NASCAR fans and the mail service have a few things in common, a little wind,rain, and tornado warnings/watches don’t keep them “under weather”. Yesterday was short day of on-track activities for the fans at Talladega Superspeedway, with the final practice for the NSCS being cut short and the ARCA 3 Amigos 250 being rescheduled until today.

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I saw firsthand that this does not keep the fans who are in the campground from coming out and having a good time. NASCAR fans from DeRidder, LA about nine hours away from TSS were out and about having a good time. E.B. and Barb Boss of DeRidder have not missed a spring race at TSS for the past 17 years, they rode the storms out last year and were not going to let these keep them down. “This is what makes Talladega, what it is” said Josh Morgan also of DeRidder.

With the tornado sirens going off in the background and the warnings on the radio many fans camping at TSS continued their “hurricane parties”.

One fan had to say “We did not drive 14 hours to pack up and stop now”. Some fans campground had been flooded, lost ice chests, cars stuck, and tents under water but everyone of them had a smile. Because “This is Talladega”.

Returning to the sport:

The STP brand will be returning to racing. The No. 43 STP Ford Fusion will be a modern replica of the 1972 paint scheme featuring the original Petty Blue and STP Day-Glo Red at Kansas Speedway in June.

STP will also continue sponsorship of Tony Stewart Racing and a multi-year track sponsorship with ISC properties including Daytona, Talladega, Richmond, Darlington, Michigan, Chicagoland and Kansas.

Bayne secures sponsorship for All-Star Race:

Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne earned a spot in the Sprint All-Star Race next month at Charlotte Motor Speedway by winning the series opening Daytona 500 in February.

But Wood Brothers Racing didn’t have sponsorship until Tuesday April 12. Good Sam Club, a sister company of Camping World will sponsor Bayne in both the May 21 All-Star race and at Talladega Superspeedway.

Also Bayne has fully recovered from a reaction to an insect bite on his elbow two weeks ago. He had developed a rash and experienced numbness in his arm during Saturday race at Texas.

Biffle stays at Roush Fenway Racing:

According to the Charlotte Observer, Greg Biffle has agreed to a contract extension with Roush Fenway Racing. No word on the terms of the agreement.

Harvick delivers beer:

For a promotion of his new sponsor, Kevin Harvick rode in a Budweiser delivery truck and rolled a dolly of beer into a Wal-Mart storage area on Wednesday in South Carolina. Harvick unloaded cases of beer, swapped out the older beer and continued stacking until every open space was filled.

Record-Setting Pace Continues in 2011 Sprint Fan Vote:

Sprint (NYSE:S) announced today an updated list of top vote recipients and a continued record-setting pace in the 2011 Sprint Fan Vote.

FULL PR: http://www.speedwaymedia.com/?p=9330

Kyle Petty Charity Ride Launches Text to Pledge Campaign:

Fans and Supporters Can Text RIDE to 27722 to Make $10 Donation from Mobile Phones. Fans and supporters of the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America will have a new way of making an impact this year. Beginning today, the public can make a $10 donation by texting RIDE to 27722 from their mobile phones. Funds raised will support the children’s charities the Ride benefits, including Victory Junction, a camp for chronically ill children founded by Kyle and Pattie Petty in honor of their late son Adam.

Full PR: http://www.speedwaymedia.com/?p=9364

Race Fans Can Register to Win a Corvette Starting April 15:

Race fans can enter for a chance to win a 2012 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Convertible and a trip to Le Mans, France, for the 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans by entering the “Race To Win Corvette” promotion at www.racetowincorvette.com now through June 30, 2011.

Jimmie Johnson said he’s unfazed by his now 15 race winless drought. For the defending Sprint Cup Series champion not going to victory on any particular Sunday is nothing more than a bad day, which won’t last long. With 53 career wins and five championships, Johnson doesn’t have to think too hard or worry too much about when the next checkered flag is going to be thrown his way.

[media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”180″][/media-credit]Drivers like Jeff Burton and Dale Earnhardt Jr. would love to have Johnson’s attitude. Until recently so would Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth. Fortunately for their teams they are the two recent drivers who have ended their own personal droughts in a NASCAR season that is quickly becoming one of resurgence.

Trevor Bayne didn’t know how to get to victory lane after winning the Daytona 500 of if he was even supposed to be there. A 20-year-old kid driving for one of the most famous teams in NASCAR and winning the biggest race of the season was just what NASCAR needed to begin a new year.

Bayne didn’t end a winless drought, he had never won a race in any of NASCAR’s series, but he did end a stream of the same faces in victory lane. This became a year of fresh faces and fresh optimism.

The following week it was a four-time champion who couldn’t believe he had won a race. Jeff Gordon, one of the most successful drivers in the sport, was in awe and shouted, “Are you kidding me?” in Phoenix. A 66-race losing streak was over. Never let it be said that even those who know what success tastes and feels like will get used to it and become immune to excitement.

“Pinch me, man. Pinch me,” said Gordon. “God, it feels so amazing … I’m going to savor this one so much.”

NASCAR is a sport where one must become accustomed to losing. In order to survive in this sport one must learn how to lose, not just win. Baseball, basketball, hockey or even football – as hard as the Detroit Lions tried – never will teams go a complete year without winning.

In NASCAR with 43 drivers, 36 races the odds aren’t always going to be in your favor. It’s not hard to favorites to go from heroes to zeros quickly and then go through team changes to try and recapture the magic. It’s all about winning in NASCAR, doing as much of it as you can, and celebrating as long as you can because it’s over in a day or two when prepared for the next week begins.

It’s why much has been made of Kyle Busch and his reactions to let a race slip through his fingers. No matter how many he has won, 91 over NASCAR’s top three series, he knows like any driver that his last win could be any given Sunday.

Another champion, Matt Kenseth, discussed his win on Saturday night in Texas like it was any other day at the office. But it was clear that the weight had been lifted off his shoulders after two years of going winless. After coming up short for 76 races Kenseth said he wondered if he’d ever get to celebrate again and said, “show me where to park this thing” in victory lane.

With Kenseth out of the way drivers like the aforementioned Burton and Earnhardt Jr. who are ready to end their 84 and 100 winless droughts respectively, are ready to be next. It was Charlotte in October of 2008 that Burton last saw victory lane while Earnhardt Jr.’s drought goes back to Michigan in June of that same year.

If 2011 continues to parody in its winners, there have six different winners in the seven races this season, as well as drivers who are ending their slumps Burton and Earnhardt Jr. are running in positions to do the same. Their fans keep waiting, circling races on their calendars and ready to all but tear their house or grandstands down when that driver wins.

While much as been discussed about his move from Richard Petty Motorsports to a one-year stop at Red Bull Racing before continuing on to Hendrick Motorsports, Kasey Kahne hasn’t won in 54 races. He’s another big name with another big streak no one wants.

Once that first win is finally captured the hope is for a Carl Edwards like comeback. Edwards returned to victory lane at Phoenix in November of last season ending a 70-race streak, then won again the following weekend at Homestead-Miami. He won again in the third race of the 2011 season. Going three for his last five races and he’s now the point leader.

Along with Burton, Earnhardt Jr., and Kahne other drivers looking to snap are Bobby Labonte, 259 races, and Martin Truex Jr. at 138 races. Talladega looms where anything can happen and it’s a wide-open for anyone in the field to have a shot. And whether it’s another veteran whose welcomed back to the winner’s circle or a Bayne like day, it will be different.

Winning in 2011 just seems to have a new feeling and meaning than years past. As if they’re doing it for the very first time.