ThatsRacin.com: FanSpace

Fan photos II: ThatsRacin.com wants your pics!

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 10:47 EDT

Well, here we go again. Or, if you prefer: Everything old is new again.

Charlotte Observer photo intern Lisette Poole's recent shots of fans in the infield at Lowe's Motor Speedway have served to inspire us. Or, more likely, to remind us, which might be just as good.

Longtime ThatsRacin.com visitors might also remember our fan photo galleries of a few seasons past. No, we didn't put felt-tipped pen to a big piece of discarded cardboard and fashion a crude sign. And, no, we didn't wave it around in the infield like fans possessed. But, yes, we did in fact invite you to show us your pics.

And you responded generously. We got digital images by the busload of fans braving the springtime snow at Bristol, of "Bubba Bling" and his cohorts holding court by the camper and tons of others from weekends at the tracks, at race parties everywhere and of cars and drivers from racing's grand and glorious past.

So we posted them. And we posted and posted and posted them, until our HTML hurt. Or most of them anyway. (We do have our standards, after all - and bosses.) We could, of course, just repost all those, but how much fun would that be?

So let's do it again.

Do you have pics saved from a race weekend party? Got shots of you and your friends at a race? Or of total strangers at the track? (You might need help because stalking isn't cool or legal.) But if they're about people and racing and you'd like to share them, we'd love to have them.

Hit the link below the picture we've posted here to check out our slideshow from the Charlotte race weekend.

And hit the link right below it, attach your images and share yours. We'll give them a look and post them with the rest of our photo galleries. Please be sure to write FAN PHOTOS in the subject line. (And, in case your computer's setup won't let that work for you, please just put bhenry@charlotteobserver.com or bhenry@thatsracin.com in the addrress field of a new e-mail and send away.)

We'll post fan images on ThatsRacin.com absolutely free of charge. But if you'd like to spend a little money, the captions also include these links: To purchase this photo | Browse our store

You can get copies of your images and even turn them into keepsakes - high-resolution prints, coffee mugs or tote bags bearing your the images and much more. Plus, we've got tons of other racing images, ranging from rare historic photos all the way up to today's drivers, teams and events.

Celebrities turn out to dragway opening

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 11:04 EDT

The zMAX Dragway -- Concord's most controversial new venue -- held its grand opening party Tuesday night, and, being the "Bellagio of Dragstrips," you know Bruton wasn't going to skimp on the bash.

Guests walked a red carpet into the dragway's lobby. Elevators whisked us to the rooftop terrace, where -- I'm surprised to say -- the dragstrip looked quite pretty during sunset. It's an impressive sight to behold, especially as tricked out street rides were barreling upwards of 130 mph down the track. Partygoers, with the smell of burnt rubber in the air, dined on pulled pork, roasted turkey, steak, and the ever-popular mashed-potato bar. (Is it just me or is that as common as an open bar these days?)

But the highlight of the party was rubbing elbows with Charlotte's local celebrities. In one corner, Steve Smith chatted with NASCAR's Kasey Kahne (those blue eyes are just as dreamy in person). Bruton, of course, held court at his own reserved table. Tony Stewart brought his orange Lamborghini for a try at the new strip. (Speaking of Tony, you should read this.) And Ric Flair made an appearance -- black eye and all.

The races officially kick off this weekend at the strip with the NHRA Nationals.

Write the Caption - What a blast ...

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:45 EDT

McLaren Mercedes Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain, right, sprays champagne to team boss Norbert Haug, left, after winning the German Grand Prix at the Hockenheim Formula One racetrack in Hockenheim, Germany, Sunday, July 20, 2008. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

A pair of 'kings' on hand for PGA Tour event

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:36 EDT

Those in attendance at the opening ceremony for the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., felt as though they were in the presence of royalty.

Two kings, to be exact.

"The King" Richard Petty and "The King" Arnold Palmer, along with defending Wyndham Championship winner Brandt Snedeker, were the guests at the event that is celebrating its return to Sedgefield. The Donald Ross design hosted the event until 1976.

