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May 31, 2010
Photo of the Day
By Rob Einaudi
Editor-in-Chief
No brainer pic today. See more on Veteran 1’s Chevrolet Camaro ride page.
Pure Sounds: Jumping On Tarmac
Tampa Sports Car Examiner
Enough with the damn music already! Flying through the air, watch as the the masters of tarmacadam defy gravity with great speed. Pay witness to these machines of rally yore performing the classic tarmac jump with only pure sounds. Why destroy such great footage with lame music? Read more about jumping tarmac at Tampa Sports Car Examiner.
Dodge Charger
Grassroots Motorsports
Ever fall for a car that you didn’t expect to? For me, the Dodge Charger falls into that category. I recently spent a few days with the car and enjoyed the entire package, from the Hemi V8 to the full-size interior. Anyone else recently have a pleasant surprise?
May 30, 2010
Kurt Busch Wins the Coca-Cola 600
By Jen Dunnaway
Editor
All week, everyone’s been acting like Kurt’s win at the non-points All-Star race last weekend here in Charlotte more or less doomed him to lose the 600. Rolling the Blue Deuce into victory lane, he made monkeys out of all of them. Tonight was actually Busch’s first points win at Charlotte in 20 starts. Looks like the All-Star was the best possible warm-up.
NASCAR coverage brought to you by Valvoline Engine Guarantee–the first and only motor oil in the industry that will guarantee your engine up to 300,000 miles. *Registration required, some limitations apply.
In The Pits At Charlotte
By Jen Dunnaway
Editor
Pit road in Charlotte is unbelievably crowded, and there’s not many high spots where you can shoot the cars without people or other obstructions in front of you. There was an empty pit stall right next to the No. 56 team of Martin Truex Jr., so I was able to lean in take a few snaps right up by the pit wall. Car owner Michael Waltrip was there too, looking on and twiddling with his cell phone–I hear all those guys are really into Twitter.
NASCAR coverage brought to you by Valvoline Engine Guarantee–the first and only motor oil in the industry that will guarantee your engine up to 300,000 miles. *Registration required, some limitations apply.
Ready To Race
By Jen Dunnaway
Editor
The cars have been turned nose-out in the garage area in the final hours before the race, and most of the teams have retreated from the heat of the afternoon in preparation for the race. Here’s some things to keep in mind about the Coca-Cola 600. It’s NASCAR’s longest race, at 600 miles and 400 laps. The unaccustomed last hundred miles are crucial, both for the cars and the drivers. Those motors have to be babied a little to survive that far past their usual 500 miles, and drivers start to make miscalculations as fatigue sets in. Much is made of the responsiveness of this track to changing weather conditions, but it’s not as though there’s anything magically reactive about its surface. Charlotte is a bit slick, but according to Chris Andrews from Roush Fenway, its perceived changeability really is just comes down to the fact that race is so long. The track undergoes an unusual range temperature as the race stretches into the night, wreaking havoc with the car’s handling and requiring massive adjustment throughout the race.
Oh, and one more thing: sweeping both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup races in a single weekend is extremely rare here, so don’t expect Kyle Busch to be out front when the checkered flag flies. Who’s your pick to win?
NASCAR coverage brought to you by Valvoline Engine Guarantee–the first and only motor oil in the industry that will guarantee your engine up to 300,000 miles. *Registration required, some limitations apply.
Fan Fun
By Jen Dunnaway
Editor
Charlotte Motor Speedway’s “Souvenir Area” is off-site across the state highway, a giant gravel lot lined with merchandise trailers, food vendors and goofy attractions two and some places three rows deep. There was a cornhole-throwing green set up with astroturf and Carl Edwards’ Scott’s Turf Builder car parked in front of it, and a lot of slot-car racing. There was even a bible thumper with a megaphone (at a NASCAR race? I think you’re kind of preaching to the choir, dude). A lot of the fanfare spills out of souvenir alley right up to the main entrance gate, where you’ll find all the expected stuff–loads of merchandise, Gravedigger (come on: have you ever not seen Gravedigger at an event?), a military recruiting presence (it is Memorial Day weekend, after all), the “SPEED Stage” with a bunch of drunk people dancing on it, and an RCR-badged supercharged Camaro that will be given away to one lucky fan after having been manhandled and rubbed on by several thousand. Hit the jump to see some pics!
