Off The Wall Racing News

NASCAR

Some quotes about the significance of the Daytona 500 from an article by Fox Sports’ Bob Margolis entitled Daytona 500 keeps fans on edge…

“It’s amazing to be in this position to win this race and how big this is for my career.” —2006 winner Jimmie Johnson

“It’s hard to explain the magnitude of the Daytona 500. It was something I really didn’t understand until I won the race, just knowing the difference between the Daytona 500 and winning any other race.” — 2007 winner Kevin Harvick

“It’s really hard to win it. Some of our greatest competitors come in and out of this sport without taking this trophy home.” – 2004 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr., whose late father scored his only win in the event on his 20th career start in 1998.

“This is holy ground when it comes to NASCAR racing. A win in the Daytona 500 is something that nothing else will ever top.” – 2002 winner Ward Burton

“It’s the ultimate race. There’s just no better place to win than Daytona. If you can pick one, this is the one you want to win.” — three time winner (1997, ’99 and 2005) Jeff Gordon.
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Fan Development

Kelley Earnhardt and her brother Dale Earnhardt Jr. made a big splash a couple of seasons ago when they brought in one of the most recognized faces in American auto racing to drive a JR Motorsports' entry in the Nationwide Series and although Danica Patrick and her Go Daddy Chevrolet haven’t made it into victory lane, she’s brought much needed exposure to NASCAR.

Next we heard that Michael Waltrip Racing had cut a deal with X-Games champion and daredevil Travis Pastrana to work into an MWR ride in the Nationwide Series.
These are examples of how NASCAR is working to attract a younger audience.

Now comes speculation that another X-Games icon (and an Olympic Gold Medal Champion to boot!) has expressed interest in auto racing, but this time we’re talking about the second most powerful American sports personality in 2010 as ranked in a list released last month by Bloomberg Business Week. The list was created by an Atlanta-based sports marketing firm, CSE, using math-based analytics that combine on-field performance as well as nationwide surveys.


Shaun White (also known as the "Flying Tomato" for his long red hair in the breeze) is a 10-time Gold Medal winner in the X-Games having won in both Snowboarding
and Skateboarding plus he’s won two Olympic Gold Medals in Snow Boarding. Last week it was announced that Shaun placed second out of the 100 most powerful sports personalities.

"We were honestly quite surprised" (that White landed in second), said David Newman VP of analytics at CSE. "Until we hit the enter button, we don't know what the list is going to look like."
"Power is a unique term," Newman added, "but it's really just the completeness of an athlete. It's their ability to perform on the field and serve as a role model off it. Overall, it relates to their total endorsement potential."

Did you catch that last part of Newman’s statement? Endorsement… That’s NASCAR’s middle name! And this guy is expressing interest in auto racing? Who’ll be the first in line to sign this personable 24 year old up?

Here’s an out take from Shaun’s new B.F. Goodrich commercial shoot…

Concerning the current state of NASCAR’s affairs it makes sense that fan development takes precedence over driver development. Let Travis and Shaun get some training and some seasoning then turn ‘em lose in the Camping World Truck or Nationwide Series and watch the television ratings take off!
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Paul Menard earned an exemption for the first 5 races of the 2011 Sprint Cup season while racing for Richard Petty Motorsports last season (he ranked 23rd) and yet stood to lose the exemption due to switching to Richard Childress Racing. Now comes word that through an “equity partnership” between Richard Childress and Thomas Pumpelly who was a partner in TRG Motorsports last season, Menard will get his exemption after all. As part of a divestment with TRG Pumpelly retained the 35th place points of TRG’s number 71 car. These points will be used to qualify the RCR car Menard will drive. Pumpelly will be listed as the owner of RCR's number 27 Chevrolet. Menard will now be rightfully guaranteed a starting position for the first five races.

Smile Paul!

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Joe Gibbs’ Racing Engines Are So Hot…

Last Friday a fire broke out in JGR’s engine shop where dynamometer testing was being performed. How hot are those engines???

