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Captain Thunder's Nascar Discussion
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| Captain Thunder's Nascar Discussion
- Click HERE to go to the original thread with graphics
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| Captain Thunder |
| HARVICK SWEEPS PHEONIX WHILE CHILDRESS IS AWAY HUNTING ELEPHANTS IN AFRICA! |
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| Captain Thunder |
| post your NASCAR questions here and I will answer them on the air every Monday and Friday nights! |
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| stinkynutz |
no thanks. :rolleyes:
By the way, mister expert, Kyle Petty didn't cause that big wreck.
Dale Jr. did. (by his own admission)
Kyle had the line, and Jr. went in too deep. |
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| massmaniac |
Quote: Originally posted by Captain Thunder
post your NASCAR questions here and I will answer them on the air every Monday and Friday nights! |
here's a question...will nascar aim to cut down on the amount of nextel cup teams participating in the busch series? this is getting to be re-goddamn-diculous... |
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| bubba57 |
| They should but... as long as the almighty dollar is providing support it will be tough to do anything about it. |
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| Captain Thunder |
| first of all, kyle ran into mikey waltrip and caused a 5 car wreck, not JR. second, no they will not eliminate the cup drivers from busch. for one, they fill the stands on saturday, but more importantly, nascar is afraid they would not be able to fill a 43 car field at every track without the cup drivers. |
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| huktondew |
| I thought I heard that cup drivers would be limited to 10 races on the busch series... |
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| TheRapist |
| How about a Kelly Sutton interview! Thanks again for this Capt. Don't let anyone know I go by TheRapist on here. It started as a play on "therapist" and got carried away! |
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| BonswanaMiliken |
I agree with some of you guys about the Busch series.
I think once a guy has been a full time nextel cup driver for 3 years , no more Busch races. But since it is all about the bottom line$$$, it will probably stay as is. |
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| deidler |
| Is Michael Waltrip gay? He seems very effeminate. |
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| Limo~Sir |
Quote: Originally posted by deidler
Is Michael Waltrip gay? He seems very effeminate. |
no but nascar fucked over tim richmond and his great legacy for getting the HIV--he was as talented as Earnhardt |
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| stinkynutz |
Quote: Originally posted by Captain Thunder
first of all, kyle ran into mikey waltrip and caused a 5 car wreck, not JR. second, no they will not eliminate the cup drivers from busch. for one, they fill the stands on saturday, but more importantly, nascar is afraid they would not be able to fill a 43 car field at every track without the cup drivers. |
I was talking about when Jr. ran over Kyle and caused the other wreck. |
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| Captain Thunder |
| mikey is not gay, his wife Buffy is way hot! my solution to the busch problem is this. the top 20 cup drivers from the year before cannot compete at the busch level at the first race of the year (daytona) from that week on we use the current point standings (from the daytona race) and anyone in the top 20 cnnot race in busch and you go from there. anyone in the top 20 in the cup standings must stay out of the busch ranks. if they fall ouot of the top 20, then they can run inthe busch race the next weekend. this would keep out the most of the top drivers from cup and it would open up spots for struggling busch drivers to have a chance to win. just a thought! |
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| Captain Thunder |
| Dale JR. and the rest of DEI to drive BLACK cars this weekend to honor Dale Sr.'s birthday. He would have been 55. |
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| herta28 |
Why just Cup cars? Real race cars turn left AND right...just sayin' :hw: ;)
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| Kenoe |
Thats a "Nas Car"
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| Captain Thunder |
gordons car all fucked up at dega today, they barely made practice because of illegal templates on their left front right fron and hood. gordon was pissed! new crew chief dropping the ball bigtime! he will be fired before year end!
jj yelley wins poll for busch race.
harvick will not sign with childress toyota money will be huge!
kelly "girl" sutton rocks, thanks for being on the show tonight! |
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| herta28 |
Quote: Originally posted by Captain Thunder
toyota money will be huge! |
Toyota's budget in Formula One is rumored to be half a billion dollars. Now that they're entering NASCAR they will stop at nothing to win. |
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| bubba57 |
| And that will be the demise of NASCAR...... |
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| Captain Thunder |
| Truex JR. wins Busch race at 'Dega on Dale Sr.'s 55th Birthday!! Great win for DEI. Also, 20,000 people turn out at DEI in Moorsville, NC to honor Big "E". Can JR. win tomorrow? No doubt about it! He has as good a chance as anyone and they still have those resrtictor plate cars dialed in better than anyone. They dont run well alone but in a crowd they are dynamite! |
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| Captain Thunder |
Dale Jr.'s tribute to his late father fizzled out when his engine blew with only 37 laps to go.
NASCAR officials say Evernham Motorsports driver #9-Kasey Kahne will have to get medical clearance before he's allowed to test Tuesday at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Kahne talked with Dr. Jerry Petty, a Charlotte, N.C., neurosurgeon, on Monday and has a Tuesday morning appointment with Petty to get clearance. Kahne crashed early in the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway Monday afternoon and had the wind knocked out of him during an early 15-car accident and was not given medical clearance to return to the race. NASCAR officials did not allow him to return to the Nextel Cup race. Hermie Sadler took over the wheel of Kahne's car.
Richard Childress announced a program on Wednesday that will resurrect the No. 3 — at least as a show car — to celebrate RCR's 20th anniversary with General Motors. But Childress added that RCR won't be running the No. 3 any time soon, even though Dale Earnhardt still sell the third-most souvenirs in the garage.
This week’s test at Lowe’s Motor Speedway will now be two days instead of three. Cars will hit the newly repaved 1.5-mile speedway on Tuesday and Wednesday from 1:00-9:00pm/et each day.
Tire Testing at Indy. Sources in the NASCAR garage said that Goodyear would use #20-Tony Stewart, #9-Kasey Kahne and #38-Elliott Sadler to test tires at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday and Tuesday. It is the fourth such test for Goodyear this season. The tire manufacturer also had closed tests at Atlanta, Texas and Charlotte. Being picked for tire tests is becoming increasingly competitive, as NASCAR rules limit testing to just six tracks.
#55-Michael Waltrip said Friday at Talladega Superspeedway that he has personally offered #88-Dale Jarrett a contract to drive a Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota Camry Nextel Cup car in 2007. Toyota and Waltrip are also said to be wooing Jarrett’s sponsor, UPS, which is in the final year of its contract with Robert Yates Racing. Waltrip said he hopes to have a driver signed for 2007 in short order.
Joe Nemechek led all active drivers with a streak of 40 straight finishes. But it was snapped when his car was wrecked 14 laps from the finish at Talledega.
Boris Said and veteran crew chief Frank Stoddard have formed their own Nextel Cup team. They are partnering with long-time Said associate and former driver and team owner Mark Simo. The team, which is slated to run four or five races this season, will work with Roush Racing, which has offered to supply the team with cars, engines and technical expertise. Said, a veteran road racer and occasional NASCAR Cup competitor, is working as a consultant to help Evernham's drivers, Kahne, Jeremy Mayfield and Scott Riggs get ready for those winding tracks that can be tough on younger drivers.
Brian France, chairman and chief executive officer of NASCAR -- has a new title to his name today courtesy of TIME Magazine. France, 43, is one of the world's 100 most influential people, according to an edition of the magazine that hits newsstands today.
NASCAR Chairman Brian France has sold most of his stock in International Speedway Corp., the publicly traded track operating company controlled by his family, but an ISC spokesman said March 9 there is nothing unusual about the action. France didn't own much of the stock, relatively speaking, in the first place.
NASCAR announced that Kerry Tharp will manage public relations for NASCAR's three national racing series and the weekly and touring series. In his new role, Tharp will be responsible for all at-track media procedures, public relations for the Research and Development Center and NASCAR media events in Charlotte, N.C.
Knaus Wins WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race at Talladega.
#45-Kyle Petty is looking for a sponsor for six to eight races to complete the sponsorship program for the #45 Petty Enterprises Dodge he drives in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. Petty said Friday that a company he had a signed contract with fell through, but he would not name the company.
