Breaking News: Gordon Leaving Ford
Friday, February 1st, 2008 2:19pm CST
By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Published on Thunder Lounge.
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Robby Gordon confirms that Robby Gordon Motorsports will leave Ford and embrace Dodge, and has signed a “Technological and marketing agreement” with Gillett Evernham Motorsports.
Technically, that isn’t too much of a switch with the new car. However, such a deal coming about this close to Daytona has to make one wonder the ol’ WTF question.
There has to be something in it for him. A logical guess is not getting squat for support from Ford. Then again, who knows. Keep your eyes peeled, this could get some attention in the coming days.
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Filed Under: Drivers, Nascar, Robby Gordon, Robby Gordon Motorsports #7, Sprint Cup, Teams
Trackback URL for: Breaking News: Gordon Leaving Ford
By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Friday February 1, 2008
11:18pm CST
Published on Thunder Lounge.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
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2007 Stats
- Organization: Dale Earnhardt Inc.
- Car Number: 8
- Crew Chief: Tony Eury Jr.
- Sponsor: Budweiser
- Points: 16th :: 3929 :: -2794
- Starts: 36
- Poles: 1
- Wins: 0
- Top 5’s: 7
- Top 10’s: 12
- Winnings: $5,221,970
-
2008 Preview
- Organization: Hendrick Motorsports
- Car Number: 88
- Crew Chief: Tony Eury Jr.
- Sponsor: AMP/National Guard
Well, it’s time to see how the biggest story of 2007 plays out. Put up or shut up. You get the idea.
What can be said, that hasn’t already graced the pages of every publication and blog that even comes close to NASCAR?
While testing can prove little, the numbers thus far are in a positive light as far as the equipment goes. Now it’s time to see if it can be used to its full potential. Some will say “I told you so”, but the question yet to be answered is which side of the fence that will come from.
His teammates are impressed. Impressed with his talent, his knowledge, and his personality as well. Dale Jr. doesn’t have to try to fit in, all he has to do is be himself. It seems like that’s the case thus far, and the rest of the stable seems glad to have him there. As with any work environment, if you can’t have some fun while you’re at it, it isn’t worth doing.
Note: information is accurate as of date published. Check Thunder Lounge for additional updates and information.
Join the discussion.
Filed Under: Dale Earnhardt Inc #8, Dale Earnhardt Junior, Drivers, Hendrick Motorsports #88, Nascar, Nextel Cup, Sprint Cup, Teams
Trackback URL for: Daytona 500: 16 Days and Counting
By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Saturday February 2, 2008
11:34pm CST
Published on Thunder Lounge.
Casey Mears
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2007 Stats
- Organization: Hendrick Motorsports
- Car Number: 25
- Crew Chief: Darian Grubb
- Sponsor: GMAC/National Guard
- Points: 15th :: 3949 :: -2774
- Starts: 36
- Poles: 1
- Wins: 1
- Top 5’s: 5
- Top 10’s: 10
- Winnings: $4,179,200
-
2008 Preview
- Organization: Hendrick Motorsports
- Car Number: 5
- Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
- Sponsor: Kellogg’s
One may consider Casey Mears as the odd man out at Hendrick Motorsports for 2008. While it’s true that he hasn’t yet risen to the superstar level of his three teammates, that’s one of Casey’s biggest advantages. He can fly below the radar.
Casey’s first win in Cup came once he moved to Hendrick, and he showed steady improvement through his first year. If he comes out running as well as he was last fall, he’ll be a threat to make the chase.
Note: information is accurate as of date published. Check Thunder Lounge for additional updates and information.
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Filed Under: Casey Mears, Drivers, Hendrick Motorsports #25, Hendrick Motorsports #5, Nascar, Nextel Cup, Sprint Cup, Teams
Trackback URL for: Daytona 500: 15 Days and Counting
By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Sunday February 3, 2008
8:48pm CST
Published on Thunder Lounge.
Greg Biffle
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2007 Stats
- Organization: Roush Fenway Racing
- Car Number: 16
- Crew Chief: Greg Erwin
- Sponsor: DISH/3M
- Points: 14th :: 3991 :: -2732
- Starts: 36
- Poles: 1
- Wins: 1
- Top 5’s: 5
- Top 10’s: 11
- Winnings: $4,397,950
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2008 Preview
- Organization: Roush Fenway Racing
- Car Number: 16
- Crew Chief: Greg Erwin
- Sponsor: 3M
Greg has a little bit of off-track work to do this season. He’ll be negotiating a new deal with Roush, one that could either secure his position at Roush during the grandfather fiasco, or one that could give Jack and the gang an easy out.
