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NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: Rusty Wallace deserves phrase for his quick response to the Michael Annett situation

By
SM Staff
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It’s a very safe bet to assume that Rusty Wallace had planned to spend last Sunday afternoon watching the Super Bowl along with the rest of his fellow Americans. Instead the former NASCAR champion, turned team owner and auto racing television broadcaster, found himself having to deal with some rather shocking news. That would be official notification regarding Michael Annett, his recently hired NASCAR Nationwide Series driver, who had been arrested for a quartet of charges including DWI, driving while intoxicated.

[media-credit name=”FMCM” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]According to reports from the Mooresville-North Carolina Police Department, as well as follow up reports from WCNC Channel 36 News in Charlotte, Annett was arrested following an auto accident that occurred sometime between 1:30 and 2 am last Sunday morning. An officer on the scene noticed Annett filling his mouth with a significant amount of breath mints and ordered a field sobriety test. The results of that tested turned up a blood alcohol count, (BAC), of .32 approximately four times the legal limit. The BAC limit for intoxication in North Carolina, like many other states, is .08.

According to the reports, Annett was alleged to have explained that the accident was caused while he was sending a text message on his cell phone. That resulted in additional citations for driving while texting as well as failure to reduce speed. The final charge was resisting arrest which allegedly stemmed from Annett’s initial refusal to be handcuffed by officers at the scene. He has been scheduled to appear in court sometime next month.

But one has to speculate that appearing before a judge pales in comparison to facing an angry Rusty Wallace. In a prepared team statement he said “Rusty Wallace Racing, (RWR), does not condone, nor tolerate, substance abuse by any of its employees.”

In fact, Wallace deserves high praise for his quick response by levying team sanctions on his new driver. Those sanctions include the successful completion of a comprehensive alcohol awareness program, a zero tolerance policy by Annett towards alcohol use and a mandatory participation in a year long community service program. Wallace also indicated that there was going to be additional “internal sanctions” against the errant driver but did not specify what those sanctions were going to be.

Wallace also noted that he was glad to see that Annett was not taking this incident lightly and truly believed that the public embarrassment that followed his arrest was a personal wake up call. Those sentiments were echoed in a prepared statement from the driver issued by RWR last Monday.

That statement said “I am deeply remorseful for my actions and my extreme lack of judgment. I let down my team, my sponsors, my fans and my family. I sincerely apologize to everyone that I hurt. This was truly a life changing moment for me. Despite all of the negativity that will undoubtedly arise from it, I am going to strive to use this incident as the impetus to make a lot of changes in my life.”

Whether or not Annett is going to face sanctions from NASCAR remains to be seen at this point in time. From a statement, issued last Monday, they said “NASCAR is in contact with Michael Annett’s owners at Rusty Wallace Racing to determine the facts of what happened. NASCAR will address the issue accordingly once we have a clear understanding of all the facts.”

Actually this incident is not the first time Annett found himself publicly apologizing for a moment of bad personal judgment while driving. Last Monday WCNC Channel 36 news produced a document, from the Charlotte area Department of Motor Vehicles, that indicated Annett triggered a three car accident, in July of last year that resulted in major damage to the vehicles as well as physical injury to one of the drivers. While this accident absolutely had nothing to do with alcohol, it was caused by Annett sending a text message while driving.

Last November 19th Michael Annett was practically jumping out of his driver’s uniform with joy. He had just been named to take over the wheel of RWR’s #62 Toyota Camry in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Making the deal even sweeter was the fact that his long time sponsor, Pilot Travel Centers, was only too happy to make the move with their young driver.

The true shame of this matter is the fact that it somewhat negates Annett’s hard work over the past three years towards developing his racing career. The 24 year old Des Moines-Iowa native moved to the southeast where he joined the ARCA Racing Series in 2008. He made quick work there by winning two races including ARCA’s annual signature event at Daytona. The 2009 and 2010 seasons found Annett driving for Germain Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series where he finished 10th and 13th in the points standings.

It was very easy to see how a young, up and coming, driver with his own sponsorship contract would attract the attention of a team owner like Rusty Wallace. Despite the team embarrassment, resulting from last Sunday morning, Wallace announced that he was going to allow Annett to drive his car in the February 19th NASCAR Nationwide season opener at Daytona.

Annett’s forward progress in this race will be most interesting to watch. If there ever was a time for a young driver to run the race of a lifetime this is it.

Joey Coulter and Rip It Energy Fuel Ready for ARCA Series Opener at Daytona

By
SM Staff
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Earlier this month, Joey Coulter and Coulter Motorsports announced the continuation of their sponsorship with Rip It Energy Fuel in 2011. They will kick off the season together on February 12th with the ARCA season-opening Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona International Speedway. Coulter will be driving the No. 16 Chevrolet again, sponsored by Rip It Energy Fuel and the Darrell Gwynn Foundation. 

