NASCAR Nextel 2005 Pocono 500 on Fox , Sun. 6/12 at 1PM ET (Craftsman and Busch series also racing)

Nascar.com ^ | 6/8/05

[NormsRevenge]

Pocono this weekend.. Trucks race FRiday nite, Busch Saturday and Cup on Sunday.

----

Don't forget your FRFL driver picks!!

Deadline to select or edit your drivers is Jun 11 2:00am PDT

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Also , condolences to and prayers go out to the Carrier family.

Larry Carrier Has Died (Built Bristol Motor Speedway)

[NormsRevenge]

WELCOME

to the

for the

Nascar Pocono 500

at

Pocono Raceway

Nascar Nextel Pocono 500 on Fox , Sunday , 6/12 , 1pm ET
Nascar Busch Federated Auto Parts 300 on FX, Saturday , 6/11, 730pm ET
Nascar Trucks Chex 400 on SPEED , Friday , 6/10 , 9pm ET
Bud Pole Qualifying | Fri. | 6/11 | FX | 5pm ET

More schedule info for the week HERE.

Track Facts Banking: 14 / 8 / 6 degrees , Distance: 2.5 mile , Shape: Tri-Oval

As always, the thread is Dedicated to Our Troops around the World and We Thank You All for Your Service!
(click the Piclink below to visit the FR Canteen)

[umgud]

I'm jazzed and can't wait.............

[Xenophobic Alien]

bogity bogity bogity boys lets go racing!

[glock rocks]

Long Pond Silver...you know the drill.

[GRRRRR]

Is Hillary! going to be at the race?
Don't all demonrats love Nascar?

I'd love to see her "gennelman, sturt yer engines"...wearing a Biffle hat...

[NormsRevenge]

dang yahoo forecast has lots of these the next few days at Long Pond...

PM Thunderstorms -- Friday

Isolated Thunderstroms -- Saturday

Scattered Thuunderstorms -- Sunday

[glock rocks]

Don't forget your FRFL driver picks!!

HAHAHAHAHAHA. Why, would that make a difference?

Bubba Q racing... I gotcher six! ... and yer 49.

[glock rocks]

Que sera. The NWS is good... but three days out, um, they do try their best. Remember last hurricane season?

Maybe if we all drink a cold one at the same time, we can change the weather!!

Hey, I toltcha I was the eternal optimistical one. A good bouncer always looks on the bright side.

[NormsRevenge]

Getting dirty (Wednesday Night Racing Charity Event at Smoke's Eldora track)

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news;_ylc=X3oDMTBpcmM5ZG1iBF9TAzk1ODYyNzYwBHNlYwN0bQ--?slug=jb-eldora060705&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

By Jerry Bonkowski, Yahoo! Sports
June 7, 2005


You've got to hand it to Tony Stewart. When he wants to kick up his heels, not only does he do it in the dirt but he also invites several of his Nextel Cup buddies to play along.

Stewart and more than a dozen other big-name drivers – including Cup regulars Kevin Harvick, Ken Schrader, Kyle Petty, Bobby Labonte, Matt Kenseth, Dave Blaney, Jeff Green, Mike Wallace and Kenny Wallace – will get behind the wheel of super late models and race Wednesday night at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio.

A standing-room only crowd of nearly 20,000 is expected to jam the small dirt track – which Stewart purchased during the offseason – about 40 miles north of Dayton for the first-ever Nextel Prelude to a Dream.

Although $10,000 is on the line for the race winner, Stewart and his Cup buddies are competing for the fun of it, with any of their winnings and most of the night's proceeds targeted for Petty's Victory Junction Gang Camp for ill and underprivileged children.

"It's a big honor to me that these guys care enough about me to want to come to my race track and help raise money for the Victory Junction Gang Camp and support what they're doing there," Stewart said. "It just shows how good a group of friends they really are."

They might be friends, but they're racers first and foremost. Even though they'll be raising money for a good cause, they're also coming to have some fun and try to win bragging rights in a virtually no-holds-barred environment.