As it stands right now, Roush expects Greg to stay in the stable just as they do Carl Edwards. If last year only taught us one thing, let it be this, “No matter the appearance, you never know what is or will be available.” [ As someone coughs “Hendrick” in the background.]
Matters of the contract are a fickle one indeed. Depending on the time it takes to work it out, you never know who will be talking to Greg. Naturally, we don’t know who he has already spoken to either. Someone could be on thin ice already, and not even know it. The longer the season goes, the greater the possibility that something could open up somewhere. Whether or not Greg bites is another issue. It was rumored the DEI was looking at Greg last season, but lest we not forget that Richard Childress has dreams of a fourth team. Not that there has been anything rumored whatsoever, but who knows what may happen in 2008.
Note: information is accurate as of date published. Check Thunder Lounge for additional updates and information.
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Filed Under: Drivers, Greg Biffle, Nascar, Nextel Cup, Roush Racing #16, Sprint Cup, Teams
Trackback URL for: Daytona 500: 14 Days and Counting
By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Monday February 4, 2008
7:07pm CST
Published on Thunder Lounge.
Ryan Newman
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2007 Stats
- Organization: Penske Racing South
- Car Number: 12
- Crew Chief: Mike Nelson
- Sponsor: Alltel
- Points: 13th :: 4046 :: -2677
- Starts: 36
- Poles: 5
- Wins: 0
- Top 5’s: 7
- Top 10’s: 15
- Winnings: $5,002,410
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2008 Preview
- Organization: Penske Racing South
- Car Number: 12
- Crew Chief: Roy McCauley
- Sponsor: Alltel
Our top finishing non-Chaser, and missing the previous $1M bonus, is Ryan Newman.
The Rocket did manage to squeeze off 5 launches for the pole in 2007, 3 more than in 2006, however like in 2006 he failed to seal the deal and translate Friday speed into a victory on Sunday.
Ryan did improve over 2006, when he finished 18th in points, but his biggest drawback is that Dodge just wasn’t as competitive as the rest of the group. In fact, he is the next to last Dodge that we’ll talk about in this little series of reviews (and there are still 12 positions to review).
Looking to 2008 there is always hope. While data is positive or negative during testing, you really can’t pass judgement based on it. It isn’t always the goal to be the absolute fastest in a test session, and teams may not be bringing their “A” game in terms of a car either.
Note: information is accurate as of date published. Check Thunder Lounge for additional updates and information.
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Filed Under: Drivers, Nascar, Nextel Cup, Penske Racing #12, Ryan Newman, Sprint Cup, Teams
Trackback URL for: Daytona 500: 13 Days and Counting
By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Tuesday February 5, 2008
3:36pm CST
Published on Thunder Lounge.
Denny Hamlin
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2007 Stats
- Organization: Joe Gibbs Racing
- Car Number: 11
- Crew Chief: Mike Ford
- Sponsor: FedEx
- Points: 12th :: 6143 :: -580
- Starts: 36
- Poles: 1
- Wins: 1
- Top 5’s: 12
- Top 10’s: 18
- Winnings: $4,943,810
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2008 Preview
- Organization: Joe Gibbs Racing
- Car Number: 11
- Crew Chief: Mike Ford
- Sponsor: FedEx
Ladies and Gentlemen… Welcome to the Chase.
Well, the portion of our little tid bits of information where we’re finally a scant 12 days from it. The next few days are going to creak by, so here we are with #12 in the final 2007 point standings to take your mind off the boredom.
So much for the Sophomore Slump. Well, I guess he had twice as many wins the year prior, and finished better in the Chase. If that’s a “slump”, watch out for Hamlin.
By most accounts, he should have been in contention and took it home a few more times than he did. After a little grumbling with the performance of his crew early in the season, Mike Ford got it sorted out and things picked up. In Hamlins eyes, however, they gave a couple away in the meantime.