[media-credit name=”arcaracing.com” align=”alignleft” width=”233″][/media-credit]”I am thrilled at the chance to go out and represent Rip It Energy Fuel again in select races during the 2011 ARCA Racing Series season,” Coulter said in a press release. “They have become an integral partner in not only my career but Coulter Motorsports as a whole. Daytona is one of those tracks everyone wants to win at, and showcasing our sponsorship with Rip It makes it that much more special.” 

Last year, Coulter earned one win, seven top fives and 10 top-10 finishes, along with the Bill France Four Crown Championship. 

This year, Coulter is schedule to race five races during the 2011 ARCA Season – Daytona, Talladega, Michigan, Lucas Oil Raceway and Kansas. In preparation for the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200, Coulter piloted the car to the 10th-fastest position on the chart at 49.543 seconds. 

“The (Daytona ARCA) test proved to be very beneficial, allowing me to adapt to the new, smoother pavement, and my Coulter Motorsports team to work on our cars,” Coulter said. “My guys did a great job and I want to especially thank Randy (Renfrow) for stepping in for me when I was gone. He really got the cars dialed in and setup for drafting. Michael (Chapman) did a good job setting the cars up identically, and I know he will make sure we bring back a rocket ship. I am excited to be back racing in 2011 and can’t wait for Daytona!” 

Also this season, Coulter also will be competing for Rookie of the Year in the Camping World Truck Series, driving the No. 22 Silverado for Richard Childress Racing. Rip It Energy Fuel also announced they’d serve as an associate sponsor on his truck. 

“It just all fell together so fast,” Coulter said. “It was unbelievable. For me, it’s like a dream come true. Best Christmas present I’ve ever gotten. It’s a wonderful opportunity.” 

Coulter got a phone call from Richard Childress following the final race of  the season at Rockingham, where the opportunity was offered. The season opener at Daytona next week for the Camping World Truck Series will be his first truck race. 

“We’ve gotten to test twice,” Coulter said. “We went down to Disney World Speedway in Orlando and tested for a good, solid day and a half. Then just last week, I was in Gresham for a day, doing a short-track test. 

“Man, what a piece of equipment. It’s unbelievable the caliber of equipment that comes out of these shops. Compared to an ARCA car, they’re different but they weren’t as different as I thought they were going to be. I really expected it to be something I hadn’t ever really felt before but it was pretty close.” 

Coulter has already got the chance to work with teammate Austin Dillon at Disney World Speedway. 

“Yeah, he gave me lots of advice,” Coulter said. “It helped out a ton. After talking and testing it at Disney World for that day and a half, we kind of figured out that our driving styles are pretty close. We’re able to share information and our crew chiefs can communicate real well, so we’re really going to be able to learn a lot off each other. 

“They learned a lot already off our short-track test. They weren’t able to make it down there, but they were able to learn off the notes we brought back. Being able to use all their notes from last year should be able to give us a baseline for the places I’ve never been before.” 

About Rip It Energy Fuel:  

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A points system an Alabama mathematician can work out

By
Ron Thornton
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It has been an interesting off-season in NASCAR, and I’m not just talking about the snow in Dallas. We learned things, like the best mathematicians hail from such places as Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, and the Carolinas. For more than 30 years, afficionados in those locales have been able to figure out the sport’s points system, but it was deemed too tough for the newbees to master.

[media-credit name=”David Yeazell” align=”alignright” width=”189″][/media-credit]So, that brings us to the latest revamp of the way NASCAR determines its season champions. One point to the 43rd placed entry, 43 points for the winner, a 3 point victor bonus, a point for leading a lap, and one more for leading the most. I’m guessing that should be easy enough for those beleaguered Princeton and Harvard types to decipher.

The top ten make the Chase, have their points rejigged to 2000 to put them out of reach of the mere mortals, with three bonus points for each win up to that point. Among those sitting 11th to 20th, the most wins combined with the most points determines two more wildcard Chasers. If that proves too much for a potential fan to figure out, might I suggest soccer as a sport of choice. I mean, all one needs to is a field, a ball, and two pairs of rubber boots to play and the point count is usually so low anybody can calculate the winner.

In case you are wondering, according to my calculator, Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick would have tied for the most points in the Chase using the new system, with Johnson getting the nod based on wins. You can’t get much closer than that. In a perfect world, wins should be worth more, but fans would quit watching if the final events merely led to a coronation. Too bad they can’t promote each race based on its own merits, but this is not a perfect world.

In a perfect world, Tony Stewart could take a working holiday to Australian and not get into a dust up. A flying helmet followed by some flying fists highlighted a trip that apparently also involved some actual racing, but no one is too interested in that aspect of the story. If that did not provide enough gossip, then surely the court ruling that makes the details of the Brian and Megan France divorce public should. Hey, it is not that I don’t love hearing things that are none of my damn business. I mean, I am human after all.

Crew Chief Frank Stoddard has a new racing team. That should give us another contender for that single point for each race, provided they qualify, before parking due to handling or vibration issues, or just not having enough money to buy tires or fuel to run an entire event. At least we won’t see anymore catch cans leaving the pits, as the new fuelling system eliminates that can and the guy holding it. No doubt another example of technology eliminating American jobs.

