Phoenix Race Weekend Schedule

Presented by NASCAR.com

FRIDAY, FEB. 28:

ON TRACK
-- Noon-12:50 p.m.: Mexico Toyota Series practice
-- 1-1:50 p.m.: Nationwide Series practice, FOX Sports 1 (Follow live)
-- 2 p.m-3:30 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series practice, FOX Sports 1 (Follow live)
-- 3:40 p.m.: Mexico Toyota Series qualifying
-- 5 p.m.-6:25 p.m.: Nationwide Series final practice, FOX Sports 1 (Follow live)
-- 6:40 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series qualifying, FOX Sports 1 (Follow live)
-- 9 p.m.: Mexico Toyota Series Toyota 120 (120 laps, 120 miles), mun2

GARAGECAM, PRESENTED BY MOBIL 1
-- 12:30 p.m.: NNS Garage Cam presented by Mobil 1 (Watch live)
-- 1:30 p.m.: NSCS GarageCam presented by Mobil 1 (Watch live)

NEWS CONFERENCES
-- 11:30 a.m.: Kurt Busch (Watch live)
-- 11:45 a.m.: Gillian Zucker, Auto Club Speedway (Watch live)
-- 12:15 p.m.: Regan Smith (Watch live)
-- 12:30 p.m.: Jeff Gordon (Watch live)
-- 1 p.m.: Jimmie Johnson (Watch live)
-- 1:15 p.m.: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Watch live)
-- 4 p.m.: Denny Hamlin (Watch live)
-- 4:45 p.m.: Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive VP of racing operations, Federico Alaman, NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series managing director, Daniel Suarez (Watch live)
-- Approx 7:40 p.m.: NSCS post-quals (Watch live)

SATURDAY, MARCH 1:

ON TRACK-- 11-11:55 a.m.: Sprint Cup Series practice, FOX Sports 1 (Follow live)
-- 12:10 p.m.: Nationwide Series qualifying, FOX Sports 1 (Follow live)
-- 2-2:50 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series final practice, FOX Sports 1 (Follow live)
-- 3:45 p.m.: NASCAR Nationwide Series Blue Jeans Go Green 200 presented by Cotton, The Fabric of Our Lives (200 laps, 200 miles), ABC on air at 3:30 (Follow live)

NEWS CONFERENCES
-- 11:45 a.m.: Andrea Samber, Cotton Inc. (Watch live)
-- Approx. 5:30 p.m.: NNS post-race (Watch live)

SUNDAY, MARCH 2:

ON TRACK-- -- 3 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series The Profit on CNBC 500, Presented by Small Business Fueling America, FOX on air at 2:30 p.m. ET (Follow live)

NEWS CONFERENCES
-- 12 p.m.: Bobby Allison (Watch live)
-- 12:30 p.m.: A.J. Foyt (Watch live)
-- 1 p.m.: Marcus Lemonis, Chairman & CEO of Camping World and Good Sam Enterprises and star of CNBC’s The Profit (Watch live)
-- Approx. 6 p.m.: NSCS post-race (Watch live)

Phoenix Raceway Fast Facts

The following was presented by NASCAR media services and previously posted by Jayski.com

