Fans Come First: On-site Coverage From Richmond

By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Published on Thunder Lounge.

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Well, we’ve done it this time. After having to give up my season tickets to Richmond upon moving to Oklahoma after 2002, we’ve finally made it back on the list. Props to RIR, as it only took 18 months of waiting this time, and the tickets even kicked in a race early with the September event instead of waiting until May 2008.

Needless to say, we’re going out better prepared than last August’s adventure to the Sharpie 500. We’ve fully verified internet connectivity, which will be on Sprints network (the EVDO network, aka: the good stuff), and have a fully compatible router and all needed accessories in place. Also in tow will be a Canon Digital Rebel XT, with a few choice pieces of glass, so we’ll be able to pop some photos and have them on the site that evening. No, I’m not dragging a monster Dell laptop, or a router, around a race track for 14 or 15 hours. If the new MacBook Pro was in place, it might be a different story.

So, as long as the Gimp and Mepis don’t let me down, all will be well. We’ll probably wait to add the bulk of images once we’re back, but we’ll have some goodies on the site after both the Busch and Cup races.

Heck, I’m not quite sure what to do with myself. The Busch seats (reserved) are just before the start/finish line, and the Cup seats are split second before they’ll hit the brakes for Turn 1. Last go around all my tickets were on the back stretch just out of turn 2, as we never could get bumped up to the front stretch. They were good seats though, with a minor exception of a sliver of Turn 4 because of the garage(s). Thank you D-shaped oval.

Needless to say, I’m stoked about it. I love that place. I can’t put a finger on what it is exactly, but if I could only go to one track for the rest of my life, it would be Richmond. Bristol was incredible, so is Martinsville, and they would be a close second, but Richmond for some reason just takes the cake.

Anyway, back to the daily grind. I’ve got a lot of thoughts on this whole Robby vs NASCAR crap (they’re both to blame), the recent rumors that Kyle is headed to Gibbs (leaving JJ ass out), and some little miff about Gibbs jumping in bed with Toyota. However, it’s going to have to wait until after I can come up out of some code for a breath of air.

Share your thoughts!.

Filed Under: Busch Series, Nascar, Network News, Nextel Cup, Richmond, The Chase, Thunder Lounge, Tracks





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By Marc, Thunder Lounge
Wednesday August 8, 2007
4:20am CDT
Published on Thunder Lounge.

How NASCAR operates before, during and after an event is always under scrutiny.

Condemnation comes from all sides. Fans, the press (both “beat reporters” and drive-bys that don’t now their ass from their hat) and those of us in the racing blogosphere, commonly called The Exalted, all take shots at Peoples Commissar of NASCAR Affairs (a/k/a Brian France) & Co on a regular basis.

Much of the column space and bandwidth is devoted to how NASCAR’s troop of inspectors go about their jobs and it’s not often one gets a chance to hear their side.

Well, thanks to Meredith Long of the The Sporting News we have that opportunity. What follows is a Q & A session Long conducted with NASCAR inspector Jim Wagner-Brownell.

(NOTE: Wagner-Brownell is real, his answers have been edited for “brevity.” Some would call it “literary license” or “artistic expression,” I’ll stick with brevity.)

How did you get started in NASCAR?

“Well Meredith, originally I wanted to be an optometrist but soon discovered I suffered from an extreme case of myopia, a condition of the eye in which objects can only be seen distinctly when near to the eye. In my case a 1/4 inch close. I always enjoyed NASCAR and figured, damn those cars are SO BIG myopia wouldn’t be a problem.”

What is the craziest thing you’ve seen on pit road?

“Oh wow, there’s so many things. One time Dick Trickle tossed a Depends out of his window and it hit the jackman square in the face. That one cost 15 seconds getting those sticky strips off his face before the car got off the ground.

“Then there was the time Mark Martin lost a minute and a half thanking his crew for the 13 second stop 40 laps previously. A real gentleman that Martin.”

What is the hardest part about your job?

“You have to ask? It’s that damnable Mythical Rulebook!” It changes more often than Lohan hits rehab.”