We hear Mark Martin will keep racing beyond 2011 and his tenure with Hendrick. Hopefully he really will get a chance to actually race, and not be just a part of the not-ready-for-prime timers. You just don’t tie a race horse, even an aging one, up to a beer wagon.

Sometimes the champagne set isn’t worth getting tied up with. Richard Petty Motorsports lives again, but no thanks to former partner George Gillett. After taking over Ray Evernham’s operation, merging it with Petty’s, Gillett is now long gone. It only took him three years to hit the bricks in NASCAR, only four years before losing his Liverpool soccer ownership, and just over nine before walking away from the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens. Anyone else notice a trend here?

Yet, some things last. Like a big track at Daytona, engines roaring to life, and a multitude of drivers, owners, crews, sponsors, and fans getting together to open yet another NASCAR season. The track is the same, but new asphalt now covers it which should make things very interesting when action resumes in a few short days.

There are questions that we seek answers to. Is Jimmie Johnson going to raise the hardware again come November, or is it Jeff Gordon’s turn for five. Maybe Tony Stewart, or a Busch brother has a date with destiny, or a fairy tale finish for Mark Martin? Will we see a return of Dale Earnhardt Jr to prominence? Will we notice a difference in the cars with a more streamlined splitter and factory inspired noses? One thing is for certain, with the curtain dropped on football and baseball still a few months away, the time for the cars to return has returned. You don’t have to be an Alabama mathematician to figure out that this is a good thing.

Daytona’s Magical Aura: The Michael Waltrip Story

By
SM Staff
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Daytona has always had this magical aura with stories surrounding the Daytona 500 that everybody loves to tell over and over. As we near closer to the Daytona 500, here is a look back through some of the highlighted moments in Daytona 500 history.

[media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”255″][/media-credit]Michael Waltrip’s Daytona stories extends to include several chapters, each containing their own special aura.

Waltrip’s journey of Daytona goes back to the 2001 Daytona 500, which was his first start with Dale Earnhardt Incorporated. Waltrip had been racing in the Sprint Cup Series since 1985 for various teams, though had yet to find himself in victory lane. He had finished in the top 10, the top five and even finished top 10 in points, though never found himself in victory lane. The 2001 season was set to mark a change of this via Waltrip being given a chance to drive a third car for Dale Earnhardt Incorporated by his best friend Dale Earnhardt.

The entire 2001 Daytona 500 played out as a dream to Waltrip (of course till the last lap crash) as he was up front throughout the race, in contention ready to take the win. When it came to the final lap, there he led the race, followed by his teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr., set to win and complete the dream. With his brother Darrell Waltrip’s voice calling the final lap, excited spewed over the top as DW called in it dramatic fashion as Michael finally broke his 467 race winless streak.

Of course, the entire mood of the day changed to the complete opposite as on the final lap, Waltrip’s car owner Dale Earnhardt crashed in turn three and died. The entire excitement that Waltrip felt in victory lane disappeared as now the NASCAR Nation went into mourning.

Though, with the Daytona’s Magical means, the story can never end there. When it came to NASCAR’s return to Daytona in July of 2001, everybody knew it’d be an emotional time via February’s events. Instead of tears of sadness, it became tears of joys as Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the win with Waltrip second. The outpouring of emotions afterwards on Daytona’s infield grass allowed Waltrip to finally be able to celebrate and pull some weight off the shoulders via another win at Daytona for the team.

However, Waltrip wasn’t done there. He wanted his own win at Daytona to celebrate as his own. That came in 2003 when Waltrip won the Daytona 500 for a second time, able to celebrate under the rain drops that had fallen to call the race early. Finally, Waltrip got to experience his own Daytona celebration without any distractors.

Waltrip ran for Dale Earnhardt Incorporated from 2001 to 2005, before being release due to a string of events that led to poor results. In his time with Dale Earnhardt Incorporated, Waltrip got two other wins besides his Daytona 500 victories – 2002 Summer Daytona July race and 2003 Fall Talladega race. Waltrip spent the 2006 season at Bill Davis Racing, where he found his confidence sink lower in his ability of a driver with more poor finishes.

“Confidence is more important in this sport than people realize,” Waltrip wrote in NASCAR Illustrated’s February issue. “I lost mine when I moved to Bill Davis Racing in 2006 after a great year at Dale Earnhardt Inc. in 2005. We didn’t run well right from the start. It beat me down to the point where it basically ended my career.”

Waltrip went and raced for himself for a few years, before hanging up the helmet and taking on the ownership role. Waltrip also has found himself in a position that works better for a man of his personality with working in the booth during the Camping World Truck Series races with Rick Allen and Phil Parsons.

For the 2011 Daytona 500, Waltrip will try to add another chapter to his Daytona story as he runs a paint scheme paying tribute to Dale Earnhardt.

“This is a very special day,” Waltrip said during the media tour. “Ten years ago I won the 500 in my first race with NAPA and we know February 18, 2001 is a day that NASCAR fans will never forget. What looked to be a storybook ending turned to tragedy seconds later.  To mark the 10th anniversary of that race and my 25th consecutive 500 will be quite emotional for me and fans alike.”

