Nice Going, J.B.!

It was a good weekend for some of Sirius Speedway’s favorite on-air guests.

Just a day after David Stremme spanked the ARCA field by a full lap at Michigan International Speedway, Johnny Benson claimed his first career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory at the same track.

Benson held off the hottest driver on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series -- Mark Martin -- in a two-lap Dash For The Cash Saturday, after a late caution bunched the field and sent the race into overtime. Martin appeared to have the faster truck over the long haul, but in a two-lap sprint, Benson was able to leave his former Roush Racing teammate in the dust. He won by about two truck lengths at the line, sending a large number of “Johnny Benson Fan Club” members in Section 23 (his truck number) of the MIS grandstands into hysterics.

Benson, a native of nearby Grand Rapids, Michigan, called the race, "awesome. I finally got this stupid win! I'm speechless.”

J.B. becomes just the 17th driver to win in each of NASCAR's top three series, with 19 Busch Series wins, and one each in Cup and Trucks. He had finished second four times in Craftsman Truck action, the most recent coming last June in Texas.

It wasn’t all wine and roses for Johnny last week, though. He brought out the red flag Wednesday night in an ASA Late Model event at the Berlin Raceway in Marne, Michigan – a track he co-owns and promotes – slamming into a tire barrier and flipping over. You can check out a video of the crash here.

Fortunately, things went more smoothly Saturday afternoon.

Nice Going, Stremme!

Sirius Speedway regular David Stremme dominated the ARCA RE/MAX Series “Hantz Group 200” at Michigan International Speedway Friday, lapping the entire field in the process. It marked the first time since 2002 that an ARCA race finished with just one car on the lead lap.

“I used to do that a lot,” said Stremme of lapping the field. “But as you move up, there’s more competition. The ARCA series is tough, so this is pretty cool.”

He established a new race record of 145.956 mph -- eclipsing the old mark of 142.461 mph set by Ron Barfield in 1996 – taking the lead on the opening lap in his Rusty Wallace Incorporated Dodge and relinquishing it only on a lap 42 pitstop. By the halfway mark, he was one of only two drivers on the lead lap, along with Penske Racing South developmental driver Billy Wease. He lapped Wease just seven laps later.

Blake Bjorklund finished third; the only top-five finisher without a Nextel Cup or Busch Series affiliation. Evernham Motorsports’ driver Erin Crocker finished fourth, with Brewco Motorsports’ Brad Coleman rounding out the top-five. Two cautions slowed the race for a total of 14 laps.

Something You Never Want To See In Public

NHRA Funny Car champions Gary "Wild Thing" Scelzi and John Force, racing upside-down barstools in a Joliet, Illinois, watering hole last weekend. One wrong move and Scelzi's a gelding! Thanks to JohnForce.com for the photo.

64 G's Can't Faze Super-G

Jeff Gordon says his Hendrick Motorsports team is still unsure what caused the right-front brake rotor to fail on his car last weekend at Pocono Raceway, sending the DuPont Chevrolet slamming into the turn-one wall in one of the hardest crashes in NASCAR history.

“We don't have a definite answer yet," said Gordon, adding that has sent what the remains of the shattered rotor to be analyzed. Gordon ran the same brake set-up as teammates Kyle Busch and Brian Vickers, neither of whom experienced problems. Jimmie Johnson ran had a slightly different brake package, and Gordon said he will likely use that assembly when the Nextel Cup Series returns to Pocono next month.

Gordon’s impacted the Turn One SAFER barrier with a force registered at 64 Gs – 64 times the force of gravity, I believe I reported 62 G’s on Friday’s show, but sources say it was actually 64; a number that caused officials in Pocono’s Infield Care Center to hold Gordon for extended observation. "I was ready to walk out of the Care Center when they came in with the telemetry numbers,” he said. “The doctors said, 'Wait a minute. We think you might want to stay a little bit longer.' That’s one of the hardest hits I’ve ever taken.”

The wreck was serious enough that it took safety crews two tires to load the crumpled remains of the #24 onto a rollback truck. It damaged the SAFER barrier, and left huge amounts of dirt and debris on the track. But while the race was red-flagged for more than 13 minutes, Gordon climbed from his car and walked away with little more than a headache to show for it.

Recent advances in driver safety clearly played a major role in the crash’s positive outcome. SAFER barriers – unheard of in NASCAR racing as little as five years ago -- head and neck restraints, advances in seating technology, and improved car construction techniques all helped ensure that Gordon walked away from a truly savage crash.

Let’s hope the trend continues.

Things That Really Tick Me Off

The older I get, the more I find myself becoming annoyed by things that didn’t used to bother me at all. I laughed at the movie “Grumpy Old Men,” but now, I see myself becoming one of them. Things that used to pass unnoticed now ruin my entire day, and I fear it’s only a matter of time before I begin berating innocent waitresses because the romaine is wilted at the salad bar.

One of my pet peeves is people who say stupid things, apparently without thinking. Not a week goes by without someone asking, “Who do you think is going to win this week?” If I knew the answer to that question, I wouldn’t be hosting a satellite radio talk show. I’d be playing the ponies at Aqueduct!

People often tell me, "life is short.” They’re wrong. Life is NOT short. It’s the longest thing we will ever do. So stop telling me that.

I also hate people who say, "Can I ask you a question?" No matter how I reply, it’s too late. They just did.

I’m sick of TV ads that call their product “new and improved.” Common sense tells us that something cannot be both “new” and “improved.” It’s one or the other, but not both.

And when I’m watching a movie, please don’t tap me on the shoulder and say, "Did you see that?" I spent $55 dollars to fill the car with gas, drove to the movie theatre, and paid $27 for a ticket, a box of over-salted popcorn and a flat Diet Coke. What do you think I’m doing, watching Milk Duds roll across the floor?

Around the house, I have issues with teenagers who will spend 20 minutes searching for the T.V. remote, but refuse to walk eight steps to change the channel manually. Have we become so lazy that we’d rather endure a three-county search for a misplaced “clicker” than drag our bloated carcasses across the room?

And finally, why do people insist on pointing at their wrists when asking for the time? I know where my wristwatch is, and I don’t need anyone’s help to find it! Why the sudden outbreak of sign language? Should I point at my crotch to ask where the men’s room is?

Thanks for listening, everyone. I feel a little better.

It's All In the Name

As part of a recent project, I found myself researching a number of NASCAR drivers’ career records. There are a number of websites devoted to old-time NASCAR racing, and the information was not particularly hard to find. What I did not expect, however, was a lesson on how colorful this sport’s athletes used to be; right down to their names.

No doubt, stock car racers had more colorful names in the 1950s and `60s. Scrolling through the archives, I found names like Jug Pierce and Judge Rider, FiFi Scott and Gober Sosebee, Nero Steptoe and Fred Steinbroner. The starting lineup in those days had real color, and any field that included Melvin “Puddin’” Swisher, Hilly Rife, Smoky Purser and Volney Schulze would probably have had me in the grandstands, too. Buren Skeen and Van Van Wey (no kidding) would have sold a few tickets on name value alone.

I like to imagine that a driver’s name gives clues to his on-track demeanor. In modern days, the Busch Brothers come to mind. And if you were racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1951, I’m guessing you might have wanted to watch out for Guy Waller.

The archives also included some great candidates for two-driver teams, including the would-be tandem of Dick Passwater (20 Grand National starts in 1952 and `53) and Junior Pooler (one GN start in 1951). Passwater and Pooler; somehow, they just seem to go together. The team of Peckham and Prickett -- Peck Peckham and Chuck Prickett -- also seems natural somehow. Peckham made 27 Grand National starts in the early `50s, while Prickett made a solo appearance in 1957. Dink Widenhouse (1954-1956) would have made a great teammate for Legs Whitcomb, and if you can’t figure out why, you haven’t studied your anatomy.

H.F. Stickleather? Don’t even get me started...

There were also some great “Family Acts” on the list, including the fabulous Rakestraws -- Ansel, Benny, Tyre and Wilbur – who competed sporadically in NASCAR competition in 1956 and `57. If you ask me, anyone with a name like Tyre Rakestraw should be awarded at least one NASCAR career win, for creativity alone.

I found Emerson Newton-John, rumored to have choreographed sister Olivia’s “Let’s Get Physical” video in the 1980s before making a single Craftsman Truck Series start in 2002. I found Bobby (not the hockey player) Ore; Ted (no relation to Sylvester Stallone) Rambo and Jesse Samples, whose brother Junior’s work on the old “Hee Haw” show is the stuff of TV legend.

There were also a few drivers whose names could serve as the final exam at announcer’s school, including Robin Schildnecht and Rolf Stommelin (one start each in the 1970s), Todd Szegedy (still running modifieds in the northeast) and “The Fabulous Finn,” Reino Tulonen.

All those wonderful names harkened me back to my youth in Vermont, when my heroes jousted on the high-banked quarter mile at "The Nation's Site of Excitement," Thunder Road International Speedbowl. The regular Thursday night feature lineup included characters like Russ "The Wild Child" Ingerson, "Hot Dog Ron" Bettis, "Dynamite" Dave Dion and "The Bethlehem Bombshell," Ronnie Marvin. To a 12-year old kid in the fourth row of the Turn Four grandstands, those cats just sounded cool. And they were.

Somewhere along the way, I think we've lost some of the color in this sport. I know Roger Penske and Miller Lite would blow adjoining gaskets, but wouldn't it be neat to have Kurt "Bad Boy" Busch in the lineup next Sunday, right alongside "Golden Boy" Jeff Gordon and Denny "Hammer Time" Hamlin? It might even sell a few tickets along the way.