#21 Crew Chief penalized: NASCAR announced that David Hyder, crew chief for the #21 Nextel Cup Series team, has been fined $5,000 and placed on probation until Dec. 31, 2006 for a rule violation at Phoenix International Raceway. Hyder violated Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing), 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment that do not conform to NASCAR rules) and 20-10.8.4I (unapproved tire warming by using a portable heater) of the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Rule Book. The rule violation was discovered during the running of the Subway Fresh 500 on April 22.(NASCAR)(5-1-2006)
NASCAR driving legend Donnie Allison has joined his brother Bobby as a commentator on the new Reality Racing - The Rookie Challenge network television series. The Reality Racing - The Rookie Challenge combines two of the most prevalent on-air entertainment concepts - stock car racing and reality television - to create a unique, action-packed, 13-week series scheduled to air on a major network later this year. The Series will pit contestants with absolutely no racing backgrounds and from all walks of life against each other in a stock car racing competition format. Helping to judge the competitors will be a panel of select, former stock car racing stars headed by the Allisons. Additional information on Reality Racing, Inc. and the new series can be obtained at www.realityracingtv.com
Kevin Harvick says he wants to resign with RCR.
Dale Jarret announced that 2008 will be his last season of racing. Too bad he doesn't have a deal done with Robert Yates Racing, he should be able to go out on his own terms, his own way, because Dale Jarret deserves that. He is indeed a true champion and one of the classiest guys in the sport. We will all miss you DJ. Race the truck! |
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| Captain Thunder |
ricky rudd and dale jarret being courted by toyota
harvick to resign with rcr tomorrow
denny hamlin slices open hand and gets stitches after running around hauler and getting hand caught in bumper
new reality show coming on soon, hosted by allison brothers
richmond race, saturday night, watch out for #20 and #5 |
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| nyy910 |
Captain:
What is your opinion on the Buschwackers.. I believe NASCAR should limit how many Cup side drivers enter, as it looks like a full time cup driver is going to win the race. To me, its like if the Yankees went and played in the Double AA Eastern League |
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| Captain Thunder |
FINALLY!
After a 27 race winless streak, the waiting is FINALLY over for Dale Earnhardt JR. and his legion of fans. He earned his 17th career victory and his third at Richmond by driving like the Earnhardt of old!
"I think we are there,'' he said. "We keep taking our shots, but we're pretty competitive. Everything is working really great. I couldn't ask for any position on this team to be any better.
"I'm just glad to be back in Victory Lane. It feels really great.''
JR. had not won since last July when he took the checkered flag at Chicagoland on fuel strategy. Earnhardt haters called it a "cheap" win. But there was nothing cheap about the Richmond win, and the fans let him know it.
110,000 fans went beserk when JR. took the lead with 45 laps to go. He started 10th and ran near the front all night, but it might have been an atrocious pit strategy by the #29 of Kevin Harvick that sealed the victory for Dale Jr.
With only 115 laps to go in the race, everyone on the lead lap pitted for fresh tires and fuel, but for some reason Harvick's crew chief, Todd Berrier, decided to stay out and not pit. He led a race leading 272 laps on the night.
It seemed as if the confidence the #29 car has had hurt them instead of helped them. Harvick had won the Busch race the night before and was trying to be the first driver to sweep Richmond since the legendary Harry Gant did it. But the extreme confidence they had in their car ended up losing them the race.
Harvick signed a three year contract extension with Richard Childress Racing on Friday for an enormous amount of money. But, he was so disgusted after the race he left without talking to reporters. I guess 35 million dollars a year isn't enough to ease the pain of a Richmond loss!
The decision not to pit proved fatal as Denny Hamlin, driving with 19 stitches from a freak accident incurred while running around his hauler, drove by Harvick as did Dale JR. and Kyle Busch.
Hamlin was attempting to win at his home track and along with Earnhardt was the crowd favorite. He grew up less than 20 miles from Richmond International Raceway.
After the race Hamlin was thrilled, "This is by far the biggest race of my career''. "It's awesome, I can't tell you how I feel. I'm going to ride this wave for months.''
But when the race was on the line with 10 laps to go no one was better than Earnhardt. With 5 laps to go he pulled away from the field and never looked back. After crossing the finish line JR. turned in the best burn out of the year and shredded his right rear tire while surrounding his car in thick white smoke.
Harvick did manage to get around Busch to finish 3rd. Busch also ended up letting Greg Biffle by to finish 5th while defending cup champion Tony Stewart was 6th.
Biffle had a great car all night but was hampered for awhile after oil from a punctured oil tank on Matt Kenseth's #17 Ford sprayed all over his tear off windshield.
I'm so excited -- I'm going to celebrate like it's a victory,'' Biffle said. "I tell you what -- it's like I won even though I didn't get the trophy.''
Kenseth was running 2nd and looked dominant until he ran over a chunk of broken brake rotar and punctured the oil tank. They took the car to the garage and replaced the tank, but not before he went multiple laps down. His night ended in a very unlucky 38th position.
Another Rousch car had terrible luck and problems pitting. On lap 185 Carl Edwards spun out trying to get onto pit road as Clint Boyer ran into the back of him and spun him out.
Busch actually led the race with 50 laps to go but was no match for the #8 of Earnhardt.
Kyle's brother Kurt, a past Nextel Cup Champion, also had a great car and ran in the top 5 for the first half of the race. It looked as if he would have a great chance to win the race but his crew left a tire on the wrong side of the imaginary line in his pit stall and it cost him a pass through penalty. Then, Busch was too fast exiting pit road on his pass through and got another pass through penalty. Night over! The #2 Miller Lite car finished a disappointing 29th.
Another past cup champion had engine trouble halfway into the race. With 170 laps to go, Jeff Gordon's #24 Dupont Chevrolet lost power. After ripping the car apart crew chief Steve Letarte declared that a bad distributor was the cause. Gordon was in 13th when his car let him down.
Gordon finished 40th and dropped from 6th to 9th in the point standings and in danger of falling out of the chase for the championship. This has been a brutal year for the four time champion as bad luck has cost him more than a few wins already.
Jimmy Johnson still leads the point standings but Tony Stewart is bearing down on him and is only 55 points back. Stewart is followed by Kenseth, Mark Martin, and Harvick as they head to Darlington. |
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| yorkbronson |
In a stunning move, Robby Gordon will capture the Nextel Cup Championship.
Everybody wants to be part of a miracle baby! |
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| Captain Thunder |
NYY910: I get asked this question at least once a week sometimes more. Here is the deal. NASCAR lets the cup guys race in the Busch series for a few reasons. First of all, they are the drivers that sell tickets. There is no way they can fill a 100k seat race track with drivers like Ashton Lewis or Jerry Robertson. Second, they are fearful that without the cup guys they would not be able to field a 43 car field. Third, it does help the younger guys to race the track the day before to grab some much needed track time.
My feeling is that they should limit it though to only cup drivers that are not in the top 10 or top 20. In other words, if you are in the top 20 in the points standings this week you cannot race in the Busch series. This would still help the younger guys and they would still sell tickets because there are always many big names not in the top 20 at any given time. Right now you could have ryan Newman, Bobby Labonte, Martin Truex, Sterlin Marlin, Robby Gordon, Jeremy Mayfield, Michael Waltrip, and Terry Labonte all race Busch as they are all out of the top 20. |
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| smokebomb |
They can't limit the Buschwackers to the Cup guys outside of the top 20 because of the TV and gate money. People want to see those guys for a cheap price like the Busch series. I am going to take my boy to Charlotte for the Busch race and we can go for less than 25 bucks. It is the best deal in town. We would probably still go even if Smoke wasn't out there because it is so close to home. But I wouldn't have set though that blizzard in Bristol this year if the Cup regulars weren't on the track. I would have stayed my ass in the heat instead.