Also to go with the 10th anniversary, Waltrip has released a book that tells the events that happened on February 18th and other challenges in his life in his perspective in his new book In the Blink of an Eye, which went on sale Feb. 1st.

“I’ve spent much of last year writing the book,” Waltrip said. “It forced me to put into words a lot of emotions from that weekend and how we and the whole NASCAR world dealt with the loss of Dale. When I got my first copy the other day I told people that I felt like I had given birth. The book has become a part of me and I know fans are going to love it.”

The color will be black and blue, following along the lines of the yellow and blue paint scheme that Waltrip drove for Dale Earnhardt Incorporated.

“Hard to believe 10 years have passed since that fateful day in 2001 when we celebrated Michael’s Daytona 500 win and unfortunately mourned the loss of our friend, Dale Earnhardt,” Bob Susor, NAPA President, said. “We could not think of a better way to honor our friend Dale as well as mark this milestone in Michael’s career than to bring the NAPA No. 15 back to the Daytona 500 with a special paint scheme. We are hopeful fans, family and friends enjoy the tribute to both Michael and Dale.”

Regardless of how the 2011 chapter plays out, Waltrip’s story will always remain in the Daytona history books forever and touches the magical aura of Daytona.

Time for a No Tolerance

By
SM Staff
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A DUI is one of the worst offenses a NASCAR driver can have. Drivers who are suppose to set an example on how to drive correctly and safely, driving under the influence and risking people’s lives. Add that to a fan base that doesn’t see brushes with the law much, a DUI is unacceptable.

[media-credit name=”michaelannett.com” align=”alignright” width=”181″][/media-credit]The latest ordeal of a DUI in NASCAR belongs to 24 year old Michael Annett, who currently races in the Nationwide Series for Rusty Wallace Inc. Annett was pulled over early Sunday morning with a blood alcohol content of .32, four times the legal limit. This is one of a few incidents NASCAR drivers have had with drinking and driving.

Though never convicted of any wrong doing, Michael Waltrip found himself in two situations in the last 4 years. The most recent one said that Waltrip blew a .06, under the legal limit after Waltrip collided with a motorcycle at an intersection. The other incident however, ended up with Waltrip wrecking his SUV early in the morning and walking home in his socks. When police found Waltrip in his home the next morning, he blew a .06, under the legal limit. Both incidents saw no action taken by NASCAR.

AJ Allmendinger was stopped for a DWI. Allmendinger who blew .08. Allmendinger was placed on probation by the sport until Dec. 31. 

Now here is Michael Annett, a 24 year old driver whose career has had its ups and downs. He moved from Germain Racing to Rusty Wallace Incorporated for the 2011 season. Annett situation is very similar to something NASCAR has seen before.

For folks who remember, 1990 was a devastating year for the sport. That’s when rising star 21 year old Rob Moroso was killed in a similar situation to Annett’s. Moroso was killed when his motorcycle veered into oncoming traffic. Both Moroso and the victim in the other car were killed due to the incident. The autopsy revealed that Moroso’s BAC was .22, which at the time was two times over the legal limit of .10. Moroso’s story is a perfect example of a promising young life and career thrown away by stupidity.

NASCAR has a zero tolerance for drugs, now it’s time for a zero tolerance with DUI’s. NASCAR is one of the few sports left without the problems of their players getting in trouble with the law. Baseball, football and basketball have all had their troubles with players breaking the law; no one wants to see NASCAR get like that.

It’s time for NASCAR to nip this in the bud. Stop putting it in the owner’s hands to suspend drivers. Suspending Michael Annett would be good for him and the sport. It’s time for John Darby and Robin Pemberton to step up and do the right thing.

A no tolerance is called for. Not only would the sport benefit from it, but it would make everyone stop doing it. In the NFL, if you are out at a bar and you feel like you have had too much to drink you can call a number and the league will send a limo to pick you up and bring you back to the hotel room. If a player is found guilty of DUI they receive a four to six game suspension. Why should NASCAR be any different?

I am not even asking for that. Annett easily could have called a cab on his way home Sunday. Instead, he did the careless act. Annett wasn’t only careless for himself and the other drivers on the road, but careless to his fans, family and the sport all together.

It’s time for these drivers to grow up and realize how good they have it. Some make millions to drive a car everyweek. This writer and a lot of readers alike, would kill to have that chance. Acts like that show they don’t care.

Rusty Wallace is in a touch situation. Pilot Travel Centers is Annett’s main sponsor for 2011, a company that has supported Annett throughout his career. If Rusty Wallace suspends the driver he may not have sponsorship for his second car something that may kill a small owner like Wallace.

NASCAR can do it though. Dave Moody has said it best “NASCAR can do whatever they want.” Thank you!  It’s time for John Darby, Robin Pemberton, Mike Helton and Brian France to step up to the table and show that there is integrity in this sport and acts like that will not be tolerated, before we have another Rob Moroso incident to deal with.