But it'll never happen.

So feel free to long for the good old days of "The Wild Child" and Dink Widenhouse, even if it does make “Jimmie Johnson” sound a little too tame.

This n' That From Here and There...

Some People Just Can't Keep A Secret: Michael Waltrip will make a major sponsorship announcement this weekend at Michigan International Speedway. Asked by Ken Schrader on this week's Inside Nextel Cup Racing why he was not announcing the deal right then and there, Waltrip said the papers had not yet been signed. Continuing to bust Mikey's chops, Schrader asked, "is there a chance they might not be signed," to which Waltrip responded simply, “Domino's Delivers."

Gee, I wonder what the announcement will be?

ISC vs Champ Car II: Writing on SPEEDTV.com, Robin Miller says Round Two of the battle between International Speedway Corporation and the Champ Car World Series will be fought today in the Arizona House Appropriations Committee. A bill was introduced recently that would prohibit motor vehicle competitions outside of closed-course facilities, if those competitions produce more than 90 decibels of noise.

Champ Car co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven, who is negotiating to hold a street race in Phoenix next season, charged ISC and NASCAR with hiring 22 lobbyists to scuttle the event. Kalkhoven said of the vote, "(it) eliminates… any racing that's not in a controlled environment. That includes motocross, autocross, karting, rallies and even the IRL. If they pull it off, they would control all racing in Arizona and there is nothing we can do about it.”

ISC and NASCAR have denied the charges, despite comments by Phoenix International Raceway President Bryan Sperber that urged lawmakers to turn thumbs-down on what he called “a rinky dink, Mickey Mouse project.”

The bill was set to be voted on last Thursday, but was withheld at the last minute. Depending on who you ask, it was held back either (A) to give the two sides time to reach a compromise, or (B) because backers knew they didn't have the votes to get it passed. State Senator Robert Blendu – who represents the district that includes Phoenix International Raceway -- reversed field on the proposal this week, after originally speaking out against the street race. Blendu now claims to have been misled about the economic impact of the event. Commenting on reports that race organizers will pour $300 million of their own money into downtown Phoenix, Blendu said, "As far as I'm concerned, I don't care if they want to race frogs."

You can read Robin Miller's complete story here.

"Slowhand" Scores In Music City: Carl Edwards claimed his second Nashville Superspeedway trophy guitar Saturday night, after a dominating Busch Series win. And unlike most Nashville winners, he looked downright comfortable with it in Victory Lane. Edwards admitted to us yesterday that he does possess rudimentary guitar skills, saying, "I can play a little." Unfortunately, he said his singing voice prevents him from making a positive musical impression of any kind.

Anything Is Possible: ESPN's Mike Massaro reported last night that defending Indy Racing League champion Dan Wheldon could move from Chip Ganassi's IRL team to the #42 Texaco Havoline Nextel Cup Dodge next year, replacing Casey Mears. The operative word here is "could."

I, too, could replace Mears in the Texaco Star Car, in a scenario only slightly less likely than Wheldon jumping to NASCAR. "Dapper Dan" dropped the N-word a number of times during the offseason, in an effort to attract the attention of the Formula One paddock. When those efforts failed, he quickly signed with Ganassi to remain in Indy Cars. No one believed Wheldon had any interest in joining the stock car set then, and no one believes it now. I have also yet to find anyone in the NASCAR garage -- with the possible exception of Ganassi -- who is remotely interested in putting the defending IRL champion behind the wheel of a Nextel Cup or Busch Series machine.

Let's do the math, here. Ganassi can either keep Wheldon in the IRL -- winning races and contending for the series championship -- or shuffle him off to NASCAR-land, dropping him head-first into the Nextel Cup ranks where he will need at least two years to adapt.

It doesn't add-up to me, either.

Enough Already! Could somebody please tell Danica Patrick to pipe down about the exhausting schedule in NASCAR Nextel Cup racing? Again this week -- and for the umpteenth time -- IRL's femme fatale is bemoaning the debilitating grind of big-time NASCAR racing, saying she's exhausted after THREE WHOLE WEEKS of consecutive open wheel events, and can't understand how the stock car guys possibly do it.

This just in, Danica: you don't HAVE to understand it. Be happy with your 14-race, five-and-a-half month IRL schedule, and leave the NASCAR folks alone. For a woman who proclaims to have no interest in stock cars, Ms. Patrick certanly spends a lot of time talking about them.

Allmendinger Speaks On RuSport Ouster

A.J. Allmendinger spoke out yesterday, calling his release from Carl Russo’s RuSport Racing, “a marriage gone bad."

Just hours after his surprising ouster, the lone American on the Champ Car World Series grid, said, "I'll admit the timing caught me off a bit, and I'm a little disappointed it happened after only four races. But we were having our troubles, and there were differences in what I wanted for the team and what they wanted for the team."

Allmendinger denied reports that a blowup following a fourth-place finish at the Milwaukee Mile Sunday had led to his ouster. “It wasn't one thing,” he said. “It just wasn't working. I'm an emotional person, I want to win, and sometimes my emotions are a little over the top. But I can't change that. I'm 24, and I'm still learning to get better, inside and outside the car.”

After offering no specifics in a hastily arranged press conference Friday, Russo said Saturday that his former driver “has to mature as a man, not just as a driver. He's the most naturally talented driver I've ever seen, but that's not all there is to this business. Our decision was that he was not going to improve, so it was time for both of us to try a new environment. Maybe some tough love will put him on the right path. Maybe he needs a less sympathetic environment.”

In addition to an apparent clash of personalities, Allmensinger and Russo differ dramatically in their approach to the sport. Allmendinger does not have the technical knowledge of his replacement, former series champion Christiano da Matta. And after hiring a pair of high-dollar engineers from Newman-Haas Racing during the offseason, sources in the Champ Car garage say Russo was anxious to try new things in an effort to displace Sebastien Bourdais from the top of the heap. Allmendinger reportedly resisted those efforts, believing that no major changes were needed. When Bourdais ripped off a trio of wins to start the season, Russo was left seething. In his words, “it’s getting annoying.”

Russo praised da Matta’s technical expertise this week, saying, “One of the things we're going to benefit from is his wealth of technical expertise, the background, the Formula One experience that will continue to drive the technical side of the equation forward. We have, we think, a very strong technical staff and we're looking forward to benefitting from Cristiano's experience there.”

So while all parties profess to having no hard feelings, Allmendinger is out of a ride. No one believes his fiery personality will prevent him from finding a new home in the Champ Car paddock, however. Even Russo said, “I believe A.J. will (remain) in Champ Car, because he's too good not to. I hope he can harness that fire and make it work.” One possibility is Forsythe Championship Racing, where Allmendinger’s relationship with Paul Tracy and Red Bull could mean a few sleepless nights for Mario Dominguez.

His longtime relationship with Red Bull has prompted speculation that Allmendinger could be headed to the new Team Red Bull NASCAR Nextel Cup team. While that possibility seems remote, Allmendinger said he is keeping all his options open. "I love Champ Car,” he said. “I love everything about it, and if I can get a ride with a chance to win, that's where I'll be. I'd love to be in Portland next weekend, but I don't have anything yet, and I haven't heard from anybody. I'm in the process of getting an agent and exploring my options.”

"I'll land somewhere, and it will be better for me."

But for now -- at least for the moment -- there are no Americans on the Champ Car grid once again.

Nobody Loves A Lame Duck

The “Silly Season” dominoes continue to fall.

Wednesday, Hendrick Motorsports confirmed that they have given Brian Vickers permission to look for a new ride next season. Just 48 hours later, Casey Mears announced that he will leave Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates at year’s end, to replace Vickers in Hendrick’s #25 ChevroletenrdickH. Those announcements came just weeks after Dale Jarrett finalized plans to leave Robert Yates Racing for a 2007 ride with Michael Waltrip Racing and Toyota.

Driver changes are nothing new in NASCAR, they happen every year. But in the month of June? Totally unprecidented. And to my way of thinking, extremely dangerous, as well.

Vickers said his decision to seek alternative employment is due to the lukewarm performance of the No. 25 GMAC Chevrolet. "For whatever reason -- and this is just as much my responsibility as it is anyone else's at Hendrick Motorsports -- me and the 25 car have not performed to the standards we're capable,” he said. “So I feel it's best to start looking at other options."

The 2003 Busch Series champion made the requisite statement of continuing commitment to Hendrick, saying, "I'd love nothing more than to win in the GMAC car." He admitted, however, that he is disappointed in the performance of the #25. "I didn't come into this sport to have a job. I didn't come here to ride around. I came here to win." Those words will do little to salve the hurt feelings of Vickers’ team, who now have to finish the season with a “lame duck” driver who doesn’t want to be there.

A year ago, the Jamie McMurray and Kurt Busch’s teams came unglued under identical circumstances, with Busch ultimately being removed by car owner Jack Roush after a run-in with Sheriff’s Deputies in Phoenix. Now, tied to “lame ducks” of their own for the final two-thirds of the 2006 campaign, it is reasonable to expect the Ganassi and Hendrick operations to struggle, as well.

Personally, I can’t image them making it.

Donnie Wingo, crewchief on Mears’ Texaco Havoline Dodge, admitted that it’s difficult working for a driver who is preparing to jump ship. “It’s tough,” he said. “When you sit down and think about it, you get pretty upset, but there’s really nothing you can do. Bottom line, you’ve got to put aside all this other stuff and do your job.”

