Luck in the Garage?

I have no idea which of the urban legends is the true origin of the superstition (you'll get as many different stories as the number of people who claim to know its origin) - but I do have a strong memory of an October afternoon at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte. The Budweiser team was preparing for the 500-mile race and a well-meaning crewman's wife or girlfriend had made a nice trail mix blended with Halloween candy and brought it to the hauler for the crew to enjoy. However, when Tony "Pops" Eury Sr. saw that the mix contained peanuts, he took the Tupperware container, opened the side door of the hauler and threw the container with all his might down the side of the trailer. The Tupperware flew like a Frisbee, its contents flying in every direction... 

The best article I've see to explain the various racing superstitions comes from Brant James at the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times. You can see his 2004 story here.  The fear of the color green is no longer what it once was - purely from sponsors who demand green hues in their paints scheme. Money changes all - just don't include any $50 bills - those are bad luck...

The green from the Monster Energy logo is not considered bad luck, so check out this slick video of Ken Block testing his Monster Subaru for a Gymkhana. Not sure what a Gymkhana is? Check out the video or read the wiki here.

1997 Mercedes-Benz CART Drivers

The 1997 season was a good one for Mercedes-Benz in the CART Champ Car Series. It was to the be the only season M-B would win the coveted Manufacturers Championship on the efforts of these seven drivers. Here's a photo I found in the dusty archives, signed by all seven, taken at the start/finish line at Wisconsin's picturesque Road America. It's hard not to wax nostalgic about the 'glory days' of Champ Car, as Honda's Alex Zanardi won the driver's title, but Mercedes-powered drivers won seven races against the likes of Honda, Ford-Cosworth and Toyota.

From left: Al Unser Jr., a second generation star with two Indy 500 wins and two CART titles, drove for Team Penske;  Mauricio Gugelmin, the personable ex-F1 driver from Brazil would become the "240mph Man" with his record qualifying run at Fontana later that season;  Team Penske's mercurial Paul Tracy, an out-spoken and lightning-fast pilot;  Patrick Carpentier, who recently spent part of a season in Sprint Cup, won the 1997 Rookie-of-the-Year title for the tiny Bettenhausen Racing team. (When Patrick jumped to Forsythe Racing, a young Brazilian driver took his seat in '98: Helio Castroneves.);  Mark Blundell, Gugelmin's teammate at PacWest Racing, another former F1 driver who is now a TV commentator and manages the careers of young drivers;   Greg Moore, the young Canadian was much like Kyle Busch today: very young, very fast and a world of talent, except Moore was extremely popular, especially in his native Canada before his horrific fatal crash at California Speedway in 1999;  and Dario Franchitti, a likeable and unsponsored driver with the underdog Hogan Racing team, a short time before he met Ashley Judd and long before he became an Indy 500 winner and IRL champ and then dipping his toe into the NASCAR pool last season.


Forgive the rush of nostalgia from the 90s, but I also found a hilarious shot of me smiling like a madman while being strapped into a Mercedes-Benz C-Class German Touring Car (DTM) at the Hockenheimring in Germany. The driver's window says Jan Magnussen, but I believe the driver is actually Bernd Maylander, a driver who now makes his living driving the Safety Car in F1. Now that's an E-Ticket ride! (As always on this blog, click any image to see a larger size of the picture.)

The New USF1 Team

I was lucky enough to get an invitation today to the official announcement of the formation of the new USF1 team. It was the first announcement I've attended where the team doesn't have drivers, sponsors, cars or even a shop, but the principals involved insist they have the investors and funding to form the team, design and build the racecars and start the 2010 season with two (likely) American drivers. (They named of a long list of potential U.S.-born or based drivers, including musing aloud about signing Kyle Busch...)

It's an exciting thought to have an American Formula One team here in the Charlotte area, and it will certainly be an interesting and perhaps long road to reach a competitive level, let alone a winning team. However, I really like Peter Windsor's (one of the team's two principals) views about this being a new style of fan- and media-friendly F1 team. Stay tuned for each succeeding announcement of technical partners like engine supplier, then sponsors and - most importantly - two drivers.

What do you think of an American F1 team? And what drivers would you like to see in the seats?

California Photo Album

Check out the photo album from an impressive eighth-place finish for driver Ricky Carmichael in his second career Truck Series start. (Or click from the module in the right-hand column...) 

Behind the Scenes at Daytona

Two weeks. Two races. Two crashes... Here's the fingerprint inc. exclusive behind-the-scenes video of Ricky Carmichael's Daytona experience with the Truck Series and ARCA race.