Frustration. That’s the word to sum it up in 2007 for Hamlin. What? How could one be frustrated after a season that was better than at least 32 other drivers? Tell me! Tell me now! Easy. It wasn’t good enough for them. After running like a banshee, they flopped in the Chase. Call it pressure, luck, whatever. They choked. There hasn’t been anything on their mind but redemption in 2008, and that’s an easy guess.
2008 will be exatly that for Hamlin. A year for redemtion. Of course it’s on more accounts than just choking in the Chase. They also have to prove to themselves, their boss, their sponsors, their fans, the garage, and the rest of the world that the switch to Toyota wasn’t a mistake.
Note: information is accurate as of date published. Check Thunder Lounge for additional updates and information.
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Filed Under: Denny Hamlin, Drivers, Joe Gibbs Racing #11, Nascar, Nextel Cup, Sprint Cup, Teams
Trackback URL for: Daytona 500: 12 Days and Counting
By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Tuesday February 5, 2008
5:07pm CST
Published on Thunder Lounge.
I’d like to thank the guys at On Pit Row for a great 15 minutes this evening.
In case you’ve missed out on things over the past several weeks, your truly got the nod (thanks guys!) to redo the entire family of sites that make up On Pit Row. For reference, there are currently 3 specific sites. On Pit Row, Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie, and The Fast Lap.
First, their main site was well outdated and in need of major plastic surgery. Next, they had a blog over on a particular “pad” type of service, and finally they had a great blog at Thunder Lounge ™.
Lots of places to visit, and nothing really tied together with their site. We’ve taken those sites, and combined them under one roof.
Particularly pleasing is that you only need one page to find what you’re looking for. All of their content is now aggregated on their home page, so you can quickly find recent content across all three of their sites.
Continuing on, their RSS feed now also feeds content from all three sites as well and without any modification needed for subscribers on their old blog. Thanks to feedburner, all that was needed was simply pointing it to their new feed, and that was it.
Finally, why manage multiple user accounts? If you already have a great Thunder Lounge account, you can sign in to comment, and it will be good for any of their three sites under the onpitrow.com domain. What, you aren’t blogging at Thunder Lounge, nor have an account? Don’t get left behind as 2008 is going to be a massive year for Thunder Lounge.
Overall, On Pit Row has been greatly improved, and will now begin to lead the way in usable, relevant NASCAR media websites.
Moving onto this evening, Thunder Lounge made an appearance live On Pit Row. We’d like to thank the guys for the time, and look forward to the next go around.
Thanks, and enjoy the new On Pit Row.
Oh yeah, Hamlin, don’t let us down.
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Filed Under: Denny Hamlin, Drivers, Nascar, Network News, Thunder Lounge
Tagged As: Bench Racing, Denny Hamlin, On Pit Row
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By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Wednesday February 6, 2008
11:16pm CST
Published on Thunder Lounge.
Martin Truex Jr.
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2007 Stats
- Organization: Dale Earnhardt Inc.
- Car Number: 1
- Crew Chief: Kevin Manion
- Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops
- Points: 11th :: 6164 :: -559
- Starts: 36
- Poles: 1
- Wins: 1
- Top 5’s: 7
- Top 10’s: 14
- Winnings: $5,003,880
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2008 Preview
- Organization: Dale Earnhardt Inc.
- Car Number: 1
- Crew Chief: Kevin Manion
- Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops
What a difference a year made. Martin Truex Jr. went from a 19th place showing at the end of 2006, with folks wondering if he really had the chops at the Cup level. Another sophomore slump chumped, and he ends up being the sole DEI representation in the Chase. Granted, DEI’s only other hope went up in smoke, and their third team would be out of the Top-35 if it weren’t for the buying out of Ginn.
Now for 2008, Martin Truex Jr. is the leader at DEI. A position he’s said he felt comfortable with last summer when the deal went down. Lucky for him, Mark Martin came along with the Ginn purchase, so he will have someone to look to for advice and information. Martin Truex Jr. will still presumably have some influence on his teammates, naturally, as he grows into the role of leading DEI into the future.
With blown motors probably a thing of the past, at least to the numbers of 2007, 2008 looks promising for Truex as he builds on his success and carries forward.
Note: information is accurate as of date published. Check Thunder Lounge for additional updates and information.
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Filed Under: Dale Earnhardt Inc #1, Drivers, Martin Truex Jr., Nascar, Nextel Cup, Sprint Cup, Teams
Trackback URL for: Daytona 500: 11 Days and Counting
By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Thursday February 7, 2008
5:19pm CST
Published on Thunder Lounge.
