Category: Auto Racing

The Sprint Unlimited. It opens the NASCAR season and opens the door into a view, even if just a glimpse, of where stock car racing used to be. The “Unlimited” is a race to the finish for a win and a purse which, compared to current season points racing, leaves little regard to the method of getting there. It is closer to racing the way it used to be.
Show up with a car. Race, push, pass, shove… Get to the front… Make the checkers… The mirror is for looking at the loosers and maybe, just maybe, to see if the car you scraped is making a run for your bumper.
Modern points racing throws more into the mix. The rules of play have been turned into a joyous read for attorneys which outline every detail down to the fraction of the inch and the micro weight of a push rod. The driving has become a strategic play of fuel, tires and protection of the aerodynamics. The show has become homegenized for mass consumption and in doing so has left some of the soul in the garage.
Sounds a bit harsh…  Rewind.
The Sprint Unlimited did not disappoint in terms of drama. There was a lot of speed, lots of crashes, near misses and a restart shuffle that put Matt Kenseth on the checkers. There was even a fight… Sort of.
In the midst of Speed Week, Fox Sports has shown a documentary showcasing the 1979 Daytona 500. It was mix of personality and luck that introduced NASCAR racing to a large portion of the country that had largely ignored it. It was a reach forward to show the unitiated what the sport was all about. It was a move to show the respected masses that rednecks and grease monkeys can fit into the wide world of sports.
It worked. Speed, crashes, drama…  There was even a fight. The sport was given a kick of horsepower into the public eye and it took hold and grew.
Times, however, change. People begin to talk about safety, fairness, sportsmanship, waste. At the height of this growth, the same race that spawned it put the breaks on with the death of one of the most popular drivers on the track during the race. The world of NASCAR, and auto racing in general, was thrust into a microscope of detail over driver safety. Other events threw safety back at pit wall. Later, profile deaths in other racing series brought more focus to safety. Car design, seat and harness design, helmets, driving suits, fuel tanks, engines, aerodynamics… It all changed.
It changed to the point the only difference between the cars was a manufacturer sticker and the color. It changed into a race of technique behind the wheel and finesse of strategy. It became, to be honest, a little boring. Fan attendance and attention began to waver.
The question to retain fun and excitement for the fan while keeping the drivers safe has continued to change the sport to the current season. The cars have been changed. The format has changed. From qualifying to the points system to the garage and pit road the sport has become a river of change. The fight to keep the track safe while also maintaining the fans has become a tightrope of balance.
There are those who remember “the good ole’ days” and say it has been ruined and lost forever. However, it is also important to note the sport, as it was with that first green to checkered airing of the Daytona 500, still exists in much the same way. Advances of machinery and safety aside, the racing is much as it was and has been. To find it all you need to do is pack for the short drive to your local weekender race track where the drivers still have day jobs and the cars are built in the garage across the street.
NASCAR, Sprint, Xfinity and Camping World are the higher levels of the sport and with it come the stardom, fame and draw of the big ticket that only comes around in person, at best, one or two times a year. The organizers are constantly in a state of finding what they need to keep that show worthy of the hype. Sometimes they miss the mark and sometimes they hit a winning combination. With the world we live in and what they offer within the rules they have to operate in it is doubtful, criticize all you want, they could do much better. Give them a huge nod for continuing to look and find ways to involve you in the process.
For those who do criticize and moan and say it is done and over I would say this. Pick yourself up and go to that track down the road. There are racetracks all over struggling to fill seats with cheap tickets and great racing that is, as much as is possible, as it was. It is where it all started and your support can keep it that way. Go when “Cup” is in the area to see your big stars but if you yearn for the “good ole’ days” of racing go to the next weekend show at your local small track.
Get the best of what was and what is. Quit your bitchin’ and go racin’!

Daytona. Racing is on.
Most may immediately think it is too early for the Daytona 500. Well, yes, it is.
That does not alter the fact that racing is on in Daytona. It can also be said that the spectacle on tap for this weekend is much more colorful and varied than the “500”.
It is the ROLEX 24. The grand season opener for the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.
Consider the Daytona 500. It is the NASCAR grand opening. 500 miles, 43 cars / drivers, 3 manufacturers, 4 hours.
Consider the ROLEX 24. 24 hours, 67 cars with around 200 or more drivers, 10 (or more) manufacturers, 2,500 miles (give or take a few).
Out of all the manufacturers represented in the ROLEX 24, it was Ford, Chevy and Dodge taking the wins over the likes of Porsche, BMW, Ferrari, Aston-Martin, Audi…. Imagine! American muscle over European power. Looking forward to see if they keep it through the season and even more to see them run LIVE at VIRginia International Raceway!
NASCAR and TUDOR both have ties to the area as both series race here in Virginia. NASCAR, of course, is more common with Bristol, Martinstville and Richmond. The TUDOR SportsCar Championship makes their visit on the rolling curves and open views of VIRginia International Raceway near Danville in August of 2015.

