Race Re-Cap: Hamlin’s a Home Track Hero

The local boy gets the win. Chesterfield, Virginia native Denny Hamlin picks up his first win of 2008 by taking the checkered flag at Martinsville, edging presumptive favorite Jeff Gordon after the two started the day on the first row. Hamlin picks up  big time points, rising from 15th to 8th in the Sprint Cup standings.

The thing you have to love about the 2008 NASCAR Cup season is that the story lines are new every week. Two weeks ago, it was all about the 1-2-3 Richard Childress finish at Bristol. Fontana and Las Vegas were all about Carl Edwards. Daytona was about the surpise 1-2 finish of Penske teammates Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch. For a while, I thought today would be about a return to dominance by Hendrick Motorsports.

For the better part of the race was the question of which HMS driver would win. Predictably, Jeff Gordon was lightning fast out of the gate. For much of the race, he had all three of his teammates right on his bumper. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Casey Mears and Jimmie Johnson all placed inside the top 10. They all looked like winners in stretches, but Gordon may have said it best when he said his car just wasn’t strong enough in the longer runs which is what we had late in the race. Still, this was Rick Hendrick’s best day by far, and you know Jimmie, Jeff and Junior will all be around at crunch time. Maybe even Casey. Jeff Hammond of FOX-TV said it best when he said it’s not that Hendrick is performing badly, it’s just that the other teams have caught up.

Some guys that needed to do well today- did. Jamie Mc Murrayhad one of the best runs of the day. Did you see how clean his car looked? On a day where the cars looked like something at a demolition derby, Mc Murray did what a go or go homer must do- finish the race in a good spot. He did it. Now the #26 Ford team sits in 30th and he’s in for sure at Texas. Casey Mears’ 7th place finish keeps above NASCAR’s dreaded low water mark. David Ragan, Juan Pablo Montoya, Regan Smith and Paul Menard all had respectable races.

Elliott Sadler gets props for toughness.Dennis Setzer (who won the truck race yesterday) was on standby as Sadler fought a bad back. Camera shots into his car shows a racer in pain, but he gutted it out.

What a heart break for Dave Blaney. He had to qualify on time and ran a good race, until mechanical problems proved his undoing. David Reutimann’s car looked like something out of Hiroshima.

Speaking of which- what was with the rear gears? It took me back to the water in the gas tanks at Atlanta last year. I’ve never seen anything like it. Some parts maker will have some ’splainin’ to do.

Michael Mc Dowell made his Cup debut today. The former ARCA star takes over the #00, while Reutimann steps into Dale Jarrett’s old #44. The rookie finished 26th and raced hard. Apparently too hard for Jeff Burton’s liking. Mc Dowell raced blocked up Burton’s progress while the veteran driver tried to catch Hamlin. Burton was quick to point out that somebody will break Mc Dowell of that habit real soon if he doesn’t quit. Don’t you just love how short tracks bring out the raw emotions? The Brothers Busch also swapped enough paint to turn Kyle’s M&M’s Toyota blue.

Some unnamed driver said it best- “Martinsville is like racing around two lamp posts in a parking lot.” It was tight, fast and fun today.

One thing for sure, it will all change next week. 

Fearless Forecast: Jeff Gordon Will Win at Martinsville

Those of you that have been reading my posts for a while know that I am predicting that Jeff Gordon will not make the Chase in 2008. Now it’s impossible for me to read minds, but there are two reasons: #1- “The Rainbow Warrior” has priorities in his life (family, business interests), and #2- The heartbreaking near miss at a 5th Cup title took a lot of wind out of his sails. In a way, Gordon was like the New England Patriots of NASCAR. He ran a great schedule in 2007 with 6 wins, but his protege and employee Jimmie Johnson was even better- depriving the proprietor of 81 career victories a date with history. I’ll also add a third reason for good measure- every driver is due for a run of bad luck, and it seems like he’s due.

But tomorrow- Gordon gets a respite.

Win once on a short track, and people may call you lucky. Race long enough, and you may get lucky again. Win 7 times at Martinsville and rack up 7 poles (including yesterday), and people may just call you “Mr. Martinsville.”