"I think all of them are excited," Stewart said. "Matt Kenseth is one that hasn't raced on dirt a lot, but he's excited to do it. Then you've got my friend Kevin Harvick, who hasn't run on dirt but once and stuffed a dirt modified in the wall at Kenny Schrader's track [in Missouri]."

Stewart says he'll have the most fun watching Harvick compete.

"[Harvick is] so nervous about it. I think he's just worried about looking bad doing it," Stewart said. "But it's not about looking bad or looking good. It's just about going out and having fun and giving all our fans an opportunity to come watch us. No matter how good or bad we do, it's just a chance for them to watch us run something other than a Nextel Cup car."

Also on the bill are some of Stewart's other friends, including sprint car driver Danny "The Dude" Lasoski (Stewart owns the team Lasoski races for), drag racer Ron Capps and legendary stock car racer and Stewart mentor Red Farmer, who at the spry age of 70 is looking forward to teaching some of his competitors a trick or two.

"I love racing with these youngsters," Farmer said.

The evening will begin with practice, followed by single-lap qualifying efforts to determine the placement of drivers in two preliminary heat races. How drivers finish in both heats will determine their placement in the evening's featured event.

Since purchasing Eldora during the offseason, Stewart has helped make a legendary track even better and more popular, and it's a track at which Stewart has plenty of history.

"Eldora is a place where I've gone as a spectator, as a crew member, as a driver and as a car owner," Stewart said. "I know a lot about the facility. It's a new venture for me. Kenny Schrader and Dave Blaney are drivers that have gotten into owning race tracks and now I've added my name to the list."

Eldora hosts the two biggest dirt track races in the country and the second- and third-biggest sprint car races, as well.

"You can't go anywhere else in the country and find a facility that's like Eldora," Stewart said. "It's not like going to a regular race track. When you go to an event at Eldora, you go to a happening. If there are things I can do to help promote the sport and help the sport grow, I'm all for it."

Stewart plans on returning to Eldora to race again on Aug. 17 and already has promises from fellow Cup competitors Blaney and Kasey Kahne to attend, with another overflow crowd expected.

Stewart hasn't committed to making Wednesday's exhibition an annual event just yet, but given the response and excitement being generated, it's looking likely that it will.

"I'm going to go off of what the fans think," Stewart said. "If the fans enjoy it and enjoy having us up there, then we'll try to do it again every year, hopefully. As much excitement has gone around this event so far, I can see it being an annual event."

[Banjoguy]

You mean the latest version of demolition derby? That's what NASCAR has become. A series of accidents interrupted by automobile racing and really, really, stupid driver interviews.

[NormsRevenge]

really, really, stupid driver interviews (by really, really stupid drivers and interviewers) lol

I agree , give and take has become bump and spin'em.

I haven't seen any penalties for last weeks incidents, too bad.

[glock rocks]

A series of accidents interrupted by automobile racing and really, really, stupid driver interviews.

But it's a really colorful demo derby, with 200 mph smooks, $150,000 junkers, and the adulation of truck drivers from sea to shining sea. Some of us (read: me) just watch it cause wrasslin is too sweaty (who wants to watch a bunch of guys hugging?) and long since Grand National shifted gears, well, theyain't no better way to excape from the revenuers... even if it's only us old farts carryin on.

Er somethin. I really and truly believe that Dale was the conscience of nascar, and hey, the loss was greater than the france family, and their intended target audience gives credit for. Aw, what the hey, it's somethin to do after church.

Best regards,
A Disalusioned (and somewhat distracted) Nascar Lifer

p.s. But dagnabbit, I'm gonna watch anyhow. Yah, I need to quit smokin someday too.

[GRRRRR]

Amen, testify to it Bruther!! It's MY FUN and ain't NOBODY gonna ruin it.

G

[glock rocks]

LOL... I failed to mention that he's exactly right about the stupid interviews :o)

Well that, and I can't spell disillusioned.

[Banjoguy]

Dale was a throw back to an exciting past when racing was independent, creative, and unpredictable, and with it, fresh memories of wood smoke and shine. Hell, you only go around once.