Martinsville race week for the 2014 Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 has been one for many to remember for a very long time. There will be discussions and “I was there!” bragging rights over Dale Jr.’s win for quite a while. His drive to victory was a thing to see and generates yet another chapter for the historic little track in Martinsville.
Even more so when you consider all of the little bits that add the frosting to the victory cake. Dale Jr. grew up in the shadow of Martinsville grandfather clocks as his iconic father won there several times. He earned his first win of the CHASE playoffs after being eliminated from championship contention just one week before. He is a spokesman for Goody’s. He drives for Rick Hendrick which also owns the #24 car of Jeff Gordon, a main rival to his father. Hendrick suffered a deep loss of family and friends from an aircraft crash at Martinsville and a team victory helps ease the pain of returning. Dale Jr. lost his father at a race track. The little bits of history that create the foundations to generate more history are abundant.
Yet Dale Earnhardt, Jr. earning his first win at the little historic track is just another piece of the timeline for the smallest track in the CHASE.
The folks at Martinsville Speedway have never let the words “little” or “small” get in their way as they consistently weave big things into their racing events. The history of racing there and the grandstand view from practically every seat to see practically everything happen makes this place a favored fan destination. It is also a perfect setting to get fans involved in ways that larger facilities just can not do in the same way.
The October race put much of this in motion. Breast Cancer Awareness month was highlighted at every turn with the race curbing painted pink. The Chevrolet pace cars were pink. As part of this, Chevrolet partnered with the speedway and brought cancer survivors into the race experience with a special ride-along on the track following the VA Lottery Pole Day.

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Race drivers Kasey Kahne, Martin Truex, Jr. and Ron Hornaday drove the pink Chevy pace cars and a Chevy pace truck with these special passengers hanging on for the ride. Surviving through the fight with cancer was certainly more difficult than taking turns at a race track with a NASCAR star but the smiles on their faces seemed to indicate this was much more fun.
The simple matter of size makes it much easier for fans to see on-track activity such as driver introductions, interviews and Grand Marshall Richard Petty. The compressed real estate of the track also contributed as it took little time away from tight schedules to help bring one young fan into the mix with driver Clint Bowyer.
At a pre-event sponsor dinner in Roanoke, VA a couple of weeks before the race, Bowyer happened to meet this young fan. Bowyer is a fun fellow. He doesn’t wear the NASCAR fame as an unapproachable shield. He jokes, he laughs, he smiles…  He jumps into the fan experience and has fun with it. It was evident on race day as he paused even moments before the race to pose with fans next to the #15 AAA Toyota. It was evident as he slid into the restaurant booth weeks before and just started having a one-on-one with this young man as if they had been friends that just happened to meet while being out.
The result was a coordination with speedway staff to get the boy and his family into the infield on race weekend, have a tour with Clint Bowyer that involved the #15 hauler, the garage and a sit down in the race car. It is a memory sure to linger well beyond the checkered flag.

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Bowyer later challenged for the Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500, led several laps and finished in the top 10 at 7th place. It is very likely there was a young fan in the stands with an autographed #15 hat cheering him on.
These are small pieces of what makes Martinsville Speedway special for so many people. The views, the people, the memories…  It is the small track with big things woven into the fabric of its history for so many. It is why racing here is a highlight for drivers and fans.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr., some very special survivors and a young race fan have their memories. 95,000 fans on that race day have their own stories to share about “being there when Dale Jr. won” and the folks at Martinsville Speedway are cleaning up and starting the cycle all over again for racing in 2015.

To see more fan memories and even post your own check this Facebook post from Martinsville Speedway!
Go get some memories and go racing!

The irony is thick as the day closed on the Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

Consider… Talladega was just one week ago. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. ran into some unfortunate luck in the final laps and was pushed out of contention for the CHASE and the Sprint Cup championship. During a pre-race presentation, Dale Jr. spoke of growing up with his father’s grandfather clock from Martinsville always in plain view.

With CHASE drivers pushing every limit, it was Dale Earnhardt, Jr. who drove the #88 to Victory Lane to earn his own Martinsville grandfather clock.

Team mate Jeff Gordon also had a good day to take a lead in the CHASE. Ryan Newman, an underdog coming into the CHASE, is sitting in the 2nd slot. Oddly enough, it was Newman who visited Martinsville High School as the CHASE was announced and getting under way. Joey Logano, Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin round out the top 5 in current Eliminator Round points.

The CHASE has been throwing drama at the tracks and the fans this season and Dale Jr.’s first win at Martinsville has added to it while shaking the grandstands at Martinsville to a post-race rumble. There is more on the way with 3 races to go…

Drop everything and go racing!

