All drivers are invited to the Banquet/festivities regardless of points standings. In 1992, Rusty and Dale Earnhardt both finished outside the top ten in points, but both of them went to the banquet and sat in the back together and vowed not to be in that position again. They finished one-two in points the next year after winning over half of the races that season.

I would guess Brian just took the opportunity to go to New York for some fun and to support his teammates. Or one of his sponsors might have been involved in some of the shindigs and he was there for that.

And speaking of Hendrick Motorsports, who else is ready to stick a fork in a Chad Knausless Jimmie Johnson??? I think Jimmie is up Shit Creek without a paddle!!!

Thanks for the info on Vickers. In the pics I saw he was the only one who wasn't a top 10 guy and it seemed weird.

I read that the Chad Knaus leaving Hendrick rumor was denied today. Do you have more dirt SpottedCoachDog? Or is he moving to another car in the organization? I can't see it happening since that is such a strong team.

No, I only had Jayski as my source. But while Jayski is sometimes wrong, I tend to buy into the addage where there is smoke there tends to be fire. Add that rumor to Jimmie making a rather brief comment about Chad last night (I think he talked about Robbie Loomis longer than Chad) and I tend to suspect that something is rotten in North Carolina. Jimmie has not looked happy in most of the pictures from New York this week. Yeah, he can be a poor sport, but he is almost like a trained seal when it comes to smiling for the camera. And Ray has to be smarting from losing Labbe and Baldwin. Dodge is pulling money out of the Truck Series to pour in to Cup, so buying a crew chief shouldn't be hard. Makes me wonder....

Very interesting. This whole situation is definitely going to be one to keep an eye on during the off-season.

I was cracking up during the banquet coverage with the trend of every driver mentioning how beautiful, lovely, exquisite, etc their wives/girlfriends looked. It was almost like a 'he said it, so now I have to' kind of thing. Tony mentioning how he had no date so he could say that all the women looked lovely and not get into trouble was great. I almost died (and I think she did too) when Biffle mentioned how he and his girlfriend "have fun doing it together."

The oddest thing I noticed is that some of these guys have no trouble speaking to a reporter, or misdirecting the media, but stick a prepared speech in front of them and they get tongue-tied.

Zap2it.com has a general blurb about ABC getting NASCAR in 2007.

Interesting observations on Jimmie Johnson during the championship week, SCD. I either missed JJ's speech during the dinner, or just tuned him out completely, so I didn't catch him snubbing Chad Knaus at all. Jimmie will be like a dog dumped on the side of the road if CK goes elsewhere.

From NASCAR.com, details on the TV deal, all starting in 2007

Fox- First half of the season, exclusive rights to the Daytona 500. (They will also show the Budweiser Shootout and the pole qulalifying from Speedweeks). 13 races total, 2 races from the truck series

TNT- Races 14-19 (Including the Pepsi 400 at Daytona)

ESPN/ESPN2- Qualifying/Happy Hour at some events, up to 7 Cup races, most all of the Busch series

ABC- At least the Chase for the Cup (ESPN/ABC split the last 17 races of the season, with the chase on ABC), at least 4 Busch races

SPEED- Qualifying/Happy Hour at selected events, the Truck series (minus the 2 FOX races), the twin-125 qualifiers at Daytona, the Nextel all-star race, and the pit crew challenge

So, FOX gave up a couple of races to get an exclusive on the 500, ABC gives up a Daytona race to get an exclusive on the chase, and all three deals have at least 1 "major race", with Fox and TNT splitting Daytona, and ABC getting the Brickyard.

Looks like a decent enough deal to me, at least at this point.

Merry Christmas! I thought this was a sweet NASCAR story.

Don't know if this should go here, or in its own thread, but has anyone seen Roush Racing: Driver X? It's on the Discovery Channel, which I've been known to enjoy from time to time, and its about racing, so I caught a recent episode.

I guess I'm just old, but I could remember the days when NASCAR drivers got hired for A) Driving ability, and B) Sponsorship money. This show about the current Roush "Gong Show" proves I'm sadly mistaken. The tests involved jumping out of a truck and doing a victory lane interview, plugging a sponsors product for a commercial, and slinging a Mustang around a road course. The judges are a panel of marketing experts who mark down drivers because they sound "too country".

