Posted on 05/16/2007 5:29:56 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
Lowe's Motor Speedway is once again the center of the NASCAR world, but should other tracks get to share in the all-star festivities?
That and much more this week-end when we take a break from points races and race for a million bucks instead and bragging rights.
Only if we can build a track around it!
LOL I think the local residents would go for it. :)
They just said that’s Larry Mac house. Sheesh, I’m going to put a resume in over at Speed Network. I know, he probably made good money crewchiefing and all. Sr probably took good care of him.
Big hugs for that one. Thank you.
I got an invitation from JRM for their open house next weekend. It’s just a bit too far. :(
I’m sure someone will send ya pics! ;)
Well that’s all folks.
See you tomorrow night for qualifying.
Lake Norman , huh?
Has a nice ring to it. ;-)
btw ,, just ran across this article ..
What am I bid for Junior? You may make the opening bid, WCG. :-)
Earnhardts listen to offers for Junior
JENNA FRYER, AP Auto Racing Writer
CONCORD, N.C. - While Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the week off to relax, his sister was busy sorting out offers of employment for NASCAR’s most popular driver.
Kelley Earnhardt Elledge said Friday she has spoken to several teams and is prioritizing the options based on the best fit for Earnhardt. He announced last week that he is leaving DEI, his late father’s company, at the end of the season.
“We have all along said we would talk to everyone, specifically Chevrolet teams,” Elledge said. “We have not eliminated any options at this point.”
Elledge, who is Junior’s business manager, said the focus is currently on top Chevrolet teams, followed by everyone else. Elledge said that fielding his own Nextel Cup team out of JR Motorsports, the team Earnhardt owns, is “a last resort.”
Earnhardt is the most prolific free agent in NASCAR history, and most of the top car owners have said they’d like a chance to talk to him.
Three of the top four Chevrolet teams — RCR, Joe Gibbs Racing and Ginn Racing — have indicated a desire to speak to Earnhardt. Only Hendrick Motorsports, winner of eight of the past nine races this season, has been silent on the issue.
Elledge would not reveal what teams already have been in contact, but said she’s met with a few already and has scheduled meetings with others.
Richard Childress, who fielded cars for six of the elder Earnhardt’s seven championships, has indicated he will talk to Junior. And Bobby Ginn, who took over a midlevel team last summer, said he plans to aggressively pursue the driver.
J.D. Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing, said last week that he’d like to talk to Earnhardt but indicated it might not be a good fit. JGR promotes a family values image, and Gibbs said the organization would have a hard time accepting Budweiser, Earnhardt’s longtime sponsor.
Dodge owners Ray Evernham, Chip Ganassi and Roger Penske all have said they’d like an opportunity to sign Earnhardt, but acknowledge they are long shots because of Junior’s loyalty to Chevrolet. Even so, they all are in line waiting to see if Elledge gets that far down the list.
“It’s like trying to get a date with Jennifer Aniston — if you see her, you’ve got to at least ask,” Evernham said.
Earnhardt has stayed out of the spotlight this week, asking for a little time to decompress following his decision to leave DEI. He’s cited a desire to win championships — something he doesn’t think he can do at DEI — as his reason for leaving. But contract talks with his stepmother, Teresa, were contentious and he demanded majority ownership in the company during negotiations.
Earnhardt’s team, meanwhile, is in trouble with NASCAR over an illegal modification to the Car of Tomorrow last week at Darlington Raceway.
Earnhardt was docked 100 points, and crew chief Tony Eury Jr. was fined $100,000 and suspended for six races. He’s appealing the severity of the fine, and will be allowed to work Saturday night’s All-Star race.
Lake Normans Revenge...
???? Puzzling ????
DEI, RCR merge engine programs
By JENNA FRYER, AP Auto Racing Writer
May 18, 2007
CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — Dale Earnhardt Inc. has merged its engine program with Richard Childress Racing, an alliance that likely will help DEI return to prominence.
DEI has been in a slow decline since Dale Earnhardt’s 2001 death. Star driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. is leaving at the end of the season because he doesn’t think he can win championships at DEI.
Stepmother Teresa Earnhardt disagreed, and the hope is that merging engine programs with RCR will strengthen the organization.
``This backs up what Teresa said last week — her commitment is solid, and her No. 1 priority is to win championships,’’ John Story, general manager of DEI, said Friday. ``This is the first of a few big things we are going to do to continue moving toward that goal of winning championships.’’
The first collaborative engine is scheduled to be used at Daytona International Speedway in July.
The merger’s similar to an agreement the elder Earnhardt once had with Childress and Andy Petree. The ``RAD’’ partnership pooled resources from all three teams to build a program for restrictor plate races.
The partnership was successful, as the three teams spent several seasons with the most competitive cars at Daytona and Talladega.
With the new DEI-RCR agreement, the engine program will be housed in a separate facility from both race shops, and managers from both teams will oversee it.
The engines will be used for the six combined Cup teams that DEI and RCR have, the Busch programs for both organizations and Kevin Harvick’s Busch team, too.
RCR currently has lease agreements with several teams, and all will use the motors produced from this venture.
Story said the merger was Teresa Earnhardt’s idea and had been in the works since last season. Childress fielded cars for six of the elder Earnhardt’s seven championships and has remained close with the family.
Childress said last week that he’s interested in signing Earnhardt Jr., and it’s not clear how this merger will affect
Concensus on the above article is that Richard would never do this unless Jr knew about it. In a way he would be helping Jr with engines in the 8 car for the rest of this year and maybe a bargaining chip for the #8 car. There’s a lot more to this story than meets the eye IMO.
Also, John Story from DEI reported in an interview that a lot of top drivers are interested in their open drivers slot.
HAHHAHAHAHA...LMAO [and I don’t use that term much] top drivers, um who??? Boris, Biffle, JJ, Stemme, Rocketman? I mean when I think top other than Jr I’m thinking Flash, JJ, Smoke, Matt, Kevin.
It looks like Little E’s wakeup call to DEI is starting to work.
What’s going on with IP? Do you know?
It’s been down for awhile.
Not sure.
I just have a feeling Richard and Jr have something cooking with that move. Otherwise, why would he do that considering he wants Jr on his team?
Racing tires aren’t meant to grip grass. Earnhardt chose not to care.
“He never lifted,” Hall says. “That’s what blew my mind. If anybody else had hit the grass, he probably would have cut the wheel. Earnhardt just let the car keep going straight.
Cup Open qualifying is up now on SPeed
Ragan on pole so far with a 28.98
I will ask and answer my own question since no one is here.
Why oh why make this an impound race?
Because it’s Nascar dummy!! :)
Stremme crashes spoiling his brand new paint job.
Backup car for tomorrow night with no practice.
Aric Almirola turns the rear end into the wall at 190 mph. Totaled!
Cars are all very loose.
Mikey hits the wall harder than the other two. But, he is able to drive away.
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