Wingo has been through this before, having lost McMurray to Roush Racing last year. Despite that experience, however, he is unsure what the rest of the 2006 campaign holds. “I’m not sure,” he said. “We’ve been through this before, but you never know what to expect. It’s just one of those deals. You’ve still got to do your job. We’re all racers, and we want to win races, but it’s tough on everybody.”

So Long, Tom

The end of an area was announced earlier this week, when Tom Carnegie informed Indianapolis Motor Speedway CEO Tony George that he has manned the microphone for his final Indianapolis 500. The 86-year-old Carnegie has worked 61 consecutive editions of “The Greatest Spectacle In Racing,” and his melodious baritone is as much a part of the month of May in Indiana as Carburetion Day and the Borg Warner Trophy.

A pair of artificial hips -- and as many artificial knees – did little to slow him down over the years. But while he has agreed to continue making cameo appearances at the Speedway in the future, Carnegie says his days of working regular shifts are over. “It’s time to finish on top,” he said. “I had a good year. I felt good on race day, and it’s time to move on.”

Carnegie was hired by George’s grandfather -- the late Tony Hulman -- in 1946, and called his first 500 that year. Prior to that, he had seen only one automobile race, and told us in a remarkable 2004 “Sirius Speedway Legends” interview that it took him the better part of a decade to become comfortable with the job. It took much less time for race fans to take Carnegie into their hearts. At the helm of the world's most powerful public address system -- 317,000 watts and 341 speakers – Carnegie turned simple phrases like, “It’s a neeeew traaack record,” and “Heeee’s on it,” into auto racing anthems.

He learned early not to get too close to the men who raced at Indianapolis. The winner of Carnegie's first Indy 500, George Robson, was killed just a few weeks later at a race in Georgia, and Carnegie’s close friend Jimmy Clark died in a crash in Germany. A tragic month of May in 1973 solidified his resolve, as Art Pollard was killed in qualifying, followed by a pair of horrifying race day crashes. The first left Salt Walther with severe burns and injured 13 spectators, while the second left Swede Savage with injuries that took his life a month later. Compounding the tragedy, an emergency vehicle en route to Savage's crash, struck and killed a crewman in the infield.

"I gave eulogies at two drivers' funerals that year," recalled Carnegie, "and that was when I determined that I just couldn't get too close."

The term “legend” is often overused, but in Carnegie’s case, the term applies. His name and voice are recognized by thousands of Indiana residents who have never set foot in the Brickyard, due to his decades of broadcast the Indiana State High School Basketball Championships. He was voted into the Indiana Basketball Hall Of Fame; an honor he accepted with his customary grace and humility.

Commenting on his six decades at the Brickyard, Carnegie said recently, “It is sort of a long time. You look back and say, 'My gosh, how did that happen?' But it's been easy. It's been inspired by my love of the race, and the love of the people who've been here all these 60 years. I appreciate the attitude of the Hulman-George family, and all the fans. And after 50 years, it began to be important!"

Tom Carnegie is truly one of a kind, and his presence will be missed when the Indy Cars come home to Indianapolis Motor Speedway next May.

Thanks for the memories, Tom. And Godspeed.

Sirius Speedway Exclusive! The Finalized Version of NASCAR's "Car Of Tomorrow"

Listener Ann Cognito snapped this clandestine photo of the finalized "Car Of Tomorrow" in the parking lot of NASCAR's Research and Development Center in Concord, North Carolina. I guess this is what Brett Bodine meant by "a few more minor tweaks."

"Dead Man Walking" Back From The Brink

Busch Series driver Kevin Grubb was reinstated by NASCAR this week, and will attempt to qualify for Saturday’s “Federated Auto Parts 300” at Nashville Superspeedway, driving the Mac Hill Motorsports #56 Chevrolet.

Grubb was suspended from NASCAR in March of 2004 for a violation of NASCAR's substance abuse policy. He ran a partial Busch Series schedule in 2003 -- finishing 19th in points – and was slated to run a partial schedule for Team Rensi Racing in `04. At one time, Grubb was seen as an up-and-coming NASCAR star, after driving the Timberwolf Chevrolet for Brewco Motorsports (18 top-10 finishes in 2001), Team Bristol Motorsports' Toys-R-Us Chevy, and the Carroll Motorsports Dr. Pepper Ford. By late 2003, however, his performances began to suffer, and rumors circulated in the NASCAR garage that the Mechanicsville, Va., driver was battling substance abuse. NASCAR took action before he turned a lap in 2004, suspending him from competition.

Over the next few months, stories circulated that painted a troubling picture of Grubb and his struggles. A post on his KevinGrubb.com website asked NASCAR fans to send messages of support, saying, “Kevin needs our help now. He is no better, in fact probably worse than in February. He looks terrible, and is basically a `Dead Man Walking.' I'm afraid he will not be here much longer if his fans don't come together and save him from himself. Most of his friends and family have given up. We cannot allow this young man to self-destruct.”

Since then, little has been heard from Grubb. NASCAR maintained its stance that in order to be reinstated, Grubb would have to adhere to a stringent set of guidelines, including mandatory, random drug testing at NASCAR’s discretion. Nothing more was heard until early this week, when word first leaked that Grubb had applied for – and been granted -- reinstatement to NASCAR.

At the time of this writing, Kevin Grubb has issued no public statement about his return to competition, or the long road he has traveled since March of 2004. One thing is beyond dispute, though; Kevin Grubb has cleaned up his act. In order to gain reinstatement to NASCAR, Grubb has had to pass an exhaustive gauntlet of tests, proving to NASCAR beyond any doubt that he has won his battle against addiction.

For that, he deserves a tremendous amount of credit.

As difficult as that battle has been, however, it is not the end of the fight. Now, Grubb has to convince the rest of the world that he is clean and sober. Landing a ride with Mac Hill Motorsports is a fine first step. Team-owner Jack McNelly is well-respected in the NASCAR garage, and while they have frequently struggled to find adequate sponsorship, the team has fared well this season with Kevin Lepage at the wheel. Lepage will continue to drive the Mac Hill #56 on Nextel Cup combination weekends, with Grubb steering the machine in stand-alone events.

Regaining the confidence of his fellow drivers won’t happen overnight, but it can be done. After all, with the conditions set forth by NASCAR, Grubb is the one Busch Series driver that everyone knows will not be out partying the night before a race.

Grubb's toughest battle will be waged in the corporate boardroom. Will sponsors be willing to associate themselves with a driver that was suspended by NASCAR for substance abuse? The spectre of drugs looms large in this society, and faced with a choice between Kevin Grubb and another driver, sponsors may understandably choose to invest their money elsewhere.

We'll worry about that later, though. For now, let’s rejoice in the fact that Kevin Grubb was able to look the Devil in the eye and fight his way back to life, and to the sport he loves. The “Dead Man Walking” of 2004 will be back behind the wheel of a racecar this weekend in Music City, USA, and that’s something worth celebrating.

Congratulations, Kevin, and good luck.

Random Thoughts From Here And There

Eddie vs. Andretti -- It seems to me that the escalating war of words between Eddie Cheever and the entire Andretti clan could be the best thing to happen to the Indy Racing League in a long, long time. In case you didn't see it, Eddie let his car wander a little too wide Sunday at Watkins Glen, running a clearly faster Marco Andretti into the weeds and out of the race. Marco and father Michael spared very few adjectives in describing Cheever's faux pas after the event, branding him (among other things) "an idiot;" a term echoed by Danica Patrick after she tangled with Cheever later in the day.

The ever-quotable Cheever fired back yesterday, denying Michael Andretti's claim that he had intentionally wrecked the kid. "To think I would intentionally take anyone out is just ludicrous," said Eddie. "It's beyond words. I find the accusations incomprehensible.” Cheever then took a marvelous backhand slap at Michael Andretti's well-documented record of futility at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, saying, "The last time I looked, I earned the label of Indy 500 champion. Those lobbing unfounded accusations at me have not.”

For the record, Cheever won the Indianapolis 500 in 1994, when Michael Andretti was running the rival CART circuit. But hey, facts are facts. And if the folks in the IRL Public Relations and Marketing Departments get their wish, Cheever's low-blow is just the latest in a series of catty comments between the two camps.

Kyle Is Sorry --Kyle Busch said this weekend that he is sorry for his latest incident of bad behavior, and is ready to change his ways. Of last week’s $50,000 fine for throwing his HANS device at Casey Mears, Busch said, "It's a tough situation to have to go through. It's tough to hold the emotion back and keep the frustration under control, but there is a point of no return, and we stepped over that." I assume that Busch is using the "Royal We" in this instance, since only he stepped past that "point of no return."

Mears defended Busch to a point, saying, "What he did was a natural reaction to being mad. The thing you've got to learn is that you're not at home, and you're not by yourself. You're responsible for your reactions. One of these days, he'll learn that and we'll all go on."

In the past, I have defended Busch, pointing out that we all did stupid things when we were 20 years old. The difference is, we didn't have a camera crew, three radio reporters and USA TODAY following us around to tell the world about it. Lately, though, it's getting tougher to excuse Shrub's antics. Hopefully, a $50,000 fine (and NASCAR probation through December 31st) will force the supremely talented Busch to do what he should have begun doing quite some time ago; grow up.