 Construction was completed in January 1964. The facility consisted of a one-mile oval and a 2.5-mile road course.
· Alan Kulwicki won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix on Nov. 6, 1988.
· The first spring race was held on April 23, 2005 and also the first night race, which was won by Kurt Busch.
· The track underwent its first repave in 2011. The construction began in March and concluded in September of that year.
· The following changes were made during the construction period (March - Sept. 2011):
o Widened the frontstretch from 52 to 62 feet
o Reconfigured pit road with the installation of concrete pit stalls
o Pushed the dog-leg curve between Turn 2 and Turn 3 out 95 feet
o Tightened the turn radius of the dog-leg from 800 to 500 feet
o Implemented variable banking to ensure the immediate use of two racing grooves, including 10-11 degree banking between Turn 1 and Turn 2; 10-11 degree banking in the apex of the dog-leg; and 8-9 degree banking in Turn 4
· There have been 35 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Phoenix International Raceway, one per season from 1988-2004 and two each season since.
· 186 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Phoenix; 138 in more than one.
· Mark Martin leads series in starts at Phoenix with 34; followed by Jeff Gordon and Bobby Labonte with 30 each.
· Geoff Bodine won the first pole in 1988 at a speed of 123.203 mph (29.220 sec.).
· There have been 19 different Coors Light pole winners, led by Ryan Newman with four.
· Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon and Carl Edwards are the only drivers to win consecutive poles. Newman won three straight (2002-04), while Gordon won the fall of 2006 and the spring of 2007. Edwards won the fall of 2010 and spring of 2011.
· Denny Hamlin (November, 2005) and AJ Allmendinger (April, 2010) won their first career Coors Light poles at Phoenix International Raceway.
· There have been 23 different NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winners at Phoenix, eight have won more than once, led by Jimmie Johnson, with four - ('07 Chase race, '08 spring race and Chase race, '09 Chase race).
· The eight drivers who have won more than once at Phoenix: Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick lead the series in wins (four each), Davey Allison (two), Jeff Burton (two), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (two), Jeff Gordon (two) Carl Edwards (two) and Mark Martin (two).
· Of the eight drivers with multiple wins at Phoenix International Raceway, Mark Martin is the only driver to win in two different manufacturers: Ford (1993) and Chevrolet (2009).
· Four of the 35 (11.4%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Phoenix have been won from the Coors Light pole: Jeff Gordon (spring 2007), Jimmie Johnson (fall 2008), Mark Martin (spring 2009) and Carl Edwards (fall 2010).
· Seven of the 35 (20%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Phoenix have been won from the front row: four from the pole and three from second-place.
· 17 of the 35 (48.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Phoenix have been won from a starting position inside the top 10.
· Jimmie Johnson leads the series in average finishes at Phoenix with a 6.3; he is the only active driver with an average finish inside the top 10. 
· Ricky Rudd won the 1995 race from the 29th-place starting position, the furthest back a race winner has started.
· Matt Kenseth won the 2002 race from the 28th-place starting position, the furthest back an active race winner has started.
· 18 of the 35 (51.4%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Phoenix have been won from a starting position outside the top 10.
· 3 of the 35 (8.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Phoenix have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.
· Five drivers have won consecutive races at Phoenix: Davey Allison (1991,1992); Jeff Burton (2000, 2001); Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2003, 2004); Kevin Harvick (swept 2006); Jimmie Johnson is the only one of the five to win three consecutive races (fall 2007, swept 2008).
· Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at Phoenix with nine, followed by Roush Fenway Racing with seven.
· Two perfect Driver Ratings of 150.0 have been recorded at Phoenix, Kurt Busch in April of 2005 and Kevin Harvick in November of 2006.
· Mark Martin leads the series in runner-up finishes at Phoenix with five; followed by Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart with three each.
· Jimmie Johnson leads the series in top-five finishes at Phoenix with 14.
· Alan Kulwicki (11/6/1988) and Bobby Hamilton (10/27/1996) are the only two drivers to post their first NASCAR Sprint Cup career win at Phoenix International Raceway.
· 21 of the 23 NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers who have won at Phoenix participated in at least two or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Alan Kulwicki (11/6/1988) and Tony Stewart (11/7/1999) are the only two drivers to win at Phoenix in their first appearance.
· Jeff Gordon competed at Phoenix International Raceway 16 times before winning (4/21/2007); the longest span of any the 23 winners.
· Six drivers have made 10 or more attempts before their first win at Phoenix: Jeff Gordon (16), Ryan Newman (15), Kasey Kahne (14), Denny Hamlin (13), Carl Edwards (12) and Rusty Wallace (11).
· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Phoenix was the April 10, 2010 race won by Ryan Newman with a MOV of 0.13 seconds.(NASCAR)(2-25-2014)

Time To Get To Business

By Mark Young

The haulers are on their way from North Carolina headed West to Arizona.  Not very news worthy in light of all the fanfare and attention Daytona got over the past two weeks but it is a signal that the real opening race of the 2014 season is upon us.  Daytona is the biggest race of the year, it should be, it deserves to be.  But with Daytona comes so many things that are beyond the driver's control.  Phoenix is where the big boys are separated from the wanna be's and has beens.