Jeff Gordon is Mr. Martinsville.

A number of factors will work in the #24 DuPont Chevy’s favor. In addition to his obvious skill at handling “The Paper Clip” track, he has the advantage of being out front. As we saw at Bristol two weeks, track position is critical when you cram 43 cars onto a half-mile track. Experience will also work in Gordon’s favor. In my humble opinion, short tracks aren’t kind to green horns. You have to know when and where to pick your battles on a track like this, thus some of the young bucks who have made some noise early this year will be challenged.

Because of his hard luck streak, it’s also easy to forget that Gordon has the backing of the New York Yankees of NASCAR. Knowing you have Hendrick Motorsports in your corner all0ws you to race with a greater confidence and offers one less thing to worry about.

Gordon will be challenged. Jimmie Johnson will be gunning for his fourth consecutive win at the Virginia track, and like Gordon, the two-time defending titlist feels like he has something to prove. Based on experience, I expect we’ll also hear from Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, and Jeff Burton.

Regardless of who wins, Martinsville will be a treat for the traditional fan’s senses. We’re talking about all the beatin’, bangin’, and tight passing that makes short track racing such a gas. All that paint tradin’ also gives rise to tempers, so we may see some good old-fashioned fightin’ too. The “X” factor is the new car. With these tanks, you can beat on somebody all you want, but it doesn’t mean you’ll take somebody, so you’d better pick your battles carefully.

It will be fun for fans of all drivers, but when the tire and engine smoke clears, Jeff Gordon will find gold at the end of his rainbow for career win 82, putting him within breathing distance of such NASCAR immortals as Cale Yarborough (83 wins), Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip (tied with 84 wins). This trio ranks behind Richard Petty (200) and David Pearson (105) for all-time wins.

It’s Crunch Time For The New “Go or Go Homers”

It’s a long, hard fall for some of the guys who comprise the new list of “go or go home” drivers now that we’re 5 races into the 2008 season and we are no longer running off of the 2007 standings. While I’m sure Michael Waltrip, David Reutimann and Brian Vickers are relieved to be off of this list, thanks to improvements made by Toyota, there are others that have to be seriously concerned about what this portends for their 2008 season. For some, it may mean that their season is awash in anxiety.

Imagine being in Kyle Petty’s shoes. For most of his career, he’s been an automatic entry into the field. As it stands right now, I’d be very concerned if I were him. In looking over qualifying times over the last several races, The #45 has consistently run at or near the bottom of the list. Even when he gets in the race, it’s been monumentally difficult to get above NASCAR’s “Mendoza Line” (35th) to get out of this dreaded category.

It sucks. Just watch a couple of qualifying heats and you see how falling into the “go or go home” category completely fouls up anything resembling a strategy. You have to trim your car to run as fast as it will go just to get in at the expense of running for the duration of a 250-500 mile race. That doesn’t even take into account being at the mercy of poor weather conditions and being shut out if qualifying has to be canceled. Then there’s dealing with being at the end of the qualifying line and all the nerves that come with waiting it out to see if you get in.

Petty has plenty of company- drivers not used to being in this position: former open wheel stud Dario Franchitti joins Patrick Carpentier as drivers who have to get in on time. They’ll be joined by the likes of Jamie Mc Murray and Dave Blaney. These are guys you don’t expect to be joining the ranks of Burney Long and Stanton Barrett.

I have to imagine Mc Murray will pull through this- though you have to think this will make the driver of the Roush-Fenway #26 an odds-on-favorite to be cut when Jack Roush is required to go from 5 teams to 4 next year. Mc Murray has the backing of good equipment, so you’d think he’d be able to raise his standing quickly. By the same token, that Mc Murray finds himself in this position in spite of having a good product to work with doesn’t say good things about his skills.

