Off the Wall Racing News

Tony Stewart on the Repaving Project at Daytona

Although the track isn’t yet completely resurfaced, approximately three quarters is. Tony was able to run a production car (I’d bet a Corvette) through turns three and four. Here’s a sample of the comments he made:

"I got to rip through three and four and it's not the same race track, I can promise you. This place is going to have a totally new look to the drivers and the teams. We're going to fill every square inch of the race track because the surface is so even now."

"It's going to have a ton of grip," he said. "Before, you had to really work on your handling" because it was so bumpy. "Now, handling is not going to be as crucial. You're going to have more cars in a tighter pack, as wide as they can get, and literally you'll be able to use every inch of the track. And guys will be comfortable doing it, knowing how smooth this surface is now.

"It's going to allow us to go places we've not been able to go and run a lot closer width-wise."

More Stewart quotes:
During his drive, Tony got to witness all the paving work taking place in the steep 31-degree high banks in Turns 1 and 2.

“This is not like paving a highway,” Stewart said. “If you go down there and you watch how the cranes are holding up the equipment, I told them there’s no way you could pay me to be on that roller right now.

“For a gear head like me, I like seeing what the process is and how they have to do this. To see 75 percent of this project completed already is phenomenal. They’ve had great weather down here. It’s neat to see how good a job Lane has done.”

Stewart is tied with Cale Yarborough for third on the all-time Daytona International Speedway wins list with 15 triumphs including three Coke Zero 400s Powered By Coca-Cola.

Seen here, Stewart was asked to help paint the new start/finish line along with track president Joie Chitwood III.

Then they gave the two-time NASCAR Cup Champion his very own piece of the old start/finish line (I notice a Camaro in the background… Where's the Vette Tony? You slummin' or what?)

The Daytona repaving project is still on schedule to be completed before the end of the year with a special open testing session from January 20th to 22nd.

Sounds like a whole new type of racing at Daytona... Three to four wide?

Question for the Open-Wheelers…

If you had to choose between the Indy Car circuit and the Formula One circuit, which would you say is the most prestigious of the two? Have you ever looked at it that way?

A new rumor on RPM?

Evidently over the past few days Richard Petty has been talking with Toyota for a two driver team next year. Talks have included Michael Waltrip…

Petty’s current business partner George Gillett is in the midst of a financial free fall having sold his interests in a professional soccer team in Liverpool England (ironically to the owner of the Boston Red Sox… Yes the same man who's partnered up with Jack Roush) and more recently his Northstar-At-Tahoe North Shore Casino-Hotel resort.

Sounds like the King is on life support… Long live the King?

How about Brad Keselowski!

Bad Brad Keselowski is on the threshold of winning the Nationwide Series this year. He’s dominated all season long and has pulled yet another win out of the hat last weekend at the Gateway International track outside of St. Louis.

Seen here in victory lane with his crew, the Gateway win was his sixth of the season. The win was made possible by a late caution (Danica got punted by Rusty Wallace’s clone Steve). Brad was in second at the time but far behind teammate and pole sitter Justin Allgaier (who led 70 laps on what could be termed his hometown track). After a four tire pit stop Brad restarted in 5th with four laps remaining. Charging past the four in front of him, Brad pulled off the win passing leader Mike Bliss in turns one and two on the last lap…

With three races to go Brad has an almost insurmountable lead of nearly 500 points.

A side light concerning Gateway International Raceway:

The Gateway International track is owned by the same people who own Dover. It was announced the track has been put up for sale and no future NASCAR events are scheduled there at this time. The crowd of 19,000 fans was invited down onto the track prior to the race to sign the wall in the homestretch… Sounds like this track has been pronounced dead and gone. I wonder if a real estate developer has another use for the site? I’ve got to believe that’s true. Will the Sierra Club come out in opposition? Don’t count on it, not in Missouri.

So long, Gateway...