Aug. 30, 2007 — Schedule Change Could Prevent Auctions

Outside of Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., stands a sign advertising the auction of North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham. “The Rock” played host to NASCAR events — including the pit crew challenge — from 1965 until 2004.

But in NASCAR’s infinite wisdom and in trying to achieve its ultimate goal of reaching new markets, changing its image and, above all else, making more money, the speedway’s dates — along with the traditional Labor Day weekend visit to Darlington Raceway across the state line in South Carolina — were eliminated to give second dates to California Speedway, Phoenix Int’l Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway.

As NASCAR continues to pursue a new fan base in different markets and rumors circulate of possible venues in the Northwest and the New York City market, the series’ oldest facilities have a reason to be wary of losing one or both of their dates. In an already overbearing 38-race season, how else could NASCAR make room for new venues without eliminating visits at existing facilities?

The answer is a simple rotation of track visits each season. Perhaps one season Pocono Raceway will have two dates and New Hampshire Int’l Speedway will only have one to make room on the calendar for a new race, say, at a Portland-area facility. The next season, Pocono would only have one race date and another facility — Martinsville —might only have one visit to make room for a new venue.

While some venues like Daytona and Bristol deserve two visits each season, others such as the aforementioned Pocono and New Hampshire tracks do not. By varying how many races a facility might get in a certain season, NASCAR might drive up interest in a venue if fans know that the series is only going to visit the track once a season instead of twice. Rotating the schedule would also give room for NASCAR to give other tracks — Kentucky, Iowa, Nashville, etc. — the chance to finally host a Nextel Cup date.

It’s a win-win situation for all parties involved. The older facilities may lose one date every few years, but losing one date every few seasons is better than seeing the venue on the auction block, right?

Aug. 23, 2007 — Now Almirola, Rockwell Are Both Gone

On Monday, Milwaukee-based Rockwell Automation announced it will not return as the primary sponsor on Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 in the NASCAR Busch Series. The company, which has been involved in NASCAR since 1997, has severed as the primary sponsor on the JGR Chevrolet since 2003.

“Everyone we’ve dealt with at Rockwell Automation has been first class, and we’re certainly appreciative of their contribution to Joe Gibbs Racing,” team president J.D. Gibbs said in a release. “We hope to find a new sponsor for the No. 20 team that’s as fun and as involved as Rockwell Automation has been with us.”

It was the company’s “involvement” in the June 23 AT&T 250 at The Milwaukee Mile that thrust Rockwell Automation into the glaring national spotlight that comes with the kind controversial calls that are the talk of the garage area and radio call-in shows for days and weeks after the fact.

With Denny Hamlin en route from Sonoma, Calif., teammate Aric Almirola qualified the No. 20 — earning the pole, his second of the season — and started the AT&T 250 when Hamlin was late getting to the track. Almirola led the first 43 laps and ran in the top five, but was called into the pits during a lap 57 caution for a driver change.

According to Gibbs, Rockwell Automation wanted to see Hamlin in the car at its home race track, but that the call to switch drivers was a group decision.

“I told those guys as a group, if you think Denny can get in the car and win the race, let’s do that. If you don’t think he can do that, let Aric run it out,” Gibbs told reporters the next day. “Our guys kind of thought about it as a group and said, ‘OK, we think Denny can run well, and we’re fast enough to win the race.’”

Hamlin hopped in the No. 20 and drove off while Almirola sulked toward the hauler and eventually from the track. Hamlin took the checkered flag, but Almirola was credited with the victory.

A month later, Almirola, a driver Gibbs said the team had “invested a lot in… time-wise and financially,” was released from his contract after the 2007 season and joined forces with Ginn Racing, which then merged with Dale Earnhardt, Inc to form a four-car Nextel Cup effort.

So, now with Rockwell Automation on the outs and with Almirola signed as a future driver for DEI, was pulling the ole driver change in Milwaukee worth it? Did the team make the change in hopes of getting Rockwell to up its sponsorship?

