SM Staff

Off to Michigan this week for the second and final stop in The Great Lakes State this season and Michigan International Speedway is the 2.5-mile D-shaped superspeedway with 18 degrees of banking in the corners, 12 on the frontstretch, and 5 on the long backstretch. We see speeds top 210 MPH at MIS, making it the fastest track on the schedule.

There is no doubt that Jimmie Johnson is the dominant driver of this generation. However; Johnson isn't much different from dominant drivers of past generations in one aspect. Dale Earnhardt was 0-19 Daytona 500 before his victory in 1998, and Jeff Gordon was 0-17 at the Texas Motor Speedway before holding off a late charge from Johnson for the win in 2009. Johnson comes into this weekend 0-23 at the Michigan International Speedway and some have questioned whether Johnson will ever win in the Irish Hills. Don't be surprised if the 48 can prove all the critics wrong once again.

After a successful rookie season finishing third in points and winning Rookie of the Year, hopes were high for success for Davey Terry coming into this season. However, it hasn’t gone as well as the Erin, Ontario native would have hoped for.

After a wild weekend of turning left and right at the fast road course at Watkins Glen, the three national NASCAR series head their separate ways this weekend with the Sprint Cup Series and Camping World Truck Series heading to Michigan to take on the 2 mile Michigan International Speedway and the Nationwide Series heading to their second road course race in a row for their inaugural race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

How can NASCAR turn the yawn fest that has become Nationwide Series Racing into something the fans will enjoy again? My twitter and Facebook time lines both blow up when Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Kasey Kahne, or even Matt Kenseth take the lead at any point in the race. It quickly becomes a stream of “Anybody but……(fill in Cup Regulars name here).

It’s only mid-week and already a few big stories have hit. First there was the surprise YouTube video of Humpy Wheeler, the legendary promoter who put Charlotte Motor Speedway on the map, giving a critical analysis of what is wrong with NASCAR followed closely by Brian Vickers getting the full time ride in the No.55 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota and the dismissal of Juan Pablo Montoya from the No. 42 Earnhardt-Ganassi Chevrolet. Interesting moves, no doubt, so let’s start with Wheeler’s comments.

It’s something fans dream of. Being in victory lane at a NASCAR Race. It’s an exclusive club for winners. Victory lane is symbolic in our sport as a place of triumph and it’s where drivers can turn into legends. Being in a place that powerful seems impossible. I never imagined being there, but a magical Sunday at Watkins Glen left me there. That’s one Sunday I won’t soon forget.

Travis Pastrana holds twelve world records, eleven X Games gold medals, has won championships in Rally and Motocross but he's now trying to conquer something completely different than what he's ever experienced before; he's trying to make a name for himself in NASCAR.

On a rainy and humid Friday afternoon at Watkins Glen, I made my way from the Media Center and into the Nationwide garage to meet with NASCAR veteran Eric McClure. I've heard many positive stories about Eric and I wasn't quite sure what to expect but he quickly gave credence to what I had heard. He greeted me at the No. 14 hauler with big smile, offered me something to eat and invited me to come sit down.

The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup is and always will be an aspect of NASCAR that is constantly evolving. Since the playoff system’s inception in 2004, the Chase has seen a change in tracks, cars, point systems, the number of drivers allowed in it, and the introduction of the wild card system.