Clarifying The "Fin Rule"

A number of listeners and readers have asked about the apparent disparity in the so-called "shark fins" used by Sprint Cup teams last weekend at Martinsville Speedway.


As illustrated in the above photo, some teams (like Kyle Busch's) elected to use the full-length fin, running from the top of the rear window to the rear spoiler. Others (like Jeff Gordon's Dupont Chevrolet team) ran smaller fins, or no fin at all on the trunk lid.

NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston provided a clarification of the new rule today, saying that the rear deck fin will not become mandatory until the series races at Texas Motor Speedway on April 18. Fins will be mandated to be 3.5 inches tall, and must be at least 17 inches in length. Teams may run any length fin from the 17-inch minimum to the full 25-inch version, tailoring the length to help fine tune the handling characteristics of their cars.

Full (25 inch) fins will be mandatory at both Talladega and Daytona.

Commentary: Leave Martinsville Alone!

It’s Monday morning in Martinsville, Virginia. The 7:15 AM coal train just rolled through, rousing a few thousand fiercely determined, never-say-die race fans from a fitful, thunderstorm plagued sleep. Most of their buddies packed their bags and headed for home 12 hours ago, not long after NASCAR ran up the white flag of defeat and postponed the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 from Sunday afternoon to high noon Monday, due to rain.

It’s a familiar story to longtime Martinsville fans. Late March in the Commonwealth of Virginia is always a crap shoot weather-wise. One day it’s sunny and 75 degrees; Chamber of Commerce weather. The next day is rainy, cold and bleak with temperatures in the low 50’s. See you Monday, everyone.

With every Martinsville rainout, the chorus in some corners of NASCAR nation begins anew. “They don’t deserve two races,” they say. “Take that spring race and move it somewhere warm. Realign the schedule and give their date to a fancy new track like Kansas.”

“Sheep dip,” says I.

Martinsville Speedway deserves two spots on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule, and there are plenty of reasons why.

Martinsville doesn’t have a catchy advertising slogan, because it doesn’t need one. Fans know that when they plunk down part of their hard-earned paycheck at Clay Campbell’s ticket window, they’re going to get one heck of a race in return. And maybe a couple of those one-of-a-kind hotdogs.

There’s no Hollywood back lot pre-race extravaganza at Martinsville. Nobody stages a mock invasion of Afghanistan, nothing explodes, and nobody jumps a school bus over a troop of Cub Scouts for your viewing pleasure. They just introduce the drivers, do a little singin’ and prayin’, then get on with the race.

Whitney Houston doesn’t sing the national anthem at Martinsville. That spot is reserved for the local High School band, which annually delivers one of the best and most respectful renditions of the season.

I understand that it’s important to grow the sport. I understand that fans with Rolex watches and personal assistants spend more money on race day than the guy who spent the night sleeping in a tent in the mud. I get that the fancy new speedway with the casino in Turn Two is going to impact the parent company’s bottom line more positively than an antiquated half mile with railroad tracks just off the backstretch. But I also understand that image is not as important as substance, and that a glittering facility and a fancy press box do not make up for a crappy race.

You don’t have to wait for the post-race media availability to find out how your favorite driver’s day went at Martinsville. Just watch for the inevitable post-race shoving match.

You don’t hang out after the race to catch the free Peter Frampton concert at Martinsville. You head for the car and watch some guy in a homemade off-road pickup truck pull people out of ankle-deep mud for $50 a pop.

That’s quality entertainment. That’s Martinsville Speedway.

Give me a racetrack where the best restaurant in town isn’t a soulless chain with 57 big-screen TVs on the wall, but a joint with vinyl booth seating that just happens to sponsor the five-time National Late Model champion. Give me a track where half the field finishes with its front fenders no longer attached, and where marketing still plays second fiddle to racing. Give me a track where the man in charge is the grandson of the man who built the place with his own hands.

Our sport is sadly overstocked with perfectly polished, stainless steel, 1.5-mile tri-ovals that have more corporate suites than cheap seats. We’re up to here with cookie-cutter, single-file, aero-push speedways that have all the charisma of a Ben Stein economic dissertation. We have too many International Motor Speedways, and too few racetracks.

Martinsville is a racetrack; a motorized Fenway Park in a Safeco Field world. And it must be preserved.

Lesa France Kennedy -- if you’re listening -– please leave Martinsville’s race dates alone. We don’t mind the rain, the mud, or the 7:15 AM coal train alarm clock. We cherish the tradition that permeates every inch of those rolling Virginia hills, and think it’s important to be reminded where we came from, if only twice a year.

The Godfather Is Getting Older (But Then Again, Aren't We All?)

The MRN Gang invades the Barney Hall studio for a surprise birthday celebration.

Ms. Stephanie presents the goodies to the Birthday Boy.

For once, Dave isn't quite sure what to say!

The infamous MadCan "Boobie Cake." It tasted good, too!

Hate Him Or Not, Johnson Is One Of The All-Time Greats

Jimmie Johnson did it again Sunday, lurking in the shadows for much of the day while others dominated the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, then slicing his way through the field when the chips were down to claim his third checkered flag in five starts this season.

Sunday’s win was the first of Johnson’s career at Thunder Valley; a track where his best finish in 16 prior starts had been third. He and crewchief Chad Knaus circled the race in red before the 2010 campaign began, and crossing another track off his personal hit list clearly had Johnson pumped-up in Victory Lane.

"It's about time," he said. "We’ve been off here over the years, but we focused on what we had to do and overcame it."

While Johnson, Knaus and company high-fived in Victory Lane, portions of the NASCAR garage and much of the grandstands were left fuming. "I'd rather lose to any of the other 41 cars out there than the 48 car," said Kurt Busch, who led 278 of 500 laps Sunday before Johnson once again motored away to victory when it mattered most. "I thought we had him beat. I gave it my heart today, but we came up short."