I say make all the cup regualrs qualify on time with no provisionals for the races. Also I wouldn't let them accumualte points so they can't compete for the championship. Let the newbies/oldsters race for that title. If they still want to go out on the track to practice/get info for the big race, rock on.
What would really solve all of this would be to totally change the Busch cars so they are nothing like the cup cars. There is way to much similarity between the two series. Then they would go down a series to get info for Sunday. Maybe, once the horrible Car of Tomorrow comes out, they will start staying away. |
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| Captain Thunder |
| TUNE INTO THE FERRALL SHOW TONIGHT TO HEAR CAPTAIN THUNDER AND FERRALL INTERVIEW CLINT BOWYER. CLINT IS THE DRIVER OF THE #07 JACK DANIELS RICHARD CHILDRESS CHEVROLET AND HE IS 15TH IN NEXTEL CUP POINTS AND 2ND IN BUSCH POINTS. |
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| Captain Thunder |
Dale Jr. wins first race in 10 months
Goodyear's harder compound tire is getting rave reviews at this week's test session at Lowes Motor Speedway. Clint Bowyer told Captain Thunder the tires were better after 85 laps than they were after one lap.
NASCAR heads to Darlington this week to try to tame the lady in black once again. Last years winner Greg Biffle would love to repeat as he is currently sitting 20th in ppoints and in danger of missing the "Chase For The Championship"
Kasey Kahne's No. 9 Dodge pit crew will attempt to defend their championship in the 2006 Nextel Pit Crew Challenge, to be held at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena on May 17
Dale Jarret was penalized and Crew chief Richard "Slugger'' Labbe was suspended through June 7th. Labbe will mis three points races and will also sit out the all-star race at Lowes Motor Speedway. He will also have to pay a $25,000 fine for using an unapproved rear sway bar mounting that NASCAR officials discovered during pre-race inspection. Jarrett was penalized 25 points, dropping him from 11th to 12th in the standings. Robert Yates Racing is appealing the penalties.
Kevin Harvick's race team won the weekly Checkers - Rally's Double Drive - Thru Challenge competition by spending the least amount of time on pit road in Saturday night's Nextel Cup race at Richmond International Raceway. The #29 Chevrolet only spent 164.225 seconds on pit road during the Crown Royal 400.
DJ to Toyota in 2007 looks like a done deal. Just the details have to be worked out. Ricky Rudd may follow on a limited basis.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers will perform between the first and second segments of the Nextel All-Star Challenge on May 20. They will be debuting songs from their newest album, "Stadium Arcadium."
Carrie Underwood will also perform at Lowes for the pre race festivities. Her hit single, "Jesus, Take the Wheel" has been a fan favorite for weeks and was No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs Chart.
Luke Perry will be the honarary starter for the Dodge Charger 500 on Saturday evening at Darlington Raceway. Perry was one of the stars of the hit series Beverly Hills 90210
NASCAR officials say Evernham Motorsports driver #9-Kasey Kahne will have to get medical clearance before he's allowed to test Tuesday at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Kahne talked with Dr. Jerry Petty, a Charlotte, N.C., neurosurgeon, on Monday and has a Tuesday morning appointment with Petty to get clearance. Kahne crashed early in the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway Monday afternoon and had the wind knocked out of him during an early 15-car accident and was not given medical clearance to return to the race. NASCAR officials did not allow him to return to the Nextel Cup race. Hermie Sadler took over the wheel of Kahne's car.
Richard Childress announced a program on Wednesday that will resurrect the No. 3 — at least as a show car — to celebrate RCR's 20th anniversary with General Motors. But Childress added that RCR won't be running the No. 3 any time soon, even though Dale Earnhardt still sell the third-most souvenirs in the garage. |
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| Captain Thunder |
Captain Thunder, was Dale Jr. crushed after blowing his engine at Talledega? - Mike, New Jersey
ANSWER: I have never seen Jr. more dejected than he was after the 'Dega race. He really wanted to win for his dad and the fans!
Captain Thunder, will Jeff Gordon ever stop whining after races he does not win? - Bobby, Illinois
ANSWER: It doesn't seem so. He conitnued to whine about having no help at the end of the 'Dega race yet he had two teammates, Jimmy Johnson and Brian Vickers right there with him.
Captain Thunder, what do you think of the way Robby Gordon has performed this year? - Jeff, Mississippi
ANSWER: Robby is doing a tremendous job as an owner/driver. He finished 10th at 'Dega and had a great car all day.
Captain Thunder, How happy was Chad Knaus to be in victory lane? - Doug, Oakland, CA
ANSWER: After missing out on the celebrations at Daytona and Las Vegas because of his suspension for cheating, Chad was thrilled to be in victory lane. No one was smiling brighter than Chad!
Captain Thunder, What is behind Tony Stewart's consistancy this season? - Mark, Dallas
ANSWER: ZIPPY!!! Zippy has got that car dialed in every week and so far is crew chief of the year.
Captain Thunder, can Mark Martin win a championship this year? - Sandy, Oregon
ANSWER: No question in my mind. They can do it and everyone on that team knows it. They have a ton of confidence right now. And, the driver may be driving better than ever
Captain Thunder, will Kevin Harvick be back with RCR next year? - Hank, NC
ANSWER: No! Kevin will be in a Toyota next year.
Captain Thunder, when will NASCAR stop the Nextel Cup drivers from running in the Busch Series? - Scott, Saratoga, NY
ANSWER: Not any time soon. The Cup guys put people in the seats on Saturday's and NASCAR is very fearful that they cannot field a 43 car race without the Cup stars. |
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| Captain Thunder |
| SPECIAL THANK'S TO NEXTEL CUP ROOKIE STAR CLINT BOWYER. CLINT DRIVES THE #07 JACK DANIELS CHEVROLET FOR RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING AND HE JOINED FERRALL AND I FOR AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WEDNESDAY NIGHT ON SIRIUS CHANNEL 101. THANK'S CLINT, YOU WERE GREAT! |
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| Captain Thunder |
Lowe’s and SeaWorld announced today that Jimmie Johnson will feature a Shamu paint scheme on his Chevrolet when the Daytona 500 champion returns to the superspeedway on July 1.
“The No. 48 Lowe’s team has done some great family-themed paint schemes in the past few years,” said Johnson. “This Shamu scheme is no different. All kids love Shamu. I know I did growing up in San Diego. Now, I’ll be able to bring Shamu to the beaches of Daytona and hopefully introduce him to Victory Lane.” |
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| Captain Thunder |
| In an effort to demonstrate its commitment to families and children and help introduce them to Soap Box Derby, the Levi Strauss Signature® brand hosted a Soap Box Derby car-building workshop for boys and girls of the Greater Washington, D.C., area today. Additionally, NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson was on hand to assist the youth in building their cars and to share some of his racing expertise. |
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| Captain Thunder |
| CAPTAIN THUNDER "LIVE" IN THE SIRIUS SATELLITE STUDIOS WITH SCOTT FERRALL THIS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHTS FROM 8-MIDNIGHT ON HOWARD STERN CHANNEL 101. DON'T MISS IT! |
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| Captain Thunder |
ELDORA'S NEXTEL PRELUDE TO THE DREAM ENTRY LIST CONTINUES TO GROW - As promised, the list for Eldora Speedway’s June 7 Nextel Prelude to the Dream continues to grow. The most recent additions to the NASCAR Nextel Cup driver participant list include Robby Gordon, Bobby Labonte, Mike Wallace, Matt Kenseth, and Elliot Sadler. The track is also pleased to announce that Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Greg Biffle will be special non-driving guests, each of whom will have trackside responsibilities.
This impressive collection of additions will join previously announced NASCAR drivers Tony Stewart (who doubles as the Eldora Speedway owner), Ryan Newman, Jamie McMurray, Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Mark Martin, Kenny Wallace (defending Prelude champion), Kenny Schrader, Dave Blaney, J.J. Yeley, Kyle Petty and Denny Hamlin. Also in the mix is the ageless veteran Red Farmer, along with NHRA standout Ron Capps.