It reminds me again of my disdain for the Top 35 “automatic qualifying rules.”On this rare occasion, I join the traditional NASCAR fan base by saying everybody in the field should get in on time. I get why the governing body has the rule, as sponsors pay BIG bucks to get their logos on the cars, and it doesn’t behoove a corporation to pay the big green if their car never gets camera time. After all, only the truly seriousfan watches the quals. By the same token, what does this do for the companies who sponsor go or go home drivers? Quick- do you have any idea who sponsors Boris Said? I didn’t think you did. I don’t easily remember either.

My argument to eliminate the rule would be this: If all the other guys are as good as their performance suggests, they’ll get in. Watch the qualifying times of the likes of Tony Stewart or Jeff Gordon. About the only time one of the big boys runs lower than top 30 is generally if they’ve wrecked. A miss for one of the top 20 would be rare.

I wish these guys well. Hopefully- NASCAR will see the light on this and we won’t be subject to further “back room deals” like the Hornish- Kurt Busch points swap.

It’s really not good for the sport.

On Track Race Preview- The Goody’s Cool Orange 500 edition

When: Sunday, March 30, 2008, 2:00 p.m. EDT, 11:00 a.m. PDT Green Flag Start

Where: Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Virginia

Broadcast: FOX-TV Network, 1:30 p.m. EDT Pre-Race, 10:30 PDT

Track facts: Martinsville is NASCAR’s shortest track at .526 miles. The track possesses 12 degree banking in the turns, and it’s flat as a board on the straights. The track is asphalt with concrete corners.

Track History- NASCAR’s oldest track held its maiden race on September 25, 1949. The winner? World War II hero Red Byron. Curtis “Pops” Turner started from the pole. Jimmie Johnson has won the last THREE races at Martinsville, and no doubt he’ looking forward to this occasion to get his 2008 turned around.

The Qualifying Record? “Smoke”- Tony Stewart ran a qualifying lap in 19.306 with a speed of 98.083 m.p.h., October 21, 2005

The record for race speed is 82.223 m.p.h. by Jeff Gordon on September 22, 1996. He ran the race in 3 hours, 11 minutes, 55 seconds.

“The King” is the King. Richard Petty holds the record for victories at Martinsville with 15. Among active drivers, Jeff Gordon has 7.

Ol’ D.W. is the “King of Qualifying.” Darrell Waltrip has 8 poles. Jeff Gordon must really like it here. “The Rainbow Warrior” has earned 6 poles- making him top of the heap for active drivers.

21 caution flags flew last fall, beating the old record of 19. On three occasions, only one caution waved, the most recent being April 25, 1971.

Other track trivia: “Mr. September,” Harry Gant was the oldest winner at this track at the age of 51 years old in 1991. Richard Petty is the youngestCup driver to win here, he did so just 2 months shy of his 23rd birthday in 1960. Petty Enterprises is the winningest team here with 19.

Who’s been the best here in recent years? Besides the defending champion Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart, and Kyle Busch have posted the best averages in the last couple of seasons.

What’s Up?: NASCAR Cup action returns after taking an Easter holiday. Crew chief Gene Nead is leaving the #21. Until joining Wood Bros. in November, 2007, he was crew chief for Robby Gordon. There’s also talk of a merge between two Dodge teams- BAM Racing, owned by Beth Ann Morgenthau and Petty Enterprises.

What’s interesting about looking at the list of good runners on this track is that all of the drivers on that list have a reputation for aggressiveness, with the possible exception of Johnson, who in my opinion has a driving style quite similar to the “Silver Fox”- David Pearson. Johnson just lays back, and then….WHAM! He’s on you like a cat on a blue jay.

NASCAR Terminology- A NASCAR for Dummies Primer

Apron: We’re not talking about what grillmasters wear at infield and tail gate parties. In this case, the “apron” is the paved portion of a track that separates the racing surface from the infield.

B-post: This is the post extending from the roofline to the base of the window behind the driver’s head.

Compound: We’ve heard a lot about compounds after the controversial Atlanta race. The compound is the formula or recipe of rubber composing a particular tire. Left-side tires are considerably softer than right-side tires, and it’s against the rules to run left sides on the right. There are four basic components: rubber polymers, carbon blacks, oils and curatives.

Thanks for reading everybody! Enjoy the race.

Should Austin Dillon Drive the #3?