Toughest Sanction Ever -- Former Formula One world champion Keke Rosberg apologized this week for comments regarding Michael Schumacher's "parallel parking" incident during qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix. At the time, Rosberg said that in addition to losing his qualifying position, Schumacher’s wife should refuse to provide him with food and sex, and that Schumacher should "retire in shame" at season’s end.

With time to reflect, Rosberg now admits that his choice of words was less than ideal, calling it "a typically Scandinavian volcanic eruption." A damned funny one, though, you've got to admit.

Toyota Ahead Of Schedule -- Despite assurances from Toyota executives that the new Camry would not make its competitive debut until Speedweeks 2007, Team Red Bull says it is almost ready to race, right now. The team will enter three Nextel Cup races -- October 14 at Lowe's, October 29 in Atlanta and Texas on November 5 -- with Bill Elliott at the wheel. General Manager Marty Gaunt said the team's 2007 driver and crewchief lineups will be announced later this year. Said Elliott of his new gig, “My job is to put the car in the show, drive it toward the front, and provide input so Team Red Bull is fully prepared by the (2007) Daytona 500. It’s really a great role at this stage of my racing career.”

In the past, the good people of Dawsonville, Georgia have rung their church bells to celebrate a win by hometown boy Elliott. In February, they said they would not celebrate a possible Elliott win in the Daytona 500, since "Awesome Bill" would be driving a Dodge, instead of a Ford.

One can only imagine how they'll react to this news.

Why Not Deny? -- MB2 Motorsports CEO and General Manager CEO Jay Frye has confirmed published reports that his organization and Dale Earnhardt Inc. are exploring possible partnership scenarios. "We’ve been looking at the ‘Car of Tomorrow’ and how it’s going to work." said Frye. "That’s how our conversation started with DEI. We’re looking at ideas to make things more efficient for both of our companies." Frye suggested a possible scenario where MB2 would build the `Car Of Tomorrow' for both teams, while DEI focuses on the current design. He said he expects a decision within a month, but denied published reports that MB2 may merge with (or be purchased by) DEI.

In an effort to determine what's what, we invited Frye -- a good friend, both personally and professionally -- to appear on Sirius Speedway yesterday, to explain exactly what is being discussed. He declined, as is his right. However, if this story has really gotten as overblown as Frye and P.R. Rep Dave Ferroni insist, what better way to put it to rest than with a complete examination of the facts on our airwaves?

Our offer stands, guys, if you're interested.

Willy T. Who?

He was a major star in Trans-Am racing in the 1970s for Jack Roush, but Willy T. Ribbs is little more than a footnote in NASCAR history.

In 1986, he made three Winston Cup Series starts, finishing 39th at Michigan, 22nd at North Wilkesboro and 29th on the road course in Riverside, California. In 2001, he ran the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for Bobby Hamilton Racing, qualifying for 23 of 24 races, and finishing 16th in points with a best finish of 13th at Pikes Peak. His main claim to NASCAR fame was being the third African-American driver -- behind Wendell Scott and Randy Bethea -- to compete at the top levels of the sport. Ribbs faded away after that 2001 season, and has scarcely been heard of since.

Until last week, when he launched a scathing critique of NASCAR in an article written by Jason Whitlock of Knight-Ridder newspapers.

"No matter what the other racing series think of themselves, no matter how drunk they get on moonshine and delude themselves, there's nothing that equals the Indianapolis 500," said Ribbs. Asked whether he hates NASCAR, Ribbs said, "I feel the same way about them that they do about me. I raced when everybody knew that was the junior league. Mario Andretti went down south and just embarrassed those guys. And then A.J. went down there and showed `em."

Over the course of their two days together, Whitlock says he never heard Ribbs refer to NASCAR by name. Writes Whitlock, "though he talked about America's most popular racing series constantly, Ribbs referred to NASCAR as `al-Qaida' or `Neckcar' or `The WWE,'" while lauding Indianapolis as the pinnacle of American motorsport.

Ribbs' love for the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing" is curious, since his record there is as spotty as his NASCAR resume'. Comedian Bill Cosby bankrolled a pair of Indy starts for Willy T. in 1991 and 1993, getting virtually nothing in return. He lasted five laps before suffering engine failure in 1991, and despite spending more than $10-million of Cosby's money in an effort to land a top-notch ride, a 21st place finish in 1993 was the highlight of his Brickyard career.

Gasoline Alley turned its back on Willy T. Ribbs back then, while NASCAR gave him a top-notch Craftsman Truck Series ride. And yet, Ribbs now chooses to lob hand grenades at the only major racing series that offered him a legitimate opportunity to succeed. Willy T. believes that the rumored reconciliation between Champ Car and the Indy Racing League will spell doom for NASCAR, catapulting Open Wheel Racing to the top of the American motorsports ladder once again.

That degree of dementia is troubling in a man just 50 years of age, but it's his opinion, and he's entitled to it.

Ribbs is wrong about Champ Car and the IRL causing sleepless nights for the France Family anytime soon, and he's wrong when he says NASCAR hates him as much as he hates them. Willy T. Ribbs is absolutely not hated by the NASCAR community. In fact, he is barely even remembered. And that's what bothers him most of all.

You can read the complete Jason Whitlock article here.

Listener Dan Takes Matters Into His Own Artistic Little Hands

Dan in Riverhead, NY, writes, "I personally believe what NASCAR needs to do to sway some of the non-believers is to take the "Car Of Tomorrow," then paint and decal `em up so people can see that this ain't so bad. All the uninformed see is a black blob with a big wing. Show em something tangible and they'll come around. See what I mean?"

Ask a matter of fact, Dan, I do.

It Sure Doesn't Take You Guys Long To Get Creative...

COT Gets High Marks In Lowe's Test

NASCAR officials say they took a major step toward finalizing the new "Car of Tomorrow" during a successful test yesterday at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Eight drivers spent the morning in single-lap runs, before running a pair of 20-lap, side-by-side tests. The cars passed with ease and handled better in traffic than they had in an earlier test at Atlanta Motor Speedway. As a result, NASCAR Competition Director Robin Pemberton said the "Car Of Tomorrow" is now very close to what will race next season, adding, “This is pretty much it. There might be some details (changed), but if all the manufacturers get their noses submitted, we'll be close.”

Drivers Jeff Burton, Ryan Newman and Casey Mears all spoke highly of the “Car Of Tomorrow,” saying it felt similar to what they drove at Lowe’s Motor Speedway last weekend in the Coca-Cola 600. "I think there's definitely something to work with here," said Newman. "Our car was a little tight, but it was easier to pass than in the regular Cup cars. The aero push was pretty good. I think we took some pretty big steps out there today. It's aesthetically not pleasing to me, but that's not the point. It's all about the racing.“


Burton also downplayed cosmetic differences between the COT and today's racers, saying, “Nobody (stayed away from) Talladega when we had wickers on the roof and Gurney lips on the spoilers. They came to see a race, and they'll do the same thing with this car. People come to watch races, not to see a car ride around a racetrack. They want to see good, competitive races.

“This car drives like a racecar – it doesn’t feel like anything unusual,” said Burton. “My first thought is that this is going to be fine. It’s not like I stepped out of something Sunday night, then came over here and got into a foreign ship. It just feels like a car.”
Mears agreed, saying, "It's a good car. I don't feel like it's much off of what we ran this weekend. The rear of the car feels lot more stable than what I had this weekend."

Four Dodges and four Chevrolets took part in yesterday’s test, with another session scheduled for today at 9 a.m. Ford teams elected not to participate, saying they will wait for NASCAR to finalize the design of the car before they resume construction. Toyota also did not take part, with officials saying they are behind in their plans to build a “Car Of Tomorrow.”

"Poor Jack" And The Car Of Tomorrow

Car owner Jack Roush says his teams will not take part in this week's latest test of NASCAR's "Car of Tomorrow" at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Roush did not attend last week’s meeting to discuss possible modifications to the car, but said changes that will shorten rear bodywork by as much as six inches make it too costly for him to take part at this time.

“The car that we’ve got doesn’t have the front end exactly right, and it doesn’t have the back end exactly right," said Roush. "For us to try to do front splitter development and rear wing development would be a waste of time. It’s morphing into something that I hope will do what we need it to do, but it’s definitely a work in progress.’’

Roush has been a frequent critic of the "Car Of Tomorrow," often citing the high cost of building and testing the new machines. He was one of the last major team owners to get involved with the project -- Ford colleague Robert Yates still hasn't built one -- and says that every time his team builds a "Car Of Tomorrow," NASCAR changes it. Roush said months ago that he had already spent more than $300,000 on the COT, before it ever hit the racetrack. And now, they're talking about changing it again, chopping as much as six inches off the rear bodywork in an effort to reduce downforce.

Three hundred grand is a lot of money in anyone's league. But then again, when it comes to money, Jack Roush plays in a league all his own. Forbes magazine reported recently that Roush Racing is the most valuable organization in NASCAR, with an estimated net worth of $218 million. The article -- to run in the June 5th edition -- said Roush's five Nextel Cup and six Busch Series teams enjoy 2006 corporate sponsorship estimated at $108 million, and have earned another $8.3 million in purse and prize money. Forbes did not factor-in Roush’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series teams, nor revenue received from NASCAR’s Nextel Cup and Busch Series television packages. By way of comparison, Hendrick Motorsports – with four Cup and two Busch entries -- ranks a distant second, with an estimated value of $146 million, and 2006 sponsorships worth $77 million.