Petty and Palmer are both celebrating 50th anniversaries in 2008. Petty competed in his first NASCAR race on July 12, 1958. Palmer won his first green jacket as the champion of the Masters tournament on April 6, 1958. The two also exchanged gifts from their private collections. Petty gave Palmer an authentic Charley One Horse cowboy hat. Palmer presented Petty with one of his favorite putters.

"Arnold and I were doing our thing around the same time, through the '60s and '70s, but our paths never crossed much," Petty said. "I always followed his career because he also has strong ties to North Carolina, having played college golf at Wake Forest.

"I admired the way he carried himself on and off the golf course. It's an honor to welcome the Wyndham Championship back to Sedgefield Country Club with Arnold and I'm glad he and I got to spend some time together.

"He looks good in that Charley One Horse hat."

Darlington Raceway to let car clubs ride

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:36 EDT

DARLINGTON, S.C. - You don't have to drive in NASCAR to get a lap around Darlington Raceway.

Track president Chris Browning said Thursday that car clubs attending the Darlington Historic Racing Festival on Labor Day weekend will get to drive a parade lap around the track "Too Tough To Tame."

The festival will feature many former NASCAR stars, including Darrell Waltrip, David Pearson, Buddy Baker and Junior Johnson. The event takes place Aug. 30-31.

Browning says the cars will be led around the 1.366 mile egg-shaped layout at the end of each day.

Darlington first hosted a NASCAR event in 1950. It's held a Sprint Cup race the past four Mother's Day weekends. Kyle Busch won the Dodge Challenger 500 at Darlington last month.

New Milwaukee Mile chairman to court RVers

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:53 EDT

The new chairman of the Milwaukee Mile said Wednesday he wants to put the famed speedway in a profitable position and make it a place where Milwaukee and Wisconsin businesses are prominent in the spotlight.

And Marcus Lemonis, chairman and chief executive of Camping World/Freedom Roads, a vendor of recreational vehicles and outdoor camping accessories that maintains a nationwide RV dealership network, is already putting his plans into action.

''We will hold a national RV rally there where we can bring in 4,000 to 5,000 RVers," Lemonis said. "I'd like to create some auto shows. I'd like to promote the environment as much as we can. My simple point is that just because there is a racetrack, it doesn't mean only race cars can come there."

Lemonis said he was aware of a recent state audit that said State Fair Park would incur about $1.1 million annually in debt service payments beginning this year that were supposed to be covered by the Milwaukee Mile ownership group when it took over in December 2005.

Lemonis' message: "The new role is to stabilize the balance sheet and stop leaning on the state. We will not be asking the state for subsidies."

Investors at the Mile named Lemonis, a Miami native and a 1995 Marquette University graduate, to take over as chairman for Craig Stoehr. Stoehr, interviewed by telephone in Qatar, said he decided to return to his old law firm Latham & Watkins and plans to work in international law in the Middle East.

Stoehr says he and his investor group will maintain their investment in the racetrack. But Lemonis is the new man in charge, said Claude Napier, the track's president and chief executive.

Lemonis has a track record with motorsports, with ties to NASCAR and IndyCar racing. His company, based in Lincolnshire, Ill., also holds title sponsorships at several tracks, including the Mile. And when he met with Mile officials in recent months, Lemonis said he felt the Mile was underused.

''Two things really struck me in the past 60 days," Lemonis said. "I knew there was a considerable amount of legislative strife with the state, with the state feeling it was subsidizing the program. And I didn't feel the Mile was telling the Wisconsin story.

''We need to do a better job of creating a visitors bureau environment there where people can come to the track and learn more about Wisconsin and Milwaukee. The track was doing a poor job of that. Compounding that problem, they weren't finding a lot of fans and allies in the marketplace."

They weren't selling enough sponsorships, either, Lemonis said.

When Stoehr's group took over, the plan was to develop a hotel, restaurant and retail complex on land adjacent to the Mile. But that plan never materialized, and Lemonis indicated it would not be a priority.

''My goal is probably not that complex. I want to walk before we run. Improve the facility, clean up the facility, the overall feel of it. Before we make bold commitments like building buildings, we need to stabilize what's there. And get on the right side of state officials," he said.

When the audit was released earlier this month, at least one state legislator called on the track to close. Lemonis wants to go in the other direction: build up the racetrack to a point where there is revenue for both the track and the state.

