Bristol!

There's artist Michael Atkinson's vision of Thunder Valley...

And then there's NASCAR's!

Some tidbits going into the spring Jeff Byrd 500 race at Bristol…

What are the drivers singing as they run the high-banked half mile?

• Jeff Gordon: "I Won't Back Down," Tom Petty
• Carl Edwards: "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" theme from "Cheers"
• Ryan Newman: "Good Ol' Boys," Waylon Jennings
• Clint Bowyers: Theme from "The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly"
• Matt Kenseth: "Nightmare," Avenged Sevenfold
• Regan Smith: "Welcome To The Family," Avenged Sevenfold
• Marcos Ambrose: "Fuel," Metallica
• David Ragan: "No More Mr. Nice Guy," Alice Cooper
• Greg Biffle: "Tonight's Gonna Be A Good Night," Black Eyed Peas
• David Reutimann: "Pretty Fly For A White Guy," The Offspring
• Joey Logano: "Opposite of Adults," Chiddy Bang
• Kasey Kahne: "A Country Boy Can Survive," Hank Williams Jr.
• Martin Truex Jr.: "Homeboy," Eric Church
• Bobby Labonte: "God Bless Texas," Little Texas
• Kevin Harvick: "Back In Black," AC/DC
• Jeff Burton: "Welcome to the Jungle," Guns N' Roses
• Paul Menard: "Concrete Jungle," Black Label Society
• Juan Pablo Montoya: "Ladies and Gentlemen," Saliva
• Kurt Busch: "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer," George Thorogood
• Jamie McMurray: "Burn It To The Ground," Nickelback
• Denny Hamlin: "Shipping Up To Boston," Dropkick Murphys
• Tony Stewart: "Bawataba," Kid Rock
• Kyle Busch: "Rowdy Busch," 2012 featuring Raytona500

JJ and Brian Vickers are selecting each other's songs and will keep them a secret until the introductions while Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin are also being secretive… (or just couldn’t decide)…

BTW, I looked up Kyle’s song. It’s what I’d call screaming heavy metal (a new genre?) and was recently introduced to benefit the Kyle Busch Foundation…

On another couple of notes here… What in the world is Kurt Busch thinking? Do you picture Marcos Ambrose listening to Metallica? And then there’s Logano’s pick (What’s up with that?)…
_______________________________________________
Biffle’s got a new Gas Can Man!

You could see this one comin’ from a long way off… I suppose the new guy’s the reason they finished second in qualifying…

The pit stop wars should be very interesting in Bristol as we’ll see whether fueling with ethanol continues to be a problem or, as the teams learn to cope, it's become a non-issue.
________________________________________________
How long has Goodyear manufactured racing tires for NASCAR? Yeah… Just about as long as there’s been a NASCAR…

Why do they seem to constantly have tire issues? This isn’t WWII when our nation’s security depended on coming up with synthetic rubber… We’re going round and round on tracks that have been gone round and round on for years…

Here’s a look at a right side tire that came off a car after practice at Bristol this week…

Nice huh?

________________________________________________
Racing at Bristol is like an art form… (According to Kyle Busch)


________________________________________________

I’ll leave you with the latest shot of Ms. Danica Patrick who will be plying her trade this afternoon in Thunder Valley…

Evidently she wasn't a happy camper about something… I'll bet a top ten finish at Bristol would put a smile on her face!

My song for Bristol... Will It Go Round In Circles? by Billy Preston

Here we go!

Fill ‘Er Up!

It’s just not that simple anymore.
Since the days way back in the 1950’s when Leonard Woods of Woods Brothers’ racing fame began tinkering with NASCAR’s pit stop processes and found a huge competitive advantage by shaving seconds off their driver’s pit stops, the science of making a quick, efficient pit stop has become a virtual art form.

As a result of Leonard Woods’ pioneering pit crew analysis and the changes made, today a group of people is selected for certain physical and mental attributes and molded into a team. They’re choreographed into performing specific functions (jacking a race car up and lowering it, changing tires, filling the fuel tank and making chassis adjustments) as quickly as possible. Their job is to constantly practice those functions working together, all while being tutored by their very own pit crew coach and under the watchful eyes of a demanding crew chief and an impatient driver.