“We’ve been able to get in some guys’ heads, and that’s been helpful,” admitted a grinning Johnson when told of Busch’s comments. He then added a warning to the rest of the competition, saying, “When we're winning at tracks that we're not supposed to (win at), boys better look out. Even that #2 car (Busch) that doesn't want the 48 to win."

Johnson has now won at all but five NASCAR Sprint Cup venues; Michigan, Chicago, Homestead, Watkins Glen & Infineon. He also became only the 12th driver in NASCAR history to win 50 career races. Three of the previous 11 drivers are headed to the NASCAR Hall Of Fame as members of its inaugural class. Six others were Class of 2009 HOF nominees and the other two – Jeff Gordon and Rusty Wallace – are sure bets for the Hall at some point in the not-too-distant future. Only three men have ever reached the illustrious 50-win plateau faster; Darrell Waltrip, David Pearson and Gordon.

Some people clearly don’t want to hear it, but the facts speak for themselves. Jimmie Johnson can hang up his helmet tomorrow and beat most of those all-time greats to the Hall Of Fame

If his career ends now -- without a single additional win -- the Lowe’s Chevrolet driver should be a first ballot Hall Of Famer. His 50 career Cup wins tie him for tenth place on the all-time list with NASCAR legends Ned Jarrett and Junior Johnson. His four championships trail only Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty, who earned seven. Gordon also has four, but Johnson won his four titles consecutively; something that had never, ever been done.

By any yardstick you care to use, Jimmie Johnson is the best in the world at what he does, and maybe the best ever. Unfortunately, it gets him nothing but a ration of flak from the fans and snappish, green-eyed envy from his colleagues in the garage.

Sadly, excellence is no longer something to be applauded, envied or emulated. We no longer encourage our children to win, having abandoned that archaic practice decades ago. Instead, we award trophies for participation and pretend not to keep score. And when someone like Jimmie Johnson bucks the trend by aspiring to something more than mediocrity, we shout him down for winning more than his share and upsetting our cozy little “nobody wins, nobody loses” view of the world.

"Look at the stats, look at the talent and look at the dedication,” said team owner Rick Hendrick of his lead driver at Bristol. “Just look at his record. I don't understand why it's not written (that) he's one of the best that's ever done this. I've been around for a long time, (and) I've watched a lot of guys from Richard Petty on up to current day.

"When you look at the level of competition since he's been in the sport, what he's done (and) what he's accomplished, I mean… I don't know what he's got to do."

While Hendrick fumed about the lack of respect afforded his four-time champion, Johnson seemed to revel in it. Asked about the “'Anyone But Jimmie” mentality that threatens to take NASCAR Nation by storm these days, the Lowe’s Chevrolet driver said, "It's awesome. People used to say `Anybody but the #3, anybody but the #24.’ I'm proud to be in that category"

Up next for Johnson? Sunday’s Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway, where he's won five of the last seven races.

Get used to it, folks. Jimmie’s not going anywhere.

Help Doug Herbert Keep Kids Safe

NHRA Top Fuel drag racer Doug Herbert will hold a charity poker tournament to benefit his B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible and Keep Everyone Safe)program on March 23 at Ray Evernham Enterprises.

Herbert founded the non-profit teen driving school after the deaths of his two sons in a single-car highway crash in Cornelius, NC. B.R.A.K.E.S. offers its Teen Pro-Active Driving School free of charge to every family that wishes to take part.

With support from the National Hot Rod Association, B.R.A.K.E.S. will provide hands-on training to at least 1,200 teenagers this year, expanding its initial reach outside the Carolinas to California. Herbert said he has had request from parents around the country to bring the program to their states.

"Our hope is that, through fundraisers like this, we will be able to take the school to even more areas of the country next year," he said.

The tournament will begin at 6:30 p.m., with the first hand dealt at 7 p.m. Entry is $250 per person, which includes buy-in, dinner and three drinks. The event will also include a raffle and entertainment. Players will receive an additional $250 in chips for bringing a non-playing guest for an additional $40 donation. Players may register by calling (704) 732-8950.

For more information on B.R.A.K.E.S., visit the organization's website at http://www.putonthebrakes.com.

Congratulations Blake Shelton!

Blake Shelton (L) exhibits his massive Man Crush for the Godfather at the 2008 Sadler Barn Party. Shelton's song "Hillbilly Bone" (with Trace Adkins) is #1 on the country charts this week. Way to go Shelton!

Commentary: One Final Word On Carl vs Brad

No matter where you stand on the Carl Edwards/Brad Keselowski feud, the incident spotlighted at least three indisputable facts.

Both drivers got lucky.

Both drivers learned a valuable lesson.

There is no single correct point of view when it comes to NASCAR’s new “Boys, Have At It” approach to on-track conduct.

In terms of luck, Keselowski was fortunate to walk away from a crash that left the A (windshield) pillars of his Penske Dodge badly crushed and brought the roof on his car to a point at mid-windshield. Edwards was fortunate that his intentional takeout caused no injuries, either to Keselowski or anyone in the grandstands. One can only imagine the feeling in the pit of his stomach when he rolled past the shattered remains of the #12 Dodge and saw the aftermath of what was supposed to be a simple spin through the grass.

In the “lessons learned” department, Edwards almost certainly learned the importance of maintaining one’s composure at 180 mph, and the value of saving one’s paybacks for a more suitable venue like Bristol or Martinsville.

He also learned that white driving gloves can come back to haunt you in the aftermath of an ill-timed right turn on national television.

Keselowski, meanwhile, learned that every action produces some kind of response. While aggression is an important quality in a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racer, the ability to properly time that aggression is also critical. Keselowski almost certainly grasps that concept better than he did two weeks ago.