Man alive, you’d think somebody drew graffitti on the Lincoln Memorial! If only we had THAT much respect for our leaders of the free world. Since this is not a political blog, I’ll save that speech about priorities concerning sports in America for somewhere else. Besides, it sounds hypocritical for a radio sportscaster and blogger considering I draw a paycheck thanks to America’s fixation with sports. I digress.

A stir that we knew would come someday got here when talk came up about a young driver using the legendary Dale Earnhardt’s #3 in a NASCAR series. Young Austin Dillon, grandson of NASCAR owner Richard Childress will use the #3, a number he’s used coming up through the ranks when he debuts in the Camping World Series (formerly known as Busch East) this April. This will end the unspoken retirement of the #3 since Dale Earnhardt died on the final lap of the Daytona 500 on February 18, 2001. While a young Kevin Harvick assumed The Intimidator’s spot on the Richard Childress Racing roster, and also assumed all of Dale’s sponsors, he immediately switched to the #29.

For a long time, many have assumed Dale Jr. might take the number someday. Junior has publicly said he’s uncomfortable with the idea, and who could blame him? It’s bad enough- the comparisons between he and his dad, and if you ask me, I don’t see much similarity between the two. There’s also been rumors that Jeffrey Earnhardt, Dale Sr.’s grandson and son to Kerry (Dale Sr.’s oldest child from his first marriage), would get the number someday. NASCAR has ultimate authority on race numbers, but for all intents and purposes, the #3 sits with Dillon’s grandfather, who was still Earnhardt’s employer at the time of his death. that’s something people forget. Michael Waltrip, Dale Jr. and Steve Park NOT Dale Sr. were the DEI drivers that fateful day in 2001.

At the end of the day, I’m only a fan- but I say “Let it go.”

There are no retired numbers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. If there were, the #43 of Richard Petty, the #21 of David Pearson, or any one of Darrell Waltrip’s numbers would be off the boards by now. The NBA’s Boston Celtics and baseball’s New York Yankees are classic examples of teams who went a little overboard on the concept, and so you have players wearing number they’d prefer to not have (A-Rod always wore the #3 until coming to New York- but the Bambino took that number out of Yankee circulation years ago).

If we really retired numbers in NASCAR, it’d be a mess.

That aside, I think it’s time to bring some closure to NASCAR Nation on the matter of Dale Earnhardt. What I’m saying is, let the kids use the number and let move on. Now I’m not by any means suggesting that we trash the memory of one of NASCAR’s most legendary drivers. I’m just saying we’ve had a seven year period of mourning over The Intimidator, and it’s time to let the living Earnhardts be who they are, and let’s let anybody who wants to use the #3 use it.

It’s not like Dale’s going to rise from the dead and reclaim it. If you ask me, I think Earnhardt would be embarrassed at all the hoopla over our fixation with anything associated with him. I myself find it creepy how some of his fans hang on to his memory as if it would bring him back to life.

Don’t get me wrong- the man should never be forgotten. Ralph Dale Earnhardt has that “everyman” quality because he was “everyman.” His story is one that NASCAR doesn’t have right now- a racer who bump drafted his way to racing glory from a humble beginning. I didn’t care much for his tactics, but I grew to respect his fearless approach and grew to understand there was another side to the man who had a playful sense of humor and a big heart.

The way I see it, we need to let others honor Dale Earnhardt in their own way. Let Junior choose to race for another organization. Let Teresa manage the organization her late husband founded the way she sees fit (”3″ always said he owed his success to her). Let his boss (and dear friend) determine who uses the number.

And…..let Austin Dillon race with #3 if he wants. You know his grandfather his talked to him about what this means to fans.

I have no doubt it is in good hands. By the way- Who drove the #3 before Dale Earnhardt did? It was a hardscrabble young driver named Richard Childress.

NASCAR Stocks: The Top 10 (Moving Up, Going Out)

Bristol’s race shook things up this week- Oh yeah, we saw a lot of the usual suspects up front, but when the smoke cleared (and Smoke got cleared), things looked very different. There’s some big movers in my power rankings this week.

