Should Regan Smith have won Talladega instead of Tony Stewart? Read all about that controversy right here in today’s edition of the Stock Car Gazette.
____________________________________________________________
T H E * S T O C K * C A R * G A Z E T T E
by http://MotorSportsNews.Net
Do you know for sure?
http://motorsportsnews.net/you-can-know-for-sure
____________________________________________________________
The Stock Car Gazette is sponsored by:
Hasco Collectibles
Div. Hasco Services, LLC
701 Mantooth Ave.
Lufkin, TX 75904
http://www.hascodiecastcars.com
http://www.diecastcars.net
hasco@diecastcars.net
866-66-HASCO (866-664-2726)
2008 SALE:10 TO 30 PER CENT OFF IN-STOCK 2008 ITEMS!!!
ALL TONY STEWART HOME DEPOT MERCHANDISE IS
NOW 50 TO 60 PER CENT OFF OUR ORIGINAL PRICES!!!
NEWEST PRE-ORDERS:
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2008 ‘Ride Along With Jr.’ AMP/NG1/24th,
Dale Earnhardt Sr. And John Wayne “Dale And The Duke” MC,
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2008 Black-On-Black AMP And NG 1/24th’s,
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2008 1/24th Michigan Raced Win Impala,
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2008 Defending Freedom Digital Camo Impala,
Dale Earnhardt Sr. And Johnny Cash “Man In Black” Monte Carlo,
Ashley Force 2008 NHRA Castrol 1/24th Funny Car, John Force Castrol 40th,
Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Martin LIQUID COLOR Salute The Troops,
Dale Jr. Whiskey River, Dale Jr. Mountain Dew Retro Scheme 1/64th Scale
In A Mountain Dew Soda Can. We Also Have The Kyle Busch Toyotas.
Visit Our Pre-Order Web Site At: http://www.diecastcars.net.
We Have 2008 AMP/NG/Dupont/Lowes/Cheerios/Home Depot, Bud,
Jack Daniels, Wells Fargo, Bass Pro, Fed-Ex, Nicorette, And
More At Our In-Stock Web Store http://www.hascodiecastcars.com.
Dale Jr. ARC Bud Cars Still 60 Per Cent Off, RCCA/Revell 35 Per Cent Off.
All Drivers Clothing Items Also Are Still Discounted 50 Per Cent Off.
www.hascodiecastcars.com.
Hasco Collectibles
Div. Hasco Services, LLC
701 Mantooth Ave.
Lufkin, TX 75904
http://www.hascodiecastcars.com
http://www.diecastcars.net
hasco@diecastcars.net
866-66-HASCO (866-664-2726)
___________________________________________________________
E d i t o r ‘ s * N o t e s
___________________________________________________________
I surely didn’t think the racing from Talladega was boring. There was lots of suspense and intrigue as well. Keep Denny in your prayers. Jayski reports a probably concussion and maybe a foot injury.
___________________________________________________________
Stock Car Gazette Columnists Speak Out!
___________________________________________________________
FSReal-Racing / Cup Series Report – Talladega
by: FSRealRacing
It’s not always the driver that leads the most laps that takes home the win…… More at http://motorsportsnews.net/archives/1910
Read more FSReal-Racing articles from MotorSportsNews.Net here: http://motorsportsnews.net/archives/category/fsrealracing
__________
Track Trash – Tall ‘dega
by: Racing Maniac
You win some, and you lose some. Today Smoke tossed the coin and it came up Heads. But surrounding events may seem to have put a tarnish on the coin. More at http://motorsportsnews.net/archives/1913
Read more of the Maniac’s articles from MotorSportsNews.Net here: http://motorsportsnews.net/archives/category/track-trash
___________________________________________________________
N A S C A R * S P R I N T * C U P * S E R I E S
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Stock Car Gazette subscriber Ed B. – thanks!
NASCAR proves inconsistent at ‘Dega
Regan Smith finished first at ‘Dega, but Tony Stewart won. Just another example of NASCAR’s inconsistency, Lee Spencer says.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/8644134/The-Hot-Pass:-NASCAR-proves-inconsistent-at-’Dega
___________________________________________________________
Check out Racing Wrecks!
There’ll be some Talladega pics out there as soon as the webmaster can get to them.
http://www.racingwrecks.info
(advertisement)
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Google Alerts
Horse Ranch for Disabled Children Opened by NASCAR’s Tina Gordon
TheHorse.com – Lexington,KY,USA
Former NASCAR driver Tina Gordon has traded in her car and truck racing horsepower for the four-legged kind, according to an article on GasdenTimes. …
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=12840
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Insider Racing News
http://www.insiderracingnews.com
Stewart Finally Wins At Talladega
CIA Stock Photo
Smith Goes Below Yellow Line To Pass Stewart
It had been 43 races since Tony Stewart’s last victory, in August 2007 at Watkins Glen and he had finished second six times at Talladega, but on Sunday he won his first Sprint Cup race at the high-banked, high-speed Alabama track. There was a bit of a controversy at the finish. Regan Smith was running second to leader Stewart on the final lap when Smith dipped below the yellow line and passed Stewart — apparently for the win — but the NASCAR rules book says that at the two restrictor plate tracks, Daytona and Talladega, you can not go below the yellow line and improve your position. Smith was disqualified from the win, dropped to 18th place and Stewart was awarded the victory. “I understood the rule was — if you were forced below the yellow line, you can go for the win,” said Smith. “I feel like we were the race winner.”
Stewart admitted in a post-race interview that he pushed Smith down below the line, but NASCAR saw it differently and declared Stewart the winner. It was Stewart’s first win this year, and his 33rd career victory. Stewart also led the most laps (23). “It’s one thing to get back to victory lane, but to do it at Talladega — this is one of about four places I haven’t won a Cup race at and talk about one to win,” said Stewart. “I’ve wanted to win here for so long. I have so many friends down here — Red Farmer and Donnie Allison and all these fans man, there’s so much orange up there. This hasn’t been one of my favorite places on the fan side — people haven’t always liked me here, but this one is for those guys up in the stands today.”