If my math is correct (a 50/50 chance in most instances), Roush's $300,000 investment in the "Car Of Tomorrow" represents 1.3% of the net worth of his operation; a small fraction of what he almost certainly spends on engine development, aerodynamic testing and research on today's racers. Based on Forbes' numbers, it's tough to feel sorry for Poor Jack Roush and the high cost of testing the "Car Of Tomorrow."

Hendrick Motorsports, Dale Earnhardt, Inc., Richard Childress Racing, Evernham Motorsports, Chip Ganassi Racing, Penske Racing South, MB2 Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing will all be at Lowe's Motor Speedway this week, doing their part to help NASCAR chart a safe and competitive course for the future. While not in attendance this week, Petty Enterprises has also played a leading role on the development of NASCAR's new racer.

While all those teams (and others) pitch-in and pull their weight, "Poor Jack" sits on the sidelines, carping about all the money he's spent, and second-guessing the work being done by others.

Kyle Petty said it best a few weeks ago, when he criticized Roush and the other COT naysayers. "Everybody jumps to conclusions, saying, ‘Oh my God, the Car of Tomorrow is going to change racing,’" said Petty. "How do they know until we come up with the end product? They need to get off their butts, and get out here and help us."

A Fan's Take On "Craftsman For A Cure"

Our unofficial roving reporter, Lance In PA, checks in with the second and final installment of his "Road Diary" from Coca-Cola 600 weekend in Charlotte. Last night, he got a once-in-a-lifetime chance to race against the NASCAR stars at the "Craftsman For A Cure" event, organized by former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Bobby Hamilton. Lance writes:

"The generosity of the drivers and fans was quite remarkable. It was a shame that Bobby was not able to attend the event he organized, but at the same time, I'm glad he is listening to his doctors, so he can recover as quickly as possible. The idea that fans could race go-karts against the drivers was the coolest thing. Ryan Newman was like a little kid, having fun being spun-out and also using his `chrome horn' on others. He received a large boo when he took out an eight-year-old… pick on someone your own size, Ryan! Mikey was Mikey, yukking it up with the fans and even stealing a pair of large ladies sunglasses and racing with them on. Imagine him with that wild hair and those shades….scary!

My first on-track session was with DW and David Reutimann. DW spent a lot of time recovering from multi-car spins. I passed him many times, and he was always facing the wrong direction! Reutimann also had no problem using a little side-slam to get by. When the race was over, DW and David were very friendly, and happy to share a laugh and shake your hand. Talk about a cool experience.

My second session was with Bobby Labonte, and it provided more racing opportunities than the first race. I played my cards right, and let Bobby get up on my bumper to see how I could race him. I did a good job holding him off for two laps, with him lightly beating on my bumper. I was actually looking forward to Bobby taking me out, but just as he was getting ready to knock me out of the way, some crazy fan wrecked him!

I cannot say enough about the character of the drivers, and how they made themselves so accessible to the fans to support a great cause and a good person. One of the most striking things was the generosity of the fans in the Silent Auction. There was a ton of stuff donated by drivers, and the amount of money bid on these items was pretty high. The highest bid I saw was $3,500 for a Tony Stewart firesuit, and there were many other items over $1,000. It's a testament to the sport that fans and drivers will join together in support of such a worthy cause. Fight the good fight Bobby, we're all pulling for you!"

I couldn't have said it better myself, Lance.

UPDATE: The 270-Pound Lump Strikes Back!

Angelle Sampey called last night, following up on her day in court Thursday. She was successful in obtaining a permanent restraining order against ex-husband/dirtbag (in my opinion) Nicky Savoie, but only AFTER agreeing to stop saying unflattering things about him in public.

"He printed the page from my website where I called him a `270-pound lump of turd,' and started crying to the judge about it," reported Angelle. "The judge called both of our lawyers into his chambers, and while he admitted I had a constitutional right to say whatever I want (sound familiar? -- DM), he asked that in the interest of everyone just getting along, that I stop calling my ex-husband names on the radio and the internet."

Being the kind of person she is, Angelle agreed, and will no longer be calling Nicky Savoie names on our program. Among the terms she will NOT being using any longer to describe Mr. Savoie are:

• '270-pound lump of turd'
• 'My Dirtbag Ex'
• 'Loser'
• 'Scumbag'
• `Washed-Up XFL Never-Was'
• 'Useless Waste of Other People's Oxygen'

We, however, will happily continue using those terms whenever possible. Again, Angelle, it's on the house.

My Personal Opinion

If you missed yesterday's show, you missed our latest "Angelle Sampey Personal Life Update." In addition to being a three-time NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle champion -- and the current point leader -- Angelle ranks as one of our all-time favorite guests, partly because she shares so much with us. From bikini shots (no, you can't see them), to updates on her hometown of New Orleans' recovery from Hurricane Katrina, to the long-running double-entendre joke about her pet monkey, Andy, Ms. Sampey tells us more things we have no business knowing than anyone else in the business.

Unfortunately, her updates frequently feature news of her ex-husband, Nicky Savoie. In the past, we've gotten the gory details on Savoie's arrest on firearms, battery and harassment charges, after allegedly he broke into his then-estanged wife's home and threatened her at gunpoint. Sherriff's deputies said Savoie fired a round into the floor of her Mathews, La., home. When she attempted to escape, deputies said he forced her back inside to discuss their pending divorce. Savoie subsequently surrendered to authorities, and was released on $100,000 bond; charged with phone harassment, false imprisonment, illegal discharge of a firearm, simple battery and domestic aggravated burglary.

The 6-5, 265-pound Savoie played football at Louisiana State University in 1995-96. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the sixth round (#166 overall) of the 1997 NFL Draft, and cut after one season. He played one more year with the Birmingham Bolts of the ill-fated XFL, before fading quietly into football obscurity. In an effort to learn more about Savoie's career, I Google-searched his name recently. The most positive thing I could find written about him was a 1997 entry that listed the top three Tight End prospects for coach Mike Ditka's Saints, then added, "Nicky Savoie returns to provide depth."

That's football-ese for "this guy ain't EVER getting off the bench."

Since then, Savoie has owned and operated a charter boat company in Louisiana, though the website for that business is now offline. Google reveals that he is also a member of the "48 Ounce Club" at Don Shula's Steakhouse, after eating an entire, 48-ounce steak in one sitting.

In an effort to keep the attorneys at bay, allow me to state that everything written from here on is my own, constitutionally protected, personal opinion.

And in my opinion, Nicky Savoie is a big, fat pantload.

Roving Reporter Lance Checks In

Sirius Speedway's unofficial roving reporter, Lance in PA, checks-in today with an update on his experiences during Coca-Cola 600 weekend in Charlotte. We welcome your "racing road stories," as well, from the highways, bi-ways and speedways across the country. Lance writes:

"Dave, Marty, and Suzy Q...

Tonight, I am attending the `Craftsman for a Cure' event, and am looking forward to racing against DW, Reutimann, and Bobby Labonte in go-karts. I will report back on that later in the week. Last night, I attended the Harris Teeter Race Fest at the Charlotte Knights Stadium, which drew a sizable crowd. I have the following observations to make, and have included a couple of digital photos.

1. People will stand in line forever to receive free handouts, whether the stuff is worthwhile or it is junk.

2. The autograph session had seven drivers, including Erin Crocker, Ted Musgrave, Danny O'Quinn, Joel Kaufmann and David Green. By far, Erin was the most popular one, attracting the most fans. The diversity of her fan base was pretty amazing, in that it was evenly split between men and women of all ages, from little kids to old folks, and rednecks to not-so-rednecks. Erin has a great personality, is extremely fan-friendly, and was more than happy to talk to anyone who stopped by. Ray Evenham and the folks from Betty Crocker were very smart in bringing her on board. When she has more success on the track and makes it to the Nextel Cup Series, she is going to be an absolute PR knock-out.

3. I am staying at a hotel here in uptown Charlotte during race week. Why don't they carry Speed Channel on my TV?????

Over-and-out,

Lance in PA"

Thoughts In Advance Of The Indianapolis 500

...Remind me never to have any of the people in charge of estimating the crowd count at Indianapolis Motor Speedway balance my checkbook. "Unofficial estimates" by various Indy-area media outlets pegged Saturday's qualifying crowd at anywhere from 15,000 to 20,000 fans. More reliable eyewitness accounts put the count at 10,000 -- max. That's still the best Qualifying Day turnout (by far) since IRL and CART went their separate ways back in 1996, but c'mon guys, who's fooling who?

...Unintentionally, Tony George may have hit upon a qualifying system that works for the modern-day Indy 500. Rather than dragging the process out over two full weeks -- qualifying the first 11 positions on the first weekend, followed by the rest of the field the next -- I say let's do what Mother Nature forced us to do this year; run `em all on Saturday, then finalize the field with a Sunday "Bump Day." Maybe one of these years, there will be enough cars to justify a return to two full weeks of qualifying, but right now, it's tedious, unnecessary and downright dull.

...Marco Andretti may be the real deal. The 19-year old qualified ninth Saturday; four spots better than his old man, and ahead of such Indy notables as Buddy Rice, Bryan Herta and Dario Franchitti. Maybe it IS genetic, after all.

...How happy were IRL officials to see "Mad Man" Marty Roth spin out in his final qualifying attempt Sunday? They'll never admit it, but nobody wanted to see Roth -- a nice guy who seems incapable of navigating Indy's first turn -- bump Thiago Medieros from the field, especially after three spins in as many days leading up to Sunday's festivities. He somehow managed to avoid hitting anything during those off-road excursions, until Sunday's fourth 200-mph pirouette finally put him into the wall, and out of the Indianapolis 500. As a driver, the 47-year old Roth is one hell of a car-owner, something someone should convince him of as soon as possible.