 

As a bonus, here's a video from the fine folks at MONSTER Energy!

And since we're rollin' the videos out, here are some of the finest moments at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as they celebrate 100 years of action at the Brickyard. I recommend the Tom Carnegie segment and the 1967 Indy recap with Parnelli Jones and the famous "Whooshmobile."

Sometimes...

Sometimes you get the Monster... and sometimes the Monster gets you...

Bonus Coverage:  Check out NASCAR Scene's "First Person with RC."

Surprising Twins?

CARL EDWARD'S ENTRY:  It doesn't handle well in the corners, but passing isn't a problem... Watch out for that duck. 

Was anyone else surprised at the relative calm of the twin qualifiers Thursday? I wonder if it's a sign for the 500... And, it's good to see passing for the lead. Well, at least some passing. Does Scott Riggs in the Tommy Baldwin entry qualify as the only "Cinderella Story" in the field?

QUALIFIED SUCCESS: Ricky Carmichael qualified sixth for his very first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event. He's the top qualified rookie for Friday night's truck race. Click the link to read about Ricky in today's USA Today, or tune-in on SPEED with the pre-race at 7:30 pm.

Harvick is Happy

"That's why you don't ever give up, ladies and gentleman..." -- Kevin Harvick, after winning Saturday night's Budweiser Shootout

The ol' Two-Niner team (and the boss... well, actually the bosses' husband) won the Shootout in an unlikely finish, while his protege Ricky Carmichael had a rough day in the ARCA crashfest, getting smashed in the first multi-car episode of carnage of the day.  Harvick comes to play in the glitzy events - as he has victories in the Daytona 500, the Brickyard 400, the All-Star race and now the Budweiser Shootout.

The #33 Monster/Kevin Harvick Inc. team worked hard to weld, hammer, grind and tape the car back together after the crash, earning Carmichael a 21st-place finish. It was an almost-Dale Jr.-like atmosphere around Carmichael before the race, as the Florida native was surrounded by reporters, cameras, fans, and a couple of drivers named Harvick and Montoya.

Random rants:  The ARCA boys and girls need some lessons in patience - but won't learn 'em from the Cup guys... Someone on this blog predicted a wild Shootout. If I could only remember who... AJ Allmendinger deserves a full-time ride... David Stremme was a weapon in the Shootout, but I like the new Verizon paint scheme. The Verizon promotions include the key cards at local hotels. They include shots of the car - but no mention of the driver... The other David, this one Ragan, was taken out early in the race, but seems poised for a breakout season if he improves nearly as much as he did last season... I know to never, ever mention the weather again in this blog... and I also know not to blog after having a big can of Monster Energy drink (the no-carb variety) owing to the mis-spellings and poor punctuation... and speedy recoveries for the three drivers sent to the hospital as a result of ARCA incidents...

A Wild Shootout

I'm going on record to predict a wild Budweiser Shootout Saturday night at Daytona. On my way out of the track this evening, I parked the ol' rental car on the inside of turns one and two and played "fan" for awhile. It was an amazing sight, as the field of cars were very visibly bouncing, sliding and careening around in three-wide angry packs. The speed and sheer violence of the rough track - combined with a record number of entries -  will serve to make the action perilous and perhaps more exciting in the coming days. Tune in early to the ARCA race at 4 pm ET. It's also very likely to be a test of survival more than an outright race.... 

An odd aside: The price per gallon on the Sunoco high-octane race fuel pumps is $6.35. Of course, all race teams get the petrol free as a part of Sunoco's deal as the official fuel of NASCAR.

A New Superstition?

There are many people in racing who have some interesting superstitions (such as an Indy car driver who would only climb into the car from the exact same side or team owner Carl Haas, who walks around each of his cars before every race, touching and apparently praying over each significant component on the machine...), but I saw a new one today.

When Ricky Carmichael climbed into his ARCA car for the first practice, he found a brand-new Monster Energy helmet inside the car. He refused to put it on until he handed it to his right-hand man, JH, who took the helmet and rapped the ground three times. Then, Carmichael was happy to strap the shiny helmet to his noggin and zoom off into the Daytona sunlight.

UPDATE / The Explanation: You guys were right. 

"In the motorcycle world," Carmichael laughed, "you'd slam your new helmet to the ground to break it in. Otherwise, the first hit it took would be with your head hitting the dirt!" 