[glock rocks]

Affirmative!

[don-o]

Please, take the time to read the Larry Carrier thread that Norm linked in #1.

Mr. C was indeed a man of great accomplishment.

[B4Ranch]

Do you think that you are a good driver?

Take a look at what a good driver can do with his car.

Which three NASCAR drivers do you think this should be emailed to?

[glock rocks]

I'm from the Dave Barry School of Driving, where every male is a far above average driver. That said, I'll go read your article now.

[glock rocks]

HAHAHAHAHAAAAA. Um, You've ridden in my cruiser. LOL.

Saddle up folks, let's us go get us some burnt beef!

PIT and all aside, that boy pulled two Dales in one stretch... spin a 360, grab a gear and boogie. LOL. Good drivin! I hear Riverside Jail food sucks. (I wouldn't know, actually, just heresay.) Really.

[B4Ranch]

I was wonderin what cooler door he was stashed in. I don't reckon them cops appreciated his slick wheeling, do you?

[glock rocks]

Dunno... sure beats following up on a forged check :o)

[B4Ranch]

One require brains and the other requires skill.

[Glenn]

i'm going to this race. my first ever nascar event. any of you vets have advice for a rookie?

[umgud]

i'm going to this race. my first ever nascar event. any of you vets have advice for a rookie?

Haven't been to this track. I've been to Vegas, Calif Speedway and Phoenix.......... it's a thrill you can't get settin in front of the TV, but you also don't get all the cam shots you do on TV. Traffic is always a b%^&#thch, parking is never fun, but you gotta do it if you can.

[steveegg]

We got ourselves a triple-header at 3 different tracks this weekend (Pocono for Cup, Nashville for Busch and Texas for Trucks). That means a few changes in the usual lineups, and some fancy flying by Carl Edwards and Sterling Marlin (the only Buschwhackers this weekend), as well as Bobby Hamilton (he's doing the Busch/Truck Daily Double) -

• First things first, The Other Sadler (Hermie) left the #66 Peak Ford (that's mutual), but he found a temporary ride in the #92 Front Row Chevy (Stanton Barrett's doing the Nashville thing). Replacing Hermie will be Mike Garvey (allegedly full-time).
• With Jeff Fuller's primary committment to the #7 Busch team, PJ Jones will replace him in the #34 Mach One Chevy for this and next week (next week, the Cup boys are at Michigan, while the Busch boys are in Kentucky).
• With the Cup boys away, these guys will be returning to their "regular" rides: Ryan Hemphill (#4), Boston Reid (#5), Brandon Miller (#21) and Tyler Walker (#38). Tony Raines continues his part-time gig in the #33, Bill Elliot replaces the usual cast of Buschwhackers in the #64, and Aaron Fike will replace Greg Biffle in the #66.
• Blake Feese will make his Truck debut in the #15 (recently raced very well by Kyle Busch).

Entry lists coming up.

[steveegg]

Pocono 500 (Nextel Cup) entry list - (take two)