From those early days when pit stops lasting a minute or more were commonplace, the pitting process has evolved to the point that a pit crew taking over 14 seconds to change four tires, completely fuel the vehicle and make minor chassis adjustments is chastised by the crew chief. Now think about that. If it takes more than 14 seconds to carry out those jobs, the pit crew stands to be admonished!

Enter 2011 and NASCAR’s mandated switchover to 15% ethanol racing fuel…

Suddenly a whole new set of potentially time consuming circumstances have presented challenges to be resolved. The crux of the problem being that ethanol attracts atmospheric moisture and is consequently easily contaminated. To avoid this, a whole new gas can had to be introduced that featured a “closed system”. The cans in use this season are easily recognizable due to a clear plastic tube running parallel to the metal fill spout. It acts to return air and any excess fuel back into the can while the car’s tank is being filled (The old cans allowed outside air into the tank filling process that aided in speeding the whole procedure along [and released fuel vapor into the atmosphere]). These new “closed system” cans actually take more time to empty into the car’s fuel tank. The new cans also must have what I call a quick shut-off valve feature or better yet, a sure shut-off valve at the end of the fill spout that must be precisely mated to and removed from a receiver fitting at the top end of the car’s fuel tank neck. The valve adds length to the fill spout tube. These new gas can additions have resulted in a can that has several moving parts and weighs at least 15 pounds more than the old can when full of fuel (from what was 85 lbs. when filled to possibly over 100 lbs.). And last but not least, the “closed system” fueling process was supposed to eliminate the excess fuel problem presented by the old filling system created when the gas can was lifted away from the car’s fuel receiver and a fairly large amount of excess fuel would slosh to the ground. To solve this problem with the old fueling process, a seventh “over the wall” person became necessary to stand beside the gas can man and catch any excess fuel in what became known as a “Catch Can” held directly below the car’s fuel receiver. Now NASCAR has eliminated that seventh “over the wall” man.

So, in a nutshell, here is the set of new, time consuming circumstances and an ongoing safety concern the pit crews have to contend with:
1. The closed system fuel can takes longer to empty.
2. The valve at the end of the new can’s fill spout must be precisely mated with the fuel tank’s neck receiver at a certain angle. If the two components are not properly mated, air will get into the process slowing an already slow filling procedure.
3. The valve must also be removed from the car’s receiver in a certain way or it will hang.
4. The new can has a longer fill spout and is 20% heavier.
5. The new can still results in fuel being spilled.
And 6. One less person is now allowed over the wall.

After three Sprint Cup races so far this season, here are a few different approaches some of the teams are now employing or will employ to address these problems:

1. The supposed cost savings to be enjoyed with one less person in the pit crew has been negated by the need for another man behind the wall to hand the gas can man his second fuel can when the need arises.

2. The height and angle at which the fuel can is held when approaching the car is critical to making a proper hook-up with the car’s receiver. This requires a tall gas can man (preferably around 6’2”).

3. To expedite the fueling process its been found the new man behind the wall who hands the second full can to the gas can man must also be tall.

4. The longer and heavier gas cans require even stronger gas can men who can shoulder and carry it, pivot to the car while holding it at the proper height and angle and then slam the can home.

5. The loss of the catch can man puts added responsibility on the backs of other “over the wall” crew members to make rear chassis adjustments, assist when need be with the fueling process and do it quickly while also handling their original duties.

6. The gas can man must pay close attention to the rear tire changer trying to anticipate when he will get his job completed so he can quickly remove the gas can from the car’s receiver before the driver tries to speed away.

For a look at a good 2011 pit stop, here's HMS’s number 48 team at work last month in Phoenix:

Now here’s a look at Roush-Fenway’s number 16 crew at work in Las Vegas…

What was wrong with that picture?

As it stands, in order to completely fill a car’s tank on green flag fueling stops using two cans of fuel, at least 14 seconds will be needed (6.5 seconds per can and one second to make a can switch). Something we may see this year as a result: A can will be jerked out of a gas can man’s hands when the driver just can’t wait any longer, unexpectedly pulling away from his pit.

When split seconds transmit into football field lengths at 190 mph, rest assured, racing engineers and pit crew coaches will be attempting to figure out how to get fuel out of these new cans and make pit stops as fast as possible well into the future.
___________________________________________________________________
If you’ve got a few minutes, here’s a unique Sports Science look at Joe Gibbs Racing’s number 18 over the wall crew from last year that analyzes their work in a two part video. Check out the slow motion shots of the front tire changer, they’re really something.