Whole Lotta Waitin' Goin On

Notes and Nonsense from Daytona:  With an ARCA entry list of 55+ cars, inspection is a never-ending thing. The #33 KHI team has been in town two days and have done almost nothing but wait. They were in the garage at 7am today, were allowed into the inspection line by 1pm, and actually rolled into the room of doom at 6:30 pm - almost 12 hours after arrival. A handful of teams never even made it that far - and were sent back to their garage without being inspected. There must be a more efficient and less wasteful manner of organizing inspection - especially at restrictor-plate races. ARCA is not unique: it's almost as slow and tedious on the NASCAR side with Cup, Nationwide and Truck...

Hoosier Daddy: It's amazing to see the disparity in the quality of ARCA entrants. From the Cup-level quality of KHI and Eddie Sharp Racing entries, to others with primer-paint 'colors' and cars that look as if they're held together with twine or masking tape. While waiting for inspection, I watched one team weld together a spoiler while in line. Some cars looked to be a decade old - or worse. It's one thing to have an ugly car, but some of these machines look downright dangerous to their occupants and others... Yet, it should still be an entertaining race at the front - so tune in Saturday afternoon before the Budweiser Shootout kicks off the year for the big boys that night...

Do You Really Care?: Despite the callers to NASCAR Radio on satellite, does anyone really, truly care about the top-35 rule? If so, let me know. Seriously.

I Need More Layers:  I know "cold" is a relative thing, but when did the north wind blow THIS hard in Daytona? Temps dipped into the low 40s at sundown Tuesday, and are expected to be in the 20s overnight. Not the most pleasant for standing around, pushing a car forward a few feet every 10 minutes or so in a cavernous, mostly empty Daytona International Speedway. Luckily, forecasters say it will warm up considerably by the weekend but not until after a wind chill warning from the National Weather Service tonight and tomorrow morning...

Cabin Fever: Thursday is media day for the NASCAR boys, so expect coverage to finally ramp-up after a winter of "no-testing" hibernation from in-depth coverage. Clare B. Lange of SiriusXM radio was running around like a dervish today - and the rest of the masses will begin doing the same Thursday....

Do You Know: Kevin Harvick's middle name?... the NHRA Full Throttle Series (the new sponsor name from fine folks at Coca-Cola) starts their 2009 season this weekend at Pomona, CA...

What's Ricky Up To?

KHI Signs Ricky Carmichael and Monster Energy

Monster Energy has signed with Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) to sponsor Ricky Carmichael in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) during the 2009 season. Carmichael, a 29-year-old native of Clearwater, Fla., and the most successful motocross racer in history, will drive the No. 4 Monster Energy Silverado for the KHI All-Star Team in at least 14 truck events and also pilot a Monster Energy Chevrolet in the season-opening Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) race at Daytona.

In the history of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), no other rider has won as many championships (15) and races (150) as Carmichael, earning him the nickname the Greatest of All-Time (the GOAT). Carmichael was a record five-time AMA Rider of the Year.

The driver lineup and sponsors for the KHI All-Star Team for the 11 remaining Camping World Series races will be announced later and will include Chevrolet-powered NASCAR Sprint Cup stars.

“Monster has been a sponsor of mine since 2005,” said Carmichael, “so it’s really an honor to bring them into the Truck Series with me and KHI. This is an opportunity I’m really excited about. I think this is my best shot to learn and the best chance to become a successful NASCAR driver. I’m going to give 110 percent to make it worthwhile for myself and the entire team.”

“I like the fact he has the determination and the drive to have won multiple motocross championships,” said Daytona 500 champion, Kevin Harvick.  “I believe he will put the same effort toward his stock car career.  He knows how to race and he takes care of his equipment.  Every time I’ve seen him race, he has shown great promise.”

The No. 4 team, led by recently hired crew chief Bill Wilburn, will assume the ninth-place owners points from the No. 2 KHI truck from 2008. The No. 2 team scored its maiden victory at Atlanta with Ryan Newman last October, then won again with team co-owner Kevin Harvick at Phoenix in November. Carmichael raced the number 4 from his first-ever motorcycle race through his retirement from two-wheeled racing in 2007.

Carmichael finished sixth in points in his rookie season in the NASCAR Camping World East Series, driving for Ken Schrader Racing in 2008. In 13 starts, Carmichael had three top-five and eight top-10 finishes with one pole position. Carmichael drove one race for KHI in 2008, running among the top-five in the ARCA race at Talladega before a blown right-rear tire knocked the No. 33 KHI Chevrolet out of the race.