Car	Driver	Hometown	Make	Sponsor	Owner
0	Mike Bliss	Milwaukie, OR	Chevrolet	NetZero Best Buy	Gene Haas
01	Joe Nemechek	Lakeland, FL	Chevrolet	U.S. Army	Nelson Bowers
2	Rusty Wallace	St. Louis, MO	Dodge	Miller Lite	Roger Penske
4	Mike Wallace	St. Louis, MO	Chevrolet	Lucas Oil Products	Larry McClure
5	Kyle Busch*	Las Vegas, NV	Chevrolet	Kellogg's	Rick Hendrick
6	Mark Martin	Batesville, AR	Ford	Viagra	Jack Roush
7	Robby Gordon**	Orange, CA	Chevrolet	Harrah's	James Smith
07	Dave Blaney	Hartford, OH	Chevrolet	Jack Daniel's	Richard Childress
8	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	Kannapolis, NC	Chevrolet	Budweiser	Teresa Earnhardt
9	Kasey Kahne	Enumclaw, WA	Dodge	Dodge Dealers/UAW	Ray Evernham
10	Scott Riggs	Bahama, NC	Chevrolet	Valvoline	James Rocco
11	Jason Leffler**	Long Beach, CA	Chevrolet	FedEx/Kinko's	J D Gibbs
12	Ryan Newman	South Bend, IN	Dodge	ALLTEL	Roger Penske
13	Greg Sacks**	Mattituck, NY	Dodge	Sacks Motorsports	Greg Sacks
15	Michael Waltrip	Owensboro, KY	Chevrolet	NAPA Auto Parts	Teresa Earnhardt
16	Greg Biffle	Vancouver, WA	Ford	Post-it/National Guard	Geoff Smith
17	Matt Kenseth	Cambridge, WI	Ford	DeWalt Power Tools	Mark Martin
18	Bobby Labonte	Corpus Christi, TX	Chevrolet	Interstate Batteries	Joe Gibbs
19	Jeremy Mayfield	Owensboro, KY	Dodge	Dodge Dealers/UAW	Ray Evernham
20	Tony Stewart	Rushville, IN	Chevrolet	The Home Depot	Joe Gibbs
21	Ricky Rudd	Chesapeake, VA	Ford	Motorcraft Genuine Parts	Glen Wood
22	Scott Wimmer	Wausau, WI	Dodge	Caterpillar	Bill Davis
24	Jeff Gordon	Pittsboro, IN	Chevrolet	DuPont	Rick Hendrick
25	Brian Vickers	Thomasville, NC	Chevrolet	ditech.com/GMAC	Mary Hendrick
27	Kirk Shelmerdine**	Winston-Salem, NC	Ford	Selinsgrove Speedway	Kirk Shelmerdine
29	Kevin Harvick	Bakersfield, CA	Chevrolet	GM Goodwrench	Richard Childress
31	Jeff Burton	South Boston, VA	Chevrolet	Cingular Wireless	Richard Childress
32	Bobby Hamilton Jr.**	Nashville, TN	Chevrolet	Tide	Calvin Wells, III
34	P.J. Jones**	Torrance, CA	Chevrolet	Mach One Inc.	William Edwards
37	Kevin Lepage**	Shelburne, VT	Dodge	R&J Racing	John Carter
38	Elliott Sadler	Emporia, VA	Ford	M&M's	Robert Yates
40	Sterling Marlin	Columbia, TN	Dodge	Coors Light	Felix Sabates
41	Casey Mears	Bakersfield, CA	Dodge	Target	Chip Ganassi
42	Jamie McMurray	Joplin, MO	Dodge	Texaco/Havoline	Floyd Ganassi
43	Jeff Green	Owensboro, KY	Dodge	Cheerios/Betty Crocker	Richard L Petty
44	Terry Labonte**	Corpus Christi, TX	Chevrolet	Pizza Hut	Rick Hendrick
45	Kyle Petty	Randleman, NC	Dodge	Georgia-Pacific/Brawny	Kyle Petty
48	Jimmie Johnson	El Cajon, CA	Chevrolet	Lowe's	Jeff Gordon
49	Ken Schrader	Fenton, MO	Dodge	Schwan's Home Service	Elizabeth Morgenthau
66	Mike Garvey**	Lakeville, MN	Ford	Peak Fitness	Jeff Stec
77	Travis Kvapil*	Janesville, WI	Dodge	Kodak/Jasper Engines	Douglas Bawel
88	Dale Jarrett	Hickory, NC	Ford	UPS	Robert Yates
89	Morgan Shepherd**	Conover, NC	Dodge	Victory in Jesus/Red Line Oil	Cindy Shepherd
97	Kurt Busch	Las Vegas, NV	Ford	Sharpie/IRWIN Industrial Tools	Georgetta Roush
99	Carl Edwards	Columbia, MO	Ford	Stonebridge Life Insurance	Jack Roush
192	Hermie Sadler**	Emporia, VA	Chevrolet	Front Row Motorsports	Bob Jenkins
200	Carl Long**	Roxboro, NC	Chevrolet	Buyer's Choice Auto Warranties	Raynard McGlynn