There is no disrespect intended with that statement, its the truth.  There is a LOT of luck that goes into plate racing.  That is why Terry LaBonte, Brian Scott, and Landon Cassill finished where they did.  From here on out these guys have got to give 110% because a win should guarantee a spot in the Chase.

This weekend is the true opening weekend.  The new driver/crew chief combinations, the new chassis setups, the new aero package, it all will show us what works and what doesn't beginning this weekend.

Time to pull up your britches and drive.

Predictions: Who Will Win The 2014 Sprint Cup?

Team U Want Some? got together to predict who is going to win the 2014 Sprint Cup.  Check out what they think and then leave your prediction in the comments section!!

Who's Who At Phoenix?

Data Provided by NASCAR 

·         Top 10 Driver Ratings at Phoenix:

#48-Jimmie Johnson....................... 116.7

#4-Kevin Harvick........................... 101.3

#99-Carl Edwards............................ 100.0

#24-Jeff Gordon................................ 99.4

#14-Tony Stewart.............................. 99.2

#11-Denny Hamlin............................. 98.2

#41-Kurt Busch................................. 98.0

#18-Kyle Busch................................. 97.4

#16-Greg Biffle................................. 91.6

#31-Ryan Newman............................ 87.1

Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2013 races (18 total) among active drivers at Phoenix International Raceway.

Formula combining the following categories: Wins, Finishes, Top-15 Finishes, Average Running Position While on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps, Lead-Lap Finish. Maximum: 150 points per race.(NASCAR)(2-25-2014)

Junior's Win Is EXACTLY What The Dr. Ordered

By Mark Young

Unless you have spent the past day and a half under a rock, you already know that Dale Jr. won the Daytona 500 last night.  His face is everywhere this morning and every sports and news outlet on TV, radio, and the web is talking all about it.  NASCAR is a buzz again, Junior nation and Earnhardt fans young and old are rejoicing this day.  Whether you are a Dale Jr. fan or not, you should be happy too.  Why?  Because Jr.'s win is exactly what the sport needed.