Carmichael on Two Wheels:

Five AMA Supercross titles

10 AMA National outdoor championships

150 professional race victories        

        Four titles in the worldwide Motocross-of-Nations event

            One World Supercross GP Championship

            X Games Gold Medals: Moto X racing and step-up competition

Joe Gibbs Racing Gets First Big Victory of 2009

Joe Gibbs Racing has many victories and championships in NHRA and NASCAR, but now you can add a new category as his team grabbed their first-ever victory in the AMA Supercross arena Saturday night as Josh Grant (pictured) rode the #33 Yamaha to his surprising first win in the prestigious season-opening race at Anaheim, CA. The team, managed by Coach Gibb's son Coy, seems to be much improved for the 2009 season and the young Grant was a smooth rocket to grab the win.

If you haven't watched Supercross on SPEED and CBS, you might want to set the Tivo if the season-opener is any indication of the racing to come.

Expected championship rivals Chad Reed and James Stewart (who seem to genuinely dislike one another) were racing 1-2 in the early stages of the main event until the two collided, sending Stewart head-first into a berm and Reed tumbling across the dirt. Reed was able to continue while Stewart's night ended in 19th place.

The Second Big Win of 2009: Victory Lane Karting's five-man team of drivers scored a dominating victory in the 24 Hours of America karting event Sat/Sun, defeating teams from around the world by a margin of 11 laps! All of the VLK drivers also compete in the infamous Golden Benny Karting League (including 2008 GBKL champ, Fred Ogrim), and we offer big ol' congratulations on kicking kart butt for 1,270 laps and 13,970 turns at Palm Beach International Raceway (formerly Moroso Motorsports Park).

The Reason I'm a Publicist (and not a racecar driver):  Here's a snippet from my brief ride a few years back in the PacWest Reynard/Mercedes-Benz. The biggest lesson I learned? When you're being strapped into a racecar, do not leave your wallet in your back pocket. I ended my drive with the entire right side of my body asleep! (It was funny to watch as I tried to climb from the tight cockpit...)

 

Cool Internet Find of the Week (thanks to Kiwi): Use your computer's unused processing power to help find possible cures for AIDS, cancer and even clean energy. The World Community Grid from IBM is a free download that allows you to leverage the power of your computer to become a part of a worldwide computer grid to do mass computation for the benefit of science. To check it out, click to the World Community Grid site.

100 and Counting: This is the 100th entry on the "new" blog - with nearly 1000 comments! Keep the feedback coming and I'll try to improve the blog as best I can. I should have some monster news and updates coming soon.

CRIBS - the CMT Version

With the programming on VH1, MTV and CMT merging more and more (they are all a part of Viacom), certain episodes of CRIBS are now being shown on CMT rather than MTV - including the first new episode of the season - which stars Kevin and DeLana Harvick and their home. It's a gorgeous piece of work - including Kevin's garage where he maintains his cars and karts.  It's a must-see as the Harvicks will share the episode with Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch.

According to the CMT website (which is not always 100% correct but we'll try to confirm), the episode will begin airing January 10 at 2:30 pm ET. Get the Tivo ready!

New Year's Day Update: If you're near a Sirius or XM Satellite radio this eve (Thursday), tune in at 9 p.m. ET. I'll be a guest on the NASCAR channel with Nate Ryan of USA Today and racing legend Buddy Baker. 

Get Yer Mug on HBO:  Make you own version of the Flight of the Conchords "Hiphopopatamus vs. Rhymenocerous" music video, send it in and you might win a spot on HBO with the premiere of season two! Here's the scoop on how you can enter. Celebrate your mother-flippin' bottomless lyrics with Steve at your Nana's tea party...

2008 in the Rearview

Pondering the most memorable and significant moments of the 2008 racing year while watching some exciting late-season NFL games and waiting for my cell to ring to tell me where I rate in the Sporting News "NASCAR's 60 Most Beautiful People" and when the glam photo shoot will be scheduled. Oh... it's already over!?!?  Nevermind...

Enter your favorite racing moments of 2008 in the "comments" section below. I'll likely have my own list for Tuesday's SPEEDtv.com column. Also feel free to leave suggestions of topics you'd like to see covered in the weekly column. I've never found a comfort level or real voice/rhythm for the column, but I'm still slagging along. If all things fall into place, there might even be a monthly video segment for the Faster. Louder. column in 2009. Keep your fingers crossed.