* Denotes Rookie
** Denotes driver/team not in the top 35 in Owners' Points; must qualify their way in (top 7 of 12 plus either Terry Labonte-1996 Winston Cup Champ or the 8th-fastest of 12)

[steveegg]

Federated Auto Parts 300 (Busch) entry list -

Car	Driver	Hometown	Make	Sponsor	Owner
0	Kertus Davis*/**	Gaffney, SC	Chevrolet	RaceGirl	Johnny Davis
1	Johnny Sauter	Necedah, WI	Dodge	Miccosukee Gaming & Resorts	James Finch
2	Clint Bowyer	Emporia, KS	Chevrolet	ACDelco	Richard Childress
4	Ryan Hemphill*/**	Apollo, PA	Dodge	Pet Brands/GEICO	Fred Biagi
5	Boston Reid*	Logansport, IN	Chevrolet	Lowe's/Pella	Rick Hendrick
6	Paul Wolfe*	Milford, NY	Dodge	Country Crock Spread	Ray Evernham
7	Jeff Fuller**	Auburn, MA	Chevrolet	Big Boar Customs	Andrea Nemechek
8	Martin Truex Jr.	Mayetta, NJ	Chevrolet	Bass Pro Shops/Tracker	Teresa Earnhardt
10	Michel Jourdain Jr.*	Mexico City, Mexico	Ford	ppc Racing	Gregory Pollex
11	Paul Menard	Eau Claire, WI	Chevrolet	Menards	Teresa Earnhardt
12	Tim Fedewa	Holt, MI	Dodge	St. Jude Children's Research Hospital	Mimi Fitz
14	David Stremme	South Bend, IN	Dodge	Navy "Accelerate Your Life"	Terry Bradshaw
16	Justin Ashburn**	Joelton, TN	Chevrolet	31-W Insulation	Wayne Day
18	J.J. Yeley	Phoenix, AZ	Chevrolet	Vigoro/The Home Depot	Joe Gibbs
20	Denny Hamlin*	Chesterfield, VA	Chevrolet	Rockwell Automation	Joe Gibbs
21	Brandon Miller*	Rancho Sante Fe, CA	Chevrolet	Reese's	Richard Childress
22	Kenny Wallace	St. Louis, MO	Ford	Stacker 2	Gregory Pollex
23	Mark Green**	Owensboro, KY	Chevrolet	Vassarette	Keith Coleman
25	Ashton Lewis	Chesapeake, VA	Ford	U.S. Marines	Ed Rensi
27	David Green	Owensboro, KY	Ford	Kleenex	Tammy Brewer
28	Derrike Cope	Spanaway, WA	Ford	Jay Robinson Inc.	Jay Robinson
32	Ron Hornaday	Palmdale, CA	Chevrolet	Win Fuel	Todd Braun
33	Tony Raines	La Porte, IN	Chevrolet	Yard-Man	DeLana Harvick
34	Randy LaJoie	South Norwalk, CT	Chevrolet	Dollar General	Frank Cicci
35	Jason Keller	Greenville, SC	Ford	McDonald's	Sam Rensi
36	Stanton Barrett	Bishop, CA	Chevrolet	DCT Motorsports	John McGill
38	Tyler Walker*	Tulsa, OK	Dodge	Great Clips	Brad Akins
40	Sterling Marlin	Columbia, TN	Dodge	Ferris Industries	Armando Fitz
41	Reed Sorenson*	Peachtree City, GA	Dodge	Discount Tire	Chip Ganassi
44	Justin Labonte	Thomasville, NC	Chevrolet	U.S. Coast Guard	Terry Labonte
47	Jon Wood*	Stuart, VA	Ford	Clorox/Wisk	Jodi Geschickter
49	Steve Grissom**	Gadsden, AL	Ford	Advil Liqui-Gels	Jay Robinson
52	Eric McClure**	Chilhowie, VA	Ford	Means Racing	Jimmy Means
56	Tim Sauter**	Necedah, WI	Chevrolet	Lester Buildings	John McNelly
58	Regan Smith**	Cato, NY	Dodge	Consort Hair Care for Men	Doug Stringer
59	Stacy Compton	Grit, VA	Ford	Kingsford/Bush's Beans	Tad Geschickter
60	Carl Edwards*	Columbia, MO	Ford	Charter Communications	Jack Roush
64	Bill Elliott	Dawsonville, GA	Dodge	Miller High Life Light	Rusty Wallace
66	Aaron Fike	Galesburg, IL	Ford	Federated Car Care	Clarence Brewer
72	Randy MacDonald**	Toronto, Ontario	Chevrolet	Denver Mattress Company	Pat MacDonald
143	A J Fike*/**	Galesburg, IL	Dodge	Cowboy Crush/Curb Records	Mike Curb
153	Brad Teague**	Johnson City, TN	Chevrolet	Bolts & Screws/Jarvis Construction	Butch Jarvis
178	Jerry Robertson**	Arvada, CO	Chevrolet	Furniture Row Racing	Barney Visser
183	Burney Lamar**	W. Sacramento, CA	Chevrolet	HPS/Groeniger	DeLana Harvick
186	Marc Mitchell**	Tallahassee, FL	Chevrolet	Auburn University	Kenneth Appling
194	Eddie Beahr**	Mechanicsville, VA	Ford	Fidelity Printing	Wayne Beahr
195	Bobby Hamilton**	Nashville, TN	Dodge	Sadler Brothers Trucking	Earl Sadler
268	Travis Kittleson**	Madison, WI	Chevrolet	Bob Steele Chevrolet	Robert Kittleson
383	John Borneman III**	Ramona, CA	Ford	Borneman Plastering	John Borneman Jr.