Gordon will join Stewart as one of the most versatile drivers in the mix. Often compared to Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt, racing to Gordon is more of passion than business. He can, and has, driven virtually every type of racing vehicle on four wheels. His stats include three NASCAR Cup wins, along with two wins in the CART open wheel series. Most of his dirt track experience has come in the form of off-road racing in the desert, but Gordon is anxious to test the famed Eldora clay high-banked oval. Advance tickets for the event are available online at www.eldoraspeedway.com, story per www.eldoraspeedway.com
ESPN Sports Poll Ranks NASCAR Number one! NASCAR tops the list as the favorite type of motorsports according to fans polled from January-December 2005 on ESPN.com. It received 59.5% of the votes compared to the next-highest total of 13.4% for the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). Following in third place were motorcycle events at 9.7, Formula 1 with 6.3, the Indy Racing League (IRL) with 6.1, Champ Car World Series with 1.4 and other racing series at 0.4. NASCAR also led the 2004 version of the ESPN Sports Poll, with fans sampling conducted from January through February of that year. In the 2004 poll, NASCAR led with 57.6% of fans’ response, followed by the NHRA with 13.9, motorcycle events with 9.8, the IRL with 6.8, Formula 1 with 6.0, Champ Car World Series with 1.8, www.jayski.com
Three Waltrip car's? It looks like Michael Waltrip Racing may have three Nextel Cup team's in 2007. Rumored sponsors are Burger King and Domino's Pizza. Don't be surprised if Waltrip has four teams before it is all said and done!
Ford bitter at loss of DJ... Dan Davis, director, Ford Racing Technology, issued a statement regarding the loss of former Cup Champion Dale Jarret. - "We're obviously not happy Dale is leaving Robert Yates Racing because he's been a champion and a great ambassador for Ford fans". "We understand his decision, but we are disappointed. Toyota is going to have its work cut out for them competing in Nextel Cup, no matter how much they plan on spending. Our plan is to keep winning races and championships."
Look for Larry McReynolds to be a team owner in 2007. Probably on the Busch series, then the Cup series in 2008.
Lowe’s and SeaWorld announced today that Jimmie Johnson will feature a Shamu paint scheme on his Chevrolet when the Daytona 500 champion returns to the superspeedway on July 1.
Richard “Slugger” Labbe offered his resignation to Yates Racing- Dale Jarrett’s crew chief Richard “Slugger” Labbe this week offered his resignation in regards to penalties handed down by NASCAR following last weeks race at Richmond. Car owner Robert Yates rejected the resignation. The team is appealing a $25,000 fine, the loss of 25 driver and owner points as well as a four races suspension of Labbe for the infraction. They were penalized for an illegal sway bar. "Slugger" had this to say, “It wasn’t that we tried to hide anything…it was out in the open and it’s not something we did after inspection. We went through inspection with it…qualified with it and all of a sudden they didn’t like it. It was on there all day long the day prior and nothing was said so it's tough. I don’t think we were singled out, I think it just caught his eye and he didn’t like the way it was.” |
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| Captain Thunder |
| Jimmy Johnson signs a 3 year extension with Hendricks motor sports through 2010. |
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| Captain Thunder |
| CAPTAIN THUNDER LIVE ON THE FERRALL SHOW THURSDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT, BRING YOUR NASCAR QUESTIONS ALL NIGHT LONG!!! |
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| Brian-in-Vegas |
| Hey, Thunder you see what they're doing to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway? |
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| Brian-in-Vegas |
Quote: Originally posted by Brian-in-Vegas
Hey, Thunder you see what they're doing to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway? |
They're redoing the track, you know about that. Also, the whole infield, garages and all. I heard from the super of the project that the garages will have walkways above the cars and crews so fans can see what's going on.
They are working out some things with the Air Force base to build two condo towers outside of turn two.
Next year, after the race, they start demoing the suite and box building. Everything between the Dale Earnhardt terrace to the Richard Petty terrace is going.
Big things going on. I have photos. |
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| Limo~Sir |
| dale jarrett is washed up and no loss to Ford--Kurt busch was a lost to Ford |
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| DILLIGAF3 |
Quote: Originally posted by Captain Thunder
Jimmy Johnson signs a 3 year extension with Hendricks motor sports through 2010. |
say capt, why didnt they renew chad knaus deal?? |
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| Il Gatto |
| Michael Waltrip buys Derrick Cope's car(since it qualified and Michael didn't) to get into Coca Cola 600. That rule needs to be changed. |
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| DILLIGAF3 |
| how much did waltrip have to pay for copes ride?? |
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| Il Gatto |
Quote: Originally posted by DILLIGAF3
how much did waltrip have to pay for copes ride?? |
Price wasn't revealed in the press. Whatever the cost of one of those cars is. |
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| Captain Thunder |
| chad knaus has a new deal, it hasnt been announced yet, he is signed through 2010 |
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| Captain Thunder |
Dale Earnhardt JR. Crashes Car of Tomorrow While Testing at Lowes - Dale Earnhardt Jr. wrecked his new Chevy Car of Tomorrow against the wall at Lowes while testing on Wednesday. "It got tight turning the wheel and it didn’t turn”; said Junior. “We were out there goofing around and the thing doesn’t handle that great so we hit the fence, it’ll be alright. I like the car. I don’t mind it too much. That’ll be normal to us one of these days.” JR. seemed to like the car very much. “One of the things I like about it is in the cockpit, how they made the greenhouse bigger you can actually see out of the car better. I think they’re going in a good direction with the down force. I think the wing is a good thing as long as we don’t flip upside down when we spin out.” He added, “I don’t care what it looks like as long as it drives good.” JR. was also seen taking driving the #31 Richard Childress Racing Car of Tomorrow to get some additional seat time
Other Drivers Test Car of Tomorrow - For the first time NASCAR’s Car of Tomorrow ran in groups of 6-8 cars with the aerodynamic wing attached to the rear. Today was the start of a two-day test session at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Jeff Burton, Joe Nemechek, Scott Riggs, Denny Hamlin, Casey Mears, and Brian Vickers all tested. Jack Roush decided not to test this week and gave his drivers somw much needed time off. Robert Yates Racing has yet to start working on the Car of Tomorrow and doesn't plan to until NASCAR sets its rules. Car owner Jack Roush said he's built and rebuilt the Car of Tomorrow a couple of times. Every time he gets one done, NASCAR makes changes. He said he spent more than $300,000 on the car before it ever hit the track
NASCAR May Change Wing Already - Kerry Tharp told SPEEDTV.com Saturday that NASCAR is looking at cutting up to six inches of the rear end of the COT design, which Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton confirmed. “We’re talking about it,” said Pemberton. “The manufacturers are looking at some different things and we are, too. With running the wing, it’s given us a lot more options of what we can do with the body from some of the things that we’d worked on early on when it was just a spoiler. We’re looking at all that.”
Dale JR. To Race Special Car On Father's Day - Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Budweiser will honor three generations of racing success with a commemorative Father’s Day paint scheme for the #8 Budweiser car that Dale Earnhardt Jr. will race at Michigan on Father’s Day. The paint scheme is based on the #8 cars driven by Ralph Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt during their NASCAR careers
Kasey Kahne Wins Coca Cola 600 - Kasey Kahne won the Coca Cola 600 and ended Jimmy Johnsons dominance of Lowes Motor Speedway. Johnson had won the last three 600's and 7 of the last 10 races at Lowes
Gordon Whine's After Crashing...Again - Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 DuPont Chevrolet was whining again after he crashed and finished a dismal 36th in the Coca Cola 600 at Lowes. "I can't believe this is the kind of tire we have to race on,'' Gordon said after crashing his way out of the 600 and finishing 36th. "Goodyear could do better than this, and we could put on a better race than this.''