To do that, Lemonis said he plans to build a Camping World store at the track that he said would bring tens of thousands of customers to the site.

''I want to try to give the state a return on their asset," he said.

Racing on TV this weekend

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:46 EST

Weekend television coverage (all times Eastern and subject to change):

NASCAR SPRINT CUP

Ford 500

Site: Homestead, Fla.

Schedule: Friday, qualifying (ESPN2, 3 p.m.); Sunday, race (ABC, 3:45 p.m.).

Track: Homestead-Miami Speedway (oval, 1.5 miles, 18-20 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 400 miles, 267 laps.

Last race: Jimmie Johnson moved closer to a record-tying third consecutive NASCAR championship with a dominating victory at Phoenix International Raceway. Johnson led a race-high 217 of the 313 laps to pull away from Carl Edwards in their race for the Sprint Cup title. Johnson won for the seventh time this season to stretch his lead in the standings to 141 points over Edwards with one race remaining. Edwards, winner of the last two races, finished fourth.

Last year: Johnson became the first driver to win consecutive championships since Jeff Gordon in 1997 and '98, wrapping up the title by finishing a trouble-free seventh in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Matt Kenseth won the race and Gordon placed fourth for his NASCAR-record 30th top-10 finish of the year. Gordon finished 77 points behind Johnson.

Fast facts: Johnson heads into the season finale needing to finish 35th or better to tie Cale Yarborough (1976-78) as the only drivers in NASCAR history to win three straight Cup titles. ... Sam Hornish Jr. has a 3-point lead over Regan Smith in the rookie standings. ... The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and Fusion Sport, both featuring Ford's next-generation hybrid system, will pace the Ford 400. After the Fusion Hybrid leads the field to the green flag, the 263-horsepower Fusion Sport will be the pace car for the remainder of the race.

Next race: Budweiser Shootout, Daytona Beach, Fla., Feb. 7, 2009.

NASCAR NATIONWIDE

Ford 300

Site: Homestead, Fla.

Schedule: Saturday, qualifying (Speed Channel, 11:30 a.m.), race (ESPN2, 4:30 p.m.).

Track: Homestead-Miami Speedway (oval, 1.5 miles, 18-20 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 300 miles, 200 laps.

Last race: Carl Edwards won at Phoenix International Raceway to remain in mathematical contention to defend his Nationwide Series title. Edwards trailed Clint Bowyer at the start of the race by 91 points, but an accident on a restart prevented Bowyer from challenging for the victory. Bowyer, who dropped all the way back to 30th after his accident, rallied to finish fourth. It cleared the way for Edwards to roll to his sixth Nationwide win of the season.

Last year: Jeff Burton wrapped up the car owner's championship in style, winning the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway to give Richard Childress his 11th NASCAR title. Burton took control late in the race after a series of green flag pit stops and pulled away to the win while runner-up Mark Martin and series points champion Edwards battled behind him.

Fast facts: Bowyer goes into the season finale with a 56-point lead over Edwards. ... Kyle Busch has 10 wins followed by Edwards with six. ... Landon Cassill holds a 6-point lead over Bryan Clauson in the rookie standings.

Next race: Camping World 300, Daytona Beach, Fla., Feb. 14, 2009.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS

Ford 200

Site: Homestead, Fla.

Schedule: Friday, qualifying (Speed Channel, 5 p.m.), race (Speed Channel, 8 p.m.).

Track: Homestead-Miami Speedway (oval, 1.5 miles, 18-20 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 201 miles, 134 laps.

Last race: Kevin Harvick raced to his first Truck Series victory in five years in a bizarre event that saw championship contenders Johnny Benson and Ron Hornaday practically try to give the title away. Hornaday wrecked on the very first lap at Phoenix International Raceway, and Benson was involved in four of his own incidents as neither driver was able to take command of the title race. Benson started the night with a six-point lead over Hornaday, and they now head into the season finale separated by three points.

Last year: Hornaday won his third truck championship, finishing seventh to edge Mike Skinner by 54 points after the season-ending Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Hornaday trailed by 29 points entering the night, but benefited when Skinner's left rear wheel broke away midway through the race. Benson won the race, holding off Kyle Busch on a final lap in which Busch wound up sliding into the wall.