Denny Hamlin Wins Sprint Unlimited

Provided by NASCAR Wire Service

Denny Hamlin wins all three segments in Sprint Unlimited victory: #11-Denny Hamlin survived a war of attrition to win Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season-opening exhibition race at Daytona International Speedway. The winner of all three segments of the 75-lap event, Hamlin was running up front and out of harm's way when a wreck halved the field early in the second segment. And on a night when the pace car caught fire and had to be abandoned between the second and final segments, Hamlin won the race with a three-wide move on the backstretch on the next-to-last lap at the 2.5-mile superspeedway. The event was decided in a five-lap dash after a Lap 66 collision with #9-Marcos Ambrose in Turn 1 eliminated the #88 Chevy of Dale Earnhardt Jr., who had surrendered the lead to #22-Joey Logano two laps earlier. #2-Brad Keselowski ran second, followed by #18-Kyle Busch, Logano and Kevin Harvick, whose #4 Chevy was damaged in the nine-car wreck that punctuated segment No. 2.
"The best car won -- that's for sure," said Hamlin, who won the last race of the 2013 season, at Homestead-Miami Speedway. "Two in a row now. We're building on something. That was survival of the fittest, that's for sure. With three (laps) to go, we were at the tail end of a very small pack, and it's really hard to get runs. But this car was phenomenal."
With 15 laps left, Kyle Busch spun in Turn 4 off the nose of Keselowski's Ford, as Busch tried to move down the track. The resulting yellow gave Ryan Newman and Hamlin, the winner of the first two segments, a chance to make pit stops. Fresh tires certainly helped the race winner.
After fan voting closed at 6 p.m., drivers learned the structure of the race -- segments of 30, 25 and 20 laps in that order. When the engines were fired, roughly 55 minutes after the close of another fan vote, the method of ordering the field was revealed, and the starting lineup was set according to speeds in Friday's final practice. That put Hamlin on the pole, with #1-Jamie McMurray beside him. #20-Matt Kenseth, #31-Newman and #48-Jimmie Johnson, who sat out the final practice session, started 16th through 18th, respectively in the 18-car field. Typical of restrictor-plate racing, however, starting position had little relevance. Hamlin went from the pole to last place and back to the lead again in the first 35-lap segment. Johnson advanced from the tail end of the field to the top five within the space of 20 laps.
In danger of losing the draft on Lap 6, #10-Danica Patrick rallied to run as high as third in the first segment, using the inside line to advance to the front, as Hamlin and Johnson did likewise. But Johnson's night ended early, after he spun off Turn 4 on Lap 30, bringing the first 30-lap run to an end under caution. Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolet was too badly damaged to continue, marking the third straight year the six-time champion has crashed out of the season-opening exhibition race. "Well, that didn't last long," Johnson posted on his Twitter account. Johnson's wreck paled in comparison with the nine-car melee that followed on Lap 37 of the second segment. Kenseth turned sideways near the start/finish line after contact with the #22 Ford of Logano. The resulting wreck collected most of the cars behind Kenseth.
#14-Tony Stewart, racing for the first time since breaking his right leg in a sprint car accident on Aug. 5, was pinned against the outside wall in a three-car tangle that included the Chevrolets of #24-Jeff Gordon and #41-Kurt Busch. #17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s Ford slammed into the Chevy of girlfriend #10-Danica Patrick, who had spun in the tri-oval. Kenseth apologized for triggering the wreck, which started when Kenseth tried to move from the outside to the inside lane and hit Logano's Ford. "I was just kind of easing my way down there, and I had no idea Joey was that close to me," Kenseth said. "...Not the way you want to start the season." Stewart seemed no worse for the wear after climbing from his car. "There's no pain right now," he said. "But we'll see what happens in about an hour when the adrenaline wears off."
Stenhouse was out of control after running into the back of Busch's Chevrolet in the pileup that damaged all four Stewart-Haas Racing entries. "I didn't see anything from the time it started to the time it ended," Stenhouse said. "Talking to Danica when I got in there (infield care center) that I drilled her when she was pretty much sitting still. I couldn't see, couldn't turn and just really destroyed our Nationwide Insurance Ford." The accident left nine cars to take the green flag on Lap 41, including two -- Logano's Ford and Harvick's Chevy -- that were involved in the crash. Harvick quickly dropped back and lost the draft because of crash damage but stayed on the lead lap through the end of the segment. Hamlin grabbed the lead on Lap 47 and held it for the final nine laps of the segment No. 2, crossing the start/finish line .131 seconds ahead of Keselowski. The final fan vote of the night, announced before the last 20-lap run, determined the restart lineup for the final segment would be set by running order off pit road after a mandatory pit stop, with crews changing at least two tires. Hamlin won the race off pit road, lost the lead to Earnhardt but worked his way back to the front a lap and a half before the finish.(NASCAR Wire Service)(2-15-2014)

Fans Vote For The Format Of The Sprint Unlimited

Here is how you can vote to decide the format of tonight's Sprint Unlimited

Fans To Vote On Race Format For The 2014 Sprint Unlimited: For the second year in a row, fans will decide upon a number of competition elements for the Sprint Unlimited at Daytona, the 75-lap, non-points race that kicks off the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing season on Saturday, February 15. Fans can cast their votes to set the overall format and determine key racing elements. Fans will again set the number of laps in each of the three segments, while also voting on how drivers will line up at the start of the race and how they will line up for the restart of the final segment.
"We are excited to build off of the success of last year's event and give our fans another opportunity to help make key decisions that will enhance the excitement around this highly anticipated race," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition and racing development. "This interactive element is unique to NASCAR - and all of sports."
Fans can submit their votes within the official NASCAR app, NASCAR MOBILE, or atNASCAR.com/SprintUnlimited. Voting is unlimited and all votes cast through NASCAR MOBILE will count twice. The voting window for the race format will close on Saturday, February 15 at 6:00pm/et, while voting for the starting order and final segment restart order will close at various times during the race broadcast. Voting results will be announced live during the FOX Sports 1 race broadcast.
Voting Categories:
Race Format: Number of laps in each race segment (Voting ends at 6:00pm/et on Saturday, February 15)
Option A: 30 laps/35 laps/10 laps
Option B: 30 laps/30 laps/15 laps
Option C: 30 laps/25 laps/20 laps
Starting Order: How drivers will line up to start the race (Voting ends at 7:30pm/et on Saturday, February 15)
Option A: Most Career Poles (most to least)
Option B: 2013 Driver Points Standings
Option C: Final Practice Speeds (fastest to slowest times)
Restart Order for Final Segment: How drivers will line up for the final segment (Voting ends at the conclusion of the second segment)
Option A: Fastest lap in the race (first and second segments both count)
Option B: Most laps led (first and second segments both count)
Option C: Mandatory pit stop (drivers lineup how they come off pit road)