Kevin Harvick
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2007 Stats
- Organization: Richard Childress Racing
- Car Number: 29
- Crew Chief: Todd Berrier
- Sponsor: Shell/Penzoil
- Points: 10th :: 6199 :: -524
- Starts: 36
- Poles: 0
- Wins: 1
- Top 5’s: 4
- Top 10’s: 15
- Winnings: $7,494,590
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2008 Preview
- Organization: Richard Childress Racing
- Car Number: 29
- Crew Chief: Todd Berrier
- Sponsor: Shell/Penzoil
Hello RCR! After making a media frenzy out of how much they had improved in 2006, 2007 smoked it. Putting all three drivers into the Chase, RCR once again showed it can be a major player on the circuit. Not that anyone didn’t believe it before, but this solidified their comeback and their standing as an organization that’s a threat for the Championship.
Kevin Harvick had a good 2007 season. Not spectacular, but it was pretty darn good. Coming out of the gates to take the checkers in the Daytona 500, amid a flaming ending and a battle with Mark Martin, it was a finish for the ages, record books, and conspiracy theorists everywhere. What more can you ask than that?
Continuing on, Kevin had some nice remarks about Kurt Busch, and last August had some choice words for Mr. Montoya as well. That those words were exchanged in the middle of the track, under caution is another story. It also marked a change in NASCAR, one which was played up during the media tour in January. Jeff Gordon was fined for less at Bristol two years ago, and there was quite the buzz wondering what would become of the incident. NASCAR did nothing, which was the right call.
Kevin didn’t perform as well when it came time to Chase the title, however to at least have made the Chase says something. Many drivers out there would love to have had that problem. Ending up in 10th wasn’t exactly on their minds, but it’s still quite an accomplishment nonetheless.
Looking ahead to 2008, RCR is poised to continue to make strides towards the Championship as they build upon the success of 2007. With the engine partnership with DEI solidly in place, the motors should be solid. Especially on the plate tracks, where DEI has a few tricks left in the bag. While RCR was no slouch, there is always room to improve no matter who you are.
Note: information is accurate as of date published. Check Thunder Lounge for additional updates and information.
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Filed Under: Drivers, Kevin Harvick, Nascar, Nextel Cup, Richard Childress Racing #29, Sprint Cup, Teams
Trackback URL for: Daytona 500: 10 Days and Counting
By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Friday February 8, 2008
9:25am CST
Published on Thunder Lounge.
Why will Joe Gibbs be as strong and successful in 2008 as they were in 2007? Simple. The differences are slim.
While we all would like to believe differently, and many have came to this unfortunate realization, it is the plain and simple truth.
Between manufacturers, there just isn’t that much difference between cars anymore. Yes, it’s something we’ve seen coming for a while, we’ve had 16 races to get used to the idea, we’ve had plenty of time prior to that to read the cards. It’s happening though, right before our eyes and a further continuation of nothing but a sticker change. Well, that and dropping a different motor under the hood.
The search for proof, like we need it, need go no further than this article on Robby Gordon to see the writing on the wall. That writing is also in bold, italic, underlined, and capitalized letters bigger than Paris Hiltons ego.
It was just a week ago that Robby Gordon announced a surprise move to Dodge.
In that time, a week, he has converted half of his current inventory of cars from Ford to Dodge. Robby currently has about a dozen cars, and growing.
Not to take away from all the hard work the folks in the shop have done, as well as the guys from Evernham that have been helping out, but compared to the time and effort to change the previous car from one manufacturer to another, this seems like a brisk walk in the park.
The time taken averages out to about one car changed per day. Not days, or what used to be weeks, one single day.
Coming around full circle, this is exactly why the Gibbs Guys are not worried about their switch of manufacturer.
They’re real good with motors, and they were already pretty darn good with the rest of it.
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Filed Under: Denny Hamlin, Drivers, Joe Gibbs Racing #11, Joe Gibbs Racing #18, Joe Gibbs Racing #20, Kyle Busch, Nascar, Robby Gordon, Robby Gordon Motorsports #7, Sprint Cup, Teams, Tony Stewart
Trackback URL for: Why Joe Gibbs Will Be Successful In 2008