Kyle Busch Pit Crew by Sports Science – Part One




Part Two

What’s On Tap This Weekend?

Camping World Truck Series!

The Too Tough to Tame 200 on Darlington’s famous “Lady in Black” 1.366 mile track will unravel Saturday evening with one of our own, none other than Gene Haddock, in attendance at what I’d say is his home track.

As it stands right now, 38 entrants, including last season’s series champion, Todd Bodine, this season’s current point leader Matt Crafton (who just happens to be from Tulare, California or about 14 miles from my hometown!), former Sprint Cup driver Elliot Sadler and current Cup driver Kasey Kahne (making only his 4th CWTS career start driving Kyle Busch Motorsport’s number 18 Toyota Tundra) are set to go along with a mix of names including a group of foreign drivers. Nelson Piquet Jr. (London, England), Max Pappis (Como, Italy) and Miguel Paludo (Nova Prata, Brazil) will certainly add spice to the mix along with series standouts Ron Hornaday, James Buescher and Timothy Peters and a crew of young up and comers, Austin Dillon, Jeffrey Earnhardt and Cole Whitt.

Tune in to SPEEDTV at 5:00 PM to get your racing fix if winter still has you cooped up.

The Tire Kingdom Gatornationals at Gainesville (Florida) Raceway…

One of the premier events on the NHRA schedule will include Kurt Busch trying his hand at fulfilling a long-time dream when he makes the quarter mile run in a brand new Pro Stock ride. When asked why the interest in drag racing, Kurt commented, "This is just something to challenge myself to do another discipline of motorsports. It's four rubber tires and a race track, but, man, it's just night and day difference on how you have to be prepared for a drag race versus a NASCAR event."

A year ago at the Gatornationals Kurt strapped himself into a 1970 Dodge Charger in the Super Gas category in his first attempt on the professional level of NHRA but was smoked, never making it out of the first round. After obtaining his Pro Stock license in Bradenton, Florida, where he posted one run at 210.43 MPH passing through the lights at 6.576 seconds, Kurt appears prepared to show well this season driving the Shell Dodge Avenger pictured below…

Good Luck Kurt!

My Local Track...

Here’s what’s happening at the Citrus County Speedway this Saturday:

With a 5:30 PM start time there will be Open Wheel Mods, Sportmans, Pure Stocks, Mini Stocks, PRO Figure-8’s and Outlaw Mod Mini’s… on the 3/8th mile paved oval next door to the Citrus County fairgrounds in Inverness, Florida.

That’s a lot of exciting, live racing for just $13 per adult ticket… And the track’s only a 30 minute drive from my house!

Check out your local tracks, there are all sorts of fun auto racing events taking place around the country…

If you can, support your local races, the breeding ground of the future NASCAR greats!

Formula One is Growing

Formula One was dealt a blow when the first race of the 2011 season had to be scratched due to political unrest in Bahrain. I have to agree its better in this day and age to be safe rather than sorry. Unfortunately the international attention an F1 event draws would have been a perfect platform for political controversy to raise its ugly head. With Middle East races in Abu Dhabi and Turkey also on the 2011 schedule, one has to wonder if similar problems might be in the offing there as well…

So the first race of this already unusual season will occur at the end of March in Melbourne Australia where the Australian Grand Prix will be run in this now 19 race season. Even with Bahrain still in the mix, I think its obvious F1 has plenty of room for more racing venues and dates…

With a reinvigorated United States Grand Prix contracted for the 2012 Formula One schedule at the now under construction Austin Texas venue, the highly innovative Formula One brand of racing is on the move. (By the way, isn’t it refreshing to see a group of racing enthusiasts come together with their local and state government officials, wade through what’s become a ridiculous permit process, a process that’s become nothing but a political means of stopping business growth and job creation, and push ahead with a major project that has already become a boon to the central Texas economy?)