Betting Odds for the Sprint Unlimited

The following odds are posted from thespread.com

Sprint Cup - Odds to win the Sprint Unlimited @ Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL

Driver	Odds
Kyle Busch #18	+700
Matt Kenseth #20	+700
Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88	+700
Kevin Harvick #4	+700
Jimmie Johnson #48	+750
Denny Hamlin #11	+900
Jeff Gordon #24	+1000
Kurt Busch #41	+1000
Tony Stewart #14	+1200
Brad Keselowski #2	+1200
Jamie McMurray #1	+1400
Ryan Newman #31	+1600
Joey Logano #22	+1600
Carl Edwards #99	+1800
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17	+2000
Danica Patrick #10	+2500
Marcos Ambrose #9	+5000
Terry Labonte #32	+7500

Tony Stewart Update

The following was released by Team Chevy

#14-Tony Stewart, met with members of the media at Daytona International Speedway following the first practice session for Saturday's Sprint Unlimited. Stewart discussed how he felt in the car as he climbed behind the wheel for the first time following his accident last season, the transcript in part:
Q) HOW DID IT FEEL?
Stewart: "It felt good. The great thing is there is zero percentage of pain in the car. That was nice. We will see what it feels like at 9 o'clock tonight, but so far so good. That is better than I was hoping for, honestly. I thought we would have some kind of ache, pain of some kind that would bother us. It was like putting on an old pair of shoes again."
Q) IS IT A RELIEF OR ARE YOU JUST OVERJOYED?
Stewart: "Well a little of both. I think once we got the relief of knowing we weren't hurting anywhere then it was just joy of being back out there again. It didn't feel like I had been gone seven months when we started running. It was today though, every five minutes I was looking at the clock from 3 o'clock on going 'is it 4:30 yet' because I wanted to get dressed at 4:30 and come in. That is a long time to be staring at the clock for an hour and a half. That is small compared to the seven months."
Q) DID YOU HAVE ANY THERAPY TODAY OR ANY SPECIAL STRETCHES OR ANYTHING? OR IS IT JUST LIKE A NORMAL PRACTICE DAY?
Stewart: "Knowing you are my back-up guy (referring to an inside joke with reporter Bob Pockrass) I didn't do anything extra. I felt like my back-up guy is on par and ready to go. No, I didn't do anything today."
Q) HOW ABOUT GETTING IN AND OUT OF THE CAR?
Stewart: "Piece of cake. I didn't fall. I think that was what everybody was waiting for. If there was ever a time to not screw up it is getting in the car this time. About 400 cameras there so I didn't want to be the guy that fell out of the car and got on the cover of the paper for that."
(Team Chevy)(2-15-2014)

Do you remember the fancy scooter Smoke drove around the garage area during race weekends?  Check out what he is doing with that thing!!