Paul Menard had his best career finish, bringing his DEI Chevrolet home in second and David Ragan finished third. Jeff Burton escaped a big wreck on Sunday and finished fourth with teammate Clint Bowyer in tow for fifth. Bobby Labonte took the sixth spot followed by Scott Riggs, Robby Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Elliott Sadler to round out the top ten. Johnson extended his points lead to 72 over Carl Edwards and 77 over third place Greg Biffle.
The race ended with a green-white-checkers finish. There was an all-time NASCAR record set with 28 different drivers to lead the race and there were 66 lead changes. The next event on the Sprint Cup schedule – the fifth race of the 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup – is the October 11th, Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The race begins at 7 p.m. EDT with live, high-definition coverage provided by ABC beginning with its pre-race show at 6 p.m. The race will also be broadcast live on SIRIUS Satellite Radio Channel 128 and PRN radio.
2008 Amp Energy 500 Final Results
Race Date October 5, 2008
Talladega Superspeedway
Pos Start Car Driver Make Sponsor Points/Bonus/Laps/Status
1 34 20 Tony Stewart ** Toyota Subway/Home Depot 195/10 190 Running
2 5 15 Paul Menard Chevrolet Johns Manville/Menards 175/5 190 Running
3 16 6 David Ragan Ford AAA Travel 170/5 190 Running
4 17 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet AT&T Mobility 165/5 190 Running
5 35 07 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet Jack Daniel’s 155/0 190 Running
6 32 43 Bobby Labonte Dodge Cheerios/Betty Crocker 150/0 190 Running
7 11 66 Scott Riggs Chevrolet Hunt Brothers Pizza 151/5 190 Running
8 42 7 Robby Gordon Dodge MAPEI/Menards 142/0 190 Running
9 20 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools 143/5 190 Running
10 40 19 Elliott Sadler Dodge MONOPOLY at McDonald’s 139/5 190 Running
11 7 78 Joe Nemechek Chevrolet Furniture Row/DenverMattress.com 135/5 190 Running
12 14 00 Kenny Wallace Toyota Champion Mortgage 132/5 190 Running
13 3 8 Aric Almirola Chevrolet U.S. Army 129/5 190 Running
14 2 5 Casey Mears Chevrolet Pop-Tarts/CARQUEST 126/5 190 Running
15 37 18 Kyle Busch Toyota Pedigree 123/5 190 Running
16 43 96 Ken Schrader Toyota DLP HDTV 115/0 190 Running
17 23 45 Terry Labonte Dodge Marathon Motor Oil 112/0 190 Running
18 4 01 Regan Smith * Chevrolet DEI/Principal Financial Group 109/0 190 Running
19 25 55 Michael Waltrip Toyota NAPA AUTO PARTS 111/5 187 Running
20 39 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet Shell/Pennzoil 108/5 179 Running
21 33 2 Kurt Busch Dodge Miller Lite 105/5 177 Running
22 29 22 Dave Blaney Toyota Caterpillar 97/0 176 In Pit
23 30 41 Reed Sorenson Dodge Memorex 99/5 176 Running
24 22 16 Greg Biffle Ford 3M 96/5 174 Running
25 13 42 Juan Montoya Dodge Texaco/Havoline 93/5 173 In Pit
26 31 17 Matt Kenseth Ford DEWALT 90/5 173 Running
27 1 28 Travis Kvapil Ford Academy Sports + Outdoors 87/5 173 Running
28 15 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet AMP Energy/Nat’l Guard 84/5 173 Running
29 12 99 Carl Edwards Ford Office Depot 81/5 173 Running
30 6 33 Mike Wallace Chevrolet Realtree 73/0 169 Running
31 21 84 Mike Skinner Toyota Red Bull 70/0 160 Running
32 28 26 Jamie McMurray Ford BernzOmatic Fat Boy 72/5 159 Running
33 27 21 Jon Wood Ford Motorcraft 64/0 154 Running
34 8 70 Tony Raines Chevrolet iQ Drive 61/0 148 In Pit
35 9 83 Brian Vickers Toyota Red Bull 63/5 134 Running
36 38 9 Kasey Kahne Dodge Budweiser 60/5 112 In Pit
37 19 44 David Reutimann Toyota UPS 52/0 110 Out
38 26 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet DuPont 54/5 104 In Pit
39 36 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota FedEx Express 51/5 98 Running
40 41 38 David Gilliland Ford Ford. Drive one. 43/0 68 Running
41 10 1 Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops/Tracker 45/5 68 Running
42 18 109 Sterling Marlin Chevrolet Miccosukee Resort & Gaming 37/0 68 Out
43 24 12 Ryan Newman Dodge Samsung HDTV/Alltel 34/0 48 Out
** Led Most Laps
* Rookies
All Results Unofficial
2008 Top-40 Sprint Cup Points After Amp Energy 500
Race Date October 5, 2008
Talladega Superspeedway
POS +/- DRIVER POINTS/BEHIND/STARTS/POLES/WINS/TOP 5/TOP 10
1 — Jimmie Johnson 5718 30 5 5 12 18
2 — Carl Edwards 5646 -72 30 1 6 14 22
3 — Greg Biffle 5641 -77 30 2 2 11 14
4 — Jeff Burton 5619 -99 30 0 1 6 16
5 +2 Clint Bowyer 5566 -152 30 0 1 5 14
6 -1 Kevin Harvick 5547 -171 30 0 0 6 15
7 +4 Tony Stewart 5515 -203 30 0 1 10 15
8 -2 Jeff Gordon 5486 -232 30 3 0 10 14
9 — Matt Kenseth 5473 -245 30 0 0 8 17
10 -2 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 5469 -249 30 1 1 9 14
11 +1 Kyle Busch 5387 -331 30 2 8 15 17
12 -2 Denny Hamlin 5383 -335 30 1 1 9 15
Top 12 Drivers Are Locked In The Chase For The Championship