Yates To Run Roush Chassis - Robert Yates Racing will begin using chassis supplied by Jack Roush and his Roush Racing Team. Yates has made some major changes this season in an attempt to keep up with the rest of the NASCAR garage teams
Bill Elliot To Return With Toyota In 2007 - There is a great chance that "Awesome Bill From Dawsonville" will return to the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series next year as the 3rd driver for Michael Waltrip Racing. A contract could be announced soon
Sam Hornish Jr. Wins Indy - Sam Hornish Jr. edged out 19 year old Marco Andretti in the second closest Indy 500 ever! Still no wins for the Andretti family since grandpa Mario ruled the Indy world. Still, Hornish discounted running in the Nextel Cup Series in the future, "I'm never going to tell you that I won't do that," Hornish said, "But there's still a lot that I want to do as far as Indy cars go. I'd love to win another championship."
Coca Cola 600 Beats Out Indy 500 - The Coca Cola 600 earned a 5.0 rating and a 10 share which was more than 20% higher than the ratings for the Indy
Ricky Rudd To Drive For "Smoke" - Ricky Rudd will qualify the #20 Home Depot Chevy of Tony Stewart this weekend at Dover and will be standing by to take over should "Smoke" not be able to complete the race
"Smoke" Training With Carolina Panthers - Tony Stewart stay in Charlotte and will rehab his injured right shoulder this week with Al Shuford, trainer for the Carolina Panthers
Car of Tomorrow Testing Goes Well - Jeff Burton, Ryan Newman, and Casey Mears all tested the Car of Tomorrow at Lowes and felt the car was excellent
#19 Mayfield Will Be Penalized - Jeremy Mayfield's #19 was found to be in violation of Section 12-4-A, 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used that do not conform to NASCAR rules) and Section 20-12.8.1A (roof height too low in post-race inspection). That infraction resulted in crew chief Ted Andrews being fined $35,000, driver Jeremy Mayfield losing 25 driver points and car owner Ray Evernham losing 25 owner points
Kyle Busch Penalized For Acting Like An Idiot - Kyle Busch and his #5 Kellogg's team has been fined, penalized points and placed on probation for his actions during Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Busch disobeyed an order from a NASCAR official, entered the racing surface without authorization and threw his HANS device at Casey Mears. He has been fined $50,000, penalized 25 driver points and placed on probation until Dec. 31. The infraction also resulted in car owner Rick Hendrick being penalized 25 owner points.
Knaus Rumored To Have New Deal - Chad Knaus, Crew Chief for Jimmy Johnson's #48 Lowes Chevrolet, is rumored to have finally worked out a new deal to remain with the team through 2010 and will be the highest paid crew chief in NASCAR
Don Richardson Fined For Using False Credential - Don Richardson, crew member on the No. 5 Chevrolet team, has been fined $5,000 and placed on probation until Dec. 31. He violated 12-4-A, because of improper use of a NASCAR credential
Scott Pruett To Race #40 Coors Lite Car At Infeon For David Stremme - Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates announced today that road-racing veteran Scott Pruett will take over for David Stremme in the first Nextel Cup Series road course race of the season at Infineon Raceway. Stremme will get back in the #40 for the Pepsi 400 at Daytona. "I have been very pleased with the strides that David and the 40 car have made over the last several weeks and David is an important part of the future of Chip Ganassi Racing," said team owner Chip Ganassi. "But in Scott Pruett we have one of the best road course drivers in all of racing and once again have the luxury of being able to utilize that expertise."
Carl Edwards Back In The Truck Series - Roush Racing announced that Carl Edwards will return to the Truck Series in the #50 Ford F-150 for the AAA Insurance 200 at Dover this weekend. Edwards has not raced a truck sonce 2004 when he perfected his patented backflip
Robert Yates Racing fires GM - Eddie D'Hondt was fired Tuesday as GM of Robert Yates Racing. "We are re-evaluating the way we are doing business from the top down," Yates said. "This is a performance-based business and we have to evaluate the performance of where our cars are now." D'Hondt has been with Yates since 2003. Elliot Sadler and Dale Jarret currently rank 12th and 15th in the Nextel Cup standings. Jarrett, who won the 1999 Winston Cup Championship for Yates, is bolting Yates to drive a Toyota next season for Michael Waltrip Racing and sponsor UPS might go as well. "Eddie did a good job for us," co-owner Doug Yates said. "But this is our company, and Robert and I have decided we need to get our arms around our company. We're not happy with where we're at as a race team. We need to reassert key people including ourselves."
"Sucking Air" at the Daytona? - It's taken a while for word to leak out, but the big Daytona 500 trick this season - which NASCAR discovered but made no announcement about - concerned engines "sucking air" to gain horsepower. That's the word from a top NASCAR crew chief, who asked not to be named, and it was confirmed by a top car owner, who likewise asked not to be named. "When they did the chassis-dyno tests on the Daytona engines, they found that a number of teams had made huge gains in horsepower, from 18 to 25 more horsepower over the last chassis dyno tests of restrictor-plate engines," the crew chief said. "You couldn't pick up that much horsepower with a restrictor-plate engine if you worked for seven years on it. And those teams picked up that much in just one year? It's because they were sucking air. You wouldn't believe how many teams at Daytona were sucking air."
NASCAR rules are strict about sucking air - getting extra air into the engine cylinders by bypassing the restrictor plates that are designed to limit horsepower by choking down the air - and the penalties can be stiff. However no penalties were levied at Daytona. One key trick apparently was semi-legal - using a steel gasket instead of an aluminum gasket, and taking advantage of the gap of 10-thousandths-of-an-inch created when engine heat distorts the steel gasket. NASCAR officials realized they had a problem when they discovered that some of Daytona's fastest qualifiers were using engines that couldn't pass NASCAR's post-qualifying manifold leak tests. NASCAR officials were unable to confirm the legality of front-row qualifiers Jeff Burton and Jeff Gordon until six hours after qualifying had ended. In response, NASCAR quietly changed some of its rules for Talladega, and some teams that had qualified very fast at Daytona were noticeably slower.(Winston Salem Journal)(5-22-2006)
Kyle Busch pleads guilty - Kyle Busch pleaded guilty Tuesday to improper driving and was fined $150. Busch received a ticket on April 12 in Richmond for reckless driving after he chirped his tires pulling into a fast-food restaurant.
Spencer Clark Killed In Car Crash - NASCAR Busch Series driver Spencer Clark was on his way home when he and a crew member died in a single-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 in New Mexico. Clark, only 19, and Andrew Phillips, 28, were killed when their truck and trailer were hit by a wind gust as they drove through the mountains east of Albuquerque on Sunday evening. They lost control of their vehicle. Both men were ejected, state police spokesman Lt. Jimmy Glascock said.
Boris Said, the road racing specialist, will drive the No. 4 Biagi-DenBeste Racing Dodge in the Busch Series Carquest Auto Parts 300 at Lowe's Motor Speedway Saturday night. |
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| Captain Thunder |
| Martin Truex JR. To Join Captain Thunder - Dale Earnhardt Inc. driver Martin Truex JR. will join Captain Thunder and Scott Ferrall this Friday night at 9:00 PM LIVE on The Scott Ferrall Show on Sirius Satellite Channel 101, The Howard Stern Network for an exclusive uncensored interview. Truex JR. a Two-Time NASCAR Busch Series Champion and current candidate for NASCAR's Rookie Of The Year will no doubt be a fantastic guest. Don't Miss it! |
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| biffbulkie |
| Nice report! :bigclap: |
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| Captain Thunder |
Ryan "Rocket Man" Newman won the Pole for Sundays Dover race. The Rainbow Warrior will start 3rd while Dale Jr. will start 11th. Ricky Rudd qualified Tony Stewart's #20 Home Depot Chevy in the 10th spot. "Smoke" will give it a try on Sunday but expect Rudd to hop in the car at some point. The banking on the corners and straightaways at Dover will be too much for "Smoke's" shoulder.