He also learned that new kids on the NASCAR block are expected to spend a certain amount of time learning the ropes from their more-experienced peers before jumping lead-first into the deep end of the competitive pool. Nobody’s saying to pull over and wave `em by with 10 laps to go, but a little lift here and there when things get tight in the first half of a race puts a rookie driver in much better favor with his colleagues.

In terms of opinion, there was (and still is) no shortage of it in the aftermath of the Atlanta crash. The commentary ranged from “Edwards is a homicidal maniac who should have been charged with attempted vehicular homicide,” to “Keselowski’s a punk that had it coming” and virtually all points in between.

For better or worse, Keselowski’s profile among NASCAR fans is considerably higher than it was before the incident. And many fans say they see Edwards differently than they did just a few weeks ago, as well. Kevin Harvick summed it up best, saying, "The true colors are starting to show on the 99. The smile and the thumbs-up (aren’t) everything everyone perceives them to be.”

Edwards’ Atlanta sponsor, Scotts Lawn Care Products, even weighed in on the dispute, saying they do not want their driver to be involved in any more situations like the one Sunday in Atlanta. A statement on the company’s website said, “Scotts appreciates the support of NASCAR fans everywhere, and we have an excellent relationship with Carl Edwards, Jack Roush and the No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing team. However, like many fans, we were very concerned about the on-track incident that occurred in Atlanta this past weekend. As a result, we have strongly expressed these concerns to both Carl and Jack and we are confident that they have a clear understanding of the trust we have placed in them as ambassadors of our company, our associates and our brands”
Edwards received three weeks' probation from NASCAR for his part in the incident, and team owner Roush said he is satisfied with the three-race probation assessed by NASCAR. “We are satisfied that NASCAR fairly considered all the circumstances in its decision to discipline Carl,” he said, adding that he looks forward to sitting down with NASCAR, Edwards, Keselowski and fellow team owner Roger Penske this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway in an effort to “put this behind us.”
Indeed, both drivers will join their car owners and crewchiefs in a mandatory “air clearing” session with NASCAR’s top brass prior to this weekend’s opening practice at Bristol. The specifics of that meeting will likely never be revealed publically, but those who have attended similar functions in the past say it is likely to be loud, profane and emotional, capped by a stern “Come To Jesus” statement from NASCAR that should prevent the situation from escalating any further.

In the end, the Great Crash of 2010 provided a much-needed promotional boost for the sport, a chunk of videotape that will be replayed for decades to come, a heaven-sent ticket selling opportunity for Bristol Motor Speedway and a hot new rivalry between two of NASCAR’s most marketable young drivers.

In the end, it could have been worse.

So Long, Angelle...

Angelle Sampey announced today that she will hang up her helmet and leathers and retire from the sport of drag racing.

Longtime Sirius Speedway listeners know Angelle as a three-time NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle World Champion and a good friend of the show in its early years. She will focus on her new aquarium supply business and starting a family with her fiancé Seth Drago, who she will marry in June of this year.

"I'm ready for a new challenge," she said. "I made the ultimate sacrifice to postpone starting a family when I began racing. Now, I'm going to make the ultimate sacrifice to stop racing to get married and try and start a family.

"I will take away so many great memories from racing," said Sampey. "I'm certainly going to miss being around my fellow racers and, of course, the fans. I really enjoyed meeting the fans at every race. They were always there for me through the good times and the bad times."

In her 13-year NHRA career, Angelle won 41 national events en route to those three World titles, recording an unprecidented 364 round wins in 506 trips; a winning percentage of approximately 72 percent that allows her to retire as the winningest woman in the history of organized motorsports. She also provided us with as many laughs as any guest in the history of Sirius Speedway.

We’re sorry to see her go, but we wish her all the best and look forward to some good news on the baby front, as soon as possible.

Highlights Of Pedicure Day On Sirius Speedway!

The lovely Lia begins hacking away at the Godfather's piggies.

There's a lot of work to be done there...

Ray really seems to be enjoying this!

The finished product: Dave's Green/White/Checkered polish job!

Ray's "Ronald McDonald" polish. (The man has monkey toes).

Ray, Lia and Dave at the end of the day. Thanks to Elena's Spa and Salon in Concord, and to all the listeners who allowed us to donate over $7,000 to Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte. You're the best!

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Bidding To Build On Site Casino

The Concord (NH) Monitor reported Friday that New Hampshire Motor Speedway is lobbying to build a casino, hotel and racing museum on the grounds of the Loudon oval, if state legislators legalize gambling in the Granite State later this year.

The New Hampshire state senate is currently considering a bill that would legalize “limited gambling;” allowing video slot machines and table games at six sites across the state. Until last week, NHMS was not believed to be part of their plan. But NHMS Executive Vice President and General Manager Jerry Gappens revealed Friday that the track has hired consultants to design an on-site casino and determine the financial impact it would have on the track, the town and the state.

“We want a seat at the table because we know we could do a good job and be a responsible partner with the state,” said Gappens. “We're the largest sports and entertainment facility in all of New England. We've got a great infrastructure here. And (gambling) would compliment what we already do."

The current bill calls for limited gambling at six specific locations; a trio of existing horse racing facilities in Belmont, Seabrook and Salem, two new sites in the northern part of the state and a proposed new country club in Hudson, NH. The bill would have to be amended to include the Loudon oval, but Gappens said the speedway’s track record of hosting major events makes it a strong candidate for inclusion.

NHMS is just five miles from the Belmont venue, and Rick Newman, a lobbyist for the Lodge at Belmont, said it is unlikely both facilities would be included in a final draft of the bill. He strongly criticized Speedway Motorsports, Inc. – owners of NHMS – for being a late entrant to the discussion, and for having no experience in running casinos.

