SpeedJournal

GM Pulling Support from Nationwide and Truck Series

// June 13th, 2009 // No Comments » // Nationwide, Sprint Cup, Truck

General Motors announced this week they would stop support for the NASCAR Nationwide and Truck Series. The move is part of the restructuring taking place as part of the bankruptcy filing. What does this announcement mean for these series? I believe the answer will truly be different from team to team. The most factory support goes to the bigger teams, those that are mostly likely to win races and championships. So some of the smaller teams should not be affected as most would think. On the other hand organizations such as Kevin Harvick Inc. will be affected the most. KHI fields winning teams in both series and receives lots of factory backing from GM. Harvick has already confirmed the loss of factory support and that it will mean some changes in his organization as a result.

From what has been reported in the media, GM will still support teams in the Sprint Cup Series. Whether that changes in the future will remain to be seen. GM has a long and storied history in motorsports, especially in NASCAR. Let’s hope they pull through these tough times and come out swinging in the future.

Awesome 24 Hours of LeMans Video

// June 10th, 2009 // No Comments » // 24 Hours of Lemans

This is a great video with some historical footage and footage from last years race.

Give Kyle Busch A Break Already

// June 8th, 2009 // 2 Comments » // Kyle Busch, Nationwide

I will start this post by saying I am not a fan of Kyle Busch.  I do respect the hell out of his talent and his desire to win every race he enters.  There have been many things throughout his career that have rubbed me the wrong way, but his celebration in Nashville this past weekend was not one of them.  In the pre race show from Pocono on TNT, Busch was asked about the controversy surrounding his actions in victory lane.  He replied there was no controversy, and for once I agree with Busch.  For those of you who did not watch the Nationwide race from Nashville, Busch won the race and received the cool Gibson guitar trophy in victory lane.  Busch then smashed the guitar rock’n'roll style.  His reasoning for his actions were that he had made a deal with this team members he would share the trophy with them.  So he smashed it, then said  they boys would cut it up at the shop and each crew member would receive a piece of the guitar.  Cool if you ask me.

What has surprised me more than Busch’s actions, are the members of the media who made a big deal out of this.  I just read an article written by Bruce Martin of Sports Illustrated slamming Busch for his antics.  In the article Martin called him a punk.  Really?  Smashing a guitar to share it with the “guys at the shop” makes someone a punk?  Busch has acted like a punk at times, but this was not one of them.  I actually think it made victory lane a little interesting.  Normally you hear the same words every week from the winner.  At least this was different.

Finally, Double File Restarts

// June 5th, 2009 // No Comments » // Sprint Cup

It’s nice to see that NASCAR has finally wised up and will now start all restarts double file.  This is something that should have been done when they implemented the free pass rule some years ago.  It should make for some more exciting racing, as now the leaders will not have to be jumbled up with cars a lap or more down on the restart.  More positions should change hands and we should see some more passes for the lead as a result of the restarts.  If you watched the All-Star race this year you saw how great of an idea this is.  On to Pocono!

Anyone Questioning Stewart Now?

// June 4th, 2009 // No Comments » // Ryan Newman, Sprint Cup, Tony Stewart

What a new beginning this season has been for Tony Stewart.  A lot of people in the garage were questioning his move of leaving the well established Joe Gibbs operation and jump into team ownership with Stewart-Haas Racing.  Wonder what those same people are thinking now?

Up to this point of 2009, Stewart is enjoying some of his best success points wise in his career.  Never before has he been this high in the points at this point of the season.  Not only that, he is leading the points, and is the first owner/driver to do that since the late Alan Kulwicki.  It gets even better for Stewart-Haas, as Ryan Newman currently sits 5th in the points.  This team has gone from back of the pack performance to top of the leader board overnight.  Most of the credit for this goes to Smoke.  Whether you are a fan of Tony Stewart or a hater, you must respect what he has done with this race team in such little time.  Good job Smoke!