Talk about Karma, after last weeks temper tantrum by Kyle Busch he was running first and was ready to win the truck race when NASCAR black flagged him for a loose hood pin and he lost the race to veteran driver Mark Martin. Carl Edwards was second. The black flagged dropped Busch back to 10th.
The weather here in Dover sucks. It has been raining ass and blowing thunder and lightning with 50 mph winds all night. Flag poles are breaking, canopies and tarps are littering the campground, and there is shit all over the place. Oh well, tomorrow is another day.
Peace,
Captain Thunder |
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| ShakeItOop |
Quote: Originally posted by Captain Thunder
The weather here in Dover sucks. It has been raining ass and blowing thunder and lightning with 50 mph winds all night. Flag poles are breaking, canopies and tarps are littering the campground, and there is shit all over the place. Oh well, tomorrow is another day.
Peace,
Captain Thunder |
Be careful down there, Cap. It'll clear in time to have a good raceday by weekend's end! |
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| Captain Thunder |
From www.captainthunderracing.com
"HALFTIME"
Matt Kenseth earned his second victory of the season as the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series reached the half way point in the Chase for the Championship.
Jamie McMurray finally had a shot at a Dover win but Matt Kenseth passed him with only three laps to go to take the checkered flag while narrowing Jimmy Johnson's lead in the point’s race to only 74 points.
McMurray had to start from the back of the pack after an engine change after qualifying penalized his #26 Ford team. He was diligent though, working his way all the way up to the lead as he passed the likes of Jeff Burton, Kyle Busch, and Kevin Harvick. But McMurray's Ford was no match for teammate Kenneth’s #17 Dewalt Ford.
The two Roush teammates were the class of the field as the laps wound down on the Monster Mile. Jimmy Johnson finished an amazing 6th after starting 42nd and having to share a pit stall with the #4 car.
Earnhardt JR. finished 10th and moved up to 4th in the point standings while Jeff Gordon complained of a loose car all day, even while leading, only to finish 12th. Pole sitter Ryan Newman finished 14th and picked up some valuable points but the day belonged to Kenseth and his Dewalt teammates.
Kenseth hated to steal a win from teammate McMurray but really had no choice as his Ford was dominant as the end of the race approached.
At one point there were 5 cautions within a 35 lap period as teams and drivers tried to figure out tire combinations as the end of the race neared.
Tony Stewart, the talk of the Nextel Cup garage all week because of a fractured scapula, was eased out of his car during the first caution to make room for substitute driver Ricky Rudd. Rudd drove admirably but made a costly mistake when he sped on pit road and cost the #20 team a higher finish. Stewarts Home Depot Chevrolet team finished 25th and picked up 88 points.
Next week the series heads to Pocono as they get into the second half of the chase for the championship. Pocono is a brutal track for everyone and it will be an incredible test for "Smoke" as he tries to get back in the car fulltime. |
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| Captain Thunder |
Turn Left...THREE TIMES
The Nextel Cup NASCAR Series heads to Pocono for the Pennsylvania 500 and the three turn triangular racetrack simply known as Pocono. The very first NASCAR race held at the famed 2.5 mile tri-oval was held in 1974 and more than 30 years later not much has changed.
The mountain men will come out of the Pennsylvania hills to cheer their favorite drivers and consume their favorite beverages, and the city boys from New York and Philadelphia will drive in in their fancy BMW's and Mercedes’, and the women will earn beads in the infield and in the surrounding campgrounds. Children will run through the Pennsylvania grass in their red #8 gear and their orange #20 gear, and moms will whip up some burgers and dogs.
But more importantly, the racing will be fierce and exciting. Pocono has had numerous fantastic finishes as well as a few horrific crashes and the fans have had two great races to watch every year.
Since 1982 Pocono has had two cup races and have had a legion of fans at each race. Today more than 100,000 season ticket holders make their way to Pocono twice a year to see today's best driver's and to revisit the days of Pocono past when Bill Elliot, Rusty Wallace, Darryl Waltrip, and the late Tim Richmond (Tim won four times including three in a row from 1986-1987) dominated the Pocono track.
Last year Carl Edwards won the spring race while Kurt Busch won the fall race. The pole winners were Michael Waltrip and Jamie McMurray.
Who will win this year's Pennsylvania 500? It's anybody's guess, but take a long hard look at the Fords! They have run extremely well here in recent years and the drivers and teams behind the wheels of these Ford's are on the top of their games right now.
Don't miss one of NASCAR's best venues. I'll see you at the track!
GET YOUR TICKETS HERE:
http://www.poconoraceway.com/tickets/ |
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| Captain Thunder |
E Mail Your NASCAR Questions to Captain Thunder at captainthunder@captainthunderracing.com
Captain Thunder Answers Fans Questions:
Captain Thunder, How sore was "Smoke" after the Dover race? - Harold, Deleware
ANSWER: His shoulder was a little sore but not as sore as his ego after giving up his seat to Ricky Rudd. Ricky is a great guy and did a great job on Sunday, but no driver, especially one as competitive as Tony, wants to see someone else in their racecar.
Captain Thunder, was Jamie McMurray mad as heck at Matt Kenseth for stealing his Dover win? - Lou, Maine
ANSWER: Not at all. Matt simply had a better racecar towards the end of the race and Jamie knew it. And if anyone was going to beat Jamie he would want it to be Matt. They are great friends and Matt has helped Jamie a tremendous amount in the past with his career both on and off the track.
Captain Thunder, Why was Jeff Gordon whining about his car all day, even when he was out front leading the race? - Jimmy, California
ANSWER: Good Question. Steve Letarte was wondering the same thing. It seems that no matter what Steve does, Jeff is not happy. He looked great while he was out front leading, yet he still complained to Steve about a loose racecar. They worked all day to tighten up the #24 Dupont Chevrolet but according to Jeff, never got it there. Once a whiner always a whiner!
Captain Thunder, How come Dale JR. never challenged all day long? - Mike, South Carolina
ANSWER: DEI only brought an average car to Dover. JR. wasn't happy with the car in clean air or in a pack and they were just glad to get out of Dover with a 10th place finish. The top 10 finish moved JR. up to 4th in the Nextel Cup standings and has solidified his chance at his first title. If they can keep getting top ten's they will be in great shape when the final 10 race challenge comes around.
Captain Thunder, How bad was the weather on Friday at Dover, I heard of tents and trailers blowing over? Julie, Arizona
ANSWER: It was aweful. Some of the worst weather I have ever seen in the northeast. The winds were at 50 mph plus and the thunder and lightning was scary. Sunday was beautiful though and the racing was tremendous.
Captain Thunder, Do you know who will be running at Tony Stewart's track Eldora for the All Star charity race this Wednesday night? - Sam, Tennessee
ANSWER: I sure do. Robby Gordon, Bobby Labonte, Mike Wallace, Matt Kenseth, Elliot Sadler, Ryan Newman, Jamie McMurray, Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Mark Martin, Kenny Wallace (defending Prelude champion), Kenny Schrader, Dave Blaney, J.J. Yeley, Kyle Petty and Denny Hamlin. Also in the mix is the ageless veteran Red Farmer, along with NHRA standout Ron Capps. The track is also pleased to announce that Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Greg Biffle will be special non-driving guests, each of whom will have trackside responsibilities. Unfortunately, "Smoke" will have to sit out his own race because of his sholder injury and because of this, his heart is more hurt than his shoulder right now. Tony was super excited to run this race in front of all of his loyal fans. |
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| ShakeItOop |
| Damn, I was busy Saturday, caught the end of the race, and completely missed Sunday! Thanks for the update, Cap! |
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| NoSkillz1 |
Capt Thunder,
Thanks for posting the racing info in the Bubba Forums also. |
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| warrior74 |
| Robby Gordon has been having a good car lately? any word that he will be adding a second car to the garage |
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| Captain Thunder |
| Robby is doing great with what he has to run every week. Doubt he will add a car this season, it's just too tough to add a team mid year with the resources he has. Ward Burton IS looking for a ride though so you never know. |
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| Captain Thunder |
Captain Thunder, Who in your opinion, are the 3 most underrated drivers in Nextel Cup? And on the flipside, who do you think is way overrated? - Andrew, Queens, NY
ANSWER: I would say the three most underrated drivers are Jeff Burton, Robby Gordon, and Elliot Sadler. All three are tremendous wheeler's yet they are always left out of any conversations regarding drivers to look out for. And Robby Gordon can flat out drive ANYTHING!