Hal Martin Announces Sponsorship for ARCA Series Slick Mist 200 at Daytona

By
SM Staff
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[media-credit id=4 align=”alignleft” width=”220″][/media-credit]Hal Martin Announced that NOLA Motorsports Park would adorn the sides of his No. 55 Venturini Motrsports Toyota for the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday.

“I’ve done a lot of preparation coming into this race – it’s the most important race of the year,” Martin said in a press release. “I couldn’t ask for a better fit for sponsorship, because NOLA Motorsports Park is an up-and-coming race track in my local area. I’m an up and coming driver in the ARCA (Racing) Series, and I look to prove that even more on the track. We had a very successful team outing at the test in January, and I’m confident that we made the right setup changes with the small details to make us strong. Competition is going to be heavy – so I’m ready to roll with NOLA Motorsports Park and the signature ‘Speed De Lis’ on the hood!” 

NOLA Motorsports Park is a venue that features the longest road course in North America, placed just 20 minutes from the framed New Orlands French Quarter, that brings traditional racing versus the family-oriented track facilities you see today.

“What a talent Hal Martin is,” said Mitch Wright, general manager of NOLA Motorsports Park. “We’re so excited to be able to support a local Louisiana racer with his caliber of talent. It’s a rare thing – you can count the number of successful drivers on one hand from our area. That’s what makes it special, and it also lends a great spotlight to what we’re trying to do, which is also rare. Bringing the longest road course in North America, as well as elite-style racing to families in greater New Orleans and Louisiana as a whole, is also something that is special.” 

In total, Martin plans to enter five races with Venturini Motorsports this season – Talladega, Chicagoland, Pocono and Michigan. He has driven for Venturini Motorsports in the past as he drove the No. 35 to a 10th place finish last year at Talladega.

For now, Martin is focused on the upcoming race at Daytona and being ready for it. He was quick during test, in the top five all three days, and has been working out to be ready for Daytona.

“I’ve been doing a lot of prep work in general, getting ready for Daytona,” Martin told the ARCA Racing Network. “My workout routine has included a lot of endurance training to simulate the grueling weight this type of race can have on my body.  I’ve also done a lot of weight training.  Studying old ARCA races for the draft has helped too  – as an engineer, I’m hyper specific on my lines and my efficiency.  The computer simulator has also become my best friend – running Daytona and Talladega to get used to running in the big packs again.  I just can’t wait to get on track and hammer down.”

If Martin could pull off the win, it’d be the first win for Venturini Motorsports at Daytona, despite how strong their cars have been.

“We have finished second in everything they have in Daytona Beach,” said Billy Venturini. “We have not won hardly anything, but we have finished second. If they had a potato sack race, we would finish second in the thing. Every year we have run well, and over the last few years we have gained the reputation for the best superspeedway program. It is time, which this year we capitalize and win.”

Photo Credit to Venturini Motorsports

Chase Elliott Steps Forward While Bill Elliott Claims Last Good Chance

By
SM Staff
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The father and son combination of Bill and Chase Elliott are at a crossroads in both of their careers.  For young Chase Elliott, fresh off his recent win at Speedfest 2011, the sky is the limit as he steps forward in his career.

[media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]Yet his father Bill, who will drive for James Finch’s Phoenix Racing in 2011, is most likely taking advantage of the last great ride of his career.

“This may well be my last really good chance as a driver,” Bill Elliott, age 55, said.  “I’m going to give it my best shot.  I feel like I’m still in good shape, and I thought we ran pretty good last year.”

Elliott will run the No. 09 car for Phoenix Racing in at least 18 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in the 2011 season. The No. 09 has special meaning to Elliott and his family, the car number having been driven by his late father George Elliott, as well as being his own car number, the 9, in 1975.

Along with the other NASCAR greats, Elliott will start his season by competing in the 53rd running of the Daytona 500.  The veteran ‘Awesome Bill from Dawsonville’ is no stranger to the Daytona International Speedway.

Elliott first raced at DIS on July 4th, 1976 in the Firecracker 400.  He finished that race in the 19th position in his No. 10 Ford.

Elliott will, however, be changing manufacturers for his 2011 Daytona 500 bid.  For the first time in many years in his career, Elliott will be racing in a Chevrolet.

“It’s big for us and big for Chevrolet to get Bill Elliott,” James Finch, Elliott’s new team owner, said.  “It’s the first time in his career that he’s committed to race a Chevrolet.”

Finch also expressed confidence that Elliott, who has previously driven primarily Fords and Dodges, would be able to get the job done in a Chevrolet.  He cited Elliott’s  44 Cup wins, 55 poles, as well as his 1988 championship, as reasons for his confidence.

“With the right equipment, he’s ready,” Finch said of Elliott.  “He was just a couple of hundredths of a second off the pole at Homestead last year.”

Elliott will be teaming with crew chief Nick Harrison in his new Phoenix Racing ride.  The team plans to get their horsepower from Hendrick Motorsports.

“I think this will be a really good deal,” Elliott said.  “James has really good race cars, and there’s no doubt about the Hendrick equipment.  After all, look at all the championships they’ve won.”