“And then… then there’s that CORN thing. They roll one into the inspection stall and I get the overwhelming feeling I’m Dr. Frankenstein as that crab-like thing encloses it! It’s gotten so bad I’ve retained Dr. Phil for the 2008 season when the CORN goes full time!”

What is the one thing you see that doesn’t pass inspection the most?

“The Mythical Rulebook. With every reprinting it contains more spelling errors, grammatical faux pas and the worst part, each edition has another chapter printed in disappearing ink! I suspect by the 2010 season the entire thing will look like Saran Wrap”

“Oh, did I mention Jet Fuel Meredith? It fails every time.”

There you have it, the ever elusive NASCAR Inspector, unplugged! The Half-Vast Staff of Thunder Lounge would like to thank Meredith Long for this rare chance to get behind the scenes.

WAY, behind the scenes!

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Filed Under: Marc Boland, Nascar, Ridiculous Posts, The People Of Nascar





Trackback URL for: The Great NASCAR Inspector Inqusition!

By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Saturday August 11, 2007
10:28am CDT
Published on Thunder Lounge.

Let’s cut to the chase. No pun intended, although we’re quite excited to be returning to Richmond.

With qualifying being rained out Friday at Watkins Glen, and NASCAR refusing to look at a slight schedule change, Boris Said (among others) were left out in that same rain. He was actually quite adamant about it, going as far as to say it may be one of the final nails in the coffin of his #60 No Fear Racing team.

So what the heck does that have to do with Awesome Bill?

Bill showed up to the garage this morning with his “Owners Hat” on. After talking with the Wood Brothers, Bill got the go ahead to make the call and let Boris wheel the #21 Motocraft/Air Force/Little Debbies Ford Fusion for tomorrow’s show.

Of course Boris will have to start from the back, but we’re talking the difference of a spot of two since Bill was starting back there anyway due to the rain out.

In the end, Bill reminds us of what a true Champion is. He knows its a team effort, and knows that doing what’s best for the team is not only the best thing to do, but the right thing to do. And if that also helps out a fellow racer that can’t seem to get a note from the Luck Bank, all the better.

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Filed Under: Bill Elliott, Drivers, Nascar, Nextel Cup, Teams, Tracks, Watkins Glen, Wood Brothers #21





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By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Monday August 13, 2007
5:20pm CDT
Published on Thunder Lounge.

Ruh Roh!

According to Marty Smith, a Federal Court has granted NASCAR’s appeal against AT&T/Cingular.

According to the ruling, the Feds say that because Cingular (AT&T, whoever they want to be called now) had an agreement with RCR and NOT NASCAR, that the so-called “Grandfather Clause” does not apply to them, and therefore the previous ruling in favor of Cingular/AT&T was overturned.

What this mean specifically for Michigan wasn’t known, but is suspected that “Plan B” would be to put the Cingular name back on the #31 of Jeff Burton.

This is one big mess, and it isn’t getting any better.

Sheesh. Sprint can buy out their competition, Nextel, and change whatever the hell they want to, why not allow a name change from Cingular to AT&T?

What exactly is Sprint afraid of? Competition?

Here’s a friendly suggestion to RCR. AT&T is more than wireless, and its only “wireless” that has this “rule” against it.

Same logo, and everything else is in the “paperwork”.

Then again, NASCAR threw a hissy fit over Motorola, which merely makes phones, although Sprint does offer that brand of phone amongst others.

Naturally NASCAR feels this is a remarkable “win”, but I’m calling shenanigans.

End result:

Fans are the real losers here, and both entities seem to have forgotten them.

4 comments. Add your 2 cents!.

Filed Under: Drivers, Jeff Burton, Nascar, Nextel Cup, Richard Childress Racing #31, Teams





Trackback URL for: AT&T/Cingular vs. NASCAR: Round 327

By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Wednesday August 22, 2007
10:41am CDT
Published on Thunder Lounge.

Yep. And that’s the facts Jack. No pun intended.