13 — David Ragan 3539 -2179 30 0 0 6 11
14 — Kasey Kahne 3422 -2296 30 2 2 3 12
15 — Ryan Newman 3181 -2537 30 1 1 2 8
16 +1 Brian Vickers 3168 -2550 30 1 0 3 6
17 -1 Martin Truex Jr. 3151 -2567 30 0 0 3 8
18 — Kurt Busch 3011 -2707 30 0 1 3 7
19 +1 Bobby Labonte 2983 -2735 30 0 0 0 2
20 -1 Jamie McMurray 2949 -2769 30 0 0 0 6
21 — Elliott Sadler 2923 -2795 30 0 0 2 8
22 +3 Casey Mears 2856 -2862 30 0 0 1 4
23 — Juan Montoya 2841 -2877 30 0 0 2 3
24 — Travis Kvapil 2834 -2884 30 1 0 0 3
25 -3 David Reutimann 2820 -2898 30 0 0 0 3
26 +2 Paul Menard 2659 -3059 30 1 0 1 1
27 -1 David Gilliland 2650 -3068 30 0 0 1 2
28 -1 Mark Martin 2539 -3179 20 0 0 4 10
29 — Michael Waltrip 2410 -3308 30 0 0 1 2
30 — Reed Sorenson 2376 -3342 29 0 0 1 2
31 — Dave Blaney 2356 -3362 29 0 0 0 2
32 — Robby Gordon 2324 -3394 30 0 0 0 3
33 +1 Scott Riggs 2294 -3424 28 0 0 0 1
34 -1 Regan Smith* 2252 -3466 28 0 0 0 0
35 — Sam Hornish Jr.* 2116 -3602 29 0 0 0 0
36 — A.J. Allmendinger 1828 -3890 21 0 0 0 2
37 — Patrick Carpentier* 1794 -3924 24 1 0 0 0
38 — Joe Nemechek 1762 -3956 27 1 0 0 0
39 — Michael McDowell* 1466 -4252 20 0 0 0 0
40 — J.J. Yeley 1263 -4455 17 0 0 1 1
* Rookies
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Jayski
http://www.jayski.com
Stewart finally wins at Talladega: #20-Tony Stewart won the Amp 500 at Talladega Superspeedway for his 1st win of 2008, his 1st win ever in a Cup race at Talladega after six 2nd place finishes and his 33rd career win [ties him for 17th all time wins with Fireball Roberts]. It was Stewart’s first win in 43 races, Watkins Glen in 2007 and the 9th season in a row [every season] that Stewart has won at least one race. #01-Regan Smith was 2nd but he passed Stewart at the start-finish line after passing the #20 under the yellow line and was penalized and credited with a finish of 18th. So #15-Menard is 2nd [his best career finish and first ever top-5 finish] followed by #6-Ragan, #31-Burton, #07-Bowyer, #43-Labonte, #66-Riggs, #7-Gordon, #48-Johnson and #19-Sadler. There were 64 lead changes among 28 drivers, 10 cautions for 41 laps and 2 red flags for the two big wrecks which lasted a little over 29 minutes.
Below yellow line at Daytona/Talladega OK on last lap? NO: This was posted back in Feb 2007 about the Truck Series race at Daytona. The ‘rule’ was metnioned at the end of ABC’s broadcast, but NASCAR ruled otherwise.
Drivers throughout the Craftsman Truck Series garage were still talking about last week’s [Feb 2007] three-wide finish at Daytona International Speedway. While they admitted the finish was good for television, most wondered why NASCAR allowed Johnny Benson to drive below the yellow line – Daytona’s out of bounds line – to jump from third to second in the final 200 yards. Benson wasn’t penalized because “if you can see the checkered flag on the last lap, anything goes,” according to NASCAR spokesman Owen Kearns.(Augusta Chronicle)(2-24-2007/10-5-2008), no word on the exact ruling, problems with the ruling? take it up with NASCAR, contact info on my Racing FAQ/Contact NASCAR page. http://www.jayski.com/pages/faqrace.htm
from NASCAR: Post-Race Comments from NASCAR Vice President of Corporate Communications Jim Hunter Talladega Superspeedway, Oct. 5, “You cannot improve your position anytime you go below the yellow line. In our judgment, he (Regan Smith) improved his position and the penalty for that is a pass thru, so he was moved back to the tail end of the longest line or 18th position. At the driver’s meeting, we clearly state that you cannot improve your position by going below the yellow line. We do not feel he was forced below the yellow line. Anytime you get into a situation like this, there are going to be two different opinions. We respect Regan’s view, but we made the call, we think it’s the right call and the finish is final. NASCAR has to maintain some kind of control – and that’s the reason we say, you cannot advance your position by going below the yellow line. If he had not improved his position, he probably would have been awarded 2nd place.”(NASCAR)(10-5-2008)
UNOFFICAL Classic Driver Points Standings [after Talladega race 30 of 36]:
1) #99-Carl Edwards 4267 [6 wins]
2) #48-Jimmie Johnson 4254 -13 [5 wins]
3) #18-Kyle Busch 4185 -82 [8 wins]
4) #31-Jeff Burton 3993 -274 [1 win]
5) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. 3947 -320 [1 win]
6) #16-Greg Biffle 3921 -346 [2 wins]
7) #29-Kevin Harvick 3830 -437
#20-Tony Stewart 3800 -467
9) #24-Jeff Gordon 3707 -560 [1 win]
10) #07-Clint Bowyer 3672 -595 [1 win]
11) #11-Denny Hamlin 3608 -659 [1 win]
12) #17-Matt Kenseth 3605 -662
13) #6-David Ragan 3539 -728
14) #9-Kasey Kahne 3422 -845 [2 wins]
(10-5-2008)
Talladega Superspeedway Race Fast Facts:
The 28 Lap Leaders in the AMP Energy 500 sets the all-time Sprint Cup record for different leaders in a race.