"We're already in the gambling business, and we have survived in an economy that has been very hard on our business," said Newman to the Monitor. "We've been a partner with the state for four years, and at this location for almost 25 years. We're not Johnny-come-lately with a big bag of money saying, 'Let me kick the door down.' Having cars turn left for 3½ hours isn't the same thing as running a casino."

Gappens dismissed Newman’s claim, saying, “We are not just another site. We have a 20-year track record of being an entertainment venue and generating hundreds of thousands of dollars for the state of New Hampshire. We're doing (these) things to be an economic stimulus in this area.”

The current wording of the bill calls for a total of 17,000 slot machines, split among six facilities. Table games – blackjack, poker, etc. – would also be legalized, but only after an additional licensing fee is paid by each venue. The first $50 million in revenue would be used to fund social service programs statewide.

The measure is not without its critics. Jim Rubens, head of the Granite State Coalition Against Expanded Gambling, told the Monitor, “This just shows what will happen when the door to gambling opens. This state will be crushed with gambling problems in every community, and the whole notion of limited gambling is gone."

Dover International Speedway is currently the only NASCAR Sprint Cup Series track to feature an on-site casino, but International Speedway Corporation recently announced plans to partner with Penn National Gaming, Inc., to build and operate a year-round casino on the grounds of Kansas Speedway. State and local officials recently awarded ISC and Penn National a gaming license and management contract to operate that casino, and ISC Chief Executive Officer Lesa France Kennedy has said she will petition NASCAR to realign a second Sprint Cup Series date there no later than 2011.

Move Along, There's No Story Here

Just three races into the 2010 season, the rumor mill is running full-speed ahead with speculation about Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne and their respective futures. Media members assail both drivers at every turn, grilling them about the final year of their respective contracts with Richard Childress Racing (Harvick) and Richard Petty Motorsports (Kahne), hoping to unearth a nugget of dissatisfaction and spawn a breathless “he’s leaving” story that will scoop the competition by months.

Talk about putting the cart ahead of the horse.

Speculation and unconfirmed reports cling to Kahne and Harvick these days like a rottweiler on a rump roast, despite repeated assertions by both drivers that no decisions -- or even negotiations -- on the topic will take place until late this year. The fact that there is no story to report hasn’t prevented people from reporting on it. In the aftermath of Sunday’s Shelby American at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, one breathless Sprint Cup scribe reported that “Kevin Harvick is considering his future and... sponsor Shell is also considering its NASCAR future.”

“What Harvick might be thinking, what Shell might be thinking and what Childress himself might be thinking are all good questions” wrote the hyperventilating scribe, “that none of them are interested in listening to at the moment.”

NASCAR’s version of the tabloid media pumps out empty column inches on Harvick/RCR and Kahne/RPM the way the National Enquirer does on Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. One minute a divorce is imminent. The next, they’re madly in love. And both stories are corroborated by the omnipresent “sources close to the situation.”

Harvick has stiff-armed the topic at every turn, insisting repeatedly that 2011 is not on his radar screen yet, and that the performance of his Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet team over the course of this season will help determine his plans for the next. Kahne has been a bit more talkative, downplaying his poor finishes in the opening races of the season.

"The car has been decent,” insisted Kahne in Las Vegas. “At Daytona and (Fontana), I think we've been Top-10 cars. It's disappointing, but those things happen once in a while. I don't think our season is over. We're definitely in a hole (and) that's not very good, but we still have plenty of racing to go."

He was honest in assessing RPM’s offseason progress, saying, “I wouldn't say my car is any different than it was last year. I think the Ford engine runs a little better than what we had last year, and that's nice. But as far as… going and leading laps, or running first, second or third, we're not there. I expected the cars to be better. I think as the season goes, hopefully, (that) will be the case. But it’s not as of right now."

Kahne also made his stance on 2011 crystal clear for the umpteenth time, saying, “Toward the end of this year when I decide to make my decision, if I don't feel like we're going to be able to run with the Hendrick cars for the next three or four years, then I've got to make a change. If I feel like we can, then I'm going to stay right where I'm at.”

He said he plans to "sit back and watch the performance of our team (against) the Chevrolets, the Toyotas, the Fords and the Dodges and see where everybody is at. We have plenty of time to do it, so it's pretty nice to be where we're at right now.”

So, for the record, here’s the lay of the land.

Harvick leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship standings, after recording a seventh-place finish in the Daytona 500 and consecutive runner-up showings in Fontana and Vegas.

Kahne is mired a disappointing 23rd in championship points, but could just as easily be sitting on a trio of Top-10 finishes. A crash at Daytona ruined what appeared to be a Top-10 day, and Kahne’s own driving mistake triggered a spin that spoiled another solid outing at Auto Club Speedway. The team righted the ship with a trouble-free ninth-place finish in Las Vegas Sunday.

Harvick’s average 2010 finish of 3.67 is probably not going to make him jump ship at the end of the season. And it’s absolutely insufficient grounds to file for divorce just three races into the season.

Kahne’s start is not what he and Richard Petty Motorsports had hoped for, but is it reason to bolt the team? Not likely. At least not yet. There’s a lot of racing to be done before the final checkered flag of the season flies at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November, and a lot can change before then.

You and I understand that fact. Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne understand it. But don’t try and tell that to some members of the NASCAR media, who continue to pound away at a story that -– for now –- seems not to exist.

Musgrave To Return "Full-Time, Multi-Year And Fully Funded"

There is good news and bad news this week for fans of former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Ted Musgrave.

Musgrave told Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody today that he will not race in the Truck series’ second event of 2010 at Atlanta Motor Speedway next week, and could also miss the next two races at Martinsville and Nashville.

