The six race NASCAR honeymoon is over
Sunday, April 6th, 2008 9:05am CDT
By Charlie Turner, Thunder Lounge
Published on Thunder Lounge.
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NASCAR’s annual silly season is off to an early start.
Last week the story was of Richard Childress Racing capturing the General Mills flag from the Petty #43 and planting it on the hood of a fourth RCR Cup car. Where there’s a car there must eventually be a driver and the speculation began that Petty Enterprises’ Bobby Labonte might make the move to that ride in 2009. The last few days have seen the names of Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, Martin Truex Jr emerge. Earlier, others had speculated that Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman were possibilities.
Next up came the news that Kyle Petty was pulling himself or being ranked - you decide - from the Petty #45 and being replaced by young Chad McCumbee - at least for the Texas race. The #45 is well out of the top thirty five in owner’s points now and it feels like Kyle may be on the way out of the picture as a full time driver for the venerable team.
Then yesterday came rumblings from Florida, where Chip Ganassi is watching over his Indy Car investment and stewing about the performance of his three Cup teams. Chip isn’t happy with either Dario Franchitti’s or Reed Sorenson’s seasons so far. Ganassi talks as if he feels the problems are more team than driver related. But that wouldn’t make me feel all that comfortable if I were Dario or Reed.
The top thirty five qualifying rule puts more focus and pressure on the tail-enders of Sprint Cup. We’ve only had one race since the automatic qualifiers started being based on this year’s owners’ points. The sixth race of the year is now opening day for NASCAR’s silly season.
Filed Under: Bobby Labonte, Carl Edwards, Charlie Turner, Chip Ganassi Racing #40, Dario Franchitti, Greg Biffle, Guest Authors, Kyle Petty, Petty Enterprises #45, Reed Sorenson, Ricky Rudd, Sprint Cup, Teams
Tagged As: Chad McCumbee, Chip Ganassi, Greg Biffle, Indy Car, Kyle Petty, Nascar, Petty Enterprises, Richard Childress Racing, silly season, Tony Stewart
Trackback URL for: The six race NASCAR honeymoon is over
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Charlie, what up? Taken up hijacking Luke’s place in your spare time?
I was never military so I didn’t learn that “don’t volunteer” thing. I figured, with all the help that Luke has given me, the least I could do was write a couple posts for him while he stokes the Earnhardt Smoker this weekend at the Thunder Lounge. I had planned on attending the race today, but we have been so busy with the new ARCA show(s) that I had to pass this time. I actually have no spare time anymore, but though I may be busy, I am not ungrateful.
Speaking of the ARCA show, you should give them a call and give them a verbal jerk of the short hairs.
They posted an announcement about the show, even mentioned your’s and Steve’s names and noted it would be broadcast from the Toledo Speedway Bar and Grill.
They noted the show would be available “via live streaming audio on arcaracing.com.”
What they failed to mention was it would also be streamed at On Pit Row. I understand their first priority is to pimp their own site, but still, if they are going to all the trouble of listing every other facet of the show and leave out your stream is just a bit cheezy to my way of thinking.
P.S. If you do bend their ear about it, drop a hint for me. The very LARGE banner ads they have placed on the home page are intrusive and way out of place.
In fact their quite FUGLY and detract from the entire site!
I will pass along your opinion on the banners.
“Inside the ARCA RE/MAX Series” is controlled by ARCA. OnPitRow.com will have a “Listen Live” link to the ARCA show , but that link will take the listener to arcaracing.com for the actual streaming broadcast. They want, as we all do, the traffic and “Inside the ARCA RE/MAX Series” is ARCA’s content. We are just happy to be working with this major race sanctioning body and promoter, on this project.
That sounded (or read) pretty subdued, didn’t it? Let me re-state. “No matter where you find it, listen to “Inside the ARCA RE/MAX Series” because it’s going to be one of the best racing talk shows that you’ve ever heard. Period!”