Luckily there was only minor damage and nobody was hurt with everyone back at work within an hour.
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With work continuing toward a new Sprint Cup car to be introduced in 2013 word is circulating that the new pony cars to be raced in the Nationwide Series this season my end up in the Sprint Cup series. Now in my opinion that would be a step in the wrong direction. Using the Mustang and Challenger in NASCAR’s Nationwide series is a good marketing tool to separate the two series and I thought that was the idea (like having the drivers commit to points driving in only one of the three major NASCAR series for the championship). You’ve started a good thing here, don’t shoot yourself in the foot by making these two series go backwards toward being homogenous again. Develop Sprint Cup cars as you traditionally have and leave the pony cars for Nationwide…
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Roger Penske announced he will race a limited Nationwide schedule with Sam Hornish Jr. behind the wheel of the number 12 Challenger in 2011. Kristen will be pleased to see him at Daytona February 19th…

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Formula One

Robert Kubica likely out for 2011

Lotus Renault's lead driver Robert Kubica sustained serious injuries following a crash in which he was driving at an Italian rally event Sunday morning. Robert, who almost lost his right hand while suffering several broken bones in the accident, was most concerned with the condition of his co-driver Jakub Gerber who luckily was unhurt.

On Monday it was announced the Polish driver was able to move the fingers on his damaged hand but it appears Robert will be forced to sit out the 2011 season while he works to restore his surgically repaired hand.

This news immediately fueled speculation concerning who might replace him with Group Lotus. The speculation was then further fueled as Lotus Renault principle Eric Boullier let it be known the team has started looking for a “name” driver even though their back-up driver Bruno Senna is ready and willing.

Nothing bad ever happens at a good time, but trying to replace a top Formula One driver just a few weeks before the start of the season has got to be difficult. All the top drivers have already been snatched up. Then you realize that just four short years ago Kimi Raikkonen won the Formula One World Championship and he may be available. Then the next realization sets in, Raikkonen is committed to racing in the World Rally Championship driving for Renault’s long time competitor, Citroen… Any deal for Raikkonen to switch would require a buy-out of the Citroen contract if Raikkonen would even agree to it… I think its fair to say that’s not going to happen. Another possibility with considerably less baggage involved could be Nick Heidfeld… One way or another the options are few if an experienced driver is being sought…
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Sebastian Vettel Shows well for Red Bull in Valencia

Vettel driving Red Bull’s new RB7 picks up where he
left off in 2010, in the lead! Vettel was clocked during the first day of testing last week at one minute, 13.769 seconds for one of his 93 laps around Valencia’s 2.517-mile Circuit Ricardo Tormo. Other results at the Valencia testing were Nico Hulkenberg, the new reserve and test driver for Force India, who ran the second quickest lap at one minute, 13.938 seconds. McLaren test driver Gary Paffett was third, followed by rookie Paul di Resta, who joined Force India for the upcoming season.
Seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher turned the ninth quickest lap in Mercedes GP's new MGP WO2 car. Schumacher's teammate, Nico Rosberg, debuted Mercedes' car in the morning, but Rosberg completed only nine laps before hydraulic problems curtailed his session.
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The Question Remains…

Now that the 2011 Formula One launches have been made and several laps of testing have been booked in Valencia Spain, Ferrari fans are questioning whether their favorite constructor has been too conservation in its 2011 changes.

“Futuristic projects are not always better than more conservative ones,” Fernando Alonso insisted to La Stampa newspaper last week.

Aldo Costa, the Maranello team’s technical director agrees. “I think the fastest car will be the one with the best performance balance between aerodynamics, the mechanical side and reliability. If you attempt something extreme in one area, you might pay in another, so for a car that wins you need a balanced approach,” he added.

Costa also revealed that Ferrari’s F150 will evolve between now and the first race of the season in Bahrain. “Mechanically, the car will be almost complete at Jerez (this week),” said the Italian, “but from an aerodynamic standpoint, there are still a lot of changes coming. More than an extreme approach, we are seeking a productive approach,” he insisted, “and ultimately it will be the lap times that will make the verdict.”

I guess last week’s Off The Wall Racing News' question (Has Ferrari done enough?) will stand until we get three to four races under our belts this season…

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IndyCar

Get your tickets now or be left out of the 100th Anniversary Edition of the Indianapolis 500. It should be quite a celebration…

http://secure.brickyard.com/utm_source=Racer_2011I500_300&utm_medium=Banner&utm_campaign=Racer_2011I500_300

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Time keeps on slippin' slippin' slippin' into the future... 12 more days!