However, he said paperwork and legalities are currently being finalized to put him back on the circuit in the near future. "It will be full time, multi-year and fully funded, and we're hopeful that it will all come together within the next six weeks," said Musgrave. "It has taken a lot of people and a lot of hard work, but it is coming together really well.”

The new deal will likely put Musgrave in a Billy Ballew Motorsports Toyota Tundra for the balance of the 2010 season and beyond, though those negotiations also have not been finalized.

Musgrave finished 31st in the season-opening NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona in a Ballew-owned Toyota.

What Have You Done For Me Lately?

Stock car racing has always been a “what have you done for me lately” kind of sport. When you work in the NASCAR garage, you’re only as good as your last finish – or even your last pit stop -- and job security is something only a fortunate few enjoy.

When you work for Jack Roush, the lifeline is stretched even thinner. The Roush-Fenway Racing owner has never been shy about making midseason personnel moves, and when something goes awry on any of his four NASCAR Sprint Cup teams, “The Cat In The Hat” is ready, willing and able to move people around, transfer them out, or even hand them a pink slip.

Latest case in point? The strange saga of Drew Blickensderfer.

One year ago today, Blickensderfer was the hottest crewchief in all of NASCAR, after overseeing back-to-back victories by Matt Kenseth in the Daytona 500 and Auto Club 500. Today, he’s the former crewchief of Kenseth’s #17 Crown Royal Ford, after being shuffled off to Roush-Fenway’s Research and Development department -– the auto racing equivalent of the Russian Front -- in favor of veteran Todd Parrott.

The timing of the move could not have been more strange. Why would Roush-Fenway retain Blickensderfer through a long, cold offseason, only to replace him just one race into the new campaign? What issues could possibility have surfaced at Daytona that were not known to the team long beforehand?

The blame, said Kenseth, was all his.

The 2003 Sprint Cup champion called the timing of last week’s change “100-percent my fault,” admitting that Roush approached him at the end of last season to suggest replacing Blickensderfer. Kenseth argued against the move, feeling his pit chief could use the offseason to improve.

However, Kenseth said he realized during Speedweeks 2010 at Daytona that his team was not properly motivated to win races and contend for another championship. Asked what needed to be changed, he replied, “the whole dynamic of the team. We needed a spark,” adding that he believes Parrott is the man to provide that spark.

Parrott -– the son of legendary crewchief Buddy Parrott -- is outgoing, opinionated and emotional; words seldom used to describe his new driver. Some observers immediately questioned whether two such divergent personalities would be able to mesh, but Kenseth said he believes their differences will make them strong. Since he is not a natural leader himself, Kenseth said he needs an emotional, cheerleading crewchief to motivate the #17 team.

Roush went to great lengths last week to state that Blickensderfer still has a home at Roush-Fenway. “I wanted to make sure that everybody felt my passion, my empathy, my support and my belief in Drew Blickensderfer,” he said. “As conflicted as I am, Matt is equally conflicted.”

“Matt doesn’t like to be wrong,” said a Roush-Fenway team member this week, on the condition of anonymity. “`Blick’ was Matt’s choice to be crewchief. Jack had someone else in mind, but Matt knew who he wanted. It was Matt who brought him in, and ultimately, it was Matt’s decision to make this change.”

Roush will apparently play things a bit more cautiously this time around.

"Todd’s position is interim on the 17 team, with an expectation that we can get a formula here that will work better than what we’ve had,” said Roush. In an effort to smooth the transition, Roush assigned Robbie Reiser -– who crewchiefed Kenseth’s 2003 championship run -– to sit atop the pit box with Parrott at Auto Club Speedway for what he called an “all hands on deck weekend.”

The early returns were positive, with Kenseth authoring a seventh place Fontana finish after qualifying in the 20th position. That’s not as good as a year ago, but it’s not bad. And it’s almost certainly good enough to earn Parrott sole command of the ship this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Parrott’s credentials as a Sprint Cup Series crewchief are strong. He won the 1999 championship with Dale Jarrett, the highlight of a seven-year run that saw the pair combine to win 26 races between 1995 and 2002. Recently, however, the wins have been tough to come by. He managed just two wins with Elliott Sadler, one in a reunion tour with Jarrett, and has gone winless in the last couple of years with Bobby Labonte, David Gilliland and Travis Kvapil. He lasted just eight races with Labonte last season before being shuffled from Yates Racing to Roush-Fenway’s restrictor plate program.

Parrott knows what happens to NASCAR crewchiefs when they don’t win, and seems determined to do whatever it takes to get Kenseth back to Victory Lane and the 2010 Chase For The Sprint Cup.

“I’m going to go out a winner,” he said. “I don’t want to be remembered going through the things that happened to me last year. I had a great year in 2008 with Travis, then last year I only made it five or six races and they took me off. That was very disheartening, but I understood. I kept working and kept digging. That’s the way I’ve been taught.

“That’s the way the Parrotts do things. They don’t give up.”

Best of luck, Todd. And please, don’t take too long getting it done.

Watch Out Osama!

Sirius Speedway regular -- OK, make that semi-regular -- Brendan Gaughan got to drive a tank at the Oakley factory in California today. We want HIS life!

BREAKING NEWS: Blickensderfer Out As Kenseth's Crewchief, Parrott To Take Over

Sources tell Sirius Speedway today that Drew Blickensderfer is out as crewchief for Matt Kenseth’s #17 Crown Royal Ford, and will be replaced by veteran Todd Parrott, beginning this weekend at Auto Club Speedway.

Blickensderfer has served as Kenseth’s crewchief since the beginning of last 2009 season, and has been transferred to a new position in Roush Fenway’s research and development department. Parrott won the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship with Dale Jarrett in 1999 and is the third winningest active crewchief in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, with 29 career wins.