While father Bill Elliott looks at starting the 2011 season staking claim to what will probably be the last chance for glory in his career, his son Chase has already gotten his young career off to an amazing start in the New Year.

Chase Elliott swept the two Late Model features in Speedfest 2011 at Lanier National Speedway in Braselton, Georgia.  Elliott beat many of the nation’s best short track racers, in addition to Cup racer David Ragan.

Elliott, driving the No. 9 Aaron’s Dream Machine, started third in the first race for the Pro Late Models.  He quickly moved forward and took the lead, which he held until the 100 lap break.

After the break, the young driver fell back to the third position.  But he was quickly on the move again, battling David Ragan for the lead and the eventual win.

Elliott then moved on to the Super Late Model race, the main attraction of Speedfest 2011.  In this race, he started eighth, but again moved forward quickly.

After two green-white-checkered finish attempts, Elliott finally prevailed.  Favoring the outside line, Elliott finally took the checkered flag to win his second race of the day.

“My team is absolutely the best,” Elliott said.  “I wouldn’t trade Ricky (Turner), my crew chief for anyone out there.  We had some great drivers that I raced with today, and they definitely made me work hard to get here.”

While Bill Elliott will start his 2011 season by competing in one of the sport’s biggest races, the Daytona 500, his son Chase will next race on March 6th at the South Alabama Speedway.  Young Chase will compete in “The Rattler”, the second event in the 2011 CRA Southern Six Pak Tour.

Daytona’s Magical Aura: Jamie McMurray’s 2010 Daytona 500

By
SM Staff
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Daytona has always had this magical aura with stories surrounding the Daytona 500 that everybody loves to tell over and over. As we near closer to the Daytona 500, here is a look back through some of the highlighted moments in Daytona 500 history.

[media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”212″][/media-credit]When it got near the end of the 2009 season, there was a lot in question with many drivers and teams.

Jamie McMurray had been let go from Roush-Fenway Racing as the odd man out when Roush has to downsize his team, looking for a new ride.

Earnhardt-Ganassi had just lost Martin Truex Jr. to Michael Waltrip Racing and was now looking for a driver to go with sponsor Bass Pro Shops. Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing found themselves also in question with the status of the team after the merger between Chip Ganassi Racing and Dale Earnhardt Incorporated.

Both needed somebody and needed to turn their ship back upstream so they went to each other – Chip Ganassi called on Jamie McMurray to drive for the No. 1 car for him.

They had worked together as McMurray began his Sprint Cup career at with Ganassi in 2002. It was announced at Richmond that he’d drive the No. 42 Dodge for the 2003 season full-time, although after Sterling Marlin was injured at Kansas, those plans were accelerated. McMurray began driving the car at Talladega in 2002. They had success quickly together then as in his second-ever start, he led 96 of the final 100 laps to win the UAW-GM Quality 500. The following seasons produced positive final standings finishes as he finished 13th, 11th and 12th in points, despite zero wins. During this time, he accumulated 18 top fives and 46 top 10 finishes.

At the end of the 2005 season, McMurray left Chip Ganassi Racing to drive the No. 26 Roush-Fenway Ford, hoping for bigger results. Though in return, the point finishes weren’t there: He finished 25th 17th, 16th and 22nd over the next four years with a total of 11 top fives and 42 top 10s. He did manage to win two races (2007 Coke Zero 400 and 2009 Amp Energy 500), but for the most part, the expected success wasn’t there.

As a result, the 2010 Daytona 500 became the perfect story for both McMurray and Ganassi as it began the start of the second partnership. The race couldn’t had gone any better as McMurray took the lead with a pass by Kevin Harvick on the second green-white-checkered after a big push from ex-teammate Greg Biffle. McMurray never looked back as he took the win over Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Greg Biffle.

When it came to McMurray’s victory celebration, he let all the emotions out that he had gone through during this time as fans saw him fall to his knees in tears on the Daytona logo, followed by more tears in victory lane.

“Unbelievable,” McMurray said in victory lane in tears. “Unbelievable. I told my wife today, she was like if you win tonight….oh I am going to cry…it is so unreal. I thought if I made it without seeing my Dad or my wife, I’d be ok. It is unbelievable really. I can’t explain it. It is a dream. I mean it really it is.

“Where I was last year…and for Johnny Morris (Bass Pro Shops) and Chip (Ganassi) and Felix (Sabates), Bass Pro Shops to take a chance on me and let me come back, it means a lot to me. What a way to pay them back. Happy Valentines Day to my wife. My Dad is here, it is just very emotional.

“After we won Talladega, we went to McDonald’s. I think tonight we will have a Big Mac.”

McMurray said earlier in the weekend that he was glad that he kept a good relationship with Ganassi and Sabates since he was able to get this chance again.

With the Daytona 500 victory, he certainly proved he was worthy of a second chance and that their second time together could equal to lots of success.

McMurray’s dream season this past didn’t just end with the Daytona 500 as he won the second biggest race of the year—the Brickyard 400, which gave Chip Ganassi the Indy sweep as Dario Franchitti won the Indy 500 earlier in the year.