How surprising is the AJ Allmendinger in for Elliott Sadler move in the 19 car? I'm a big fan of AJ and Elliott, but it seems Elliott's lack of performance has cost him a ride after Ray Evernham's departure from the team he founded. Sponsors love his personality, but sometimes you have to perform on the track (Michael Waltrip excepted...) We'll see what else develops, and if this impacts where Bobby Labonte will continue his career.

TOURE, who wrote both of the lengthy Rolling Stone magazine profiles of Dale Jr., has produced a fine list of the Thinking Man's Sex Symbols for 2008. People love lists, and though I wouldn't agree with all 10 of his picks, it's a damn fine place to start the discussion.

MUST READ BOOKS:  If you want to better understand the current economic collapse and mess-of-a-world, pick up a copy of Naomi Klein's "Shock Doctrine." Or, for a laugh, check out Artie Lange's bio, "Too Fat to Fish." Even better, check 'em out on the new Kindle: Amazon's Wireless Reading Device. It's a sign of things to come in the future - kind of like the iPod for books. 

Guess Who?

Guess who's in the cool vintage SKOAL Bandit uniform, open-face helmet and Earnhardt-style bubble goggles? 

The fingerprint inc. team finished seventh in the 12 Hours of Victory Lane Karting event Sunday at Charlotte's Victory Lane Karting. Read more about the epic once-'round-the-clock battle in my weekly column at SPEEDtv.com. It was big ol' fun, no matter how you slice it. There's now even an official race report here. 

Here's young Evan York, the 15-year-old star of the fingerprint inc, team, pictured below. Check out the photo slideshow of the event by clicking here. In full color!  

 

(Photos courtesy of Joe Cooley/Circuit Motorsports.)

New for fingerprint inc. Blog Commenters:  We're working on a Beta program where you can create your own profile with photo if you like. (It's not required.) You can even choose to be notified by email if someone replies to your comment. One of the great joys of this project is when many people have lively comments, and this will only help (at least I hope it does...) Let me know what you think. 

Thanks to the Golden Benny Karting League

The 2008 Golden Benny Karting League season closed last evening with a record field of entrants and furious racing from start to finish at Victory Lane Karting in Charlotte. 

Best of all, the GBKL raised a lot of money this year for children and families in-need in this area. We hope the funds help make Christmas a little bit better for a lot of young ones that deserve better.  

Congrats to 2008 Champ Fred Ogrim, who won four main events this year. (A coincidence perhaps, but Fred owns the place.)

This weekend, it's the 12 Hours of Victory Lane. The fingerprint inc. team still needs one more driver to complete our endurance lineup - so let me know if you're a hot shoe in need of many hours of karting excitement. 

GBKL is online. 

Indexed!

Dirt Track Driver Development School

 

I had previously posted some photos and a brief snippet about the Driver Development program at the Dirt Track Racing School at Carolina Speedway. (Shameless plug: click on the ad in the right-hand column for the Dirt Track Racing School website. They have gift certificates - which make a perfect gift.) I had an email suggesting some folks would be interested in what was involved with the school.

The course was two days of driving and instruction in the classroom for young drivers. On track, the youngsters, aged 14-16, were given a chance to drive at least 60 laps in a full-sized dirt late model and/or modified. All of them had experience in the Legends, Bandolero or Allison Legacy Series, but it was the first time most of them had driven a racecar where they couldn't reach both sides of their car while strapped-in.

Top speeds were never a concern. With the help of track late model champion Tim Allen, each of the four worked on throttle and car control in the much-more-massive missles on the 4/10th-mile clay oval. Smooth is good. Reckless is not. However, all four drivers showed a lot of potential.

The second day was spent in the classroom, where yours truly led discussions with the kids and parents on topics such as media and public relations, sponsor tips (how to get 'em and how to keep 'em), and then each student did interview practice with the video camera on. Believe me, it's tougher than it looks to do those interviews on TV - whether you're 14 or 34. 

Good luck to Matthew Godley, Chris Beuscher, Austin Leitner and Austin McKee. They're growin' 'em young these days, and all four were impressive on and off the track.

 

Behind the Scenes of a SPEEDtv.com Column

Check SPEEDtv.com for the story of Patrick Morgan, the man behind these immaculate restorations. He has restored some of the fastest and most beautiful machines ever built, including Ayrton Senna's stunning John Player Special Lotus 98T from 1986. The end of the F1 turbo era meant 1,200 horsepower in qualifying! 

