NASCAR -- Allstate 400 at the Brickyard -- on ESPN -- July 29, 2007 , Sun. 130 pm ET

Nascar.com ^ | 7/24/07

[NormsRevenge]

Join us for this weekend's events at the Indy Motor Speedway.

[NormsRevenge]

Welcome to the weekly Nascar at FR thread!

This Week - the Allstate 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

July 29, 2007



Click for Nascar race & news threads at FR

Nextel Cup Allstate 400 - July 29 - ESPN Sun. 130 pm ET w/ Qualifying July 28 ESPN2 - 10am ET

Busch Series - Kroger 200 - July 28 - ESPN2 Sat. 730pm ET

Craftsman Truck Series - Power Stroke Diesel 200 - July 27 Speed - 730pm ET

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Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Race Menu for the weekend series

While Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the most popular racetrack in the Hoosier State, the vast majority of motorsports events held in Indianapolis are held at O'Reilly Raceway Park, including a Craftsman Truck Series race and a Busch Series event.

Drag racing, road racing, Sprint Car races and other events suited to a shorter track fall to ORP, which changed its name from Indianapolis Raceway Park in 2006. You can also usually find a large racing program there on the night before the Indianapolis 500.

The annual NHRA U.S. Nationals are traditionally held there on Labor Day weekend and SCCA events are held on the park's road course.

Track Facts
Banking/Turns: 12 degrees
Distance: .686 miles
Shape: Oval
Banking: 7.5° turns / 2° straights

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FR Fantasy Leaguers - Deadline to select or edit your drivers is Jul 28 2:00am PDT

[NormsRevenge]

[NormsRevenge]

Racing at the Brickyard this week-end, race thread is up Ping!

[fkabuckeyesrule]

I hope Jeff Gordon wins. It’s his turn.

[NormsRevenge]

fyi and Thanks! .. adding the link for this thread to the FReshly pinged race thread.

DEI completes merger with Ginn Racing
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1871013/posts

[mnehring]

Come on Rocket Man Ryan Newman... only 30 points out.. one good top 10 and he is in the chase..

[saganite]

Yeah, Jeff’s had such a terrible run of luck. He hasn’t won in, what, 4 or 5 races now?

[saganite]

What? Another Newman fan out there? I thought I was the only one.

[mnehring]

I guess it is a geek thing.. You have Stewart for the bullies, Gordon for the metros, Jr. for the rednecks, Edwards for the preps, and Newman for the geeks..

[o_zarkman44]

hey, I am an Edwards fan and I am a long long way from being a prep! LOL

[umgud]

THX for da ping

[LasVegasMac]

Thanks for the ping, Norm.

[mnehring]

OK, Edwards also fills the ‘Leave it to Beaver’ fans..

[saganite]

Never thought of it that way but you’re right. The reason I like Newman is that he’s a Purdue engineering grad.

I have to say, Edwards is a great guy. He’s articulate and during one of the rain delays several weeks ago they showed his trip to one of the aircraft carriers. Good stuff.

[mnehring]

Not to mention Newman is responsible for wrecking both Stewart and Gordon.. He is either going to win or go out with a bang (OK, except for the last two seasons..)

[msnpatriot]

Having lived in southern cal, and being a race fan I had to drive to Indy one year.

I couldn’t make the race, so I visited the museum and took the bus ride around the Speedway.

All nifty stuff, first time impression was Indy seemed such a big spread out place to live, was green everywhere, and good museum.

Didnt realize the raceway was in the town, or city? of ‘Speedway’.

Like the F1 race the best, but like it all, and try to contact the hams there at the speedway during the race.

My pick? MONTOYA

[saganite]

Wrecking Stewart and Gordon is not a bad thing in my book. ;^)..

I loved Newman’s comment a few weeks ago when Stewart complained that Newman had bumped him 5 times. Newman’s response? “I didn’t know he could count that high”.

