News for February 5th 2010
Fastest NASCAR Speed at Good OLE Talladega
Top 3 Fastest Speeds
1. Bill Elliott’s 212.809 MPH lap at Talladega in 1987
2. Bill Elliott’s 210.364 MPH lap at Daytona in 1987
3. Geoffrey Bodine’s 197.478 MPH lap at Atlanta in 1997
Since 2000
1. Brian Vickers’ 196.235 MPH lap at Texas Motor Speedway 2006
2. Ryan Newman’s 194.690 MPH lap at Atlanta Motor Speedway 2005
3. Ryan Newman’s 194.232 MPH lap at Michigan International Speedway 2005
Edited: February 5th, 2010
Drivers ready to push the limits
Greg Biffle likes putting the action back in the drivers’ hands.
Biffle was wrecked by teammate Carl Edwards at Talladega in October 2008 in a bump-draft wreck that also collected another Roush Fenway driver, Matt Kenseth. The move necessitated a rule that prohibited drivers from employing the tactic, which can be an effective means of passing but often led to melees, especially if a driver bump-drafts in a corner.
NASCAR announced last month that drivers would be allowed to bump-draft, but that overly aggressive action would be monitored closely.
“I’m going to keep pushing until someone (eventually) spins outs,” Biffle said. “We’re drivers, and we know what the limits are. The limit becomes when you’re pushing too much and the guy in front of you spins out. We have to regulate ourselves. When Carl spun me out at Talladega and wrecked a bunch of cars, that was the limit.
“Now that we don’t have to worry about NASCAR, we can ride on that limit. There will be more action because we’ll be testing that limit.”
The Ford driver also said the specifications for the newly mandated spoiler, which replaces the rear wing, and quarter-panel extensions will likely produce better racing. A new restrictor plate should also help.
“They’re giving us more throttle response to produce more bump-drafting, and the increased drag will result in more acceleration. And putting the spoiler back on the race car is going to turn this world around,” said Biffle, who tested a car with the new spoiler at Texas.
“The car acts completely different. It turns better on corner exit. The car’s not looser, but when it gets loose it turns better. That’s a characteristic of the spoiler, and that’s what these cars need. It’ll make the racing a lot better.”
TURNING POINT: Kyle Petty said the deaths in NASCAR over the last 10 years had a damaging effect and created a major moment in NASCAR that decided its future.
“If you go back and look at (Dale) Earnhardt Sr.’s accidents, and Adam (Petty), Tony Roper and Kenny Irwin, who knows where the sport was headed? Those accidents and the deaths of those four drivers, especially Dale Sr., changed the direction of the sport. We’re racing a car today that’s a direct reflection of those accidents,” Petty said.
Last month, Petty went to Nashville and had a tattoo placed on the inside of his right wrist — the sweeping signature of his son, Adam, who died at the age of 19 in a crash at Loudon, N.H., on May 12, 2000.
BACK ON THE SCHEDULE?: Racing is scheduled at North Wilkesboro Speedway next year, and the thought of racing at the -mile track jars many memories.
The Pro All Stars Series (PASS) recently announced it would be holding a 300-lap Super Late Model series race April 7-9 at the legendary short track, which held its last race in 1996. The purse for the winner is $75,000.
“It’s very exciting,” said Danny “Chocolate” Myers, the former gas man for Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Richard Childress Racing. “Hopefully, they can get everything together and make it happen.
“There are a lot of good memories there. Winning races is my best memory up there. Driving by Junior Johnson’s house on the way up. Of course, we’ve had crashes and fights up there, too. It’s a great place and has a lot of history.”
Reports, though, say the track has major financial issues that may prevent the PASS race — or any race — from taking the green flag.
TUNE-UP: While other drivers are still feeling the effects of an offseason layoff, Paul Menard shook off the rust by competing in the Rolex 24 endurance race last weekend at Daytona International Speedway.
“Anytime you’re in a race car, it’s a good thing. I got to log some laps around Daytona, and the track’s as rough as ever,” said Menard, who will drive the No. 98 Ford but use the No. 44’s owners-points from last year following a team merger between Richard Petty Motorsports and Yates Racing.
“It’s a chance to get physically prepared for the next race. You can do all you can in the offseason in the gym, but when you get in a race car, that’s when the fatigue sets in.”