Though the decision still rankles with this writer, it appears that the call was a winning one for all parties involved.

The No. 20 went to victory lane, which is any team’s goal week in and week out. Hamlin was able to compete in the race, his objective after flying across the country despite missing the start of the event.

Rockwell Automation also got what it wanted: a victory in front of the hometown crowd with their star driver. But surely the company knew at the time – or had some indication – that it would not be upping its sponsorship at the end of the season. So, if the sponsor wanted to see Hamlin in the car even though officials knew they wouldn’t be back in 2008, that makes the decision to pull Almirola from the car even more selfish and senseless than previously thought. That type of call says the sponsor cares about one thing — winning — and not the development of a driver the team has supposedly put so much investment into.

Perhaps Almirola received the most benefits from that driver switch two months ago in Milwaukee. He now has a Busch Series victory to his credit — thanks to Hamlin — and the driver switch more than likely influenced his decision to kick JGR to the curb. This weekend, Almirola will pilot his new ride — the No. 01 — in the Sharpie 500 at Bristol.

Read Sheena's column on the events surrounding Aric Almirola in Milwaukee by clicking here.

Aug. 16, 2007 — Top 10 Reasons Why Road Courses In NASCAR Are Cool

10. Road courses are less likely to make fans dizzy compared to cookie-cutter ovals.

9. Watching a race gives you the extra skills necessary to navigate traffic on your Monday morning commute.

8. Road courses can lead to beatin’ and bangin’ just like at Bristol, and fans love Bristol.

7. Tracks win the best use of kitty litter award.

6. Hopping over a curb in a car is suddenly OK.

5. Races are a who’s who of international road racing stars.

4. Local cautions don't put a damper on racing on other parts of the track.

3. Wearing big, black curly wigs is normal.

2. Real drivers can turn left and right.

And the No. 1 reason why road course in NASCAR are cool —

1. Kevin Harvick vs. Juan Pablo Montoya

Aug. 9, 2007 — Silly Season Silliness Should Be Silliest

When the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series rolls into New York City at the end of November, what will we remember most about the 2007 season? Kevin Harvick’s Daytona 500 victory and the debut of the Car of Tomorrow and the Toyota Camry will no doubt make the list. But topping that list should be one of the craziest silly seasons of all time.

Even before the green flag waved on the season-opening Daytona 500 in February, there were hints of storm clouds on the horizon when Dale Earnhardt, Jr. said he wanted majority ownership in the company his father created. When negotiations between Earnhardt and DEI representatives — including his stepmother, Teresa — came to an impasse, Earnhardt sent shockwaves through the NASCAR community — and the business world ¬— when he announced his departure from the team.

Earnhardt’s move set into motion a series of events that have played out like a big screen drama with more players and twists and turns than a daytime soap opera. Like a child trying to solve the murder mystery in a game of Clue, industry insiders and fans came up with any number of scenarios for Earnhardt’s 2008 plans. But a move to another team meant someone would have to have an open seat next season, which then begged the question: Who was out in’08?

Anyone who thought that the silly season hubbub would die down once Earnhardt committed to a team for next year was sorely mistaken. When Earnhardt finally announced his plans to join Hendrick Motorsports in 2008, everyone’s focus shifted to Kyle Busch, the odd man out at HMS.

Rumors had Busch driving multiple cars, and sources now have the 22-year-old going to Joe Gibbs Racing, which suggests that J.J. Yeley will be leaving Gibbs at the end of the season. So, where does Yeley go?

And what of Earnhardt’s ride at DEI? Who will pilot that machine — whatever number it may bear — in 2008?

Thus, the never-ending cycle of who will drive for whom continues. Rumors have Kasey Kahne — and even car owner Ray Evernham, who could return to wrenching duties — going to DEI to drive a Budweiser-sponsored car. IRL driver Sam Hornish, Jr. could be moving into a Penske Racing ride in the future, which makes some wonder if Ryan Newman is out of the No. 12. Just yesterday, Bill Davis Racing announced that Jeremy Mayfield will not be returning to the No. 36 Camry in 2008, which leaves an open seat at BDR.