Nice Guys Don't Always Finish Last

Just when you begin to believe there’s no place for the little guys in NASCAR anymore, along come Max Papis, Joe Nemechek and Michael McDowell.

Against long (some would argue insurmountable) odds, Papis, Nemechek and McDowell fought their way onto the starting grid for last weekend’s 52nd Daytona 500, outrunning teams with unlimited resources, top-notch personnel and decades of experience. It was the NASCAR equivalent of the lowly Chicago Cubs sweeping a World Series title from the New York Yankees in four games, and it set a “feel good” tone that carried through to the end of SpeedWeek 2010.

Nemechek, a two-time Daytona winner in NASCAR Nationwide Series competition, turned heads almost immediately in time trial qualifying, pushing his unsponsored #87 Toyota to the 16th-fastest qualifying time – third among so-called “go or go home” drivers -- to earn a guaranteed starting spot in Sunday’s Daytona 500. The performance provided a watershed financial moment for the veteran driver, who guaranteed his self-owned team a minimum last-place Daytona 500 payday of nearly $250,000.

Papis raced his way into NASCAR’s greatest race with a 15th-place finish in the first Gatorade Duel at Daytona qualifier. He started 20th and made only modest progress in the early going, until veteran crewchief Robert “Bootie” Barker left Papis on the track while many others pitted for tires and fuel on lap 54. “Mad Max” did the rest, keeping himself in qualifying contention until the final lap, then making a testosterone-rich move in the fourth turn that catapulted his GEICO Toyota past three cars and into The Great American Race.

As he climbed from his machine after the race, “Mad Max” had understandably become “Glad Max,” and the tears flowed freely as he accepted congratulations from family, friends, team members and fellow drivers.

“Did you see that? Mark Martin just came to me and congratulated me,” said a beaming Papis. “He punched me in the arm and said I did a great job. I think I hugged him!
“I’ve won two Rolex 24-Hour races here, so this place means a lot to me,” he said. “Daytona means everything to me. Last year, I never would've had the opportunity to make this dream come true."

One spot ahead of Papis at the finish was Michael McDowell, who earned his inaugural Daytona 500 berth after starting 26th in his #55 Prism Motorsports Toyota. Team owners Phil Parsons and Randy Humphrey spent much of last season as start-and-park artists in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, but the same lap-54 caution flag that benefitted Papis gave McDowell the outside chance he was looking for.

"When that last caution came out, I knew we had a shot at it," he said. "Our car was really good on the short runs, and we got the pushes we needed. I picked the right line at the right time."

The road to the 2010 Daytona 500 has been a long one for all three drivers.
Until last week, McDowell was best known for his horrifying qualifying crash in April of 2008 at Texas Motor Speedway, while driving for Michael Watrip Racing. Since then, his NASCAR career has been a hodgepodge of rides with various teams in NASCAR’s three national series’, none offering much in the way of job security or opportunity to shine.

Papis’ seven-year journey has carried him from CART -- where he recorded three wins -- to Indy Cars, Formula One, sports cars – highlighted by the 2004 Grand Am Rolex Series championship -- and eventually NASCAR. His skill and bravado have been readily apparent at every stop along the way, but unfortunately, the outgoing Italian has rarely been able to find a team with funding to match his talent.

Nemechek once ranked as one of NASCAR’s best, but it’s been a long time since “Front Row Joe” ran up front. These days, he is forced to field his own entries in both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide ranks, racing when he can and pulling a “start and park” when he can’t.

Unfortunately, none of the three drivers were able to parlay their qualifying success into strong runs on race day. McDowell finished 33rd after his car spit a driveshaft with just a handful of laps remaining. Papis finished 40th in the Daytona 500 after catching a piece of the day’s first incident on lap seven, then suffering engine failure with just 89 of 200 laps complete. Nemechek finished 43rd after getting tagged by the Dodge of Sam Hornish, Jr. – who was many laps down at the time – and crashing in the fourth turn on lap 64.

In the end, however, their final finishing positions didn’t seem to matter.

No matter where they finished Sunday, “Mad Max,” Mike and “Front Row Joe” reassured us once again that in an era of multi-million dollar, multi-car mega-teams, little guys still stand a chance.

Dateline: Daytona

It’s already been a busy week at The World Center of Racing, as teams scramble to prepare for their portion of the annual motorized feeding frenzy known as SpeedWeek. And the best is yet to come.

Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt, Jr., swept front-row qualifying for Hendrick Motorsports, with Martin claiming the 52nd Daytona 500 pole with a fast lap of 47.074 seconds at 191.188 mph. That was the fastest pole-winning speed for the 500 since Jeff Gordon in 1999, and just enough to edge Earnhardt (190.913 mph), who will start on the outside of Row One Sunday.

Team owner Rick Hendrick said the effort was a direct result of the emphasis placed on getting the #5 and #88 teams on the same page of the playbook this season in terms of car preparations and setup, after a 2009 campaign that saw Martin challenge for the Sprint Cup title while Earnhardt languished in 25th place in championship points.

"The challenge was to run one team with two cars, and to have those two cars run almost identical times," said Hendrick. "I know this is just one race, but no one outside our company knows the effort (crewchiefs) Alan Gustafson and Lance McGrew put into this team and these two cars. I'm really proud of them."

Martin agreed, saying, “This is such a great accomplishment for the 5 and 88 teams. That was not an accomplishment of mine. It’s one (for) all our guys on this team. Having Dale Jr. on the outside of the front row means that we are doing stuff right."

Bill Elliott turned the fourth-fastest lap to lock his Wood Brothers Racing Ford into the Daytona 500 field, while Scott Speed (13th) and Joe Nemechek (16th) also leapt from the “Go Or Go Home” list into the 500 with fast time trial laps. Bobby Labonte is also guaranteed a spot in the field as the most recent former Sprint Cup champion.