Edited: February 5th, 2010
To bump, or not to bump, that is the question…
What’s bumping? What’s thumping? What’s dumping?
NASCAR’s new approach to racing at two of its biggest tracks, Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, is sort of a work in progress. After NASCAR vice president Robin Pemberton declared last month that drivers can “Have at it, boys,” everyone has been trying to figure out exactly what that means. The gate is open wider to more aggressive driving, obviously, but no one understands where the line will be drawn.
“How do I interpret it?” Brad Keselowski repeated a question. “It’s up for interpretation, that’s for sure. I really haven’t spent that much time trying to understand what they mean by it. Really, the only relevant part to me is how the other drivers react to it. I don’t plan on doing anything differently myself, but the only way to truly know how other drivers react is to wait and see.”
Keselowski said NASCAR should have an easier time enforcing the new scenario. Its previous ruling that drivers could bump-draft on some parts of the Daytona and Talladega tracks but not on others was confusing, at best, he said.
“It was harder before to draw the line,” he said. “It was no bumping here and maybe here, we’re not sure. That’s hard to enforce. That’s a pretty damn subjective rule. Now it will be easier on them, certainly if we’re seeing drivers go out and wreck each other every week.”
Juan Pablo Montoya said he doesn’t expect the new environment to spawn on-track mayhem. Drivers should be able to police themselves, he said.
“At Daytona, you simply can’t do the bumping going into the turns,” he said. “People realize that. You’ll spin the car in front of you out if you’re that close. People are smart enough to back out of it so that the person in front can gather their car and keep going.
“When it’s time to go, it’s time to go. But if you wreck somebody on purpose in the middle of the straight, I think you’re going to get parked. That’s putting somebody in danger.”
Montoya said he’s OK with an elevated level of competition, but he wants it to be “clean and aggressive. If you’re trying to wreck somebody on purpose, that’s stupid,” he said. “I think it’s fun if it’s hard racing. But one thing is hard racing. Another thing is stupidity.”
Jamie McMurray said NASCAR’s pre-race drivers meeting should clearly identify what’s acceptable and what’s not. Last year, officials started using television monitors in the drivers meeting to assist in explaining procedures, and McMurray said that has led to significant improvement.
“The best thing NASCAR has done in a long time is putting the monitors in,” he said. “They used to just discuss what was going on, but now they have a visual for everybody to see. I remember the pit road lights. They talked about how that was working for a year and a half, and I never knew what any of that meant – except I knew ‘red’ meant stop. When they put the monitors in there, I said, ‘I get it now.’ ”
The first competitive use of the new rules will be in Saturday’s Budweiser Shootout exhibition race. “That will tell us a lot,” McMurray said. “If you get penalized there, it’s not that big a deal.”
Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEEDtv.com and has been covering motorsports for 28 years. He has written several books on NASCAR, including “NASCAR: The Definitive History of America’s Sport” and “Then Tony Said To Junior: The Best NASCAR Stories Ever Told”. He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.
Edited: February 5th, 2010
Hey Honey…I am going all out this Valentine’s Day…to Waffle House
Taking your honey out for Valentine’s Day? A prix-fixe four-course special at one of Atlanta’s finest restaurants, Aria, will set you back $85 per person BEFORE tax and tip.
Fear not, though; those of us of more modest means can still enjoy dining by candlelight at a southern restaurant famous for its unique menu: the Waffle House.
Some Waffle Houses in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and the honorary southern state of Ohio are offering a special Valentine’s Day dinner, by reservation only.
If all of them follow the example of the Waffle Houses in the Atlanta area, diners will be seated at a booth set with a red tablecloth, with silverware neatly wrapped in a special gold ring. A gift of flowers is presented to the distaff member of the couple. Romantic music is provided to accompany your meal, and a photographer may be there to snap your picture to commemorate the occasion.
You may choose your food from the standard menu, and, may I point out, nothing says “I Love You” like a plate of hash browns, smothered, covered, chunked, diced, peppered, capped, and topped.
Feel the need to give your sweetie something by which to remember this special meal? How about a pink “Team Waffle House” fitted tee? Or a camouflage T-shirt with the phrase “No Grits, No Glory!” Yeah, that’ll make a memorable Valentine’s Day.
And you should sleep well that night, all alone in that bed.
Edited: February 5th, 2010