* Denotes Rookie
** Denotes driver/team not in the top 30 in Owners' Points; must qualify on speed (top 12 of 19 plus either Steve Grissom-1993 Busch Champ or 13th-fastest make the race)
Note - with the #90 Yates Ford (16th in Onwers' Points) not entered, Derrike Cope and the #28 team (31st in Owners' Points) gets the 30th guaranteed spot according to Motorsports One.

[steveegg]

Chex 400 (Craftsman Trucks) entry list -

Car	Driver	Hometown	Make	Sponsor	Owner
1	Ted Musgrave	Franklin, WI	Dodge	Mopar	James Smith
2	Jimmy Spencer	Berwick, PA	Dodge	Team ASE	James Smith
02	Kelly Sutton	Crownsville, MD	Chevrolet	Team Copaxone	Ed Sutton
4	Timothy Peters*	Providence, NC	Dodge	Bobby Hamilton Racing	Bobby Hamilton
04	Bobby Hamilton	Nashville, TN	Dodge	Bobby Hamilton Racing	Stephanie Hamilton
5	Mike Skinner	Susanville, CA	Toyota	Toyota Tundra	Bill Davis
6	Ron Hornaday	Palmdale, CA	Chevrolet	GM Goodwrench	DeLana Harvick
07	Eric Norris	Dallas, TX	Chevrolet	Pavestone	Gene Christensen
8	Deborah Renshaw**	Bowling Green, KY	Dodge	BHR2	Ray Montgomery
08	Sean Murphy*	Fort Lauderdale, FL	Chevrolet	Green Light Racing	Bobby Dotter
9	Shigeaki Hattori*/**	Okayama, Japan	Toyota	AISIN / AISIN AW	Don Arnold
10	Terry Cook	Sylvania, OH	Ford	Power Stroke Diesel	Greg Pollex
12	Robert Huffman	Claremont, NC	Toyota	Toyota Tundra	Darrell Waltrip
13	Tracy Hines	New Castle, IN	Chevrolet	ThorSport Rcg/Zoriki Mtspts	Duke Thorson
14	Rick Crawford	Mobile, AL	Ford	Circle Bar Truck Corral	Tom Mitchell
15	Blake Feese	Saybrook, IL	Chevrolet	Billy Ballew Motorsports	James Ballew
16	Jack Sprague	Spring Lake, MI	Chevrolet	Chevy Trucks	David Fuge
17	David Reutimann	Zephyrhills, FL	Toyota	NTN Bearings	Darrell Waltrip
18	Chase Montgomery	Mt. Juliet, TN	Dodge	Bobby Hamilton Racing	Bobby Hamilton
22	Bill Lester	Oakland, CA	Toyota	U.S. Army	Bill Davis
23	Johnny Benson	Grand Rapids, MI	Toyota	Toyota Certified Used Vehicles	Gail Davis
24	Blake Mallory**	Joshua, TX	Chevrolet	Mighty Motorsports	Rob Ferguson
29	Brad Keselowski	Rochester Hills, MI	Ford	Samson Stone	Kay Keselowski
30	Chad Chaffin	Smyrna, TN	Toyota	Germain Toyota/Arnold Development	Stephen Germain
38	Brandon Whitt**	El Cajon, CA	Toyota	Cure Autism Now/McMillin Homes	Daniel Whitt
46	Dennis Setzer	Newton, NC	Chevrolet	Chevrolet Silverado	David Dollar
50	Todd Kluever*	Deerfield, WI	Ford	Shell ROTELLA T	Jack Roush
59	Robert Pressley	Asheville, NC	Dodge	Con-Way	James Harris