Tony Stewart won the AMP Energy 500, his 33rd victory in 350 Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his first victory and 15th top-10 finish in 2008.
This is his first victory and 12th top-10 finish in 20 races at Talladega Superspeedway.
Paul Menard (second) posted his first top-10 finish in five races at Talladega Superspeedway. It is his first top-10 finish in 2008.
David Ragan (third) posted his second top-10 finish in four races at Talladega Superspeedway.
Regan Smith (18th) was the highest finishing rookie.
Jimmie Johnson leads the point standings by 72 points over Carl Edwards.(NASCAR Statistics)(10-5-2008)
Who got a lap back on each caution at Talladega: (and their finish)
Caution 1: #7-Gordon, 8th
Caution 2: #48-Johnson, 9th
Caution 3: #7-Gordon(2), 8th
Caution 4: #00-Wallace, 12th
Caution 5: #96-Schrader (still down a lap), 16th
Caution 6: #96-Schrader(2), 16th
Caution 7: #45-Labonte (still a lap down), 17th
Caution 8: #45-Labonte, 17th
Caution 9: #45-Labonte, 17th
Caution 10: no passes awarded with 10 or less laps to go
(10-5-2008)
Penalties…see all 33 of them on my Talladega Race Rundown page
http://www.jayski.com/next/2008/30tss2008.htm#rundown
Big Wreck: gonna be a big shake up in Chase points as on lap 174, six Chasers running up front were involved in an 11 car wreck: #99-Edwards [was 2nd in pts], #16-Biffle [3rd], #17-Kenseth [9th], #29-Harvick [5th], #88-Earnhardt Jr.[8th] and #18-Busch [12th but not much damage]. Plus #11-Hamlin [10th] had a tire blow and hit the wall hard while leading and is now 39th; #24-Gordon [6th] was involved in an early wreck and is currently 38th. #48-Johnson got a lap down early, finally got a lap back and looks like he will pad his 10 point lead.(10-5-2008)
Craven, Evernham, Said on NASCAR Now Monday Roundtable Discussion: The Monday, Oct. 6, edition of NASCAR Now, ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information show, at 5pm/et will feature host Allen Bestwick leading a roundtable discussion of the latest NASCAR news and races. Panel members will include former NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Ricky Craven and ESPN analysts Ray Evernham and Boris Said.
Sprint Cup Series Record 28 Different Leaders At Talladega: There were 28 different leaders in Sunday’s AMP Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, an all-time Sprint Cup Series record. The previous record of 26 was snapped on Lap 142 when Joe Nemechek crossed the start/finish line in first. Michael Waltrip later extended the record to 28, leading lap 165. The old record of 26 different leaders was originally set July 27, 1986, at Talladega. It was tied on April 22, 2001, again at Talladega. Sunday’s race also placed in the top five in terms of lead changes. There were 64 total lead changes, which is tied for fifth-most in NASCAR history.(NASCAR)(10-6-2008)
Petty to run Phoenix, after that ? #45-Kyle Petty will race for Petty Enterprises in November at Phoenix International Raceway, but will he return to the team in 2009? Petty Enterprises Executive Vice President Robbie Loomis said the future is still to be determined and if Petty could find more races somewhere else, he could drive for another team next year. Petty has talked in the past about possibly doing a part-time schedule next year, either with the Pettys or somewhere else. He already has committed to be in the telecast booth for TNT during its six events. Some of Petty’s sponsorship are tied to him as a driver. “We’ve got to look at Petty Enterprises and where we’re going with the future, but at the same time Kyle Petty has to look at Kyle Petty himself and I’m sure if the opportunity comes up and somebody’s got a good situation for him to run a full schedule, I would think Kyle probably would want to do it barring he still gets to do his TV races,” Loomis said Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway. Chad McCumbee will run the remainder of the races starting with next week at Lowe’s Motor Speedway with the exception of Phoenix, Loomis said. Loomis said he really likes McCumbee, who will be evaluated for the rest of the season to determine if he will be signed for 2009.(SceneDaily)(10-6-2008)
Did Not Finish Streak and stats: #29-Harvick has been running at the finish in 74 consecutive races [yes, he made it back to the track Sunday at Talladega after wrecking], the longest current streak and a NEW modern era record, next up is #07-Bowyer at 67 consecutive races. The all-time record for the longest streak of NOT having an DNF is 84 races held by Herman Beam from April 30, 1961 thru March 10, 1963. Kevin Harvick held the modern era (1972-present) record at 58 (10/3/2002-8/1/2004) unil he broke it himself in 2008. Next up is Jeff Gordon at 56 and Dale Earnhardt at 53 [Indy in 1996 thru Martinsville in the spring of 1998.(10-5-2008)
Top-5's, Top-10's: #18-Kyle Busch leads all drivers after 30 races in 2008 with 15 Top-5 finishes followed by #99-Edwards at 14. #99-Edwards has the most Top-10's after 30 races with 22, followed by #48-Johnson with 18. All full-time drivers who have run all 30 races in 2008 have scored a top-10 finishe. Five drivers have not scored a Top-5 and ran all 30 races: #7-Gordon [last top-5 at Watkins Glen 8/2007], #26-McMurray [last at Daytona, a win 7/07], #28-Kvapil [none], #43-Labonte [last at Martinsville in 10/2006] and #44-Reutimann [none].(10-5-2008)
Waltrip now 10th: on Sunday, #55-Michael Waltrip broke a tie for 10th place in all time starts with 719. Just behind Waltrip is Bobby Allison and Mark Martin at 718. In 9th is Ken Schrader at 727 and Richard Petty is the driver with the most starts at 1184.(10-5-2008)