When the flags finally flew over the pavement at Michigan, a track where the Roushketeers have flat out put a whoopin on the field for the past several years, Roush didn’t go quietly into the wind as Kurt Busch walked away from the field to the checkers. Kenseth was strong all day, and Carl Edwards was backing up his run there in June.

However a couple other strong cars, Busch and Brian Vickers, also added some noise to the event with Busch ending up in Victory Lane after the smoke (and fog) cleared.

If Kurt Busch didn’t thank Jack Roush afterwards, he very well should have. The same holds true for Vickers as well. Why, you ask? You mean you haven’t connected the dots? I’ll connect them for you. Pat Tryson, and Doug Richert. Both formerly under the employment of Mr. Jack, and both have an intricate knowledge of Michigan. Having that knowledge couldn’t have done anything but help.

When Vickers has made the show, he’s ran pretty darn decent. If he had made every show, he would definitely be in the Top 25. At least there is a glimmer of hope in that camp.

And of course, the joining of Busch and Tryson is a no-brainer as we’ve discussed before. They immediately had common ground, as provided by their tenures at Roush, and being able to build from that has thus far proven to be a good thing.

In the end, Roush played a part of the story at Michigan, and probably more of a part than anyone will give him credit for.

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Filed Under: Brian Vickers, Drivers, Kurt Busch, Michigan, Nascar, Nextel Cup, Penske Racing #2, Teams, Tracks





Trackback URL for: When In Doubt, Thank Jack Roush

By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Wednesday August 22, 2007
11:07am CDT
Published on Thunder Lounge.

While the whirlwind surrounding Dale Earnhardt Junior still spins, especially in light of the breakdowns in talks for negotiating the continued use of the #8, there are still a few things left undecided.

First, whom will sponsor NASCAR’S biggest star? All signs have pointed to a Pepsi product thus far, but who knows for sure yet.

Second on the plate of uncertainties is what number will Dale Jr begin his career at Hendrick Motorsports with?

Junior flat out said he didn’t think from the get go that the #8 would be in the mix. However, he went on to say that he kept his hopes up for his fans until the very end. It seems that the almighty head of TEI just couldn’t get over it, and was the sticking point of the negotiations. From media comments on that side, it seems that Max Siegel personally thought it would be fine, but couldn’t convince Her Royal Highness and ended up having to tow the company line. That’s understandable, and I feel Max did the best he could with it.

Dale Jr also said that he was looking hard at numbers in the 80’s. That being the case, while nobody else will say it, I will. I believe that he could run under the #85 next year. Here’s how I’ve come to my conclusion:

• - Junior said he was looking at numbers in the 80’s
• - The following numbers are in use:
  • 80 (Joe Gibbs)
  • 83 (Red Bull Racing)
  • 84 (Red Bull Racing)
  • 88 (Robert Yates)
  • 89 (Morgan Shepard, no attempts in 2007)
• - The #5 has significance to Hendrick Motorsports

From those basics, it would seem a logical choice. Granted, this is my own opinion and not confirmed as fact from any source other than my brain. However, you can’t argue that it isn’t a logical opinion.

Many would like to see the tradition of the #5 kept in place. At the same time, Dale Junior wants to create his own history, and not continue on with one already started. That’s one reason why he decided to remain friends with Richard Childress, and to not mix business with it. Not that that would have been bad, but Junior said that in his original announcement.

That being the case, it could very well apply to the #5 as well. It has a tradition and history with it, but it seems for all intensive purposes that Junior wants to start fresh and make his own noise. Of course he makes noise just pulling onto the track. But I digress.

While adding to the fine history and legacy would be an honor, you can’t help but get the above impression that Junior is ready to begin building his own chapter. That being the case, being able to represent that through his car number would be possible. Whether that comes to light or not, we’ll see.

2 comments. Add your 2 cents!.

Filed Under: Dale Earnhardt Junior, Drivers, Nascar, Nextel Cup





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By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Thursday August 23, 2007
9:30pm CDT
Published on Thunder Lounge.

Jacques Villeneuve.

What’s that, Doc?