Mergers have been the name of the game lately, too. Roush Racing was the first to align itself with another entity — Fenway Sports Group — in February. But the most significant partnership aligned Ginn Motorsports with DEI, which booted Ginn drivers Joe Nemechek and Sterling Marlin from their rides midway through the season. As Mark Martin and recent hire Aric Almirola joined the DEI stable, up-and-coming driver Regan Smith is another former Ginn employee left questioning his future.

At Indianapolis, Robert Yates Racing joined forces with Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing, a Champ Car team that fields rides for Sebastien Bourdais and Graham Rahal. And on Monday, Evernham finalized his partnership with George Gillett, Jr., owner of the Montreal Canadians, forming Gillett Evernham Motorsports.

Other alliances include Hendrick Motorsports and JR Motorsports, Kevin Harvick, Inc. and Richard Childress Racing and RCR and DEI, all of which are designed to bolster Busch Series efforts and/or engine programs.

Even with all of these changes — many of which can be attributed to one man’s decision to leave his family’s team — there are still many unanswered questions revolving around sponsors and car numbers.

Until this season, I had always considered 2005 — when Kurt Busch announced his departure from Roush’s No. 97 after the 2006 season — to be the most bizarre silly season in recent memory. But after living through the daily announcements of mergers and driver changes this season, 2005 has nothing on 2007.

Aug. 2, 2007 — Leffler’s Victory Restores Hope For Toyota

When Jason Leffler took the lead and the victory in Saturday night’s NASCAR Busch Series Kroger 200 at O‚Reilly Raceway Park, he made history, scoring Toyota‚s first triumph in the series. More importantly, though, Leffler renewed hope for a manufacturer who has had little to cheer about in its debut season in NASCAR’s two top divisions.
 
Toyota‚s high hopes coming into its first season in the Nextel Cup and Busch ranks plummeted early in 2007, and the manufacturer has had few bright spots to cheer about.
 
Twenty races into the Nextel Cup season, Brian Vickers has scored Toyota‚s lone top-five finish. In addition to his fifth-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600, Vickers has three more top 15s (California, Bristol and Texas) and an average finish of 24.9. However, the former Busch Series champion has only qualified for 11 races and sits 39th in the standings.
 
Meanwhile, Dave Blaney, who is the only Toyota in the top 35 in points, has qualified for 18 of 20 events and has an average finish of 29.2. Blaney also has Toyota’s lone pole, which came in Loudon, N.H.
 
Toyota has faired far better in the Busch Series. After 22 events, three Toyota drivers — David Reutimann, Leffler and Blaney — sit comfortably in the top 10 in points. Both Reutimann and Leffler have eight top 10s, and Leffler and Blaney each have poles to their credit.
 
Despite its poor showing so far, if history is an example, Toyota has nothing to worry about when it comes to being successful in NASCAR’s top ranks.
 
In its NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut at Daytona Int’l Speedway in 2004, Travis Kvapil brought his Toyota Tundra home in second. But the manufacturer didn’t reach victory lane until race No. 13 at Michigan Int’l Speedway on July 31, nearly three years to the day Leffler notched Toyota’s first victory in the Busch Series.
 
Since that time, Toyota‚s momentum has continued to grow, more than doubling its 2004 win total (four) the next season to nine. In 2006, Toyota found itself in victory lane more times than any other manufacturer, taking 12 of the series‚ 25 events. Toyota driver Todd Bodine also captured the ultimate prize — the 2006 NCTS championship. This season, Mike Skinner has had his No. 5 Bill Davis Racing Tundra parked firmly atop the point standings gunning for back-to-back Toyota titles.
 
So fear not, Toyota supporters — and you know who you are. Your time to celebrate is coming.