Hamlin taken to hospital after hard wreck; overnight stay: #11-Denny Hamlin was held Sunday night at a Birmingham hospital Sunday for further evaluation after a tire failure led to a hard crash at Talladega Superspeedway. Hamlin was alert and awake when he was transported to the UAB Medical Center, but was complaining of a headache and possibly had a concussion. He was also favoring his right foot after a slow exit from his crumpled car. “The tire went down and it was quite a shot,” Joe Gibbs Racing president J.D. Gibbs said. “He’s got a little headache, so they’re just going to watch him. It was a scary deal, but it’s at least nice that he’s alert and with it.” Hamlin, one of 12 drivers racing for the Sprint Cup title, was leading midway through the race when his right front tire failed and his Toyota shot into the outside wall. He said nothing over his in-car radio after the hit and took several moments to get out of the car. Crew chief Mike Ford said he was unsure what happened to the tire, and did not have a chance to speak to Hamlin. “But it happened so fast, I doubt he even knows,” Ford said. Hamlin’s tire failure was the fourth one in the race and fifth of the weekend. Earlier, Brian Vickers’ tire exploded as he was racing for the lead and it triggered an eight-car accident. Ford said on the run before Hamlin’s tire failure, the right rear tire had several cuts in it when the crew removed it during a pit stop. Hamlin attributed the cuts to debris on the race track, so Ford said it was unclear if the later failure was caused by Hamlin running over something or a deficiency in the Goodyear product.(Associated Press)(10-5-2008)
Riggs has ride for 2009? during ABC’s TV coverage of the Amp Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, Dr. Jerry Punch said that #66-Scott Riggs said he has a contract in hand to sign that would settle his 2009 plans. No word on what team Riggs will drive for, rumors include DEI, Petty Enterprises and Ganassi Racing.(10-5-2008)
Carpentier blamed by crew chief: After the Gillett Motorsports #10 Dodge failed to qualify on speed at Talladega Superspeedway, crew chief [or as GEM calls them, Team Director] Mike Shiplett decided to put good judgement aside and lash out at team driver Patrick Carpentier in the Tow Truck in a Box team trailer while the doors were open, allowing anyone in the paddock to witness the skirmish. This gesture was not appreciated by the canadian driver. “I think it’s a complete lack of respect,” said Carpentier. “I never was shy to take the blame when I thought it was my fault, but here, everybody knows that it’s like driving in a straight line. The driver just has to keep the steering wheel straight. He should have taken a time out and calmed down before he spoke. ” Shiplett accused Carpentier of going too low down on the last straight, which he claimed made the front of the car rub against the ground. “It’s bulls**t,” said Carpentier. “I’ve looked at the timing data and we were already three-tenths below the time we needed to qualify when I went below the line. I went low because i felt we had to try everything. I gave it all I had, but now he blames me? This is totally unacceptable. It’s not as if my teammates were on the first row! They both ran slower than me! ” #9-Kasey Kahne (41st) and #19-Elliott Sadler (43rd) posted times that were slower than the Carpentier (39th). It is their positions in the top 35 point standings that allowed them to be in the starting lineup of AMP 500. Sadler was using the new generation of the Dodge / GEM chassis. Kahne was also using the new chassis until when he damaged his primary car during practice. For Carpentier and the #10 Tow Truck in a Box Dodge, the only option given by GEM was to use an old generation Dodge Charger chassis. What most enraged Carpentier, is that Shiplett decided to scold him at Talladega, a track where the driver can do nothing to improve his fate if his car is not up to speed. “Even though I know his criticism didn’t make any sense, what is worst is that he seems to have forgotten pretty quickly races like Dover or in Atlanta where I’ve qualified a car that he himself didn’t think was fast enough to earn a place on the starting grid. I realize now that some people have a really short memory span in NASCAR, “said Carpentier”. Shiplett was not available for comment after the non-qualification of his car.(patcarpentier.ca taken from a french article at canoe.com)(10-5-2008)
A.J. back at Charlotte? A.J. Allmendinger was interviewed on ESPN2′s NASCAR Now and he said he has been in meetings with teams at Talladega Superspeedway and hopes to have his 2009 plans set soon and hopes to be in a ride as soon as the Bank of American at Lowe’s Motor Speedway next weekend.(10-5-2008)
Sadler crew chief not at track and congrats: Gillett Evernham Motorsports engineer Kevin Kidd will serve as crew chief today for #19-Elliott Sadler during the Amp Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.Crew Chief Rodney Childers left Talladega on Friday to be with his wife for the birth of their twins in North Carolina.(SceneDaily)(10-5-2008)
Labonte Humbled by Talladega Walk of Fame Induction: #43-Bobby Labonte welcomed his induction into the Talladega Walk of Fame this evening in a ceremony at the Davey Allison Memorial Park in Talladega, Ala. He joined 1960 Sprint Cup champion, Rex White, in the 2008 class of inductees. Benny Parsons, who was already a member of the prestigious group, was honored with a permanent plaque for his years of service to the Talladega Walk of Fame, which included serving as emcee for the annual induction ceremony. “This is a great honor because it is voted on by the fans,” said Labonte. “Since coming to Petty Enterprises and seeing firsthand how “The King” Richard Petty appreciates all the fans, it is important to me to continue to do the same. To be able to be a part of a celebration that included two great champions like Rex White and Benny Parsons is pretty special because I have a lot of respect for those that came before me and helped paved the way for what we enjoy today.” This is the second consecutive year that a Labonte has been inducted into the Talladega Walk of Fame. Terry Labonte, who will compete in Sunday’s race in the #45 Marathon American Spirit Motor Oil Dodge, went in last year. This adds to an already impressive list of accomplishments for the Labonte brothers, including the fact that they are the only brothers to both win the Sprint Cup Series title. “I’ve always looked up to my brother as one of my heroes,” continued Labonte. “The fact that we will both be racing for Petty Enterprises on Sunday is definitely a cool way to celebrate my induction.”(MCG Sports/Petty Enterprises PR), more info about the Talladega Walk of Fame at talladegawalk.com.(10-5-2008)
Miko Salo to NASCAR? not much reported, but during SPEED’s broadcast of “The Petit Le Mans” American Le Mans Series Sports car race from Road Atlanta, it was reported that Miko Salo is talking to NASCAR teams about running there in 2009, no series was mentioned [Cup, Nationwide or Trucks].(10-4-2008)