It's tough to pick three overrated drivers because if you are driving in the NEXTEL Cup Series then you are a darn good driver. But lately I would have to say Jeff Gordon is way overrated. He has only one win in his last 40 starts and has no wins on the 2006 season. He constantly complains about his car instead of simply driving his way to the front. I also think Mark Martin and Michael Waltrip are overrated. Mark has never won a title or a big race and Michael without his Daytona victories would rank right next to Kyle Petty on the futility scale. |
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| Captain Thunder |
NASCAR News From www.captainthunderracing.com
Martin Truex JR. To Join Captain Thunder - Dale Earnhardt Inc. driver Martin Truex JR. will join Captain Thunder and Scott Ferrall this Friday night at 8:20 PM LIVE on The Scott Ferrall Show on Sirius Satellite Channel 101, The Howard Stern Network for an exclusive uncensored interview. Truex JR. a Two-Time NASCAR Busch Series Champion and current candidate for NASCAR's Rookie Of The Year will no doubt be a fantastic guest. Don't Miss it!
Stewart Will Try To Run Complete Pocono Race - from TonyStewart.com: Since you're still nursing a fractured right scapula, what are your expectations for Pocono?
Tony Stewart: "I plan to make it through the whole weekend. Every day my muscles feel like they're getting stronger, and I don't think it's a bone issue as much as it's a muscle issue. I got fitted for a new ButlerBuilt seat and we'll have it in the car for this weekend. We think it's a better design - a newer version of what I had been running. It was time to put something new in there. Brian Butler and his staff did an awesome job of accommodating me and getting a seat pumped out in a short amount of time so we would have it for Pocono, so we really appreciate their effort. I fully believe that with the new seat and another week of rest that we'll be ready to go."
TonyStewart.com: Will you have a relief driver on standby?
Tony Stewart: "We'll make that decision closer to the end of the week. But I really don't anticipate needing a relief driver. I appreciate what Ricky (Rudd) did for us last week at Dover, but he's on vacation with his family this week and I want him to enjoy his vacation. I'm confident that by the end of the week I'll be strong enough to go do the whole race at Pocono by myself."
Brian Vickers Getting Out Of Contract? - Brian Vickers is rumored to be getting out of his contract with Hendrick's after this season
Coke 600 final TV Ratings down from 2005 but beats Indy 500: Final Nielsen Media Research ratings show that Fox's broadcast of the May 28 Coca-Cola 600 Nextel Cup race at Lowe's Motor Speedway drew a higher television rating than ABC attracted for the same day's Indianapolis 500. Fox earned a 5.1 rating and an 11 share, down 16.4% from 6.1/13 in 2005, but the Indy ratings dropped even more. Ratings for the Indy Racing League event fell 23.1%, from 6.5/18 in 2005 to 5.0/14 this year.(SceneDaily.com)
Elliott to drive for Red Bull UPDATE: Red Bull Racing is planning to announce that former Nextel Cup champion [1988] Bill Elliott will drive for the team for three races this season as the team prepares a full-time entry into Cup racing with Toyota in 2007, a source close to the situation has confirmed. The car Elliott will drive will not be a Toyota, but the make of car has not been determined. He will attempt to qualify for the races at Charlotte and Atlanta in October and Texas in November. He also is running select races this year for MB2 Motorsports and Michael Waltrip Racing. The Red Bull team will use the races to help get its crew ready for the Daytona 500 in 2007. Drivers and crew chiefs for 2007 have not been announced.(SceneDaily.com),
DEI and MB2? UPDATE 3 merge denied: There's speculation that Teresa Earnhardt [who own's DEI, #1,#8,#15] is planning to buy MB2 Motorsports, with drivers #01-Joe Nemechek and #14-Sterling Marlin, in addition to the ongoing speculation that she may be planning to sell DEI to John Menard, a home-improvements czar who has long been involved in racing. Marlin, who drives for the Jay Frye-run MB2 Chevy operation, said he has heard the sale talk, but that he doesn't know what's going on. Ryan Pemberton, the crew chief for Nemechek, said he has talked with Frye about it, but he's not sure, either, what might be going on behind the scenes. Earnhardt doesn't grant interviews, and Frye isn't due here until today. So yesterday it was up to Richie Gilmore, the general manager at DEI, to try to explain the situation. "We're not selling out," Gilmore said. "Our plans right now are to go to a three-car operation next year with Paul Menard (John's son). John is a great sponsor for us, and we do a lot with Menard's, engines, and he's at our company a lot, and I guess people speculate when they see him around."(Winston Salem Journal)
Carl Edwards and Reed Sorenson Will Test at Infineon - #99 Carl Edwards and #41 Reed Sorenson will test in the West Series test session to get ready for the Dodge/Save Mart 350. A total of four drivers are scheduled to test
Grubb Reinstated After Two Year Drug Suspension - Kevin Grubb, who has been suspended for more than two years for violating NASCAR's substance abuse policy has been reinstated. He will attempt to qualify for this week's Busch Series race in Nashville. "Kevin Grubb has been reinstated, and his eligibility has been restored," NASCAR spokesperson Tracey Judd said.
Hornaday's Crew Chief Fined - NASCAR announced Tuesday that Wally Rogers, crew chief of the No. 33 Chevrolet driven by Ron Hornaday Jr. in the NASCAR Busch Series, has been penalized due to rules violations at Dover International Speedway. Rogers was fined $1,000 for violating Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used that do not conform to NASCAR rules: Section 20A -- 12.3R: right rear shock absorber exceeded the specified nitrogen gas pressure) of the 2006 NASCAR Busch Series rulebook. The infraction was discovered during post-race inspection on June 3.
Skinner Back In The Drivers Seat - Mike Skinner will drive the #12 FitzBradshaw Dodge at the Nashville Superspeedway for the Federated Auto Parts 300.
Kahne and McDonald's at Chicago: Kasey Kahne is scheduled to drive a McDonald's "I'm Lovin' It" paint scheme in the USG Sheetrock 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on July 9. Bill Elliott was the last Evernham Motorsports driver to carry the "Golden Arches" in a NEXTEL Cup Series race when he drove the #91 at California Speedway last September. Ironically, Elliott will making his debut in the #00 Burger King sponsored car for Michael Waltrip at Chicago. McDonald's corporate headquarters are located nearby Chicagoland Speedway in Oak Brook, Illinois.(RacingOne)
Stremme to run Pocono ARCA race: Nextel Cup Series rookie David Stremme will drive the #40 Coors Light Dodge in the ARCA/ReMax event on Saturday, June 10 at Pocono Raceway. "I am looking forward to running the ARCA Race in Pocono," Stremme said. "This will be my first time at Pocono and so the more seat time the better. I am excited that Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates are giving me the chance to race the ARCA race and get familiar with the track. It is great to see Coors Light on the car, they have been a great sponsor for me this season on the Cup car and I appreciate all the support they have given me in my rookie season." The ARCA 200 is scheduled to start at 1:00pm/et and will be broadcast LIVE on SPEED Channel.(Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates PR)
Stewart Could Break Daytona Speedway Record - In three days of racing during Pepsi 400 Weekend at Daytona International Speedway, Tony Stewart could conceivably race 971 miles. Stewart is expecting to compete in three races during the Independence Day holiday weekend – the Pepsi 400 on Saturday, July 1, the Winn-Dixie 250 presented by PepsiCo Busch Series race on Friday, June 30 and Round 3 of the Crown Royal IROC Series on Thursday, June 29. The two-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion could race in a fourth event – the Brumos Porsche 250 Rolex Sports Car Series race on Thursday, June 29 – and become the first driver to ever compete in four races during the Pepsi 400 Weekend. |
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| Captain Thunder |
| UPS to the #9? hearing UPS will leave the #88 Robert Yates Racing team and go to the #9 Evernham Dodge with driver Kasey Kahne |
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| Captain Thunder |
Mears to Yates? or is it Hendrick? hearing that Casey Mears, current driver fo the #42 Texaco Dodge for Chip Ganassi Racing could leave and go to Robert Yates Racing to drive the #88 Ford in 2007....no word yet on sponsor.