#1- Greg Biffle (#6 last week). Here’s our big mover of the week. Biff is back! It’s hard to believer right now that this guy didn’t make the Chase last year. This year will be a different ballgame.

#2- Kevin Harvick (#5 last week)- After the 2nd place finish at Bristol, it was tempting to vault ”Happy” to #1. Harvick is proving to be a downright reliable top finisher for RCR.

#3- Kyle Busch (#1 last week)- Don’t go throwing dirt on this guy yet. Busch was running yet another great race before his power steering locked up. The woes for the younger Busch at Bristol, coupled with Hamlin’s fuel pump troubles show that Toyota, while improved is still a work in progress.

#4- Dale Earnhardt Jr. (#2 last week)- So close, yet so far for Junebug…again. I DO like how Earnhardt is keeping a positive attitude, and right now, he is the top Hendrick driver in the standings. Soon….the wins will follow. He only slips because the other guys have wrestled the top spots away.

#5- Jeff Burton (unrated last week)- The win puts  J.B. back on the map. His average finish of 8.2 ranks him 4th in 2008.

#6- Kasey Kahne (#8 last week)- The favorite of soccer moms everywhere (and their daughters) gets the nod thanks to 4 top 10 finishes. He’s had to fight for his standing, but let there be no question that the Gillett- Evernham crew is making things better for their drivers.

#7- Tony Stewart (#4 last week)- It’s a bummer for the Rushville Rocket, because he sure looked good. His plight proves once again, the only lap where it really matters to lead is the last one. Perhaps a week off will invigorate him.

#8- Ryan Newman (#7 last week)- The 33rd place finish really wasn’t his fault. What can’t be ignored though is the fact he’s been on a steady descent since his win at Daytona. In an interview published today, Newman said he was happy to be headed home. Perhaps the home cooking will clear his memory of Bristol.

#9- Clint Bowyer (unrated last week)- Bowyer  is too tough to ignore. I have no doubt the 3rd place finish at Bristol will energize him. The RCR 1-2-3 finish in Tennessee demonstrates how the shop has its act together with the new car.

#10- Matt Kenseth (#8 last week)- Matty didn’t fare as well I thought he would at Bristol. Still, he’s solid and consistent, and I’m sure he’ll hang around the top 10 all season.

Falling out- Carl Edwards, Brian Vickers. Edwards won’t be down long. Vickers needs more consistency.

Knocking on the door- Martin Truex, Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin and Jeff Gordon. These guys won’t stay outside the top 10 long. They’re just too good.

Dark Horse- Jeff Gordon. Can you really call a 4-time Cup Champ a dark horse? The Rainbow Warrior knows Martinsville, so look out!

So Long, Rennaisance Man (A tribute to Dale Jarrett)

Intelligent, well-spoken and athletic, Dale Jarrett probably could have chosen any career he wanted. The son of a two-time NASCAR champion (Ned Jarrett), he grew up with several advantages, including a knowledge of the dangers of moving a 3,500 pound machine around a race track with other vehicles of the same size at speeds 3 times greater than most of us drive on an interstate.

Coming of age in the early 70’s the Hickory, North Carolina native garnered all-conference honors at Newton- Conover High School in football, basketball and golf. The strapping man who now stands 6′2″ also played baseball, and was ultimately offered a golf scholarship at the University of South Carolina. Think about it, if not for auto racing, Jarrett would have been competing with the likes of Tom Kite, Corey Pavin and maybe even Tiger Woods instead of The Intimidator and the Rainbow Warrior.

Dale Jarrett was also exposed to the world of TV broadcasting at an early age. When Dale was 8, his father retired at the age of 35 to become one of NASCAR’s early signature voices. It’s life not nearly the extreme excitement that driving is, but speaking from experience, I can tell you it is a lot of fun to watch and describe sporting events from the broadcast booth. Testament to Jarrett’s speaking skills is the fact that he will be trading in his helmet for a headset at ESPN, where we’ve already experienced his insights first hand. Like anything else, it will take Jarrett time to get his chops up, and I will tell you now, than in my opinion, the 51 year old is good and will only get better.