To follow along with the track news and construction progress, here’s a link to the United States Grand Prix’s official site:
http://www.formula1unitedstates.com/


But back to the subject at hand…

Not too long ago the head of Formula One, Bernie Ecclestone let it be known he felt 20 races was the maximum number for a viable racing season but now that tune has been changed as interest in the sport continues to grow. It appears Bernie is willing to expand to as many as 25 races and the 2012 season may mark more venues being included on the F1 schedule beyond the United States Grand Prix… Currently 19 races are bound by contract for 2012 with Japan and Turkey (current race sites) not signed up but expected to be. With this comes the news of new tracks proposed for the Palma / Mallorca region of Spain (500 acre site featuring a 5km track with a 2012 completion date)

An artist's look at the Mallorca Site.

and Croatia (450 acres has been purchased and the planning has begun for a 2014 track completion date),

The proposed Croatian course...

and with the Russian Grand Prix remaining on track to join the circuit in 2014 and finally the possibility of a revived South African Grand Prix jumping back in the mix, Bernie’s 25 race season could very well become a reality in the not too distant future…

An Interesting Quandary…

It was recently announced that the IndyCar series will offer $5 million to any qualified, non-IndyCar driver who might qualify for, drive in and win their season’s finale race at Las
Vegas on October 16. The offer is to be limited to no more than 5 non-IndyCar drivers.

The challenge designed by IndyCar portrays what CEO Randy Bernard hopes to prove; the best auto racing drivers in the world drive for IndyCar. The challenge was issued to showcase that contention.

There was some immediate speculation about a couple of former open-wheel stars who currently race in NASCAR possibly putting together an effort to participate in IndyCar’s challenge. The problem is that although there is no Cup race on Sunday, October 16th, there is one the night of the 15th in Charlotte North Carolina (approximately 2,200 miles away). On top of that, qualifying in Las Vegas will be held on Friday, October 14th, while “Pole Night” in Charlotte will be on Thursday night, October 13th.


Both Tony Stewart and Juan Pablo Montoya have been asked about the possibility of honoring their NASCAR commitment and then jumping on overnight flights to run back and forth between practice sessions, qualifying and finally the races, all the while trying for the big payday in Vegas. Both drivers, in so many words, have begged off saying there’s no way anyone can just switch from a NASCAR ride to IndyCar without even practicing (Stewart went so far as to say to be competitive he felt a non-IndyCar driver would have to run in at least three to four IndyCar races).

I did hear that another NASCAR driver might be willing to give it a go, also a former open-wheel driver, young A.J. Allmendinger.
Unfortunately (or maybe not so unfortunately as I'm sure IndyCar thoroughly thought this through) Formula 1 is scheduled to be in Yeongam Korea for the Korean Grand Prix on October 16th so that pretty much leaves any of those drivers in a lurch as well. Can you think of anyone else that might be willing to give it a go?

Seems to me as it stands for October 16th, IndyCar's 5 million dollars is pretty safe… Maybe we need another IROC (International Race of Champions) series if they really want to find out who the best driver of the best drivers really is.

A Quick NASCAR Knowledge Quiz!

Most of us have fond memories of our childhood days and going
to school, but if you're like me, you didn't really care for those quick quizes a teacher might lay on you from out of the blue. What? I don't have a chance to study?

Now maybe a couple of you were so prepared at all times that you relished those times as a chance to show off... (Kristen... Kelly... Tez... Jon... J.D.... Rob... JMayer... Gene??? LOL) Brent you're still going through all this, so enjoy!

Anyway, Class, here's your quick quiz for Thursday. Do the best you can!

1. What does the following driver list mean to you (in no particular order)?

Paul Menard, Mark Martin, David Gilliland, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Bobby Labonte, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, A.J. Allmendinger, Jeff Gordon and Juan Pablo Montoya?

Okay…

2. What does this list mean to you (in no particular order)?

Jeff Burton, Bobby Labonte, Michael Waltrip, Joe Nemechek, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Mark Martin, Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart?

Finally,

3. What do these numbers mean to you?
(this is a tough one even NASCAR aficionados probably won’t get)

---------------------Top------Top-------Top----------Avg------------------Laps------Laps-
Races--Win %---5 %-----10 %-----20 %-------Start-----Poles-----Led----Completed-DNF
291----5.84%---26.12%--41.58%---65.98%---16.38-------7------5,485----95.37%-----41
110----0.91%---13.64%--27.27%---57.27%---18.59-------3------1,238-----98.23%------8

Your answers are forthcoming. Good Luck!

What NASCAR Needs More Of!

The right prescription!

Can you tag a caption on these?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Then there's my favorite!
7.

Will they grow up to become this?
8.

Or this?
9.

Indications are that NASCAR may have turned the corner. Interest is up. We've had a 20 year old win the 500 and now Four-Time looks like he's ready to take on Five-Time... And Kyle's legions continue to grow!

Hold on tight!