...Of all the jobs I don't want, filling two hours of Bump Day airtime on ABC with no actual bumping to talk about ranks extremely high on the list. Jack Arute and company earned their paychecks Sunday, in a big way. I wonder, though, why ABC couldn't have shown us the qualifying laps that did get turned on Saturday.

...Please don't force me to humiliate you when you call the show this week, claiming that there are 20 drivers capable of winning the Indianapolis 500. There are nine; the front six starters, plus Scott Sharp, Dario Franchitti and Bryan Herta. Any other outcome will require a horrific, multi-car crash that decimates the field, or the worst case of mass mechanical failure in the history of motorsports. None of us should be hoping for that.

...Of the 33 cars that will take the checkered flag Sunday, how many do you figure got some kind of financial assistance from Tony George to make it there? I can't prove it, but I'd be willing to bet that at least a third of the grid cashed a check from T.G. at some point this month.

...Speaking of Tony George, if he and Champ Car's Kevin Kalhoven don't find their way to the podium to make some kind of major announcement this week, there are going to be a lot of disappointed folks out there in Open Wheel-land. Count me as one of them.

...And finally, is Danica Patrick racing at Indy this year? Just checking. Based on the month she and teammate Buddy Rice have had, it now seems safe to say that the Panoz chassis officially sucks.

Notes From "All-Star" Weekend

You may already have noticed the quotation marks around the words "All-Star" in the title of this entry. They are intentional.

No offense to any of the involved parties, but after Saturday night's NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge at Lowe's Motor Speedway, it occurrs to me that the event is less of an All-Star Race than any of the 36 points-counting events that take place each weekend, from February through November.

Was every driver in Saturday night's field an All-Star, in the strictest sense of the term? Absolutely not. Jamie McMurray, Michael Waltrip and Kyle Petty were included in the festivities (despite going a combined 0-for-recent memory) while Jeff Burton (11th in Nextel Cup points) was left out. Based on the criteria last Saturday night, EVERY race is an All-Star Race.

The main event was a bit of a dud, with Jimmie Johnson smoking the field for his 1,257th consecutive win at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Just kidding, it's only six or seven in a row. The Lowe's car wins so often at Lowe's Motor Speedway that I'm thinking about ordering a few more Black Helicopters to hold all the conspriacy theorists that are sure to come forth in coming days. The scary part? Johnson’s crewchief, Chad Knaus, said their best car was back at the shop Saturday night. Johnson, however, said Knaus will have a difficult time convincing him to bring anything different back to the track for the Coca-Cola 600.

Driver introductions for the All-Star Race were more subdued than in years past. Maybe it was the rain that kicked-up, just as the ceremonies began. More likely, though, the "hand-picked for TV" stageside crowd finally tired of being whipped into an on-camera frenzy over a bunch of anonymous catch-can operators from Mooresville, North Carolina. The least they could have done, though, was catch Ryan Newman crewman Trent Cherry, who inexplicably decided to "stage dive" into the crowd, only to have them part like the Red Sea, leaving Cherry to perform a painful belly-flop on the tarmac.

I generally try to avoid laughing at people like Cherry until I know they have survived the fall. But in this instance, I laughed like a wino at a Richard Pryor concert, only later thinking to inquire about possible life-threatening injuries.

And how about those Red Hot Chili Peppers? From my vantage point -- in Turn Two -- it seemed Bruton Smith could have spent his money on something else. The Nextel Vision screens and track P.A. system carried just one of the Peppers' three songs, pre-empting the other two for Chris Myers' FOX-TV anouncement of how many cars would be inverted for the final segment. I'm guessing that Anthony, Flea and the Gang didn't come cheap. But despite the investment, only a small percentage of the crowd got to see and hear the concert.

Most of the folks in my area weren't that all that upset about it either.

The best line of the night belonged (unintentionally) to my buddy Jeff Hammond, who alluded to the million dollar All-Star payday by saying, "We know what tonight's about -- the Presidents! Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson. It's about the money."

Um... Hammond? Ben Franklin was never President of the United States. But nice try, we got your point.

And finally, was it just me, or did anyone else enjoy Kyle Busch's Hulk Hogan-esque salute to the crowd during driver intros? Kyle -- admittedly not the most popular wheelman in the garage these days -- reacted to a torrent of boos from the LMS grandstands by striking a WWE caliber muscle pose (without the muscles) and cupping his hand to his ear.

It was a tremendous "F-U" -- even better than the one Tony Stewart dropped on Robbie Reiser later in the evening -- and I enjoyed the heck out of it. Racing needs more bad guys, and Shrub seems happy to play the role.

The ever-creative "Cheater Chad Fan Club" has struck again, thanks to Jason in California...

"Did John Andretti really drive a Top Fuel dragster? Yes he did, and listener Arnold Hunt provides the proof! His car owner was former San Francisco Giants slugger Jack Clark. Thanks Arnold!

Welcome To The Family, Tony!

Two-time and defending NASCAR Nextel Cup Champion Tony Stewart announced today in Charlotte, North Carolina that he will join the Sirius Satellite Radio family in 2007, hosting a weekly show on Sirius.

The announcement represents the first in what is expected to be a series of programming initiatives, leading up to the arrival of NASCAR Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series racing on Sirius Satellite Radio in February of next year. Every Cup, Busch and Truck race will be heard live next season on Sirius, the new Official Satellite Radio provider of NASCAR.

Stewart announced the new deal in a 4 p.m. ET press conference at the speedway, then stopped by for an exclusive conversation with us on Sirius Speedway. "I'm really pumped up about this," he said. "If your listeners are half as excited as I am, we're going to have a good time. What I like about this is that I will be abe to talk to the fans on my terms. I can speak my mind better than if I was standing iin the media center in front of a bunch of microphones. It's a unique opportunity, and we plan to make the most of it."

Debuting in January (with sporadic "preview shows" between now and then), Tony Stewart Live will air Tuesdays from 8-10 p.m., exclusively on Sirius' new 24/7 NASCAR channel. The show will feature Stewart taking calls from listeners, talking with guests and covering the full spectrum of motorsports - from NASCAR to open-wheel racing and beyond. Fox and NBC puit reporter Matt Yocum will serve as co-host.

Coming off a 12th- place finish last weekend at Darlington Raceway, Stewart stands second in Nextel Cup championship points, 93 behind Jimmie Johnson. He will take part in Saturday night's NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge, as a prelude to next weekend's Coca-Cola 600.

Rain, Rain Go Away!

There's nothing more depressing than rain at the racetrack, and when it rains on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it's doubly bad.

For the first time since 1983, Opening Weekend at the Brickyard passed without a polesitter being determined for "The Greatest Spectacle In Racing." Three days of virtually non-stop rain forced Indy Racing League officials to postpone qualifying until this Saturday; a full week behind schedule. Under the revised format, all 33 positions in the `500' field will be determined Saturday, allowing the remainder of the month to run according to original plans.

"You can't control it," moaned IRL President Brian Barnhart Sunday. "You take the situation as it's dealt to you, and make decisions based on what's in the best interest for everybody." Barnhardt and Track President Joie Chitwood initially considered bumping qualifying to Monday, but problems with staffing (apparently, you can run a massive racetrack like IMS without employees) and TV commitments -- not to mention forecasts for another three days of rain -- made the idea unworkable.

Thus, the entire Indy 500 field will be filled Saturday, in a chaotic day that will potentially feature at least 99 qualifying attempts; three each for a minimum of 33 teams. The track is closed today, with practice scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday and Friday. "Bump Day" is set for Sunday, with the field for the May 28th race locked-in at that point.

While the rain threw a proverbial monkey wrench into most teams' plans, last weekend's postponement may actually work in favor of a few low-buck operations. A handful of teams had already delayed their Indy debuts until this week, taking advantage of a cut-rate Honda engine lease program that allows them to compete only in Week Two, for about half the price of a full "Month of May" deal.

A number of teams are now poised to take advantage of that opportunity. John Andretti is rumored to have a deal afloat to run the `500' with a yet-unnamed team (tune into today's show for more on this), while Team Leader Motorsports owners Greg Beck and Kent Baker will field a team car to Stephan Gregoire's entry, with P.J. Jones at the wheel. Old friend Davey Hamilton is also rumored to be in line for a second Eddie Cheever Racing seat; his first IndyCar start since that horrifying crash at Texas in June of 2001.

Those late arrivals can -- theoretically at least -- make a run for the Indianapolis 500 pole, if they can overcome a severe lack of testing and practice time. Most likely, however, the pole will be decided between Chip Ganassi Racing's Dan Wheldon, and Marlboro Team Penske teammates Sam Hornish, Jr., and Helio Castroneves. Hornish has been the fastest man on the property all month, but Wheldon stole his spot at the top of the speed charts in a brief, rain-free period Sunday, ripping off a lap of 228.663 mph -- nearly two mph faster than Hornish's previous best. Hornish also improved to 228.220 in the session, and expressed little concern with Wheldon's sudden burst of speed, saying, "He was (drafting) us. That's OK. We know what we're capable of doing by ourselves."

The ever-confident Wheldon disagreed, saying, "The way we've gone about qualifying differs from Penske. I think it'll be a race for the pole."