Stewart Donates Custom Scooter to Darrell Gwynn Foundation: The custom scooter three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion #14-Tony Stewart used to move around following an Aug. 5 sprint car crash that broke his right leg has been donated to the Darrell Gwynn Foundation. Stewart personally donated the scooter, complete with a special paint scheme that mimics the #14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet SS he drives in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, to the Darrell Gwynn Foundation. The Foundation, in turn, will auction the scooter at the upcoming Barrett-Jackson event April 11-13 in Palm Beach, FL. Stewart signed the scooter, as well as a 16x20 picture of him on the scooter. But in addition to the scooter, Stewart has created an overall package that will accompany the scooter's winning bid. It includes a race-worn Bass Pro Shops firesuit signed by Stewart and a trip for two people to be his guests at the July 3-5 Coke Zero 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Daytona International Speedway. Round-trip airfare, a three-night hotel stay and garage passes will all be covered by Stewart, and two reserved seats will be available on the #14 team's pit box for the winners to watch the Coke Zero 400. To make sure the scooter and accompanying prize package is a strong fundraiser for the Darrell Gwynn Foundation, Stewart will personally match the first $50,000 bid and donate it to the Darrell Gwynn Foundation.(TSC)(2-15-2014)

Sprint Unlimited Fast Facts

The following information was roiginally posted by Jayski.com

• The Sprint Unlimited Manufacturer Recap:
  Manufacturer, Victories, Last Victory - Driver
  Chevrolet, 20, 2013 - Kevin Harvick
  Ford, 7, 2004 - Dale Jarrett
  Buick, 2, 1982 - Bobby Allison
  Oldsmobile, 2, 1980 - Dale Earnhardt
  Pontiac, 2, 2002 - Tony Stewart
  Dodge, 1, 2011 - Kurt Busch
  Toyota, 1, 2012 - Kyle Busch 
• The Sprint Unlimited Tidbits:
  · The number of participants has ranged from a low of seven in 1981 to a high of 28 in 2009 (19 are scheduled to compete in this year's event).
  · The drivers with the most Sprint Unlimited appearances:
  o Mark Martin (24)
  o Bill Elliott (23)
  o Rusty Wallace (19)
  o Ken Schrader (19)
  o Jeff Gordon (19)
  · Mark Martin had appeared in the most consecutive Sprint Unlimited races, competing in 20 consecutive events from 1989-2008. With his start in this year's race, Jeff Gordon, who currently has 19 consecutive starts in the event, will tie that mark.
  · There have been eight multiple winners in The Sprint Unlimited:
  o Tony Stewart has won three (2001, 2002 and 2007).
  o Kevin Harvick has won three (2009, 2010 and 2012).
  o Dale Earnhardt won six events, most all-time (1980, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1995).
  o Dale Jarrett won in 1996, 2000 and 2004.
  o Other multiple winners: Neil Bonnett (1983-1984), Ken Schrader, (1989-1990), Jeff Gordon (1994 and 1997), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2003 and 2008) and Kevin Harvick (2009-2010).
  o Bonnett, Schrader, Stewart and Harvick are the only drivers to win back-to-back races. No driver has ever won three consecutive Sprint Unlimited races.
  · Buddy Baker (1979), Dale Earnhardt (1980), Jeff Gordon (1994), Dale Jarrett (1996) and Denny Hamlin (2006) all won the first Sprint Unlimited in which they competed.
  · Only five times in the 32-year history of the race has the winner gone on to win the Daytona 500:
  Bobby Allison (1982)
  Bill Elliott (1987)
  Dale Jarrett (1996 and 2000)
  Jeff Gordon (1997) · There have been three winners from the pole: Darrell Waltrip (1981), Bill Elliott (1987) and Ken Schrader (1989).
  · Two drivers have swept The Sprint Unlimited, Daytona 500 pole and Daytona 500 from 1979-2012: Dale Jarrett (2000) and Bill Elliott (1987)
  · One driver has swept The Sprint Unlimited, Daytona 500 and the Coke Zero 400 from 1979-2012: Bobby Allison (1982).
  · Seven drivers have won The Sprint Unlimited (1979-2012) and the same season's championship. Dale Earnhardt is the only one to have accomplished it multiple times - four times.
  Tony Stewart (2002)
  Jeff Gordon (1997)
  Dale Earnhardt (1993)
  Dale Earnhardt (1991)
  Dale Earnhardt (1986)
  Darrell Waltrip (1981)
  Dale Earnhardt (1980)
  · Four drivers have won consecutive Sprint Unlimited races (1979-2012). None went on to win that year's Daytona 500.
  Kevin Harvick (2009-10)
  Tony Stewart (2000-01)
  Ken Schrader (1990-91)
  Neil Bonnett (1983-84)

Can Danica Win Or Not?