According to an Associated Press report, the former F1 Champion will be testing a truck for Bill Davis at Chicagoland. According to Jacques, BDR knew he was interested in NASCAR and their people got a hold of his people, etc.

Jacques Villeneuve has been to BDR for a seat fitting, getting along well with the crew, and they plan to test at the aforementioned Chicagoland speedway this coming Monday.

Jacques Villeneuve hasn’t raced on an oval since his last hiatus in the IRL in 1995. After getting the boot halfway through the 2006 F1 season, he’s kinda been in the skids. No pun intended.

This being the case, it’s yet another convert to a more competitive form of racing. As per the report, Jacques would like to ease into NASCAR vice jump right into the fire. That being the case, one has to wonder since BDR just happens to have an opening for 2008 in its Cup operation.

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Filed Under: Chicagoland, Craftsman Truck Series, Nascar, Nextel Cup, Tracks





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By Frank Morrison, Thunder Lounge
Thursday August 30, 2007
11:01am CDT
Published on Thunder Lounge.

Carl Kiekhaefer. The founder of the Mercury Outboard division entered
NASCAR Grand National in 1955. The eccentric Carl Kiekhaefer was only
dominating force for two years in NASCAR (He raced white Chrysler’s and
Dodge’s). Kiekhaefer demanding only excellence from every part of his
team. He took on NASCAR with the passion of a stout business man and
the success that no team owner has been able to duplicate since.

Many of his records as a team owner have been deemed unbeatable even
today. The most prolific of his records is from 1956 when a car from
his stable won an amazing 16 races in a row. From March 25 through June
3, 1956 his team was undefeated.

Four different drivers from his stables won during this streak. Buck
Baker 8 times, Speedy Thompson 4 times, Herb Thomas 3 times, and Tim
Flock 1 time. Six times during the streak his cars lead from green to
checkered. In the Virginia 500 at Martinsville his whit cars led 494
laps of 500. Concord 199 of 200 laps. The 1956 standings showed Carl
Kiekhaefer’s team won 30 of 51 starts. The Champion from 1956 Buck
Baker drove a white Kiekhaefer as did the Champion from 1955 Tim Flock.

Flock’s 1955 run was more impressive than any other run before him and
better then any I can remember (Rusty with 10, Jeff with 13 nothing).
Flock won 18 races and 19 poles (Ryan maybe you should take some
lessons). Flock led from green to checkered in 11 races.

Carl’s record in his two years in NASCAR 90 starts, 52 wins (between 7
drivers). The white Kiekhaefer’s dominance caused a riff between him
and other owners and Bill France. Carl claimed his cars were sabotaged
if his cars didn’t win, and heightened suspicion when they did.

During an odd slide at the end of the 56 season Carl sent out a memo
offer a $500 dollar reward to the employee who found the other employee
who was sabotaging the cars. After that the team closed with 5 wins in
a row.

Carl and his entire crew were treated badly by the media and fans
because of the success (Jeff Gordon fans can relate). It hurt him
deeply and was often heard questioning out loud “What have I done?” or
“I guess they want me to quit”.

Carl’s fate was signed, sealed, and delivered at the end of the 1956
season. With Buck Baker trailing Herb Thomas (Quit Carl’s team mid
season) the final race at Shelby, NC was the deciding factor. Speedy
Thompson hooked Thomas’ rear bumper and sent Thomas into an end over end
spill that critically injured Thomas. Buck Baker cruised to an easy
victory and won the championship.

Carl never showed his face at another NASCAR race. He was quoted as
saying “We just can’t afford to have our name further associated with
racing”, was the reason he gave for not returning to NASCAR. Records
are made to be broken but it is doubtful his will be in my lifetime,
Brady if it happens put the article on your dad’s grave.

Well that is the story of the original “Cat in the Hat”. See you soon
with 1958 year in highlights “The year the boy who would become king
runs his first race”.

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Filed Under: Features, Frank Morrison, Guest Authors, Nascar, The People Of Nascar





Trackback URL for: The Original Cat In The Hat