Where will the sport be in ten years if this is the way talent is being chosen today? If Dale Jr. had a different last name, would he even get a shot? Certainly the Jimmy Spencers out there would be unlikely, but what about the Benny Parsons and Darrell Waltrips? They're way too "Southern" and "Country" to win a ride today. After all, what sponsor wants to hire someone with DW's accent, anyway? (Answer, still quite a few!). Would Matt Kenseth or Kurt Busch make it through the "Gong Show", or would they be considered too nice/boring or too abrasive?

Oh good Lord. A reality show to find a driver?

Feel better soon Smoke!

This weekend is the Rolex 24 hrs @ Daytona, it starts at 12 noon on Speed Channel which will air 13 1/2 hrs of the event.

TV Scheduel:
12pm-6pm
8pm-11pm
8-12:30pm

Drivers to Watch for:

Dan Wheldon, Danica Patrick, Scott Dixon, Tony Stewart, Adrian Fernandez, Rusty Wallace, Patrick Dempsey (Grand AM Cup only), Sebastien Bourdais, Dario Franchitti, Marino Franchitti, Milka Duno(Who could crush Danica with one hand tied behind her back), Casey Mears, and many more.

This will be Dan Wheldon's first race with the Ganassi team, he and Scott Dixon are flying pretty high this week coming off a test at Phoenix where they were 1st and 2nd on the time charts. So they've got a lot positive momentum going into the race. This would be the best line up of drivers Ganassi has had since Alex Zanardi and Jimmy Vasser.

So if you've got nothing to do, and enjoy Vermont Teddy Bear (If you watched last year you know what I mean) commercials this race is for you.


Also Rusty Wallace, will be a color analyst for the IndyCar series this year. This is probably only temporary until Nascar starts up on ABC and ESPN, though he could be a part timer on the early races of 2007 and beyond.

Even better than the team of Juan Pablo Montoya and Jimmy Vasser?

Alright I'll give that, but it's definetly his strongest line up of drivers since Jimmy and JPM *Wink*. The last few years, he kept hiring Rookies, and the Toyotas were dogs. Scott didn't have anyone he could work with or talk to on the same level.

Now Scott Dixon has a teammate that he can communicate with on the same level, who was a teammate of his a few years ago before Ganassi. So they know how to work together, Dan is a bit more agressive when it comes to set ups and on track action, so that'll get Scott to step up his game a bit. It's a good deal all around.

I've been watching Roush Racing: Driver X but mostly with mouth hanging open at what I'm seeing. It explains so much about the whole Roush empire and about the direction NASCAR is going in general - the cookie-cutter, pretty-boy, no southern accent, blaaaa driver. The episode about the media and marketing evaluation was a jaw dropper. I howled when they had these barely rookie drivers show them a "signature move" that they would use in Victory Lane if by chance they should ever win a race. Good golly, it was painful to watch. And oh, I guess a few years ago Kurt Busch won on this show so right there, I'm dubious.

More on topic, I'm sort of enjoying the Rolex 24 but dismayed at the troubles the Tony Stewart team is having. Tony is my main man and I know this race is one he wants. The team is good but apparently the car isn't.

A new job for the Candy Man. Elliott with a microphone is going to be awesome.

Wow, this makes me really happy. Rusty Wallace is a great racer but I absolutely hated him on Trackside. He talked too fast, he made every conversation all about him...I just couldn't stand him on that show. Can I dare to hope that the gorgeous Elliott will be taking his place?

TVGuide Insider story. It seems like the season is never going to start. And I missed Tony on QVC last Friday. :**(

ETA: Carl Edwards is guesting on 24.

Elliott was cute on Trackside thanking DW for keeping his seat warm for him until the middle of the season.

Today during practice they showed Smoke during the off-season "coaching" a hockey team. The night he was behind the bench they won and set a record for most fights in a game or something. Hee!

I hope the rain doesn't interfere with the racing. I don't want to see a shortened race either.

The ARCA race is supposed to run after the Shootout, hopefully Mother Nature will hold off. And for that matter hold off for qualifying tomorrow.

Word on Victory Lane was that JJ's qualifying run was DQ'd due to an illegal something or other. Denny Hamlin and his parents made me cry after the shootout.

I hope the press/announcers won't overdo the 5 years since Dale Earnhardt died aspect this week. I know they will, but I really wish they wouldn't. I don't want Junior to have to answer the "You father has been dead for 5 years, how are you different?" question eleventy billion times.

Kyle Bush is not going to have the best time next Sunday. Seriously, what was his damage? When NASCAR has to issue you a warning get it together, not a good sign. I thought it was pretty obvious that that's who Stewart was talking about during the post race interview.