Jarrett has also used the platform he’s been blessed with to do good works. In 2000, he was named NASCAR’s USG Person of the Year on behalf of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation for his charity work. Jarrett was also very involved in fundraising efforts for Brenner’s Children’s Hospital, and for Carly Brayton, the son of driver Scott Brayton, who was killed  in accident practicing for the Indy 500 in 1996.

Oh yeah, Dale Jarrett was a pretty good driver, too. He debuted at the Cup level in 1984, seven years after he started running in the Late Sportsman division at Hickory Motor Speedway. Jarrett won his first Cup race at Michigan in August, 1991, en route to 32 career victories. From 1996 to 2001, Jarrett was one of the top drivers in NASCAR, racing for Robert Yates, whom he signed on with after piloting the #18 Interstate Batteries car for Joe Gibbs from 1992 to 1994. During that 6 season stretch at the turn of the century, Jarrett finished in the top 5 in points, including a Cup championship in 1999 and a second place finish in 1997.

The man most famous for driving the #88 at Yates also mastered NASCAR’s biggest stage. He took the checkered flag at the Daytona 500 three times- in 1993, 1996 and 2000. The most famous win was his first- his dad was calling that race on television that day- and though they couldn’t communicate, it almost seemed as if Dale was getting some kind of vibe from Ned as Dale almost seemed to respond to what his dad thought he should do.

During his illustrious career, Jarrett also raced for Cale Yarbrough, and the legendary Wood Brothers among others before helping his buddy Michael Waltrip launch a racing team in 2007. Back in the days when his hair was darker and he sported a mustache, Jarrett won 11 races in what is now called the Nationwide Series.

By the way, Ned and Dale Jarrett are one of only two father-son duos to win cup titles at the Cup level. The other? Lee and Richard Petty- some pretty fast company.

Jarrett will always be remembered for racing clean and for his bright smile. He has always been counted on as a driver who would not put a wheel on you to get a win.

There are many things Dale Jarrett could have done with his life, but he chose a road (or a track) less traveled.

For that, NASCAR fans are grateful. Thank you, Dale Jarrett. We look forward to seeing you in the booth.
May you raise the standard in the booth the way you did on the track.

Burning At Bristol

NASCAR was on fire today, one driver’s car was literally. The old school fans had to have loved what they saw today. They were tradin’ paint, there were lead changes galore, and one driver proved once again, the only lap that it truly matters to lead is the last one.

Congratulations to Jeff Burton- who led only two laps- including the checkered flag. I really hammered on Richard Childress for the late season fade in 2007. I suggested that before this season began, RCR was in trouble.

Boy was I wrong!!

Burton’s teammates Happy Harvick and Clint Bowyer finished second and third respectively after Joe Gibbs racers Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin dominated. In all, JGR led 372 of 500 laps.

Tony Eury’s pit decision sure hurt Junior today. It was a real show of class by Lil “E” that he didn’t blast his cousin over the decision to skip getting tires at the end. Earnhardt was quick to credit Eury for getting a top 5 car. With that kind of positive attitude, the wins will soon follow.

Let’s make this perfectly clear- The Stewart/ Harvick crash was a “racing incident” and Smoke will soon get over it. Stewart showed composure in not going off on his buddy. Harvick showed class for taking responsibility. Happy’ car just climbed up the track. End of story.

David Gilliland serves up another slice off humble pie. Man, I’m getting full here. After I called him on of NASCAR’s top 10 overrated drivers, he goes out and gets a 9th place finish (unofficially). Good job, David! Keep up the good work, man.

Do you see what I mean about the new car? We had all 43 out at the end- a NASCAR record for a short track. They may look like old cracker tins, but man, these cars are tanks. Mike Skinner’s 40th place finish is pretty remarkable when you consider he was on fire- literally!

Thanks for the memories Dale Jarrett. The 1999 Cup Champion is hanging ‘em up for good. We’ll look forward to your insights on ESPN. Make sure you get a little golf in too, good buddy.

Great race today! I’m becoming a short track fan in a big hurry.