[o_zarkman44]

How about Luke Skywalker fans?
Edwards can pilot just about anything.
I don’t think Wally or Beaver has anything to do with this guy. Besides I know him very well. Used to race on the dirt against him in Central Missouri.
I blew out a tire on my hauler one night after the races and he came along and got me a spare so I could make it home. We had been rubbing fenders on late models earlier that night. Thats just the kind of guy he is.

As for Neuman, he is the nerdy one.

[mnehring]

I don’t think Wally or Beaver has anything to do with this guy.

I meant that in that he has the 'good guy' image.. Kind of like the All American guy.. which, based on the rest of your post, it seems he lives up to that off the track too..

[CHEE]

Does Kale Yarborugh have a chance? Oops, that was a couple of years ago. Well, I have me a couple of good cigars and will glued to the tube on the 29th. Maybe Kale will make a comeback like they do in the entertainment business. Do you spell Kale with a “C”?

[Coldwater Creek]

What are you talking about? It is never anyone’s turn.

[saganite]

Montoya doesn’t have the horsepower. Sad but true.

[Coldwater Creek]

I’ll admit to being a bully!!!!

[o_zarkman44]

You are right on about Carl being the all American good guy. I guess that is the image of a Beaver. Just hadn’t thought of the charactor comparison.

[mnehring]

It’s a marketing thing.. NASCAR isn’t just a sport for gearheads and country folks.. it is a case study in successful marketing..

[NYTexan]

(click on it!)

[NYTexan]

Thanks for the ping Norm!

A Tuesday NASCAR thread from you? Ya must be suffering withdrawal!

[tubebender]

I nicknamed him Opie a couple of years ago because he reminded me of a young Ronnie Howard...

[don-o]

hope Jeff Gordon wins. It’s his turn.

No. Jeff already had his turn. It's Bill Elliot's turn

[tubebender]

Thanks for the ping Norm. Lots of fresh faces represented on the thread today...

[TWohlford]

I’ll be there. In the press room.

Look for one of the Gibbs cars to be in Victory Lane. Denny has a knack for these tracks, and Tony’s a proven winner there.

[Yogafist]

I thought it was the “30 years old and still living with mom” fans.

[CHEE]

ESPN NASCAR Show on the air as I write this. It is called DIRT and features the old moonshiner dirt trackers. Really good coverage.

[fideist]

According to ESPN, DEI has bought Ginn, announcement Wednesday. Mark Martin is now the fourth driver for DEI through 2009 (22 races), and will have driver development responsibilities. Owner points from #14 to transfer to Menard, locking him in the top 35. Owner points from #13 being sold to #78, locking Herm in top 35.

Or so it is being reported for now.

[USAFJeeper]

But... I am a redneck and like Gordon... Can I be a metro redneck? You know I get $1200 dollar mullet shapings!

[mnehring]

That would be a Redneck who shops at designer country stores.. Do you wax your truck, you might be a metro redneck.. Do you bet more than one haircut a year, you might be a metro redneck.. Do you shop for your cloths at someplace that doesn’t contain the word ‘Mart’ in it’s title, you might be a metro redneck...

[FlingWingFlyer]

Almost all the major NASCAR sources are reporting this now. Jim Utter from the Charlotte Observer is reporting that “sources” have told him that DEI has offered the #8 to Mark Martin for next year. THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKIN’ ABOUT! That would just about be all Budweiser needs to stay at DEI.

[NEPA]

ESPN reported yesterday Carl broke a thumb dirt racing.

I hope it doesn't affect his performance his week. I'm a big Flipper fan.

[o_zarkman44]

Carl dislocated his thumb at a dirt late model race at I-80 Speedway in Omaha. I think he was competing against his little brother and there was something like an 8 car pile up. Roush Racing said Carl Will participate in the Busch and Cup races this weekend.
It may be uncomfortable for shifting and keying the mic button on the steering wheel. But it shouldn’t affect his performance.

[NEPA]

Good news.