“I think it’s just a situation where you got to get the guys in the right position with the right crew chief and the right team and the right owner,” McMurray said following the Brickyard win. “I’ll tell you something that [team owner] Chip [Ganassi] said to me right before I got in the car. He said, ‘Let’s go out and do this thing.’ I said, ‘I’ll give you everything I got.’ He said, ‘I know, that’s why I hired you. I believe in you. You go out and do your best, that will be enough.’

“I think every driver is different, but for me that’s what drives me, is having somebody behind you. I think it’s been really good for both Chip and I to experience all of this together because we were together when things weren’t great and we kind of built this together along with the 1 team to where it is.”

McMurray then finished NASCAR’s version of the triple crown by winning in NASCAR Central, winning the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“I also want to take the time to explain something: as the laps were winding down, I was thinking about Daytona and crying in victory lane,” McMurray said in victory lane at Charlotte. “I don’t think I ever really got to explain that, and why I cried, and what was going on there. As those laps were winding down I was thinking about Daytona and why I cry and the power of prayer. I had a tough year last year. I found out the power of prayer and what that can do for you.

“When you get to victory lane, and you get to experience this, it just makes you a believer. I talked to Chip earlier today, and we were discussing sponsorship and where this organization was a year ago, and how far we’ve come. 

“To be in victory lane four times this year, and to have both cars (teammate Juan Pablo Montoya) run as well as they do, and to have the support we do from Target and all these sponsors now, it’s incredible. And I just feel very blessed to be a part of it.”

As a whole, McMurray had one of the best seasons that any driver could have. One of the downsides is yes, he did miss the Chase, however, it still was a great year, considering how lost things were at the beginning.

“We’ve had a really good season,” McMurray said in the media center following his Charlotte win. “Our successes have been in some really big races, and it’s really been a gratifying year. You just drive your heart out. If you’ve got the car, you can make those passes, and we had the better car at the end.”

In the end, he finished the year off 14th in points with three wins, nine top fives and 12 top 10s.

McMurray’s season allowed Ganassi to establish himself as a valid NASCAR owner by winning two of the biggest races in the sport. Ganassi also completed what he calls the “Ganassi Slam” as his team won the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, giving him four of the biggest wins at the two of the biggest tracks in a 12-month span.

This story proves that anything is possible and when times get tough, there are ways to get through and make a positive at the end of the journey. The magical side of the emotions and how it played out go back to the Daytona’s Magical Aura of creating stories that fans will remember forever.

NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: Hendrick Motorsports gets a leg up on the 2011 season

By
SM Staff
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Photo Credit: Mike Finnegan

Let’s face it, when it comes to available resources to get just about any job done Hendrick Motorsports, (HMS), is very hard to beat. Their five consecutive championships from Jimmie Johnson, and the Lowes #48 team, certainly proves that point.

[media-credit name=”Mike Finnegan” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]Well aware that NASCAR Sprint Cup races are often won or lost on pit road, HMS rented the Charlotte Motor Speedway last Thursday so their four teams could participate in pit stop practice under full racing conditions.

It also gave Chad Knaus, crew chief for the #48 team, an opportunity to test his new pit crew platoon system that will be used this year by both his team as well as the #88 team of Dale Earnhardt Jr. These two teams, located under the roof of the same HMS shop, will have access to a total of 18 men on race day. That’s the standard six men over the pit wall for each team plus an extra six crew members to cover pit road situations such as injury or an individual lack of job performance. It will allow Knaus, and crew chief Steve Letarte, the opportunity to mix and match crew members on an as needed basis. The other two teams, the #5 of Mark Martin and the #24 of Jeff Gordon, will have their standard six man pit crews with an additional four men for back up.

The pit crew practice was no sooner underway when speculation began wondering if this session was a violation of NASCAR’s test policy implemented last year. That policy placed a ban on individual team testing at any and all race tracks that are NASCAR sanctioned even the ones that aren’t on the schedules of the sanctioning body’s three national touring series.

It was quickly pointed out that last Thursday’s HMS pit crew practice was not in violation of the policy. That’s because the parameters of the session was limited only to the speedway’s pit road. At no time did any of four race cars go out onto the track for some hot laps.

Noticeably absent from the pit crew practice was Jeff Gordon’s #24 Chevrolet. The Gordon crew used a second #5 Chevrolet to practice with. So, where was the #24 Chevrolet? It seems it was inside of a car hauler on the way to Fountain-Colorado for yet another HMS test.

Jeff Gordon flew to Colorado Friday morning to test his car last weekend at the Pikes Peak International Raceway. The plan was to prepare for the February 27th Sprint Cup event at the Phoenix International Raceway. The team reportedly was especially interested in checking the area of their car’s down force which is a huge factor while racing on the Phoenix flat track surface.

But, with all of the non NASCAR sanctioned race tracks located within the HMS south east home base, why transport a car, driver and test crew all the way to Colorado during the dead of winter? That’s because the Pikes Peak International Raceway is remarkably similar to the Phoenix track. Both are one mile ovals with low banked turns: 11 degrees at Phoenix and ten degrees at Pikes Peak. Because of the configuration of these two speedways, down force is an important factor. That means Gordon and company will be bringing back a lot of pertinent data that they can share with their team mates.

