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Recently performance issues on the part of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Joey Logano were at the top of the chart for the media and the race fans that follow the NASCAR Cup races.
A long time race watcher and former pit crewman for a top Cup team gave us his take on why Junior is having problems. “He’s consistently using up the car too early. He should just stay with the leaders and make his move at the end of the race.” |
However, this past weekend’s Cup race at Dega did see Jr. around at the end of the race. But he was unable to capitalize on making the breaks go his way and had to settle for second. Either way it was a big improvement and maybe his luck is changing for the better.
On Joey Logano’s problems, “It’s due to his inexperience because he’s moved up too quick. He has to hang in there, stay out of trouble and set himself up to be in contention in the closing laps of the race.” The Dega Cup race for Logano was also an improvement and he cracked the top ten with a ninth at the end.
So it will be interesting to read, see and read what the critics had to say about those two in the next few days.
Fox’s broadcast of that Saturday night’s Subway Fresh Fit 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race earned a 3.3 overnight rating from Nielsen Media Research and a 6 market share, Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Daily reports. The rating was 17.5 percent lower than the 4.0 the race earned overnight last year for Fox. This report came from StockCarGazette.com.
ESPN2’s live telecast of the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Phoenix International Raceway on Friday night, April 17, earned a 1.0 household coverage rating, equal to the rating earned for the past two years when the event has aired on ESPN2. The telecast averaged 1,281,753 viewers. This came from ESPNPR.
Like others we are wondering why the ratings are down and there’s less ticket buyers in the grandstands? Some attribute it to the COT and lackluster racing for the TV fans. For those who don’t come out to catch the race it’s high ticket and concession prices with motels gouging the fans. Although, some tracks that host Cup events are offering discount tickets and we expect to see ticket/motel combos soon.
ESPN’s award-winning primetime newsmagazine E:60 will profile AMA Supercross star James Stewart in the episode airing Tuesday, April 28, at 7 p.m. ET. The program, which launched in October 2007, combines investigative reporting, in-depth profiles of intriguing sports personalities and features on emerging star athletes. These stories are presented in a fresh and innovative format that incorporates producer/correspondent meetings.
Stewart is often called the “Tiger Woods” of his sport and is arguably the most dominant athlete in competition today. The first African-American in history to win a major motorsports title, Stewart has not only broken numerous records, he has broken barriers as well. He now earns more than $10 million annually and is on the verge of winning his second AMA Supercross championship.
But Stewart’s rise to the top was not easy. His father collected cans to help pay for his son’s racing. And James had to come to terms with being different, both in the all-black neighborhood where he grew up and on the all-white racetracks where he competed. Now one of the most popular riders in Supercross, Stewart for the first time talks openly with E:60’s Michael Smith about the blatant racism he has endured at the racetrack. On the track, he wins with a style all his own, and off the track, he hasn’t forgotten where he came from.
Marc DeBeaumont had an idea when he needed to fill the seat for his USAC midget car. Bring in some young aspiring drivers, give them coaching from some of racing’s biggest names and let them compete in front of top talent scouts with the promise of the winner having a fully funded ride for the entire 2009 season.
“It’s simple,” said DeBeaumont, “Let the young drivers drive and see what happens. Everyone here got a personal invitation. I am looking for a driver for this season, but my goal is to help out all of these young kids further their racing careers. We plan on supporting all of them where we can, even the kids who do not make it to the final cut.”
DeBeaumont brought in USAC Triple Crown Champion Jerry Coons, Jr. as well as NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Bryan Clauson to help coach the young drivers. Each driver was given approximately 45 laps broken into multiple segments. The first rounds were a weeklong. The field was then narrowed to 10, for a final one-day shootout.
“We had fun getting to know these guys and girls,” said 3 Wide Life host Brittney Cason. This event is a great opportunity and I think Marc (DeBeaumont) will be happy with his winner. This type of thing is exactly what 3 Wide Life aims to do. Show racing at is purest form and promote the sport from the bottom up.”
More to the story…
Episode 4 synopsis … In addition to highlighting the DMS Driver Challenge, this week’s episode features USAC Triple Crown Champion Jerry Coons Jr. Brittney Cason interviews Bryan Clauson and his father Tim. Tony Rizzuti heads to Stewart Haas Racing to learn about the 7 Post Rig and Shane Hmiel answers questions from the DMS Driver Challenge competitors.
Hostess with the Mostess… 3 Wide Life host Brittney Cason is always available to the media.
Where to watch… 3 Wide Life is syndicated locally, regionally and nationally. Locally it is broadcast on FOX, ABC, NBC and the CW networks. Regionally it airs on Fox SportsSouth, Florida Sun Sports, Altitude Sports, Fox Sports Midwest, Mid-Atlantic Sports Network, Sports Time Ohio, and Cox Sports Television. Nationally you can catch the show on Untamed Sports.
Livin’ 3 Wide… Shane Hmiel, driver of the 3 Wide Life USAC midget will be racing a Sprint car this weekend April 24th at Bloomington Speedway and again on April 25th at Lawrenceburg Speedway.