In other Sprint Cup news, Toyota Racing Development President Lee White says financial losses associated with the automaker’s recent recall of 2.3 million passenger cars and trucks will not impact its support of NASCAR teams. White told FoxSports.com, "Our program is pretty well set. (It) involves technical support more so than writing checks. TRD is very good at managing our budgets (and) I honestly don't think there will be any impact on the motorsports program.”

John Carter Racing is not taking part in this weekend’s Daytona 500, after being unable to secure sponsorship for former Sprint Cup Series champion Terry Labonte. The team had hoped to run both the 500 and the non-points Budweiser Shootout. Team owner John Carter said the team still plans to race this season, but is dependent on finding sponsorship.

"Right now we are actively looking for a sponsor, and it's really going to dictate how often we compete this season,” said a spokesman for the team. “We already have some things in place moving forward, but the timing for the Daytona 500 just wasn't going to happen. The #08 will be on the track this season. Its just a matter of when."

Michael McDowell will run the full Sprint Cup schedule in the Prism Motorsports #55 car, as a teammate to Dave Blaney’s #66 machine. Prism Motorsports attempted all 36 races last year with drivers Terry Labonte, Blaney and McDowell, often competing as a start-and-park team. There is no word on whether that will continue in 2010..

Nationwide News: Miccosukee Resort and Gaming has informed Phoenix Racing owner James Finch that they will no longer sponsor his NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series teams. Finch had a contract in hand for the complete Nationwide Series and 18 Sprint Cup races, but a recent change in tribal leadership resulted in a new, more conservative fiscal policy, leaving Finch without a sponsor. He said his only recourse is an appeal to the Tribal Council, but in his words, “that’s not a case I’m going to win.” The decision is also expected to affect the new Kyle Busch Motorsports Camping World Truck Series team, whose #18 Toyota (driven by Busch and Brian Ickler) were to have been sponsored by the tribe.

Brad Parrott will serve as crewchief for Brendan Gaughan’s #62 Rusty Wallace Racing NASCAR Nationwide Series Toyota this season. Parrott has sat atop the pitbox for drivers Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Jeff Burton, Dale Jarrett and Juan Pablo Montoya in recent seasons, and once worked as a tire specialist for team owner Rusty Wallace during his days at Penske Racing in the early 1990’s. Parrott’s father, legendary former crewchief Buddy Parrott, will serve as Gaughan’s spotter in select 2010 events.

Kyle Busch says his plan to run the full NASCAR Nationwide Series this season has been vetoed by Joe Gibbs Racing President J.D. Gibbs. Last year’s Nationwide champion said at the start of the year that he hoped to talk Gibbs into letting him chase a second title, but he told the media last week, “"I think it's pretty much decided now that we're running the 25-26 races." Busch will also the full Sprint Cup Series schedule and approximately 15 Camping World Truck races.

Chrissy Wallace will make her NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Daytona Saturday, running the Camping World 300 in Rick Ware Racing’s #41 Fuel Doctor Chevrolet. Not only will it be the first time a father and daughter have raced together in Nationwide competition, but Wallace will join father Mike, Uncle Kenny and cousin Steve in an on-track Wallace family reunion. In a related story, Blue Ox Products will serve as primary sponsor of Kenny Wallace’s Jay Robinson Racing #28 Chevrolet at Daytona. Blue Ox is a manufacturer of recreational vehicle and towing supplies and accessories.

ABF will expand its longtime sponsorship deal with Braun Racing, serving as primary sponsor of the #10 Toyota in seven races. Jason Leffler will drive the car in the season-opener at Daytona, as well as at Bristol in March, Darlington, Dover and Charlotte in May, the September race at Atlanta and the season finale at Homestead-Miami in November. Leffler will drive the team’s #38 Great Clips Toyota in the remainder of the events.

NASCAR Nationwide Series rookie Brian Scott will undergo surgery on the wrist he broke in a Camping World Truck Series crash at Michigan International Speedway last June. Scott said the wrist has not healed properly, and that surgery will be done after the Nationwide Series race in Las Vegas in a few weeks.

Mike Bliss will drive the #40 Key Motorsports NASCAR Nationwide Series Chevrolet in at least the first three races of the 2010 campaign. Bliss will run the the Camping World 300 at Daytona on February 13th, and at Auto Club and Las Vegas Motorsports Speedway in the opening month of the season. Spokesmen for the team say they are hopeful that sponsorship can be found to keep Bliss in the car for the full, 35-race schedule. He is also slated to drive for Tommy Baldwin Racing on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Jason Keller has signed an agreement with TriStar Motorsports to drive the team's #19 NASCAR Nationwide Series Chevrolet this season. Tri-Star owner Mark Smith said the team will return to the track for the first time since 1997 with intentions to run the full Nationwide schedule. In recent years, Smith has focused on building engines, including the powerplants that propelled Ron Hornaday Jr. to last year’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship. Unconfirmed reports have Tri-Star fielding two cars this season, with the second entry to be driven by Tony Raines.

Daisy Ramirez Motorsports will field a second entry in the Camping World Truck Series NextEra Energy 250 at Daytona for Mexican driver Carlos Contreras. Contreras will drive a #00 Silverado sponsored by Potencia Energy Blast and Alpina Bottled Water, as a teammate to Kerry Earnhardt.

Truck News: NASCAR will revise the way it awards starting spots on the Truck Series this season, cutting the number of guaranteed starters and opening up additional spots for teams to qualify on time. Since 2005, the Top-30 teams in owner’s points were guaranteed a spot in the 36-truck field. This season, the number of lock-in drivers will be reduced to 25, with 10 spots left open for fast time-trialers and the 36th position reserved for a past champion.