Fast facts: The three points separating Benson and Hornaday is the closest margin between first and second with one race remaining in Truck series history. The previous closest margin was 13 points, which Hornaday held over Jack Sprague en route to the 1998 title. ... Hornaday has six wins and Benson has five wins this year.

Next race: Daytona 250, Daytona Beach, Fla., Feb. 13, 2009.

NHRA

Automobile Club of Southern California Finals

Site: Pomona, Calif.

Schedule: Friday, qualifying, 3 p.m.; Saturday, qualifying, 2 p.m. (ESPN2, 11 p.m., tape); Sunday, eliminations, 2 p.m. (ESPN2, 7 p.m., tape).

Track: Auto Club Raceway.

Last event: Cruz Pedregon moved into first place in the 2008 Funny Car series standings after winning the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals. Pedregon, who has a 12-point lead over Tim Wilkerson in the series, eliminated Robert Hight in the final round. In Pro Stock, Jeg Coughlin remained on top of the series standings, winning the final round over Greg Anderson. Coughlin, who has a 12-1 career record against Anderson, has a 123-point advantage on the second-place Anderson. In Top Fuel, Tony Schumacher added to his 2008 points title by winning over Rod Fuller. Schumacher became the season's Top Fuel champion for his sixth time just by qualifying. He has won 15 event titles (in 23 attempts) in 2008. In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Chris Rivas moved up in the series standings by claiming a finals win over Eddie Krawiec. Season points leader Matt Smith lost valuable points in qualifying that allowed second-place Krawiec to cut the gap to 19 points and permitted Rivas to move into third place, just 39 points behind Smith.

Last year: Schumacher won his fourth straight Top Fuel title, beating Bob Vandergriff in the final round of the Auto Club of Southern California Finals to edge "Hot Rod" Fuller for the championship. Smith won the Pro Stock Motorcycle crown with final-round win, while Funny Car champion Pedregon sweated it out until the semifinals before securing his second title. Coughlin wrapped up his third Pro Stock title in the quarterfinals.

Fast facts: Auto Club Raceway at Pomona is the oldest venue on the NHRA circuit. It has been home to NHRA's season opener since 1961 and to the season closer since 1984. ... In honor of Veteran's Day, NHRA will make available to all active and retired military personnel one free ticket for the Auto Club NHRA Finals on Friday, Nov. 14. ... With title chases in some classes so tight, points gained during qualifying could be the difference. A maximum of eight points are available in qualifying. Points are awarded on a sliding scale, with eight points going to the top qualifier and one to qualifiers 13 through 16.

Next event: Auto racing, NHRA, Winternationals, Pomona, Calif., Feb. 5-8, 2009.

FORMULA ONE

Last race: Lewis Hamilton of McLaren became Formula One's youngest champion, making a pass on the final turn of the last lap to finish fifth in the Brazilian Grand Prix and win the title by one point over Felipe Massa. Ferrari's Massa won the race in front of his home crowd, but it wasn't enough to erase the seven-point lead Hamilton held entering the season-ending race. Just one year after Hamilton lost the title by one point after entering the final race with a seven-point lead, the 23-year-old Briton passed Toyota's Timo Glock on the last lap to win the championship. Fernando Alonso was 24 when he won the title in 2005 for Renault.

Next race: ING Australian Grand Prix, Melbourne, March 29, 2009.

INDY RACING LEAGUE

Last race: Ryan Briscoe has won the Indy 300 at Surfers Paradise, Australia , taking the lead when fellow Australian and pole sitter Will Power crashed out on the 17th lap. Team Penske's Briscoe finished the 60-lap race on the 2.8-mile, 14-turn temporary street circuit .5019 seconds ahead of Indy 500 winner Scott Dixon of New Zealand. American Ryan Hunter-Reay was third.

Next race: Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (Fla.), April 5, 2009.

Paid to Party | My NASCAR-filled weekend

Tue, 27 May 2008 16:59 EDT

Write the Caption - So, boss man ...

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 18:26 EDT

NASCAR driver Kyle Busch chats with NASCAR President Mike Helton before the start of practice laps for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway on June 20. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/McClatchy-Tribune photo)

Write the caption - Oohhh, I'm so-o-o-o-o mad!