Teching out with Tony… This week in the Circle Track Tech Zone, Tony Rizzuti travels to Stewart Haas racing for an in-depth look at the 7-Post rig. Rizzuti gets a tour from 7-Post engineer Neil Lewis as he explains how the machine works and the value that it brings to a team.
· On the Web with Meg… Each week our resident web expert Meghan Stanton provides updates on all of the web events that 3 Wide Life is hosting. Here is her most recent update- “What’s up 3 Wide Life! We are getting close to having my new page up at 3widelife.com. Please feel free to shoot me an email with any topics you would like to discuss over the web. If you haven’t checked us out yet, be sure to follow us on Twitter where you can stay up to speed, week-to-week with what the 3 Wide Life crew is getting into. Also be sure to checkout 3 Wide Life on Facebook, where we have behind the scenes photos giving you a sneak peak of what goes on when the cameras aren’t rolling.”
US motorsports series IndyCar’s most famous race has reported an increased field of cars, despite the reduced field running in the rest of the series this year. Autosport.com reports that the initial entry list for the Indianapolis 500 includes 40 cars, which will compete for 33 grid positions. The regular IndyCar series field has shrank from 26 to 22 cars during the economic downturn.
Some of the bigger teams have added extra cars for the Indy 500. Autosport reports that high-profile returns to the race include Paul Tracy, with the KV Racing team; the Rahal Letterman Racing team, which was unable to fund a full-season program; and John Andretti, racing with the Dreyer and Reinbold team, in association with Richard Petty Racing. This item came from SportsBusinessInternational.
Here’s another item from SportsBusinessInternational. Lola is evaluating a F1 comeback. UK racecar manufacturer Lola is considering re-entering Formula One in 2010, prompted by the race series’ commitment to lowering entry costs.
And this is another item from SportsBusinessInternational. Legal proceedings issued by the owners of Donington Park, the venue for the British Formula One Grand Prix from 2010, against the circuit’s operators has endangered the future of the race.
The International Herald Tribune newspaper reported that Wheatcroft & Son, the owners, issued proceedings at Derby County Court seeking £2.5 million in unpaid rent and for forfeiture of the circuit lease, from Donington Ventures, the operator. Donington Ventures occupies the circuit on a 150-year lease, which began in January 2007.
In an interview with Autosport.com, Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone said he was saddened but not surprised at the latest development, and pointed to a lack of commitment in Britain to hosting the race compared to other countries.
“I’ve been saying it for a long time: we just don’t make the effort,” he said. Maybe all of this has got to do with the high costs of putting on the British GP and the organizers can’t meet all of their obligations?
Dale Earnhardt Jr., on his new diet. “Just cutting out a lot of nonsense like ice cream and chips, I feel… more confident and better energy-wise.” This came from the Valvoline Track Newsletter. Let’s hope that his change and some reorganizing of his team will get JR out of slump because it’s starting to get to be a real serious problem.
Here’s what’s on the boob tube this week through the weekend. On Monday VS offers the Indy Light race from Kansas City at 4 p.m. ESPN2 goes with NASCAR Now at 5 p.m. Ditto for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
On Friday at noon Speed airs Sprint Cup Practice from Richmond then Final Practice at 2 p.m. At 4 p.m. Speed offers NASCAR Nationwide Qualifying. Then Sprint Cup Qualifying at 5:30 p.m. ESPN2/TSN both air the Nationwide race from RIR at 7:30 p.m.
On Saturday the momentum ramps up with a 10 a.m. airing of NASCAR Now on The Duce. Speed kicks in with Raceway from RIR at 5 p.m. ESPN2 returns at 6 p.m. with NHRA National Qualifying from Madison, IL at 6 p.m. Fox/TSN both air the Cup race from RIR at 7 p.m. At 9 p.m. Speed airs the SuperBike Race from Road Atlanta followed by the SuperX race from Vegas at 10 p.m.
Sunday’s action starts at 1 p.m. with Speed offering the Grand Am race from NJ Motorsports Park. Speed comes back at 5 p.m. with the FIM 250 from Spain for the bikers followed by the FIM MotoGP from that same venue. ESPN2 airs the Final Eliminations from Madison, IL at 7 p.m. at the same time Speed offers the Speed Report. At 8 p.m. Speed has NASCAR Victory Lane from RIR followed by Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain at 9 p.m. (END)
NOTE: INFORMATION FOR THIS COLUMN CAME FROM VARIOUS REFERENCED SOURCES, PRESS RELEASES, NOTES AND OTHER SOURCES.
Car Insurance Used Dodge Charger
So you heard from a long-time race watcher and former pit crewman that Jr was using his car up too early. I assume this guy is no longer a crewman, and I’ve been involved in racing for 58 years (I was a grown woman when I started). I doubt that this “source” is reliable. This is laughable.
A long time race watcher and former pit crewman
Ginger, Thanks for your comments even though you don’t agree with my sources assessment. I don’t profess to know everything. However, I do consult others from time-to-time. I’m sure that others who are a combination of race watchers/former pit crewman have other opinions. Maybe this guy was right on or even off the mark. Regardless, it’s his opinion, like yours, and he’s an experienced hand. Winning Cup races are a combination of things. The right plan, moves, etc; and some good luck. If he’s right(my source) then it’s Constructive Criticism. Again, thanks for your comments.