2005 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion Ted Musgrave will race in the season opening NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona, after all. Musgrave will drive Billy Ballew Motorsports’ #15 Hope for Haiti Toyota Tundra on Friday night, after sitting out last season due to lack of sponsorship. Associate sponsors on the truck will include Eco Clear Solutions, MagicJack.com and Bee My Bear. Musgrave said there is a possibility for the deal to extend beyond Daytona, adding that the team continues to seek sponsorship for a full championship effort.

And Finally: Prayers are going up across NASCAR Nation for Lynda Petty, wife of seven-time Sprint Cup Series champion Richard Petty, who has been diagnosed with Central Nervous System Lymphoma. Mrs. Petty will undergo treatment at the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University Medical Center, according to a statement released by the family last week. “We are thankful for the medical team at Duke,” said Richard Petty. “Lynda is in good hands. The doctors and our family are very optimistic that the treatment for this cancer will be successful.”

In happier news, it appears that NASCAR’s recent procreation boom will continue for at least a while longer. Jeff Gordon announced last week that he and his wife Ingrid are expecting their second child this summer. The new arrival will join daughter Ella, who is now two-years old.

Navistar To Back Skinner's Truck Effort

Navistar Inc., will join with Randy Moss Motorsports with HTM to sponsor former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Mike Skinner's #5 Toyota Tundra this season.

Navistar is the longest-running team sponsor in the Truck Series garage, after debuting with Circle Bar Racing and driver Rick Crawford in 2001. The company will showcase its International brand commercial trucks and Monaco RVs.

Robert Carso, Director of Marketing and Global Brand Strategy for Navistar’s Engine Group, said of the new deal, “We think this is a winning formula, backing one of the original series drivers with one of the most committed supporting sponsors. Many of our customers are NASCAR fans and promotion of our International truck and Monaco RV brands are a perfect fit for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.”

Skinner won the inaugural NCWTS championship in 1995 and is third all-time with 28 Truck Series wins. He was the first driver in the series to top $1-million in earnings, and he finished third in the 2009 championship standings in his first season with Randy Moss Motorsports. Randy Moss Motorsports and HT Motorsports will combine their effort in 2010, fielding a two-truck team out of their Statesville, NC, shop with Skinner's #5 Toyota joining the team’s #81 machine. No announcement has yet been made on a driver for the #81 truck, but sources tell Sirius Speedway that Texas native David Starr will be tabbed for the ride.

“I am so excited about the 2010 season,” said Skinner. “We have partnered with the best sponsors in the garage who believe in what we are doing as a company. We have all the ingredients in place to win Randy Moss Motorsports with HTM its first NASCAR championship and that’s the goal.”

BREAKING NEWS: More Owner Point Shuffling In The Works

Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody has learned that talks are underway between Yates Racing and Front Row Motorsports to effect a transfer of owner’s points that would lock all three Front Row Motorsports Fords into the first five races of the 2010 season.

Reliable sources say Front Row Motorsports will assume the owner's points accrued last season by Yates’ #96 and #98 Fords, which finished 31st and 33rd respectively in the final 2009 owner’s standings. Talks are reportedly in their preliminary stages, but are progressing rapidly with an eye toward completing the deal by midweek. It is expected that in order for the agreement to pass muster with NASCAR, Yates Racing owner Doug Yates will have to assume a minority ownership stake in Front Row Motorsports. Front Row’s #34 car is already a guaranteed starter in the first five races after finishing 35th in owner’s points a year ago.

A spokesman for Front Row Motorsports declined to comment on the story earlier today.

The team will also be forced to shuffle its driver lineup for the season-opening Daytona 500, after rookie Kevin Conway failed to receive clearance from NASCAR to compete on the 2.5-mile superspeedway.

As a result, John Andretti will drive the #34 Front Row Motorsports Ford in the Daytona 500 and Budweiser Shootout. Travis Kvapil will drive the #37 at Daytona in place of Conway, before taking over the #34 at Auto Club Speedway and for the rest of the season, Robert Richardson Jr. will drive Front Row’s #38 Ford in the season's first three restrictor-plate races, with David Gilliland driving the car for the bulk of the Sprint Cup schedule and Andretti also making a handful of starts.

Childress Buys Into Furniture Row, Smith Now Locked Into First Five Races

Furniture Row General Manager Joe Garone told Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody that as part of the team’s new technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing, Childress is now a part-owner of FRR.

“That is a huge part of the deal for us,” he said. “This is not a smokescreen. Richard Childress will become a minority owner of Furniture Row Racing.” Under the arrangement, Furniture Row’s #78 Chevrolet will use 2009 owner points accrued by RCR’s #07 Chevrolet to lock Regan Smith into the first five races of this season.

“That changes everything,” said Garone. “The mindset you have when you go to the track is totally different. We no longer have to worry about qualify, and now, we won’t be behind the eight-ball when it comes to race day.”

Garone said the details of the technical alliance are not fully ironed out at present, but will give the team a major boost in engineering. “As a single car team, we have needed this for quite some time,” he said. “I can’t really tell you much about the specifics right now, because they haven’t been finalized. It could ultimately involve a lot of things.”

He confirmed that the team will not utilize Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines, choosing instead to continue their relationship with Hendrick Engines. Furniture Row will once again contact with Kevin Harvick, Inc., for over-the-wall pitcrew services this season.

"Our hope in 2009 was to be better prepared by racing less, and it actually did work,” said Garone. “We had more time to get our cars together, and it paid off for a time. Halfway through the season, though, not being there every week began to catch up to us. We fell behind. The road crew never really got into a rhythm. When you’ve been gone for three weeks, it’s almost like having to re-learn everything.

“This year, we’re going to be right there every week.”