Robby back with own team in 2009: #7-Robby Gordon says he has enough sponsorship to run the full Sprint Cup Series schedule next season and has no interest in driving for anyone but himself [there were rumors he could go to DEI]. Gordon said Menards is among the sponsors coming back. Gordon has had sponsorship mainly from Menards and Jim Beam this year. Jim Beam announced last November that it would sponsor Gordon through 2008 and has not yet announced its plans for 2009. As far as a possible merger – Gordon had agreed in January to be bought out by Gillett Evernham Motorsports but that deal fell through – Gordon says he is not going to drive for anyone else. Gordon recently began a four-race engine-leasing deal with Penske Racing.(SceneDaily)(10-5-2008)
Newman vs. the lawn mower: #12-Ryan Newman has four stitches on his forehead, courtesy of a bout this week with his lawn mower. Newman was down on the ground putting a belt on his mower when it snapped off and caused him to knock his head on the crossbar of the handle. It left a nasty cut at the hairline of his forehead. His helmet rubs up against the stitching, but Newman doesn’t think it will cause any problems in Sunday’s race.(ESPN)(10-5-2008)
___________________________________________________________
Testimonial
Before Ethos – In a 2002 Honda Odyssey I was averaging 20.1 mpg
After Ethos – I am averaging 23.6 and achieving highway only trips of 26.7(EPA est is 25)
Gas tank holds 18 gals
18X3.5=63 extra miles that equals to 2.7 gallons of gas
$3.96 X 2.7 = $10.69 minus cost of 2 ounces of Ethos $2.10 = $8.59 savings every fill-up
Increase MPG 7 – 19%
Decrease emissions 30% – or more
Distributorships available
Used and endorsed by the Unser family.
‘The Official Fuel Reformulator of the Firestone Indy Lights Series’.
You can check out the details here: http://snipurl.com/29ohu-gazete
(advertisement)
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Race2Win
http://www.race2win.net
Paul Menard on Track Talk Live Thursday, October 9th
Paul Menard, who finished second today at Talladega, will appear on Track Talk LIVE this Thursday, October 9th. Track Talk airs LIVE every Thursday from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm ET on the Prime Sports Network . Tune in as Race 2 Win’s Jeff Holtzclaw, Blake Feese, Greg DePalma and Heather Meyer discuss the latest happenings in NASCAR. The show airs LIVE every Thursday from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm ET on Listeners are always welcome to join in on the show, call toll-free at 1-877-266-1909 or email at nascar@primesportsnetwork.com if you would like to offer your opinions and insight.
NASCAR Newscast: Chase for the Sprint Cup – Week 3 Review
In a race with a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series all-time record of 28 leaders, Tony Stewart won his first race of the season at Talladega Superspeedway. Hear from Stewart, runner-up Paul Menard and Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup point leader Jimmie Johnson.
[Watch Video] – http://www.race2win.net/video/NASCAR_NEWSCAST_10_5.html
Talladega Superspeedway Photos
Sunday Photo Gallery – http://www.race2win.net/pg/73
Saturday Photo Gallery – http://www.race2win.net/pg/72
Friday Photo Gallery – http://www.race2win.net/pg/71
Video: Post-Race News Conferences at Talladega
Tony Stewart describes how he won his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway and how much it means in his final year at Joe Gibbs Racing. (31 seconds) [Watch Video] http://www.race2win.net/video/2008_talladega_oct_nscs_post-race_tony_stewart_last_lap.html
Nemechek Caps off Strong Talladega Weekend with 11th Place
Joe Nemechek’s 11th-place finish in Sunday’s Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway was a career-best result for the 3-year-old Furniture Row Racing team, eclipsing the previous best of 18th set at Daytona in July.
Full Story – http://www.race2win.net/wc/08/10/tsb78.html
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of That’s Racin’
http://www.thatsracin.com
‘Out of bounds’ or ‘anything goes?’ It’s NASCAR’s call
Stewart gets a Talladega win, his first in final season with Joe Gibbs Racing
TALLADEGA, Ala. – Tony Stewart crossed the finish line second at Talladega Superspeedway for the seventh time in his Sprint Cup career in Sunday’s Amp Energy 500. He also got his first Cup victory here.
http://www.thatsracin.com/topstories/story/19522.html
Johnson drifts back early, but is able to rebound, then capitalize
TALLADEGA, Ala. – At one point Sunday, Jimmie Johnson had last place securely nailed down. But by the time the race ended, a solid lead in his race for a third consecutive Sprint Cup Series championship was what Johnson had
http://www.thatsracin.com/topstories/story/19539.html
Race rewind | Edwards sounds contrite, says ‘you just do the best you can’ – http://www.thatsracin.com/news/story/19555.html
Hamlin hospitalized after tire failure puts him into wall while leading – http://www.thatsracin.com/topstories/story/19495.html
___________________________________________________________
P R E S S * R E L E A S E S
___________________________________________________________
There were 28 different leaders in Sunday’s AMP Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, an all-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series record.
__________
NASCAR statement from Jim Hunter regarding Regan Smith’s last lap pass …
“You cannot improve your position any time you go below the yellow line. In our judgement, he (Regan Smith) improved his position and the penalty for that is a pass through, so he was moved back to the tail end of the longest line or 18th position. At the driver’s meeting, we clearly state that you cannot improve your position by going below the yellow line. We do not feel he was forced below the yellow line. Any time you get into a situation like this, there are going to be two different opinions. We respect Regan’s view, but we made the call, we think it’s the right call and the finish is final. NASCAR has to maintain some kind of control — and that’s the reason we say, you cannot advance your position by going below the yellow line. If he had not improved his position, he probably would have been awarded second place.”