Full Gallery from Martinsville Speedway!

The CHASE has come to Martinsville Speedway as the eight drivers remaining for the championship run enter the Eliminator Round. Some big names were dropped at Talladega. You can safely wager that will not alter any driver’s attitude of going for the win at the Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500.

Practices went off Friday for VA Lottery Pole Day as teams made use of the one session to dial in the cars for qualifying later that day. The Camping World Series trucks also took up lap time practice for the Kroger 200 to run Saturday.

As Sprint Cup qualifying rolled through CHASE drivers found themselves starting in the field as Jamie McMurray captured the top spot for the Coors Light Pole Award.

Logano, Kenseth, Stewart and Hamlin rounded out the top five qualifying slots.

Practices for Sprint Cup will resume Saturday with qualifying and racing for the Kroger 200.

Click HERE for a gallery of VA Lottery Pole Day!

 

It’s just down the road and many don’t know it is there. Some very famous people have visited and praise it. It is Virginia International Raceway.
This year alone the most famous badges from iconic motorsports have turned laps. Exotic sports cars to American muscle…  VIR is a showcase of motorsport.
Yet many still raise a question over what and where it is. Like its more famous racing cousin up the road in Martinsville, there is history. Martinsville has names like Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. VIR has names like Carroll Shelby and Paul Newman. Also, like the NASCAR icon, there is racing this weekend.

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While Martinsville is hosting the Sprint Cup and the CHASE for the championship VIR will be hosting a 13 hour enduro known as the Charge Of The Headlight Brigade.. You may not recognize the drivers but that does not change the challenge or excitement of racing from the morning well into the night.
The field of cars is wide open with variety and intensity. The SCCA drivers and teams are all there for one thing. They want to survive the long day and go for a win.
Yes, it is real racing. The course is open and rolling and with Autumn colors coming into play the backdrop will be spectacular. The racing at VIR is set to start off the grid at 9:00AM Saturday and the checkered flag will fly at 10:00PM.
It is even possible to catch action at VIR, roll up the road and check out the NASCAR trucks at Martinsville and be back at VIR for many more hours of racing into the night. Plus, you still have the CHASE to catch back at Martinsville for Sunday.
Virginia International Raceway is located just East of Danville. Is it worth it?
Yes.

The Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 is Sunday. The CHASE is on but that doesn’t mean that drivers and teams not in the line for the championship are going to give in and not go for the win. There will be some good racing and challenges to everyone on the track.
The Kroger 200 is Saturday with the Camping World Truck Series. The points and run for this series is full of challenges for the championship also.
Friday, Virginia Lottery Pole Day is a great day to see practice, qualifying and a better chance to catch a driver without the giant crowds.
Some other details to know:

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The October NASCAR events at Martinsville Speedway will mark 50 years of racing there. In September of 1964 Fred Lorenzen crossed the line for the win and took home a grandfather clock.  On this 50th anniversary of racing for the clock it is ticking on the CHASE and the next owner of one of these unique trophies.
The Marching Tar Heels of UNC-Chapel Hill will be performing the National Anthem. The Warbirds will perform a fly-over with five historic aircraft. The pre-race drivers’ meeting will also be held on pit road in view of the grandstands in order to give fans a bit more access to some of the race day activity. Ticket packages, Q&A sessions, track walks and more are available online at martinsvillespeedway.com.
Oh… This may be important… A fellow named Richard Petty will be the Grand Marshall for Sunday. Apparently, this gentleman holds the record of 15 wins at Martinsville…
Of course there will be plenty to see in the midway as well. All the drivers’ merchandise trailers will be out and many drivers will make appearances at various sponsor locations. Check your program on race day for these details. It is also late in the season. No guarantees but dare I say “close out sales”…
There is also a lot of evening activity with free concerts Friday and Saturday evening presented by Martinsville Speedway and the folks that put on the fantastic summer Roosterwalk music festival. Four bands each evening and the concession sales will be benefiting several local charities so go enjoy some tunes and support the community. For details on the Turn 5 concerts, check out roosterwalk.com
For the championship run that rolls out the Eliminator Round at Martinsville the drivers still in contention for the Sprint Cup Championship are Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman and Matt Kenseth. After the bangs and bumps of Talladega, some favorites were knocked off the grid. Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne were left out. However, don’t let that stop you from cheering for your favorite driver. Wouldn’t it be great, just as a for instance, if Dale Jr. put all those “Cup” runners in their place and won…? Or Johnson, or Busch… or even Kahne or one of the others that wasn’t even in the CHASE to begin with…?
Martinsville will be a race for the championship or to get digs in on those that are still in it. There is a lot of history (Petty, Warbirds, 50 years…) and music (UNC, Roosterwalk Turn 5) and a lot of racing to prove out the weekend.
To sum up… Go Racin’!