However, Denny Hamlin is adorable. That was great racing with Hamlin/Stewart/Earnhardt. Good to see that Mikey has good equipment. Also? Carl Edwards got screwed. NASCAR is retarded- do they not want drivers to avoid causing wrecks? Good lord!

Kyle Busch is a idiot with no respect for anyone. Seriously, I never thought I'd dislike him more than his brother but he exceeded expectations today. Freak.

Really happy for Denny Hamlin and good to see another JGR car being competitive. Along that same line, nice to see Bobby qualifying well for next weekend.

My dislike of him means that I'm going to *way* enjoy Daytona. I mean, isn't that like a cardinal nascar rule. "Don't make Tony Stewart angry, he will kick your butt."?

The only better thing would be is if Kurty tries to come to his rescue and they end up finishing 42 and 43.

Dad? Dad, is that you? But, really. Is that really how you want to behave in your first shootout? He might as well just painted a target on the back of his car.

MsZoid, you aren't the only one whose looking forward to next Sunday. Personally, that's one of my favorite parts of the sport, when they get down to taking care of business.

Heard today JJ's was something with the windshield, and Terry Labonte was DQ'd for "an illegal modification" of the carburetor.

And ITA with you MsZoid - if both brothers finish dead last I'd be a happy woman. Only to be surpassed if DJ manages to win the race. Go #88! :-)

Supposedly Speed is doing / has done a special about NASCAR: 5 Years Later, and how the sport has changed since St. Dale's death. But you know that before/during/after the race, the questions will be coming fast and furious about how Junior is dealing with the whole thing.

I was cracking up during the Shootout when Carl Edwards was insisting he wasn't doing the drive thru penalty, that his foot was down (so to speak). His crew chief sounded like he was speaking to a petulant 3-year-old with the Get. In. Here. Now. tone of voice.

Carl Edwards was cracking me up too. I also wondered if Junior burst into tears when his spotter told him Kyle Busch was going where Junior was going. I really expected to hear Junior say, "Hell no! Tell that little bastard to stay the hell away from me!"

Sunday is going to be FUN! JJ lost his crew chief for the 500. Ol' Chad was caught cheating, again, so they sent him home.

It will be interesting to see how Junior deals with all of the questions. This week is going to be hard on him.

I think it will only be a hard week for Jr. because people keep bringing up the "5 year anniversary" thing. He said at media day "there aren't many things you celebrate the 5 year anniversary of." He's said before that he's done his grieving and the hardest part is having reminders all the time because OTHER people bring it up--not him. He's on Trackside Friday and I'm scared DW will try to walk down memory lane with him.

God forbid he win either race this weekend. It's going to be bad enough listening to Weber wax on endlessly about it.

I have a pretty high toleration level for DW, but if he did that, I think that would pretty much slam the door on any like. Leave the poor boy alone, its going to be a bad weekend for him anyway, and with the season he had last year? He might explode with stress by Sunday.
Brian France was on Trackside tonight, and like all good executives, he told me absolutely nothing worth talking about.

Trackside should be very interesting Friday night that is for sure. I just hope the race ends Sunday without someone hurt or dead.

If we we just get through Trackside without anyone ending up hurt or dead, then we'll be ok.

Very true. I sure do wish Elliott was in DW's chair for the Junior part. There is no telling where Elliott interviewing Junior would take us. I'm afraid of where DW interviewing Junior will lead us.

You know, if Speed were smart, they would approach the story using the angles you mentioned above. DW could handle the "life with Father" side; and Sadler could handle the "Life After Father" side of it. It could work out pretty well, if DW would tone it down about 87 notches and not try to make it All. About. Him.

I'm excited for the Busch race on Saturday, since my boy Paul Tracy is going to try and qualify. I'm also betting that its going to be 20 laps before Anthony Foyt IV takes out a title contender.

I have a bet with my Dad that AJ and Paul would take each other out of the race, igniting a gun fight between the Champ Car and IndyCar fans. :D

I for one am a fan of both, so I'll leave it at that.

I wanna see Carl Edwards win this weekend, preferably in the 500, but he's got a good car under him for the Busch race. PK is on the box for him, and I think it's working out well between them.

I would say it would be more of a war of words between the Champcar and IRL fans than a gun fight.

Really cute picture of Sadler and his daughter (didn't know he had one) in this Buffalo News article.