Wed, 28 May 2008 09:05 EDT

Slideshow: Kellie Pickler at Speed Street

Tue, 27 May 2008 16:50 EDT

Write the Caption - How many ...?

Fri, 16 May 2008 21:30 EDT

Welcome to "Write the Caption" on ThatsRacin.com. It's pretty simple -- we select a recent photo from the track and all you have to do is submit a caption by clicking on the Comments link (below). Click on the photo to make it larger.

NASCAR crew chief Chad Knaus gives instructions to crewmen as they work on driver Jimmie Johnson's Lowe's/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet Friday afternoon during a break in practice at Lowe's Motor Speedway. JEFF SINER -- jsiner@charlotteobserver.com

Media day at Michigan features Smoke and Aces

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:05 EDT

BROOKLYN, Mich. – Two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and Detroit native Kid Rock scored a royal flush for Michigan International Speedway’s LifeLock 400 media day on Wednesday at Motor City Hotel & Casino in Detroit.

Stewart was in town promoting MIS’ Father’s Day event, scheduled for June 15, when his longtime friend Kid Rock made a guest appearance.

“Kid’s been a great friend of mine,” Stewart said. “It was nice of him to stop by and be a part of the LifeLock 400 event for MIS. He’s as good of musician and performer in his business as I am as a racecar driver in mine.”

Stewart played poker with members of the local media who cover MIS in Motor City Casino’s poker room. Although he is a regular poker player, Stewart was feeling the heat playing against some very good media members with no actual money being exchanged for the event.

“Some of these guys really mean business,” he said jokingly. “I was having a tough time for a while. I finally ended up getting a few good hands at the end though.”

MIS got race fans involved in the event as well. Ten-year MIS ticket holder Mark Casteele of Romulus, Mich., and girlfriend Debbie, a Home Depot employee, were given the opportunity to play poker with Stewart. WIOT radio in Toledo, Ohio, promotional winners Michele Tallent and Chris Rutledge also played poker with the two-time NASCAR champion, each saying it was a dream come true to hang out with one of their favorite drivers.

“I was so excited. Tony is the nicest guy and it was an experience I’ll never forget,” Casteele said. “MIS was very gracious in including us in this event. I can’t wait to get out to MIS this summer and see him race.”

Getting fans involved with the LifeLock 400 media day event was something track President Roger Curtis was excited about.

“I really enjoyed watching the fans interact with Tony,” Curtis said. “Adding a fan element to these events is fun for them and for us. We want our fans to be a part of many of our events, not just on race weekends.”

Tickets and camping for the LifeLock 400 on June 15 are available by calling the MIS ticket hotline at 800-354-1010 or by visiting MISpeedway.com.

For its 40th anniversary in 2008, MIS is hosting the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series LifeLock 400 on June 15 and the 3M Performance 400 on August 17. Other events include the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Cool City Customs 200 on June 14, the NASCAR Nationwide Series CARFAX 250 August 16 and the ARCA RE/MAX Series Michigan 200 June 13. Tickets are available for all events, including qualifying days.

To order tickets, pit passes, camping or hospitality packages, call the MIS Ticket Hotline at 800-354-1010 or visit MISpeedway.com.

Write the Caption - What's that you say, Rick?

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:36 EDT

Write the Caption - Drug Test

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:52 EDT

A NASCAR fan wears a shirt focusing on a recent drug story involving Aaron Fike (not pictured) during the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. (Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE)

Write the Caption - Tool Time

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:17 EDT

Dennis Setzer climbs out of his truck after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 250 in Martinsville, Va., Saturday, March 29. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Free visitors guides to NASCAR shops

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 11:17 EDT

Feel the need to race around to the NASCAR race shops in North Carolina? Then check out the new, free visitors guide from the Cabarrus County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The guide contains a pull-out map detailing where all the shops are, as well as handy contact information.

It includes details about stops along the Dale Trail, a self-guided tour around the Kannapolis area relating to the life and career of native son Dale Earnhardt, the late NASCAR star.

To get a copy of the guide, call 800-848-3740 or go to www.visitcabarrus.com.

The bureau printed 100,000 copies of the guide, at a net cost of $20,000, spokeswoman Judy Root said.

Hey Mom! Wanna wave the green flag?