62	Steve Park	East Northport, NY	Dodge	South Padre Island	Michael Gaughan
66	Todd Bodine	Chemung, NY	Toyota	Fiddle Back Racing/Toyota Tundra	Tom Eldredge
75	David Starr	Houston, TX	Chevrolet	Spears Manufacturing	Wayne Spears
77	Brendan Gaughan	Las Vegas, NV	Dodge	Jasper Engines & Transmissions	Michael Gaughan
88	Matt Crafton	Tulare, CA	Chevrolet	Menards	Rhonda Thorson
99	Ricky Craven	Newburgh, ME	Ford	Superchips	Jack Roush
106	Jimmy Kite*/**	Stockbridge, GA	Chevrolet	Royal Purple Lubricants	Dave Malcolmson
165	Clay Rogers**	Denver, NC	Dodge	Glynn Motorsports	Scott Glynn

* Denotes Rookie
** Denotes driver/team not in the top 30 in Owners' Points; all 6 will make it this week, but the slowest will start 36th this week.

[steveegg]

Didn't catch that Ron Hornaday will be joining Bobby Hamilton on the Nashville-to-Texas shuttle. He's still doing fill-in work on the #32 Busch car while Shame Hmiel continues to wonder whether NASCAR is like softball (2 strikes and out).

[steveegg]

A couple of things:

Just a reminder to those in the FRFL, Pocono IS an impound track.

With nobody covering qualifying live (slated at noon Eastern, with MRN slated to only provide quickie updates and FX scheudled to tape-delay it at 5 pm Eastern), do we cover it here and spoil the suspense, or do we wait until the FX coverage?

[NormsRevenge]

Have at it, I may be offline for most of it anyway. Thanks!

[steveegg]

Let's score that.

• Spin #1 - 6.5 - He did knock the right-front wheel out of alignment by smooking the wall. Other than that, it was some nice driving on his part.
• Spin #2 - 10.0 - That was the perfect grab-and-go 2-lane 360 (it helped that the cruiser hit him on the wrong side for a good PIT, giving him 4 lanes to correct).
• Spin #3 - 5.5 - You gotta give the guy points for grabbing reverse when the CHP ALMOST did a textbook PIT (they didn't stick with him though).
• Spin #4 - 9.5 - It's a very difficult maneuver, but I had to take off for the wobble on the landing.

Now, I'd send it to Flash (he needs to learn how to keep control when Smoke tries to move him), Shame Hmiel (who cares if he will probably never be back) and Bobby Hamilton Jr (that's the only way he'll get the Tide Slide on TV).

[B4Ranch]

"I had to take off for the wobble on the landing."

Now I fully understand you being so critical on race day. You are chopping points like a military barber chops hair, by the handfull.