It's shaping up to be an interesting few days in Indianapolis, especially if you put any stock in rumors of a reunification announcement by Indy Racing League CEO Tony George and Champ Car World Series co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven. The railbirds say the announcement -- if it comes -- is scheduled for the week before the `500' itself.

Jarrett To Toyota in 2007

It's official. To the surprise of virtually no one, Michael Waltrip announced Saturday that former NASCAR Nextel Cup champion Dale Jarrett will join Michael Waltrip Racing next season, driving a Toyota Camry.

Waltrip made the announcement, saying, "We've signed Dale Jarrett to drive our Toyotas in '07 and '08, and we're real proud to have Dale on board. He's a wonderful ambassador to the sport, and he fits perfectly with what we're building, and what we're doing. We believe he can win us some races, and give us a lot of direction and guidance with a new startup team and a new manufacturer. (It) will be a real asset to have his knowledge, experience and ability on our team, directing our path for us."

Jarrett said he is looking forward to the new challenge, as well. "When Michael called, I thought about it for quite a while," Jarrett said. "I saw a new challenge there, and we're always looking for that. I think that's going to be a lot of fun and a great challenge. I'm looking forward to it."

Jarrett said money was not the main factor in his decision to make the move, adding, "The biggest thing is the opportunity to help Michael and Toyota start something new. I saw that as a unique challenge that I wasn't going to have that opportunity to do again. I said, `That's something that I want to be a part of.' It's nothing against Robert and Doug Yates and everybody there. They've been wonderful to me. It's just a new challenge that I needed."

Waltrip made no announcement concerning sponsorship for the new team, and sources say there is still a possibility that UPS may elect to move with Jarrett. The sponsor has reportedly given RYR a list of acceptable replacements for Jarrett, and will agree to stay on if Yates can hire one of them.

Responding to allegations of disloyalty to Yates and Ford, Jarrett said, "I've already gotten (comments) about, `Don't you have any loyalty to Robert Yates and the Ford Motor Company?' Certainly, I do. They're the reason that I'm here. But there comes a time when you have to make that decision for yourself, and this is the decision that we've made."

Robert Yates Racing General Manager Doug Yates also commented on the signing, saying the team did all it could to retain Jarrett. Yates said RYR offered to match Waltrip's offer, only to have Jarrett come back some later to say the offer had changed. Ford Motor Company officials are reportedly incensed over Jarrett's decision to join rival Toyota, since the 1999 series champion has won all but two of his 32 career Nextel Cup wins in Fords. Jarrett also owns one of the largest Ford dealerships in the country; Dale Jarrett Ford in Monroe, NC. Ford executives are reportedly now scrambling to lock-up Jarrett's teammate, Elliott Sadler, to prevent a similar exodus to the Toyota camp, reportedly with the new Red Bull Racing team.

An Investment Opportunity Too Good To Pass Up

Talladega Superspeedway is being repaved this month, and I guess it was only a matter of time before some smart cookie figured out a way to make a quick buck off the process.

On sale now at the eBay internet auction site is a genuine chuck of asphalt recently excavated from the speedway. A description of the item breathlessly describes it as one of the first pieces torn from the middle lane in Turn Three, adding, "You too can own a piece of history! Imagine the drivers that have raced over this very piece. Wow!" The chunk measures 12 by 6 inches, and had brought a high bid of 10 dollars, as of midday yesterday.

The fact that someone is willing to pay actual money for a piece of ripped-up asphalt gave me a great idea. My neighbor tore up his driveway earlier this week, and the old asphalt is piled near the street right now, waiting to be hauled away. Last night, under cover of darkness, I crept stealthily across my backyard and "borrowed" 15-20 good-sized clumps of asphalt. Later today, I will put them up for bid on eBay as "genuine Talladega asphalt."

I too am going to be rich! Imagine the money I'll make! Wow!

Next week, I'll be selling lumps of sod from the infield at North Wilkesboro. Or my backyard. Whatever. The week after that, I'll be auctioning off my prized possession; a muffler clamp from the car Lee Petty drove to victory in the inaugural Daytona 500 in 1959. For all you know.

Check back soon for more information on these incredible offers, and don't forget to bid early and often!

How's Ole Robert Gonna Spin This One??

Sometimes a man's own words can come back to haunt him. Case in point? NASCAR team owner Robert Yates, who announced today that he will appeal the penalties handed down by NASCAR for violations discovered prior to Saturday night's race at Richmond International Raceway. Crewchief Slugger Labbe was suspended through June 7th and fined $25,000 for using an unapproved rear sway bar mount. Driver Dale Jarrett was penalized 25 driver points, and Yates himself lost 25 owner points.

Yates commented on the sanctions in a statement released by the team, saying, “Obviously, we interpreted the rules differently from NASCAR. But because of the lack of a clear-cut understanding on our part, we believe we have grounds for appeal.”

This is the same Robert Yates who was so outspoken in the aftermath of crewchief Chad Knaus’ suspension in February, suggesting that cheaters like Knaus should be banned from NASCAR. "He ought to have to go race the Talladega short track the rest of his life," said Yates. "If there is language in the rulebook covers that area, he should be gone forever. That's just stealing." Yates also said that any RYR employee caught intentionally cheating without his knowledge would be terminated immediately.

RYR General Manager Eddie D'Hondt said today that Labbe will remain with the team until his appeal can be heard by the National Stock Car Racing Commission next week. It is highly unlikely that the penalty will be overturned, since the part in question was clearly modified, with the intent to deceive. NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Director John Darby said so in an exclusive Sirius Speedway interview on Tuesday.

Thus, Robert Yates will almost certainly find himself in a tricky public relations position. His options, as I see them, are threefold. Option One is to can stick to his word and fire Labbe for intentionally cheating. Don't hold your breath for this to happen. Option Two is to admit that while Labbe did cheat, he did so with Yate's full knowledge and permission. There's not a chance in hell of THAT ever happening! Option Three is to claim (with some difficulty) that NASCAR's rules are sufficiently vague that Labbe did not intentionally cheat.

Personally, my money is on Option Three.

No matter what happens in the coming days, two things are certain. Slugger Labbe will keep cashing a paycheck, and the Robert Yates Racing PR Department will keep earning theirs.

All-Star Pandering Leaves A Bad Taste

I’ll probably be tarred and feathered for saying this, but here goes.

The "Vote Kyle, Reward Victory Junction" campaign was launched earlier this week in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is being called “a grassroots effort fueled by Coca-Cola and other Petty Enterprises sponsors to reward the man who has given so much of his time and effort to charity, with a spot in the Nextel All-Star Challenge.”

In simplest terms, Petty’s sponsors are encouraging fans to vote him into this month’s NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. In return, Coca-Cola and fellow Petty sponsors Wells Fargo, Schwan's and Tire Kingdom have pledged to donate a minimum of $250,000 to the Victory Junction Gang Camp for children with chronic medical conditions and serious illnesses. Petty will donate any purse money he wins in the race to Victory Junction, as well.

Michael Waltrip – along with Petty, a member of the “Coca-Cola Racing Family” -- was announced as Petty's "campaign manager" yesterday. “I want him in the All-Star Race,” Waltrip said. “He deserves it.”

Well, maybe. But not for the reasons you think.

I have issues with Coca-Cola’s "Vote Kyle, Reward Victory Junction" campaign. I feel it subverts the concept of the NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge, and clouds what should be a simple process for selecting the drivers that take part. Should NASCAR’s All-Star Race be an opportunity for sponsors “to reward the man who has given so much of his time and effort to charity?” Or should it be about fans honoring NASCAR’s finest for their on-track accomplishments?

Quite clearly, in my opinion, it should be the latter.

While Coca-Cola’s interest in helping Victory Junction Gang Camp is laudable, make no mistake about the fact that there is also something in it for them. Petty will carry a special “MyCokeRewards” paint scheme on All-Star Weekend, and if he is voted into the All-Star Challenge, they will receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in free publicity and TV time. If Coke is really serious about doing something good for Victory Junction Gang Camp -- with no regard for their own corporate gain -- they can make a $250,000 donation right now, with no strings attached. Instead, they have chosen to twist the arms of NASCAR fans nationwide by saying, “Give us what we want, and we’ll help out the sick little children.”

That’s unfortunate.

I worry that we are missing the whole point of the All-Star Race. Will drivers and sponsors soon be forced to put together their own charity based, feel-good campaigns in an effort to pander their way to the top of the annual fan vote? Should NASCAR’s All-Star selection process be based upon how much money a driver donates to charity? Or should that selection hinge on how drivers perform on the race track?

The answer is pretty obvious.

In the immortal words of Richard Milhous Nixon, let me make one thing perfectly clear. I have nothing but admiration for Victory Junction Gang Camp, and the Petty family's superhuman efforts on its behalf. It is tremendous cause, and deserves your unqualified support. On a personal level, I like Kyle Petty very much. He is a gracious, selfless man who has done wonders for those less fortunate than himself. He's also a damned fine racer. Unfortunately, this whole "Vote Kyle, Reward Victory Junction" idea leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It’s half a step away from bribery, and it’s not what the NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge is supposed to be about.

You can cast a vote for your favorite driver right now, at NASCAR.com. You can also make a contribution to Victory Junction Gang Camp by clicking on this link.

Just don’t confuse the two, okay?

Funny Car Fisticuffs!

The biggest surprise in an upset-filled weekend of drag racing had nothing to do with what happened on the track in Sunday's Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals in Atlanta. It had to do with the dustup between Schumacher Racing teammates Ron Capps and Whit Bazemore that left Bazemore with stitches in his lip, and Capps with some `splaining to do.