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:54 EDT

Darlington Raceway, working in conjuction with Dodge Boys Racing, has come up with the Wave the Green Flag contest -- just in time for Mother's Day.

The contest, stacked with an all-expenses-paid package for a mom and three guests to the May 10 Cup Series race, runs through April 10. To submit your entry, visit www.dodgeboysracing.com and enter the Wave the Green Flag contest.

Also required with the entry is a 100-words-or-fewer essay on why your Mom should be declared the best NASCAR mom, according to a Darlington Raceway news release. The winning mom will wave the green flag during the May 9 Nationwide Series race.

For more information, log on to the Darlington Raceway site.

Write the Caption - Super Fan

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 16:31 EDT

Truck series drivers on hand for AutoFair at Charlotte track

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 17:06 EDT

The NASCAR Truck series has a weekend off, but several drivers from the series will be at Lowe’s Motor Speedway at 2 p.m. Friday signing autographs at the annual AutoFair sponsored by Food Lion.

Rick Crawford, Brendan Gaughan and Chrissy Wallace are be among those scheduled to attend.

The AutoFair runs from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Admission is $10 per day for adults. Parking is $5.

Driver issues fundraising challenge

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 13:07 EST

NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Martin Truex Jr. has a challenge for his friends in the motorsports community, this one off the track.

His foundation is raising money for the Dove House Children's Advocacy Center's larger planned facility in Statesville.

Dove House provides services for sexually abused children and their non-offending family members in a home in downtown Statesville. Work on the larger location off Simonton Road is scheduled to begin in April or May.

At 6,400 square feet, the new home will be more than double the size of the one downtown. The home will be valued at $1.2 million to $1.5 million, but Dove House hopes to make it mortgage-free through ongoing community donations of labor, materials and money.

The Martin Truex Jr. Foundation launched its "TAG, You're It!" fundraising campaign this week. The foundation is "tagging" NASCAR team owners, drivers, crew chiefs and others in the motorsports community to contribute to the project.

Truex's foundation purchased the project's first engraved brick paver for $1,000 and hopes others will follow suit. A custom-etched message is engraved in each 10-inch hexagonal paver that will go in the walkways of the new center's meditation gardens.

Author, university set 'The Physics of NASCAR' lecture

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 19:36 EDT

Physics professor and author of “The Physics of NASCAR,” Diandra Leslie-Pelecky will visit UNC Charlotte Monday, April 7, to present a free, public lecture about the science of racing.

Through a visual presentation, Leslie-Pelecky will take participants behind the scenes of NASCAR race shops and onto the track of Texas Motor Speedway and Daytona International. She will explore aerodynamics, materials science and vehicle dynamics, including why superspeedways have banking, why race cars don’t have mufflers and how drafting makes it possible for two cars to travel faster than either could alone.

Sponsored by the Center for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education and the Department of Physics, the lecture will take place in the College of Health and Human Services, Room 281, at 7 p.m.

For more information, visit www.stockcarscience.com.

Write the Caption - Carl flips

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:12 EST

Welcome to "Write the Caption" on ThatsRacin.com. It's pretty simple - we choose a recent photo from the track and all you have to do is submit a caption.

Write the Caption - Can you hear me now?

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 21:05 EST

New dating site geared toward NASCAR lovers

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 10:57 EST

Racing enthusiasts who want to meet like-minded singles may be surprised to learn that throughout the nation, on weekend days and nights, tracks are packed with eligible fans – many of them single – cheering on their favorite auto racing heroes.

Meetmeattheraces.com offers singles many ways to identify and make contact with each other.

The site’s charter year membership fee entitles members to search the year’s race schedule for others who live near any of the 30 major auto race tracks in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Members can also indicate their interest in attending any of 90+ major scheduled races during the 2008 season, including: the NASCAR Sprint Cup events, NASCAR Nationwide races and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races.

The website provides a system for members to reach out to each other electronically. In addition to finding the nearest race tracks and determining interest in particular races, members may search for compatible soul mates using dozens of additional criteria and personal preferences.