NASCAR’S Top 10 Most Overrated Drivers

A few weeks ago, I worked up a Top 10 list. I took great care to find a way to determine the best racers of today. Needless to say, with Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, and Tony Stewart among others, there weren’t any REAL surprises, though some may argue that Dale Earnhardt Jr. is either OVERRATED of UNDERRATED depending upon your point of view.

Today, it’s time to determine who the most overrated drivers are. I truly bear no malice towards these guys, I just think that for all the attention they get, they don’t produce the results to warrant it. Some guys get a lot of attention because of their success in other racing (yes, there will be some open-wheelers on the list). Others will be there because they happen to be on high visibility racing teams and they just aren’t producing results. For some, it will be because of their personalities, looks, or name.

Here goes:

#10- David Gilliland- If you recall Tony Stewart’s rant concerning this guy over a practice mishap in 2007, then you know why Gilliland is here. The Yates driver debuts in the Nationwide Series in 2005, wins ONE race in Kentucky in 2006, and the suddenly- Presto!- he’s ready for the big time. For all his prowess, Gilliland has 1 Top 5 finish, and 2 top 10’s. I’m sure he’s a perfectly good guy, but I think he needed a little more time on the junior varsity before coming up.

#9- Kyle Petty- I really hate the idea of putting the Prince on the list. The son of “The King” will always suffer by comparison to his dad’s car (200 career wins for Richard, 8 for Kyle). Kyle is a good ambassador, a great human being, and he shows promise as an announcer. My point is- it’s time for this guy to retire. That Kyle finished so far off the lead lap and still finished the race says a lot about how it seems to me this guy is just mailing it in. I’d love nothing more to see Petty give up his ride to an unemployed driver like Tony Raines, or to an up and coming Nationwide driver.

It’d be easy to blame his equipment or his team’s funding- but his teammate Bobby Labonte is running top 15 with the same name plate and the same equipment, and it’s obvious that finding sponsors for this team is no problem. Petty just looks bored.

#8- J.J. Yeley- I hear a lot about how much potential Yeley has. My point is my 5-year-old has potential too if you’re willing to wait for 20 years! With Yeley, I keep waiting for a moment of brilliance that has yet to arrive. I think there’s a good reason Joe Gibbs dumped the Arizonan in favor of Kyle Busch. Wouldn’t you?

#7- Jamie Mc Murray- We all know Roush-Fenway Racing will need to cut their team from 5 drivers to 4 next year, and I’m afraid that this former Chip Ganassi driver is the most likely candidate to go. This is another case of a guy who has all the potential to be better, but isn’t. His young teammate David Ragan gets blamed for a lot wrecks, but to be honest, Mc Murray ends up in way too many fender benders himself.

#6- Elliott Sadler- Here’s another driver I really like, but Sadler’s lack of performance can’t be ignored. “Rabbit Release” is always a contender for popularity awards, but for all the laps he’s logged, you’d think he’d have more than 3 career wins.

#5- Paul Menard- There must be at least 5 Nationwide drivers absolutely furious that this guy has a ride at the Cup level and they don’t. Menard hasn’t been around a long time, but ONE top 10 finish? Come on! I’ll just say that Menard’s performance doesn’t help dispel any suggestions that he’s only racing for DEI because his family’s company is a major sponsor.

#4- Michael Waltrip- I hate doing this. Putting Mikey on the list is akin to picking on Mahatma Gandhi. Waltrip is as funny as heck, he does a lot of good works, but jeez, 4 career wins after 20 years of racing? Mike, Mike, Mike. I’d consider a greater commitment to my team and to the TV gig, and give my ride up. Sorry, man.

#3- Robby Gordon- Though I consider his personality to be a bit prickly I still have reservations about putting NASCAR’s “other” Gordon on here. Robby is a “racer’s racer” with all of his off-road and Indy car work. That said, I still can’t fathom why “The Human Caution Flag” has a following more befitting a (in my opinion) more solid journeyman like Dave Blaney. I’ll admit that Gordon, along with some of the other drivers on this list, maybe a victim of inferior equipment or funding. But still, Gordon is way too popular for a driver with 3 career wins.