By Gretchen Mashburn

“He has that old school mentality, that women should be at home flipping pancakes and ironing clothes.”

           

            This was my friend’s reaction when I read her the headline earlier this week. To say Richard Petty said a mouthful would be a huge understatement. The King pissed off more than a few women when the quote hit the internet. I’ll give it to the interviewer; that was a great attention getting headline. He actually said that the only way Danica Patrick would win in Sprint Cup was “if everybody else stayed home.”  The King went on to say, "If she'd have been male, nobody would ever know if she'd showed up at a race track".  This was during his trip to Toronto this past weekend.  He was speaking to wheels.ca, a Canadian automotive website.
         I personally think a lot of women's knee-jerk reaction to the headlline was much like my friend's reaction.  Outrage.  Shock.  Rage.  But, was it true, what Richard said?
        DP only won one race in Indy Car; a fuel mileage race in Tokyo.  She has won zero races in any NASCAR series event.  She finished 27th in points, only two spots ahead of her boss, who missed the last three plus months of the season after breaking his leg.  The fact is that Danica, on paper, is not giving anyone the ammunition to dispute Richard's comments.
       Personally, I think he is wrong about her.  I think she will win.  I think she can run with the boys.  I think Tony Stewart will not let her fail.  I think her two new teammates will provide her with a wealth of knowledge.  I think the fact that she drives for SHR is her biggest asset.  She is in a prime position to win in Sprint Cup.  I think she will prove Richard wrong.  We shall see.

Changing Of The Guard At Hendrick Motor Sports?

By Mark Young

The Sporting News' Bob Pockrass wrote an article today about Ray Evernham and his return to the racing business at Hendrick Motorsports.  He talked about what role Ray will play with the team, as well as what roll he will not play with the team.  What was interesting to me was not about what he had to say but instead about what he didn't say that has me wondering...........Check out Bob's article before going on.Ray Evernham wants to help crew chiefs, not be them.

Gretchen's Thoughts On The Chase Changes

By Gretchen Mashburn

So Brian France made some more changes to the Chase format this week. I think any of us with brains saw this coming. NASCAR’s popularity has tanked right along beside the US Economy’s stability. Since 2005, NASCAR’s television ratings have decreased almost 50% according to Sports Illustrated writer Lars Anderson. Starting in 2015, the sport will have a few races televised on NBCSports, formerly known as the Outdoors channel. Yeah. That place where you could watch, with baited breath, while people fish. The channel that has that huge contract with the NHL. Otherwise known as the sports channel for old white people.

            A rational person can not argue the fact that NASCAR needs to do something to better market the sport. Just this week Jeb Burton, a future star in the sport, lost his 2014 sponsorship. Effectively parking him unless his team can secure another sponsor. Something has to be done. Something was done.

            NASCAR has implemented what amounts to a 16 team playoff over the last ten races of the season. 16 drivers will make “The Chase”. Three segments and a winner-take-all final race for the remaining top 4. Following each 3 race segment, 4 drivers are eliminated. A win, puts you through to the next round automatically.

            DRASTIC changes. And I LOVE it. I waited more than 24 hours to write about it because I went through several stages of grief after the announcement. I was shocked. I was sad. I hated it. I could live with it. Now I have EMBRACED it. Emphasis is now on WINS. Winning races. Some drivers are pissed. I notice those seem to be the ones that clock laps week in and week out, but that is just my opinion. The whiners, I call them. The Kleenex crew. Now, the true “drivers”, they should love this format. It will play to the hands of some of the guys that either strikeout, or hit a home run. The Busch brothers, Smoke, Kasey, Denny Hamlin, Greg Biffle, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, (six-time is either blowing doors off or fighting his way through the field for a decent finish due to a horrible set-up), and a few others. The rest of the drivers are just going to have to change their game a little bit to stay competitive in this.

            I hope this works. I hope it brings people back to the sport. I love this sport. I want it to succeed. I think this just might be a step in the right direction.