The confrontation began a week ago, after Bazemore lost to John Force in the semifinals at Bristol Dragway. As Force took the win light, Capps pumped his fist in delight; a gesture Bazemore interpreted as a sign that his teammate had been pulling for Force. For his part, Capps said he was reacting to his getting lane choice over Force in the final round.

No matter which story is true, the end result was the same. Bazemore confronted Capps Saturday in Atlanta, words were exchanged, and Capps landed a right-cross to Bazemore's kisser. Capps, the NHRA PowerAde Funny Car points leader, attempted to downplay the incident Sunday, taking the blame for the misunderstanding and expressing his remorse. Bazemore was less contrite, expressing regret only over not being able to defend himself due to an ongoing NHRA probation for a service-road speeding incident and a resulting verbal clash with officials a year ago.

Capps offered Bazemore his hand Sunday (in peace), and Bazemore reportedly accepted. But an on-camera interview with ESPN2's Gary Gerould left little doubt that Bazemore has yet to let bygones be bygones, raising questions whether the two can continue to function as teammates.

Team owner Don Schumacher told NHRA.com, "This is a personal situation between Ron and Whit. They've talked to each other, and tried to clear the air. It's something that I wish hadn't happened. I wish the media would leave it alone, but I understand why they can't. To me, it's a negative we don't need." NHRA Vice President of Racing Operations, Graham Light said he has spoken to both drivers, and that the incident is under review.

Perhaps coincidentally, both Capps and Bazemore were eliminated in the first round Sunday; Capps making his first opening round exit of the season. Rusty Wallace and Ryan Newman proved long ago that you can hate each other and still be teammates, but will it work in the NHRA?

Only time will tell.

Updating The News of the Day

The mainstream media is now picking up on the story we broke earlier this week; that Dale Jarrett has signed with Michael Waltrip Racing for 2007 and 2008. Waltrip reportedly offered Jarrett a two-year, $20 million contract, and the 1999 NASCAR Cup champion informed current employer Robert Yates on April 26th that he will leave when his contract expires at the end of the season.

UPS is also in the final year of its contract with Yates, and published reports say the company will remain with RYR, if Yates can sign a championship-caliber driver to replace Jarrett. However, my sources say UPS is also insisting that Jarrett be allowed to finish the season in the #88 Ford, and has threatened to withdraw their support immediately if he is replaced before the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Jarrett has 32 career Nextel Cup wins, but has finished 15th in points in each of the last two seasons, after a 26th place showing in 2003.

Jarrett’s addition gives Toyota three confirmed Nextel Cup drivers for 2007: Jarrett, Waltrip and Dave Blaney, who drives for Bill Davis Racing. Davis reportedly plans to field a second team next year, while the new Red Bull Racing team will enter two cars, with drivers still to be announced. Rumors also persist that Toyota has made Robby Gordon an offer to purchase his operation. Gordon has an existing relationship personal services contract with Red Bull, as part of his off-road racing efforts.

A group of NASCAR executives led by Robin Pemberton and David Hoots toured Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve yesterday, and while they are convinced that a Busch Series race there would be a success in terms of attendance, questions remain about the 4.361-kilometer road course’s suitability for 3,000-pound stock cars. NASCAR International Director Robbie Weiss said, "The track is fine, but we have to look at whether the barriers can stop a stock car. We want to look at the track from a safety point of view, as well as from a racing point of view." There are also questions concerning the track’s pit and garage configuration, and their ability to accommodate 43 cars and nearly 100 transporters.

NASCAR's Weiss said the group will not visit Cayuga 2000 Speedway near Hamilton, Ontario, preferring to wait until a reported sale and upgrade of the speedway are completed. The Toronto Sun reported earlier this week that a group of potential buyers has held talks with NASCAR about the project, but NASCAR’s Jim Hunter said yesterday that the sanctioning body has not spoken to anyone about Cayuga.

Here is a handy hint to use when attempting to separate speculation from fact in matters such as this. Whenever someone hypes their proposed new NASCAR-style superspeedway by claiming they have held talks with NASCAR about racing there, it's a load of crap. NASCAR does not play the "if you build it, we will come" game with speedway developers. Their tact from the beginning has been, "once it's built, then we'll talk."

And finally, more proof (as if it's needed) that NASCAR's Car Of Tomorrow will be more like its stock, showroom brethren than the cars that are racing today. Representatives of Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge and Toyota joined NASCAR officials for a wind-tunnel session Tuesday in Marietta, Georgia, in which each manufacturer's proposed "Car Of Tomorrow" nose was put through its paces. All four manufacturers came away encouraged that they can now build even more "distinguishing features" into the panels, without creating performance issues.

In short, the Fords will soon look even more like Fords, the Dodges more like Dodges, the Chevies more like Chevies, and the Toyotas more like Toyotas.

This n' That From The NASCAR Garage

Michael Waltrip says he has sponsorship in place for two Toyota Nextel Cup teams next year. NAPA Auto Parts will back Michael's own Toyota Camry next season, with the other sponsor to be announced when Waltrip picks a driver. He has talked to both Ricky Rudd and Dale Jarrett about the ride in recent weeks, but my sources in the Nextel Cup garage say Jarrett has already signed a contract to leave Robert Yates Racing and drive for Waltrip in 2007 and 2008, taking his UPS sponsorship with him.

"Why," you ask, "would D.J. leave an established team like RYR to go to a startup operation like Waltrip's?" I'll give you 20 million reasons; a two-year, $20-million contract that will send D.J. off into retirement with a nice, tidy nest egg.

I am still unable to figure out what Bill Davis is getting from his current, one-year deal with Waltrip. Waltrip is leasing cars and equipment from Bill Davis Racing, in what appears to be little more than a stop-gap measure. A year from now, Mikey will use factory support from Toyota to leave BDR and ramp-up his own Michael Waltrip Racing team; fielding two cars on both the Nextel Cup and Busch Series'. Davis, meanwhile, will be left with one sponsor -- Caterpillar -- and one driver -- Dave Blaney -- under contract for 2007. I asked Davis about this seemingly lopsided deal when it was first announced in early February, and he insisted then that it was a "win-win situation" for all involved.

Nobody I've talked to can figure it out, however, with most people seeing it as a case of Waltrip using Davis for a year, until his own deal comes to fruition. I also find it interesting that Waltrip says he would like David Reutimann and Joey Miller to steer his Busch Series Toyotas next season. Both Reutimann and Miller are currently under contract to brother Darrell Waltrip's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team, making me wonder that the atmosphere will be around the Waltrip Family table this Thanksgiving, if it all comes to pass.

The biggest item rolling through the garage at Talladega last weekend was news (still unconfirmed) that NASCAR's Chevrolet teams are set to form a technical alliance in the near future, combatting the Roush/Yates Ford tandem, increased competition from Dodge, and the impending arrival of Toyota. Hendrick Motorsports, Dale Earnhardt, Inc. and Richard Childress Racing will all be part of the new agreement, while Joe Gibbs Racing will not.

Why? Because General Motors believes the Gibbs team is ready to jump to the Toyota camp next season, with drivers Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin and J.J. Yeley in tow. My source on this story is well-placed, and the fact that there have been no indignant denials from either Gibbs or General Motors tells me that this is more than just another "uncomfirmed rumor."

Stay tuned.

They're tearing up the asphalt at Talladega Superspeedway this week; the opening salvo in a resurfacing effort that will produce a whole-new Talladega in time for a scheduled Nextel Cup/Craftsman Truck doubleheader on October 6-8. Speedway President Grant Lynch climbed aboard a gigantic backhoe and began ripping up the asphalt Tuesday -- a day late, thanks to Sunday's Nextel Cup rainout -- the first step in a total resurfacing of the 2.66-mile track. It has been 26 years since Talladega was last paved.

And finally, while our friends north of the border get all hot and bothered about a possible NASCAR Busch Series race in Montreal next season, my Canadian spies say there's a chance that the event will be held in Ontario, not Quebec. A group of investors has made a bid to buy the Cayuga 2000 Speedway in Nelles Corners, Ontario, near Hamilton. Plans call for the track to be upgraded from 5/8-mile to a full mile, with seating expanded to more than 60,000. Current owners Garry Evans and Brad Litkey say they have given the Toronto group two weeks to come up with financing to purchase the 246-acre facility.

Built by Bob Slack in the 1960s, Cayuga has long ranked as one of Canada's premiere speedways. In the late `70s and early `80s, Slack used the heated rivalry (both on and off-track) between Canadian short-track legends Junior Hanley and Don Beiderman to pack the grandstands on a weekly basis, and Cayuga was an annual stop on the ASA Tour for more than two decades. There's obviously a good deal of work to do before a Cayuga NASCAR race can come to pass, but given the choice between a road race in Montreal and an oval-track stop in Ontario, I know why way I'm leaning.

Good Morning Campers!

It's a glorious, sunny day in beautiful downtown Talladega, Alabama, where the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series has a high noon (ET) date to run yesterday's rained out "Aaron's 499." The forecast calls for sunny skies and highs in the upper 70s, and an amazing number of people have called-in sick to stay and watch it happen. Yesterday, tiny little Talladega was the third-largest city in Alabama, and while it'sot quite as crowded today, my guess is that it's still in the top five.

I'll be here calling the action in Turns 1-2 for MRN Radio, while Marty and Suzy hold down the "Sirius Speedway" fort back home. Hope you can tune in, and I'll talk to you Tuesday.