There’s a phrase that adequately describes the time, effort and expense that comes with these two tests. It’s called getting a leg up on your competition. Extensive preparation has always been a trademark at Hendrick Motorsports and many times the result has been raising the bar on performance levels which means their competition also has to work a little harder to keep pace. These are the type of moves that often leads to race wins and championships.

Venturini Motorsports’ Steve Arpin Set for ARCA Slick Mist 200 at Daytona

By
SM Staff
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[media-credit id=4 align=”alignleft” width=”124″][/media-credit]With only five days till the ARCA Re/Max Series Slick Most 200 at Daytona International Speedway, many teams are set to go and releasing their final details. Venturini Motorsports is no exception as they have plans set in stone for veteran driver Steve Arpin.

When it came to the test at Daytona last month, Arpin went down there to help out Venturini Motorsports’ young drivers Hal Martin, Kyle Fowler and Mark Thompson.
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“The new surface is awesome,” he told me of the test. “It’s going to make for awesome racing. I tested twice there since the new surface has been down – the tire test for Hoosier and the ARCA test for Venturini Motorsports. Venturini had a whole fleet of fast racecars there; it’d be cool to go back there and drive one, but the new race track is going to make for awesome racing. I think you’re going to see the whole bunched up, nose-to-tail, a lot tighter, more so like you do at Talladega. But then in token with the transitions so much more aggressive at Daytona, it’s going to make for a lot of interesting scenarios throughout the race.”

Though after talking with sponsor Mike’s Hard Lemonade and starting to work out details, the 2010 ARCA Racing Series Most Popular Driver is set to run the season opener, driving the No. 25 for Venturini Motorsports.

“Venturini has always put a great effort into Daytona,” Arpin said in a press release. “The problem with restrictor plate racing is that anything can happen and you have to play every one of your cards right and hope that luck is on your side.

“But on the same token, all we have control over is the effort that we put in. Being at the shop, I see firsthand the time and effort the entire team is putting into it, not just me as a driver. I think in all of the years that we have gone to Daytona, they have come a long way with their restrictor plate program each and every year. I think it is going to be a cut above the rest this year more so than any other year.”

The Fort Frances, Ontario native brings experience to the table as last year he won three races in 18 starts and despite missing two races, he finished 12th in the standings. He almost won the restrictor plate at Talladega Superspeedway after making a move in the late going.

Arpin also brings the Nationwide Series experience he gained in 2010 after running seven races for JR Motorsports, including a top 10 at Daytona in July. His experience on the restrictor plate tracks has taught him lessons he hopes to put in use come this Saturday afternoon.

“It takes such incredible focus and concentration to be going 200 miles an hour and your spotter is on the radio telling you that you’re six or seven deep, three-wide, in the middle. You’re an inch off the guy’s bumper in front of you, you’ve got two or three inches on either side of you and there’s another guy on your rear bumper and it’s just a mental thrill maintaining your line and using the air (drafting) to gain an advantage and get past the guy in front of you or to use the air (pull out of the draft) to slow another guy down.”

His success in 2010 earned him the Inside Track Reader’s Choice Awards Canadian Racer of the Year Award.

“To be recognized for any award is fabulous,” Arpin said. “But it is such a special honour to have the fans vote for you. This kind of award is something that means far more to me than the trophies for points. Everything I’ve accomplished so far was made possible by the support I’ve received, not just from Mike’s, but from the fans all across the country. I’m living my dream right now, and these people are along on the ride with me.”

Lastly, Arpin brings back Mike’s Hard Lemonade, which sponsored him throughout his 2010 ARCA campaign and looks to move forward with him.

“It’s great having Mike’s Hard Lemonade back with us this year,” Arpin said in the release. “Last year was a great success for everyone involved and we are excited about our continued partnership.”

Arpin’s relationship with Mike’s Hard Lemonade began back when he was running at Deer Creek Speedway on dirt.

“This is something we’ve been working on since our dirt-tracking days back at Deer Creek Speedway (near Rochester, Minn.),” Arpin told the Toronto Star. “We developed a great relationship with them there. They were a sponsor at that race track and when we raced there we did everything we could to help them out. As I’ve moved up to the higher levels of motorsports, we’ve kept that relationship going.”

Arpin plans to take the Mike’s Hard Lemonade sponsorship with him to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and beyond.

“In a perfect world, I’d like to race a full season this year in the Camping World Truck Series and a full Nationwide season — and let’s throw in a couple of Cup races for good measure. But right now I’m focusing on trucks and I’d like to take Mike’s with us. As drivers, we have to market ourselves, we have to brand ourselves so that a corporation thinking about coming into the sport sees value in us, sees value in building a brand around us.

“Mike’s has never been involved in a full-blown NASCAR program and we want them to be just as comfortable moving forward as we are. At the end of the day, this isn’t about me, it’s not about my wife, it’s about us doing a good job for them. We have to build their brand into the sport — and secure my future as a race car driver, as well.”

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