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_nascar/2008/10/talladega-su-21.html
___________________________________________________________
N A S C A R * N A T I O N W I D E * S E R I E S
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Jayski
http://www.jayski.com
Former Nationwide driver Tina Gordon opens horse ranch for kids: For 10 years, Tina Walsh Gordon drove trucks and cars really fast – usually more than 175 miles per hour. She did it legally, though, in NASCAR races. Now that she is retired from racing, she is promoting a slower method of travel – horseback riding for children with mental and physical challenges. She has opened Tina’s Dream Ranch in Cedar Bluff. “I got the idea when I was racing,” Gordon said. “I did several charity events while I was with NASCAR. They often sent me out to speak with kids’ groups and visit children’s hospitals. I always enjoyed doing that. Sometimes, though, it was really sad to see what the children were having to go through.”(Gadsden Gazette)(10-5-2008)
World Walk on the #47 at Lowes: On Saturday, October 11th, Manny Ohonme will begin walking barefoot on a two week course from Charlotte to Atlanta to bring awareness to the more than 300 million children around the world who have never owned a pair of shoes. As the founder of international humanitarian organization, Samaritan’s Feet, Ohonme walked barefoot as a poor child in Nigeria-growing up with a dream of providing shoes for children. With close to a million shoes already distributed through his organization in more than 32 nations, his goal of 10 million ‘soles’ worldwide on this month’s “World Walk” is steps closer-thanks to the sports world. On Friday, October 10th Kelly Bires, of the JTG Daugherty Racing Team will be making tracks for Samaritan’s Feet around the course of Lowe’s Motor Speedway-driving the newly unveiled Samaritan’s Feet and Speedway Children’s Charities logo car in the Dollar General 300 Race, part of the Nationwide Series.(Speedway Children’s Charities PR), see an image of the car on my #47 Paint Schemes page.(10-4-2008) http://www.jayski.com/schemes/2008/nationwide/47nationwide.htm
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of The Hot Lap
http://www.TheHotLap.com
A message from crew chief Kenneth Campbell’s family.”There is no way to express my gratitude for all of your prayers, cards, visits, calls and financial assistance. The kids and I have been overwhelmed with all the love and kindness that you all have shown us. We always knew that NASCAR was a family, but we had never experienced it first hand. Kenneth cared deeply for his friends and racing family, he would have been proud to see the out pouring of love that you all have shown us. I ask that you all continue to pray for us as we move forward and remember you were all part of Kenneth’s family. He truly loved and lived racing. Sincere thanks, Kim, Taylor, Carson and Braden Campbell” (10-04-08)
Rusty Wallace, NASCAR Champion and ABC / ESPN Lead Auto Racing Analyst ;and Steve Wallace, Driver, No. 66 5-Hour Energy Chevrolet, NASCAR Nationwide Series will appear for public autographs, on behalf of 5-Hour Energy, at the Rushco Food Stores location at 2850 South Cannon Boulevard in Kannapolis, NC, on Wednesday, October 8th. The No. 66 Team 5-Hour Energy Rusty Wallace Racing Chevrolet show car will be on display.(RWR) (10-04-08)
___________________________________________________________
C R A F T S M A N * T R U C K * S E R I E S
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Jayski
http://www.jayski.com
CIA Stock Photo
Bodine wins at Talladega: A wild last lap; five wide at the finish line, but #30-Todd Bodine, with a push from the #33 of Ron Hornaday was first to cross the finish line to win the Mountain Dew 250 at Talladega Superspeedway. This is Bodine’s second victory in 2008. Rounding out the top ten were; #51-Kyle Busch, #6-Colin Braun, #9-Mike Wallace, #81-Landon Cassill, #16-Brian Scott, #7-TJ Bell, #5-Mike Skinner, #8-Chad McCumbee. There were 16 lead changes among 8 drivers, with 4 caution flags for 17 laps. Complete race results are posted on the Talladega Race Page.(Unofficial) http://www.jayski.com/cts/next/2008/20talladega2008.htm#results
Hornaday takes over points lead: #33- Ron Hornaday Jr. is the new leader of the driver point standings with 3027 following the Mountain Dew 250 at Talladega Superspeedway, 39 points ahead of second place #23-Johnny Benson. Rounding out the top ten are #88-Matt Crafton, #30-Todd Bodine, #99-Erik Darnell, #5-Mike Skinner, #14-Rick Crawford, #2-Jack Sprague, #18-Dennis Setzer, #8-Chad McCumbee. Complete driver point standings are posted on the Talladega Race Page.(Unofficial) http://www.jayski.com/cts/next/2008/20talladega2008.htm#standings
Lia to the #81 for remainder of season: During the race broadcast on SPEED/TV, Ray Dunlap reported that Donny Lia is expected to drive the #81-Randy Moss Motorsports Chevy for the remainder of the season.(10-4-2008)
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of TruckSeries.Com
http://www.truckseries.com
Bodine Does The Dew
10-04-2008 | Tom Jensen, TruckSeries.com
Bodine Does The Dew Todd Bodine made a dramatic last-lap pass of Kyle Busch to win Saturday’s Mountain Dew 250 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. Bodine pulled Ron Hornaday Jr. into second with him in the pass at the exit of Turn 4. Combined with Johnny Benson’s 11th-place finish, Hornaday now has 39-point lead in the NCTS standings with five races to go. Pole-sitter Erik Darnell led at the start in his Northern Tool + Equipment Ford F-150, only to see the first caution fly on Lap 2 for debris on the track. Darnell led teammate Colin Braun’s Con-way Freight Ford and defending race-winner Todd Bodine’s Lumber Liquidators Toyota Tundra on the Lap 4 restart. On Lap 15, Jack Sprague pitted the American Commercial Lines Chevrolet Silverado, with suspected engine problems. Joey Logano’s NCTS debut, meanwhile, hit a big snag as he lost his right-side window in the Team ASE/Raybestos/Harris Trucking Toyota and had to pit for a lengthy repair.