Meetmeattheraces.com has teamed with Hotels.com to offer a special listing of NASCAR cities for those traveling to the races Enthusiasts of stock car racing tend to be male (60%) between the ages of 18 and 44, slightly younger than national averages, with slightly higher incomes than the general U.S. population with 41% earning $50,000 per year; 46% earning $30,000 to $70,000, and 12% earning between $70,000 and $100,000 each year, according to NASCAR statistics.

Meetmeattheraces.com is not affiliated with the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR).

Drivers find a reel diversion at Daytona

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 13:54 EST

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The infield of Daytona International Speedway isn’t exactly the Great Outdoors, but the focus here will turn to fishing and the search for largemouth bass for a few hours Friday morning.

The infield might not be a back-to-nature scene, yet the relationship between racing and fishing is a natural. The 29-acre Lake Lloyd in the infield has been a part of Daytona 500 lore for many years.

“Fishing and racing are as American as you can get,” said Darrell Gwynn, whose foundation uses the annual Hot Rods and Reels Fishing Tournament here as a major fund-raiser. “Most everyone in America has a car and fishing pole in their garage. We don’t have any trouble getting guys to fish.”

Almost 20 Sprint Cup drivers will be fishing the tournament, which raises money for Gwynn’s foundation to cure paralysis and the Betty Jane France Pediatric Center at Halifax Hospital.

The list of fishermen who will race in the Daytona 500 on Sunday is long. Some of them fish occasionally around their race schedule but often fish extensively in the off-season, and have been for many years.

Ryan Newman holds his own Foundation Charity Fishing Trip each December.

He had 300 fishermen there in 2007 in Mooresville, N.C., raising $100,000 for charity. Among those who fished were Kevin Van Dam, one of the leading fisherman on the pro BASS Tour.

“Fishing is the polar opposite of racing, at least the way I fish,” Newman said last week. “Kevin Van Dam fishes differently. He fishes how I race. I do it to enjoy the outdoors, to relax and get away from racing.”

The money from his tournament becomes a source for grants to nonprofit groups that work toward conservation of America’s natural resources and to educate and encourage others to appreciate the outdoors.

Newman spends much of his offseason on fishing and hunting trips. Among his recent favorites were a fly-fishing trip for trout to Alaska and another for northern pike in a part of Saskatchewan that was accessible only by small plane.

“The whole idea is to get people back outdoors,” he said. “I played a lot of video games when I was in college, but I sure enjoy the act of fishing, and catching fish a lot more. We’d like everyone to get that chance.”

Also scheduled to fish Friday are Tony Stewart, Kyle Petty, Carl Edwards, Bobby Labonte, Kyle Busch, Jeff Burton, Brian Vickers, Scott Riggs, David Gilliland and Martin Truex Jr., among others.

Truex – an avid fisherman – is lucky enough to be sponsored by BASS Pro Shops, which provides him with all the outdoor gear that he wants.

“It’s been a dream come true for me,” he said last week. “I love to fish. I’ve always been a water guy, growing up in coastal New Jersey. I’ve always fished and hunted.”

Truex’s family owns a large independent clam and specialty seafood company.

When he was younger, he worked as a deckhand on a clamming boat, long enough to know he’d rather be racing for a living.

He was fishing on Lake Norman in North Carolina the day before he left for Daytona Beach. He spent parts of Monday and Tuesday fishing in the Disney World area, filming promotional spots for BASS.

“Sometimes fishing isn’t so relaxing. Sometimes you get ticked off and want to throw the rod in the water,” he said. “But I’ve been enjoying it since I was a kid with my grandfather and my father.”

Casey Mears said he loves the salt-water fishing and still was talking last week about the recent trip on team owner Rick Hendrick’s boat off Key West. There were a dozen other friends on the boat, which went 20 miles offshore.

“We were catching the heck out of those fish, three or four lines hooked up all day long,” he said. “But I’d like it even if we didn’t catch anything. I love the ocean, and I just love getting out there, getting away from what I do on a weekly basis. It’s just a good time.”

Gilliland said his best fishing memories came when he and the family were following his father around on the Winston West Series years ago, helping drive the motor home. He and his father occasionally found time to stop in the Mount Hood area in Oregon and fish for Steelhead trout.

“Our schedule now just doesn’t allow you to get out as often as you would like, but I still love to fish,” he said. “We live near Lake Norman, and I take my 7-year-old son with me. It’s a great way to get away and focus on the time I can spend with him.”