[glock rocks]

and Mikey ... don't forget Mikey. He shoulda learnt that from The Old Man. (That would be Dale, not DW :o)

[Hoboto]

Bah!

Let's see the NASCAR boys drive one of these:



NASCAR is impressive, but they're not the best drivers in the world. Rally drivers are.

Forget traction control. When you have multiple surfaces to race on in one course, you have got to be one great driver. And don't forget about the hazards of people, animals, weather, evening driving, cliffs, trees and rocks don't help matters.
:-)

[GRRRRR]

Saturday, January 1, 2005

Dakar Rally

Robby Gordon wins first stage of Dakar Rally

Associated Press Image Associated Press

American driver Robby Gordon and his co-driver Dirk Von Zitzewitz drive their Volkswagen Toureg during the first stage of the Dakar rally on Castelldefels beach, near Barcelona, Spain, Friday.

BARCELONA, Spain -- NASCAR driver Robby Gordon won the opening leg of the Dakar Rally on Friday, the first American to capture a stage in the car division of the world's most grueling road race.

Gordon, driving a Volkswagen in his first Dakar Rally, covered a 4-mile sprint along a beach outside Barcelona in 4 minutes, 20 seconds. He was two seconds ahead of Hiroshi Masuoka of Japan, and Giniel De Villiers of South Africa was third, another second behind. Defending champion Stephane Peterhansel of France was ninth.

Gordon often competes in various racing events outside NASCAR, from the Indianapolis 500 to the annual Baja 1,000 off-road race in Mexico. He was fired from Richard Childress Racing at the end of the season and will field his own car next year.

[steveegg]

Racing does take all forms. I'd wager that there's a few drivers that could handle that jump quite nicely (Robby Gordon's the obvious one as the freshly-crowned Baja 500 winner, Tony Stewart would also fit in that category).

That is definitely a wicked jump. Don't think I'd be taking my Sub on it though :-)

[GRRRRR]

I think all forms of racing have their high and low points, experts and jacks' of all trades...timed sprints on a track with nobody diggin' into you on the turns, going three wide into turn 1 at Daytona, BRistol vs. Dakar, endurance vs. drag racin'...whatever floats yer goose! It's ALLLL good fun!

[AGreatPer]

Kevin Harvick cancelled hia appearance at the last minute yesterday at Hershey Park. Reese's people we're POed. But he did send a message that he owes them and will make it up in the future. I think he must of gone to the Ohio event instead. Not sure.

But today I got a hugh suprise. I went into the Wise Supermarket to do some mid week shopping. On the way out there he was, Kyle Busch with the #5 Kelloggs car (probably one not used anymore). I asked him why he wasn't at practice for the Pocono. He said they were on their way in about 30 minutes. I also commented that he had a great race being #2 last week. He said, you watch how much we improve the 2nd half of the year. Wow, he looks a heck of a lot younger live than on tv. Great personality. Funny, he said he needs more fans but they have to eat Kelloggs products. This was completely an unannounced stop he said, but he has an obligation to his sponsors and he does this frequently on the way to races.

Channel 8 TV (WGAL) showed up and got some footage for the evening news. So, I guess his mission was accomplished.

[steveegg]

Bummer on Harvick, though it sure was nice to see Kyle Busch do an unscheduled stop.

[AGreatPer]

For the last few years I have been advocating putting a few deer on the track when they least expect it. It seems that could come true from Mayfield's story. See the story at:

http://aolsvc.sports.aol.nascar.com/2005/news/headlines/cup/06/09/jmayfield_pocono/index.html

Pull!!!!

[NormsRevenge]

My kidneys are aching just thinking about running in a rally.. ;-)

[NYTexan]

What?, no ping?

[NormsRevenge]

Ooops!

:)

[NormsRevenge]

Pocono Cup Racing online this weekend!!!

Delayed race thread Ping! (Thx! NYTexan)

[umgud]

THX for the ping.

[Dog Gone]

Pocono isn't one of my favorite tracks (too much single file racing), but I have good memories of flying up there to watch one of them. Nice people in the Poconos.

[WestCoastGal]

I vote we wait for FX.