NASCAR coverage brought to you by Valvoline Engine Guarantee–the first and only motor oil in the industry that will guarantee your engine up to 300,000 miles. *Registration required, some limitations apply.
The Biggest Day In Motorsports
By Jen Dunnaway
Editor
It feels surreal: I’m watching the Indy 500 on ESPN in the press room at Charlotte Motor Speedway, while right outside the window, forty-three NASCAR teams are prepping for their own biggest race, which they’ll be running in just a few hours. The Sunday before Memorial Day is always a motorsports marathon, but there’s plenty of other stuff going on today too. Thank you dear sweet baby Jesus for the DVR!
What are you doing motorsports-wise today: Watching the Indy 500, watching the Coca-Cola 600, recording one or both to watch later, or ignoring the whole thing?
NASCAR coverage brought to you by Valvoline Engine Guarantee–the first and only motor oil in the industry that will guarantee your engine up to 300,000 miles. *Registration required, some limitations apply.
I Know It Sounds Strange To Say, But The Roush Fords Are Doing Just Fine
By Jen Dunnaway
Editor
As you would probably expect, Roush Fenway lead engineer Chris Andrews is a little weary of being asked on a daily basis about his teams’ “struggles,” but there isn’t a bit of defensiveness in his explanation of how the Fords are actually doing as we sat outside the No. 6 hauler and talked about them for a bit this morning. Ford is the one manufacturer that hasn’t had a car win a race this season, true–but the points tell a different story. The four main Roush cars are actually further ahead in the points than they were this time last year. And Jack Roush is one of only two owners (the other being Rick Hendrick) who currently have three drivers in the top twelve in the points–Matt Kenseth in 3rd, Biffle in 7th, and Carl Edwards in 10th. So the Ford teams have actually been doing quietly well, despite all the ballyhoo about their terrible performance that’s currently in fashion amidst a storyline-starved season. The Roush Fords only need the wow-factor of a win before the commentators start giving some attention to what’s actually been solid but stealthy improvement–and in a sport that revolves around wins, that seems only fair.
Today’s Coke 600 could be good to the Roush Fords, because its gargantuan length places emphasis on steady performance and avoiding stupid mistakes as fatigue takes hold toward the end–qualities that a generally level-headed driver like Matt Kenseth has in spades. Looking ahead, the teams are stoked about Ford’s all-new FR9 engine, a cooler-running package with more torque and more horsepower which will be making its for-points debut in all the Roush cars next week at Pocono. I guess we’ll see how it goes.
NASCAR coverage brought to you by Valvoline Engine Guarantee–the first and only motor oil in the industry that will guarantee your engine up to 300,000 miles. *Registration required, some limitations apply.
Martin Truex Is On A Roll
By Jen Dunnaway
Editor
You’ll remember that he won the outside pole in tomorrow’s Coca-Cola 600–but Martin Truex Jr. was also the fastest car in Sprint Cup practice yesterday, reaching a top speed of 180.626 mph on Charlotte’s sweeping mile and a half. He was the only driver in final practice to lap the track in under 30 seconds, coming in at 29.896. Maybe that’s what he’s smiling about! Truex hasn’t historically done all that well at this track, and a lot can change as this day-to-night race wears on, but keep an eye on the No. 56 Napa Toyota during the Coke 600–I’m getting a feeling it might produce a surprise or two.
NASCAR coverage brought to you by Valvoline Engine Guarantee–the first and only motor oil in the industry that will guarantee your engine up to 300,000 miles. *Registration required, some limitations apply.