Write the Caption - Jeff Burton hard at work

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 21:36 EST

Owners finally realize what everyone else has always known

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 20:41 EST

The obvious can only be ignored for so long.

Tony George, the Champ Car World Series crew and its predecessors tried mightily for more than a decade, but even they came to recognize what everyone else has known for years: There is room enough for only one open-wheel series.

After years of bickering, the Indy Racing League and Champ Car finally managed to set aside their differences Friday and reach a unification agreement. Champ Car will cease operations in 2008, leaving all of open-wheel racing to the IRL.

Now that the charade of the two series is just about over, they can get on with the bigger challenge: reviving their sport.

“It’s very hard to compete against NASCAR here because of the level where NASCAR is,” said Juan Pablo Montoya, an Indianapolis 500 winner who defected first to Formula One and now drives in NASCAR.

“But I think for the hardcore open-wheel fan, it’s going to be good to see all the drivers together again.”

It seems hard to believe now, but there was a time when open-wheel racing was one of the country’s premier sports. Fans loved the drama and thrill of it all, and there was nothing quite like the high-pitched whine of an open-wheel engine as cars sped around tracks well above 200 mph.

Drivers were household names, and the Foyts and Unsers and Andrettis were dynasties. The Indianapolis 500 was an “event” as much as it was a race, with fans nationwide planning their Memorial Day barbecues around the famous call of “Gentlemen, start your engines.”

But George, president and chief executive of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, couldn’t leave well enough alone. Concerned about growing costs in open-wheel, the move away from the tradition of oval races and dwindling opportunities for young American drivers, he broke away from CART and began the IRL in 1996.

Some of his concerns were valid, though that really isn’t the point anymore. Egos and self-interests dominated, and both sides dug in for a long and nasty fight. CART had the bigger names initially, but George had the Indy 500.

Fans, meanwhile, got the short end. A race in rural Michigan can never replace Indy, no matter if it’s also on Memorial Day weekend. And the Racing Dentist, Jack Miller, isn’t a worthy heir to A.J. Foyt just because he’s got a ride at Indy.

But neither side could – or cared to – see the bigger picture. George may have “won” the open-wheel war (CART went bankrupt in 2004 and was bought by Kevin Kalkhoven, Gerald Forsythe and Paul Gentilozzi), but the cost was immeasurable.

Fans long ago gave up on open-wheel racing, and it’s largely been reduced to a fringe sport. NASCAR is where racin’ is at these days. Once a regional pastime, it took full advantage of the split and turned itself into a nationwide phenomenon.

Even the Indianapolis 500 has lost its luster. Empty seats are now visible at the Brickyard – something unthinkable just 15 years ago. And it really isn’t the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” anymore. That mantle now belongs to “The Great American Race” – the Daytona 500.

The Indy 500 may be Tony Stewart’s holy grail, but he realized long ago that NASCAR was the place to be. Jeff Gordon spent part of his youth back home in Indiana, but he never gave Indy cars much thought.

Just this year, reigning Indy 500 champion Dario Franchitti jumped to NASCAR along with three-time IndyCar champion Sam Hornish Jr.

In fact, these days, the IRL’s biggest names are better known for what they’ve done OFF the track. Helio Castroneves may have won Indy twice, but it took a win on “Dancing with the Stars” to take him mainstream. Danica Patrick generates more interest in a bikini than a fire suit.

Indeed, IndyCar racing will essentially be starting from scratch. There are obvious technical and logistical hurdles to work out, but those will be minor compared to the big-picture barriers. IndyCar racing will have to win back its old fans and make new ones, groom new drivers, and prove to sponsors that a single open-wheel series can still be relevant in the age of NASCAR dominance.

“This is a great day for open-wheel racing,” longtime car owner Bobby Rahal said. “I truly believe that this is the first step toward restoring open-wheel racing and the Indianapolis 500 to not only where it once was, but beyond.”

Maybe, maybe not. But this is the only way for open-wheel racing to have a fighting chance.

Nancy Armour is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to her at narmourap.org

Write the Caption - Time to Relax

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 18:29 EST

Write the caption - NASCAR-style

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:09 EST