ETA: Nevermind, Buffalo News almost gave me a heartattack for nothing

That is his niece. She's Hermie's daughter. Fox Sports had her listed as his daughter yesterday and quickly changed it when fans bombarded them with emails that Cora is Elliott's much loved niece.

I just loved how DW answered a question directed to Junior about how his father acted/what he talked about at home.

See, this is why I like this site. Y'all know the important stuff.

I apologize for almost giving everyone a heart attack. Apparently, my paper hadn't fully fact-checked their article.

Sabretooth -- I am from NASCAR country. You can't spit from my parents' front porch without hitting somebody who works for a team. If Fox Sports, who carries NASCAR, can't get it right, I don't think we could expect a paper in Buffalo to get it right. They got the picture from the wire, the wire reported her as Elliott's daughter. Fox Sports corrected it within the hour, but it was out there.

I wish I could find the picture of Elliott at a wresting match (WWE) he has on a shirt that says, "I Have Candy" and he looks drunk, drunk, drunk. It just cracks me up. If I find it, I'll link it.

Well, the final laps of the Busch race certainly were exciting. I liked NBC's camera in the grass showing the extreme close-ups of some of the crashes. I'm still not a fan of having Bill Weber in the booth, since Alan Bestwick is being wasted in the pit reporter role.

And for your snarking enjoyment, Jayski is reporting that Kurt Busch had cosmetic surgery in the off-season to pin his ears back.

Probably half of the people who read the article (The females anyway) probably went "Half Nekkid Carl!" when they got to that part of the article.

Based on Kurt's picture in the official NASCAR 2006 magazine, Kurt definitely had his ears pinned. Really, really pinned. I showed Mr. Limecoke the picture and asked him to just look at it and tell me what he saw. He looked for about two seconds and said, "He had his ears pinned." Case closed.

I have to admit I didn't realize Carl was so...muscular, that's the word.

Well now, wasn't that (the 500) just one big game of "But he did it first!"

"This is for all the haters" tehe, that Jimmie, so hip to the new lingo

I despise Jimmie Johnson. This is for all the haters-my eyes rolled so hard I might've strained them.

That was a weird race, wasn't it? Was it just us, or were the cameras all messed up? Sometimes it would almost look like the race was taking place underwater, but then they would clean it up and would look normal for awhile, and then the reds went away...very bizarre.

I'm really glad that "Earnhardt fans paid for his tires" guy got a decent finish.

You know, I really hope that his car doesn't pass post tech inspection. I wish Brian Vickers would have won. He's the only Hendricks driver I can stand!

Typical JJ-can't just win,he's gotta be a little jerk about it too.

And Kyle-if you hate Daytona so much,skip it next time. No one will miss you.

Did anybody see -were DJ and Jeff Green actually having a fistfight?

It was apparently overcast, misty, and generally as miserable as you can get in Daytona in February (saying this while I'm in a location where the overnight temperature last night was below zero), I think that screwed with their cameras. I know they couldn't do as many of the in-car shots due to the weather.



It seemed that way, much more so than usual. I think the only driver who apologized right off the bat was Carl Edwards for putting his front tire through Kyle Petty's windsheild (Kyle probably last had an in-car camera in 1994, but I would have liked to see that crash from inside his car).

For all the anti-Busch sentiment though, Kurt's "aw, that's just too bad" during his interview when he saw McMurray wipe out was perfect.

Whoa, for real? That would be awesome! DJ is my older driver crush. I loved how he was rocking out to Bon Jovi in the pre-race show. I think he did cause that wreck though.

Vickers is the only Hendrick driver I can stand too. 1st reason-he never tried to get payback on Junior last year after Junior made a huge mistake and wrecked Vickers in Vegas (I think?). Some drivers would probably totally seek revenge after that. 2nd reason, he actually makes intelligent comments on Inside Nextel Cup.

The "this is for all the haters," comment was funny. Guess what, Jimmie? All the "haters" were hightailing it out of the racetrack or they had already turned the station on their TV's so they didn't hear your stupid comment. The only reason I knew he made that comment was that it was the headline on nascar.com. I did enjoy Newman's comment, "his car might still be illegal so we'll see what happens." Bwah!

When Rusty Wallace retired I had to find a new car to back. I can't back the 2 car anymore because I don't like the Busch brothers.

So last month, before the crew chief issues, I picked Jimmie Johnson. I had no idea he was so hated, the only reason I picked him is because I'm very shallow and he's hot.

It's going to be a long season.