#2- Juan Pablo Montoya- This is a case of a driver who actually has decent stats for no longer than he’s been racing at the Cup level. I know a lot of people think Montoya deserves to be here because of his attitude, all the wrecks he’s caused, and because of all the media hype surrounding him. Believe it or not, J.P. has 6 top 10’s and 3 top 5’s to go with his lone career victory at Sonoma in 2007. Not bad for 41 career starts. Still- I’m not sure that Montoya is deserving of all the hype.

My pick for the top of this list is going to get me in a LOT of trouble. People just LOVE this guy. Actually, My #1 is one of my favorite drivers. At the same time, half of this racer’s fan base should go to a less popular driver (like one of the Busch brothers or even Jimmie Johnson), who is better. My Number One pick is:

#1- Dale Earnhardt Jr.- Right now, I’m ducking behind my desk because I know I’ll get skewered for this. I will take this moment to say that 17 Cup wins, 20+ Nationwide wins and 2 Nationwide titles are not chicken feed. He’s doing quite well in 2008, and at the moment, he’s Hendrick’s best driver statistically. This choice is a lot more about his INSANE level of popularity, borne as much out of reverence for his late father than it is Junior’s own accomplishments. If you look at my top 10 driver’s list- he’s on it! At the same time, NASCAR’s run away leader in popularity has 5 drivers ahead of him in my estimation in terms of skill and performance.

Some wins and a title of two would get him off the list. And I’d love to get him off it.

So here it is. I put this list out knowing that these guys are human beings with fans and family that love them. At the same time, I think there are a boatload of good NASCAR racers like Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick and Greg Biffle who go largely ignored, while the above mentioned drivers get more fanfare and have more of a following. I also think there are driver on this list who needed more Nationwide time before being given a Cup ride. I will say right here that I cannot fathom why guys like Jason Leffler and Scott Wimmer aren’t in Cup rides right now.

Say what you want, but this is a free country, and this is my opinion. I’m sure you have your own ideas and I’d be interested to hear them. 

In Defense Of The “Car Of Tomorrow”

Tell us how you really feel old schoolers! Good grief! I’ve been checking email responses to the “Happy Birthday Car of Tomorrow?” at nascar.com and I swear there’s just no making some fans happy.

Let me make something clear: SPORTS CHANGE! If you want to live in the past, may I suggest baseball, and with America’s past-time you will also find the most mismanaged sport around. Whatever gripes you had about NASCAR will be easily eclipsed by the broken mess that the major leagues. On the topic of change, old schoolers, accept the fact the ”Car of Tomorrow” is here to stay.

I’m easily amused by fans who complain that the Car of Tomorrow doesn’t resemble a car you buy off the showroom floor. And the old car did? Wake up people! NASCAR rides stopped resembling show room models some 30 years ago. Case dismissed on that score.

“The racing is boring!” I beg to differ. First- consider this statistic: there were 100 lead changes through the first four races of 2007. In 2008, there’s 120- MORE passing folks. In 2007, there were 126 passes for the lead under green flags. In 2008, there’s 148! Consider also more cars are finishing races. I thought that was a great display of driving in Atlanta where Kasey Kahne kept his spun out car in the race. No doubt , the rear wing and safety features kept him upright. How about Kahne’s teammate Elliott Sadler? The dude banged the wall 3 times before his car gave up the ghost. He would have been long gone in the old car.

Don’t get me wrong- we still have a long ways to go with the “new” car. It’s like Darrell Waltrip said, this car is still in a “Research and Development” phase. We’ll still have a few more races where a Jimmie Johnson will fight his car. I’ll bet you dollars against donuts Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus will figure it out soon. Roush- Fenway Racing provides an awesome example of a team who has mastered the learning curve as Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, and Matt Kenseth are all off to good starts in spite of their early troubles with the “CoT” last year. Not everybody will master it overnight, but mark my words, the racing will continue improving as the racing goes on.

Stop livng in the past. The new car is here to stay, making for safer drivers and more racing in the hands of the driver and less on the machine.

It’s the way it should be.   

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