His physical conditioning sure must help in situations in which other racers would have a tougher time adapting.

[fideist]

Ain’t going to happen for two reasons.

1. Martin wants to be part-time.

2. Bud is looking for a young driver to represent its brand.

Look for Shrub to replace Junior. So far, DEI is the only team offering Shrub a top-35 car.

[commish]

PRess Release from DEI

Dale Earnhardt Inc. has become even stronger through a merger with Ginn Racing. Effective immediately, the team will feature the Chevys of #15-Paul Menard, #1-Martin Truex Jr., #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr., #01-Mark Martin and #01-Aric Almirola. Martin and Almirola will combine to drive the #01 Army Chevy for the remainder of the 2007 season as well as the entire 2008 season. Menard drives the Menards Chevy, Truex drives the Bass Pro Shops Chevy and Earnhardt handles driving duties of the Budweiser Chevy. All four entries are inside the top 35 in Nextel Cup points heading into this weekend's Brickyard 400. Regan Smith, who was originally slated to drive the Ginn Clubs and Resorts Chevy in the Brickyard 400, will instead compete in the Craftsman Truck Series race at Indianapolis Raceway Park Friday night in the Ginn Resorts Chevy Silverado. Specific schedules for Martin, Smith and Almirola will be announced later. In addition to Nextel Cup Series competition, the company will continue to field entries in the Busch Series, the Busch East Series and will analyze its future involvement in the Craftsman Truck Series. The numerous teams of Dale Earnhardt Inc. will operate from both the original facility built by Dale and Teresa Earnhardt as well as the nearly 180,000-square-foot facility currently housing Ginn Racing's teams. The buildings are less than five miles apart in Mooresville, N.C. Dale Earnhardt Inc.'s current management team will be responsible for all day-to- day activities and transition plans have already begun to develop. John Story, vice president of motorsports operations for DEI will oversee the expansion of the company's racing efforts. In completing this merger, points on Ginn Racing's #13 car, which was 34th in Nextel Cup owner's points, have been eliminated.

Big news there - #13 points. Me thinks Dave Blaney and the #22 team are doing the happy dance, as they just moved into 35th place (Unless I remember the points wrong)

[NormsRevenge]

Thanks, lots of activity for mid season or is it just me?

a lot of teams need to get going and now..

[commish]

Wow - another possible huge merger in the works too. Fox is reporting that NEWMAN-HAAS Racing (Champ Cars) has put in a offer to purchase ROBERT YATES RACING.

[NormsRevenge]

Wow,, that would be interesting.

[commish]

Yep having Newman-Haas and thier resources in NASCAR would definately be interesting.

I am still trying to figure out why DEI/Ginn would just eliminate the #13 points. I am sure a lot of teams would have spent good hard cash to garauntee themselves a spot into the top 35.

Plus I imagine Chevy is pissed as hell. They just eliminated a Chevy position and garaunteed a Toyota into the top 35.

Hmm I wonder if NASCAR maybe told them they couldn't sell the points just for that reason.... makes ya wonder.

[NormsRevenge]

I am still trying to figure out why DEI/Ginn would just eliminate the #13 points. I am sure a lot of teams would have spent good hard cash to garauntee themselves a spot into the top 35.

—

Money wouldn’t be the reason with all the dough in the game, just a hard business move.

[commish]

Oops I made a mistake — it is not the Bill Davis 22 of Blaney -— it is the WOOD BROTHERS #21 and Bill Elliott who will take over the 35th spot in the owners standing.

[afnamvet]

I’m pickin’ Smoke for the win.

[Cuttnhorse]

I wonder why Caterpillar isn’t more aggressive in NASCAR? They seem to be content with never finishing in the top 10 or 15 or even 20. They certainly have the resources and as one who does business with CAT through mining, I can relate that their employees are loyal and enthusiastic race fans, but are continually dissapointed that #22 is always an also-ran.
Curious that CAT can’t seem to put together a better effort.