 

The tiny Leyton House F1 car from 1990 marked advances in aerodynamics by Adrian Newey (at the expense of driver comfort).

And the sleek Lola T160 represents the splendid, golden days of the 1960s and '70s Can-AM series when nearly anything was legal - perhaps the last "pure" racing series. 

Photos courtesy of Dawn Treader Performance.

Get Well Mark Webber

 












It might be one way out of off-season testing, but there's nothing funny about the incident which has left Red Bull F1 driver Mark Webber with a broken leg.  Webber was hit head-on by a  four-wheel-drive vehicle while riding his bike during his own charity fund-raiser. Webber is out of surgery and apparently will be fit for the 2009 F1 opener. Perhaps it's safer in the racecar for the likeable Aussie driver.  Should he not be able to go, it might be a small window to extend the F1 career of former Champ Car star Sebastian Bourdais.

Why is Jimmie Johnson Unpopular?

The "Why is Jimmie Johnson Unpopular?" column is now online at SPEEDtv.com. It's the reason I've been asking fans to explain to me why he's not a favorite. It also culminates a lifelong dream of including the word "spork" into a published piece. As usual, I encourage anyone who disagrees (or even the random few who agree) to use the "comments" section here or at the SPEEDtv.com site to let me know why. But make it convincing! 

NHRA Finale: How dramatic was the NHRA Finale in Pomona - not just on-track but off as well, as the smoke from nearby wildfires was clearly visible and a number of drivers wondered if their home or race shop would even be standing at the end of the race weekend? Now THAT is pressure and truly a tough thing to work through. Here's hoping all are safe and sound as the fires are brought under control. 

It Doesn't Hurt to Dream: Check out the Dan Gurney Saleen Mustang. 

Hutchinson, Kansas... HELLO!:  I once lived in Hutchinson, KS, but that's a story for another day. If you're up early in Hutch tomorrow (WED.) morning, I'll be a guest of Rod Zook at 7:15 for an extended interview on KWBW-AM1450. ("whenever news breaks!...") I believe it will be available in their audio archives if you're not in the area... 

Thanks to Everyone Who Logged-in to the Chat!

Thanks to so many familiar names who logged-in for the world's longest online chat session Sunday during the Cup finale. If you missed it, you can actually go back and scan through it at SPEEDtv.com. See the replay now! Thanks to SPEED and everyone that logged in to chat!

Congrats to Bill Davis Racing and Johnny Benson - the best pit strategy took home the title Friday night.

And how about the Kansas boy: More congrats to Clint Bowyer and RCR on their Nationwide drivers title and Joe Gibbs Racing for the owner's championship. 

Place this in the BIZARRO file: DEI and Ganassi... together? Hmmmmmm... survival creates some strange bedfellows.  And the new company has such a lilting and simple name: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. Eeeeesh. Fit all THAT on a letterhead. I'm going to have to get my brain around this for several more days before I comment any further.

Bounce the Banquet

A Serious Question: I'm looking for sincere reasons people boo or don't like Jimmie Johnson.  Leave your best shot in the comments section.

BAG IT:  I don't always agree with David Poole, but he's dead-on in his call to save money for all and cancel the week of mindless activities in New York City. Does ANYONE really care about the banquet any longer? What benefits does it offer?  Seriously - if you disagree, leave a comment with a compelling reason it should remain the same.

For most everyone involved, it is a gut-wrenching week of tedium while the banquet itself gets more boring and lifeless each season. Send the champion to New York to do the morning shows and the limited number of national media appearances and spare the rest of the sport the $500 per-night hotel rates for postage-stamp sized lodging.

They've already mercifully canceled the drive-through-the streets which infuriated New Yorkers who found their usual gridlock worsened - so why not nix the entire waste? (Note: see Junior pretending to have fun, left...)

Here's Poole's commentary:

Ax NASCAR's New York fling

NASCAR is never going to go for this, but with things the way they are in the economy I believe they ought to move this year's awards ceremony out of New York... It's crazy to spend that kind of money on something the fans aren't a part of and, frankly, have all but completely lost interest in. New York sure as heck doesn't care that NASCAR is there, either. It just seems like a useless waste of a lot of people's money at a time when they don't have it to waste.

NASCAR's Place in the Universe:  It's humbling to see the race telecast pre-empted and moved to another channel by... "AFV?!" I assume it's "America's Fave Videos" or "America's Funniest Videos" or "America's Farting Videos." No matter the name, I'm quite confident it's a fine example of Lowest Common Denominator programming.