http://www.truckseries.com/cgi-script/NCTS_08/articles/000018/001899.htm
Hornaday Back On Top
10-04-2008 | Tom Jensen, TruckSeries.com
Tom Jensen The 33 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series drivers who participated in Saturday’s Mountain Dew 250 at Talladega Superspeedway all managed to avoid The Big One, the huge multi-vehicle pile-up that always seems to happen at Talladega. But on this autumn Alabama afternoon, Johnny Benson couldn’t avoid his onrushing archrival, Ron Hornaday Jr.
http://www.truckseries.com/cgi-script/NCTS_08/articles/000019/001911.htm
___________________________________________________________
N A S C A R * C A N A D I A N * T I R E * S E R I E S
http://localracing.nascar.com/news/6
___________________________________________________________
Hathaway gets first win on final weekend
Georgina Advocate – Keswick,ON,Canada
Jason Hathaway found a good time to win his first-ever NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race. With the final NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race being held last …
http://www.georginaadvocate.com/News/Sports/article/82288
Long Island Press
Jimmie Johnson Joins Spurs, Sampras, Devils In Unknowingly Screwing His Sport
by Josh Stewart
http://www.longislandpress.com/main.asp?SectionID=20&SubSectionID=201&ArticleID=16706&TM=81105.42
___________________________________________________________
C O L U M N S / C O M M E N T A R I E S
___________________________________________________________
Insider Racing News
http://insiderracingnews.com/Writers/BB/100408.html
NASCAR Driver’s Websites Are Lacking
by Brenda Benedict
Insider Racing News
http://insiderracingnews.com/Writers/KR/100508.html
A Rough Start To The Weekend For Driver 88
by Kim Roberson
Insider Racing News
http://insiderracingnews.com/Writers/CF/100508.html
Talladega Superspeedway Notebook ~ Saturday
by Connie Felix
Insider Racing News
http://insiderracingnews.com/Writers/RF/100608.html
Stewart Salutes Fans After First Talladega Victory
by Ron Felix
Insider Racing News
http://insiderracingnews.com/Writers/MP/100608.html
NASCAR’s Playoff Format Is Here To Stay
by Matthew Pizzolato
Insider Racing News
http://insiderracingnews.com/Writers/CF/100608.html
Talladega Superspeedway Notebook ~ Sunday
by Connie Felix
Tough Times For ESPN At Talladega
Last season was the first year of ESPN’s return to NASCAR.
http://dalyplanet.blogspot.com/2008/10/tough-times-for-espn-at-talladega.html
___________________________________________________________
T V * L I S T I N G S
___________________________________________________________
Courtesy of Jayski
http://www.jayski.com/pages/tv.htm
Mon Oct 6
2:00 am SPEED Report SPEED
2:30 am NSCS: Talladega AMP Energy 500 ESPN2
4:00 am NASCAR Victory Lane SPEED
8:00 am NASCAR Victory Lane SPEED
12:00 pm NCTS Set-Up SPEED
12:00 pm NSCS: Talladega AMP Energy 500 ESPNC
12:30 pm NCTS: Talladega Mountain Dew 250 SPEED
5:00 pm NASCAR Now ESPN2
8:00 pm This Week in NASCAR SPEED
9:00 pm HorsePower Tee Shot Tour SPEED
Tue Oct 7
12:00 am This Week in NASCAR SPEED
12:00 am NASCAR Now ESPN2
8:00 am This Week in NASCAR SPEED
5:00 pm NASCAR Now ESPN2
Wed Oct 8
12:00 am This Week in NASCAR SPEED
5:00 pm NASCAR Now ESPN2
Jayski does not list all the programming offered by SPEED; for complete listings go to their website, http://www.speedtv.com/schedule/
Always CHECK YOUR LOCAL LISTINGS!
___________________________________________________________
The Stock Car Gazette
Copyright 2002-2008 by MotorSportsNews.Net
All Rights Reserved
SUBSCRIBE / UNSUBSCRIBE INFORMATION
http://groups.google.com/group/StockCarGazette
Miss an edition of the Stock Car Gazette? Visit the E-ZINE ARCHIVE:
http://motorsportsnews.net/archives/category/stock-car-gazette/
IMPORTANT PRIVACY NOTICE: The Stock Car Gazette mailing list is maintained completely by MotorSportsNews.Net. Therefore, we can tell you we have not and will not ever share your e-mail address with anyone for any reason.
IMPORTANT LEGAL NOTICE: ALL broadcast, publication, retransmission to e-mail lists, WWW or any other copying or storage, in any medium, online or not, is STRICTLY PROHIBITED without PRIOR written permission from the editor. However, you MAY manually forward an issue by e-mail to your friends IF 1.) The text is forwarded IN ITS ENTIRETY including all subscription and web page information, and 2.) NO FEE is charged. We ALWAYS appreciate readers who report violations of the copyright to webmaster@motorsportsnews.net.
IMPORTANT PERSONAL NOTICE: Do you know for sure? You can. http://motorsportsnews.net/you-can-know-for-sure
___________________________________________________________
–~–~———~–~—-~————~——-~–~—-~
CONTACT INFORMATION
Mike Irwin, Owner/Webmaster
E-mail: Mike@MotorSportsNews.Net
AIM: motorsportsnews7
www.MotorSportsNews.Net
P. O. Box 668
Nicholasville, KY 40340-0668
859-750-1973
___________________________________________________________
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “Stock Car Gazette E-zine”.
To subscribe to this group, send email to StockCarGazette+subscribe@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to StockCarGazette+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/StockCarGazette?hl=en
-~———-~—-~—-~—-~——~—-~——~–~—