MORE: but hearing now that Mears is more likely headed to the #25 Hendrick Chevy that Vickers is leaving |
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| Captain Thunder |
Hendrick Motorsports has given driver Brian Vickers permission to seek a ride elsewhere in racing. Hendrick spokesman Jesse Essex said Thursday that the driver of the team's #25 GMAC Chevy in the Nextel Cup Series had asked team officials for permission to pursue "employment opportunities outside our operation." Essex said "multiple years" remain on Vickers' contract at Hendrick.
Clint Bowyer's #07 Chevy will sport a DIRECTV paint scheme. DIRECTV is the nation's leading digital television service provider. DIRECTV is also the official satellite television service provider of NASCAR. The team's customary primary sponsor, Jack Daniel's, will be featured on the car's lower-rear quarter panel and deck lid.(RCR PR |
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| stinkynutz |
| Thanks, but I got all this off Jayski's yesterday morning... :rolleyes: |
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| Captain Thunder |
| stinkynutz, all youdo is try to bash me. whats the problem bro? maybe check out my site and you will see the news as well. we all have the same connections. by the way, what is your website? i would love to see some of your reporting. |
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| Captain Thunder |
| CHECK OUT THE FERRALL SHOW TONIGHT AT 8:15 FOR CAPTAIN THUNDER AND MARTIN TRUEX JR. |
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| ShakeItOop |
I'll be there, Cap!
Shake it uppppp!!! |
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| droozilla |
I'll be there 15 minutes early. I love finding out more about these NASCAR drivers, helps give me a gauge of how cool some of these guys are.
It'd take a whole lot of appearances for Smoke to get in my good graces though. :P |
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| Captain Thunder |
| See you guys at 8:15, believe it or not, he is going to let us take fan phonecalls so bring 'em if you got any! Martin is cool as hell. We are from the same place in South Jersey and he is just a laid back mellow dude like me. I used to race motocross at the same track he raced cars at, New Egypt Speedway. |
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| ShakeItOop |
Quote: Originally posted by Captain Thunder
I used to race motocross at the same track he raced cars at, New Egypt Speedway. |
Cap, Ever been to Riverhead Raceway, Long Island? I used to go with my friend to watch the Enduros! |
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| Captain Thunder |
| never been to riverhead. do they do motocross there or just enduro's? |
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| ShakeItOop |
Quote: Originally posted by Captain Thunder
never been to riverhead. do they do motocross there or just enduro's? |
They have a motocross track outside the main track. They do enduros, rollovers, midgets, Figure 8's, etc. Always fun in the summer. I don't live up there anymore, it's one thing I'll miss. |
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| Captain Thunder |
MY TOP 5 FOR POCONO:
MARK MARTIN
JEFF GORDON
JIMMY JOHNSON
GREG BIFFLE
CARL EDWARDS |
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| Captain Thunder |
Martin Truex JR. To Join Captain Thunder - Dale Earnhardt Inc. driver Martin Truex JR. joined Captain Thunder and Scott Ferrall Friday night on Sirius Satellite Channel 101, The Howard Stern Network for an exclusive uncensored interview. Truex JR., a Two-Time NASCAR Busch Series Champion and current candidate for NASCAR's Rookie Of The Year was a fantastic guest. He discussed the upcoming pocono race, the season so far, the possible merger between DEI and MB2 Motorsports, and groupies at the track! Check out the replay this weekend on Sirius Channel 101.
Bodine a Winner! - Todd Bodine won the truck race in dramatic fashion Friday night. Mike Skinner led the most laps, but Todd Bodine led the most important lap, the last one. On the last lap, on the last turn, Bodine passed Skinner on the outside to take the checkered flag and the Sam's Town 400 at Texas Motor Speedway, his third Craftsman Truck Series victory of the season.
Rookie Hamlin on the Pole - Rookie Denny Hamlin continued his impressive rookie campaign at the always difficult Pocono Raceway. Edging out Kurt Busch for the pole, Hamlin has a great shot to win the race on Sunday and is excited about his team's chances. "It's time to go if you're going to make it in the Chase and we're sitting in a good spot right now," Hamlin said. Earnhardt JR. will start 11th while Jeff Gordon will start 6th and Tony Stewart will start 18th. Stewart, still sore from his shoulder injury will try to run the entire race.
Stewart To Drive Entire Race - "Smoke" says he will run the entire race on Sunday at the crazy triangular track known simply as Pocono. In fact he said he has no doubt that he will drive all 200 laps. "If I know I don't have anyone here [to drive in relief], that makes it easier to stay in the car," Stewart said. "I honestly don't think we are going to have any problems." "I am still a little sore in the car," said Stewart, who was relieved by Ricky Rudd after just 39 laps at Dover. "I didn't have any problems in the practice. Every day, [the injury] is making huge, huge steps. By Sunday we will be just fine."
Earnhardt JR. Says "Smoke" Has great Shot On Sunday - "If there was a race that he could stick it out, this is one of them tracks," Earnhardt said. "Even at 80 percent, he is still better than half these guys out here."
Stewart Get's New Seat - Tony Stewart got a new seat this week for the #20 Home Depot Chevrolet. "We got re-measured [for a seat] on Monday and got a newer version than what we have been running, " Stewart said. "It is a safer seat and the measurements are more accurate than what I was 30 pounds ago and five years ago. "It definitely fits a lot better and it is a lot more comfortable." |
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| Captain Thunder |
This Week's Race Re-Cap From www.captainthunderracing.com
"LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT"
The Pocono mountains are well known for honeymoons and anniversary getaways, full of romance and love. The beautiful countryside, fireplaces, and heart shaped hot tubs are the trademark's of the romantic retreat. But for rookie Denny Hamlin, it was love at first sight.
Hamlin, in only his first season of Nextel Cup competition and making his first ever trip to Pocono, dominated the racetrack in a way that only legendary driver Tim Richmond ever did. Richmond a four time winner and one of only two men to ever win Pocono three times in a row (Bobby Allison the other), would have been proud of the rookie Hamlin.
The #11 Federal Express car of Hamlin was the car to beat from the minute they unloaded the haulers at the famed Pocono Raceway. He stole the pole position from Kurt Busch on Friday and followed through with a dominating victory that will live forever in the minds of the Pocono faithful. The victory also put Hamlin in position to challenge for the championship as he moved up to 9th in the Nextel Cup point standings.
"We're trying to get into the Chase and this is a great way to do it," Hamlin said.
Hamlin led 49 of the first 50 laps and 83 overall. Greg Biffle led the second most laps with 34 and also had a car that could have won the race had Hamlin not been so dominant.
At one point, Hamlin spun his car when a tire went down and dropped to 40th. If not for one of the more remarkable saves of the Nextel Cup season, his day would have been over.
As Hamlin's tire went flat, the rookie spun through the grass and redirected his car away from the wall and the Pocono fence's. After a quick pit stop for fresh tires and an interesting tape job to the right rear, he quickly worked his way back through the field to regain the lead by passing Biffle.
"The whole crew did a great job putting the car back together," said Hamlin.
Biffle also had car trouble and was forced to make an unexpected stop. The #16 Subway Ford had brake problems. Biffle lost 30 spots while pitting to repair the issue. He was back leading the race again by lap 121 and challenged Hamlin the rest of the way.
Crew chief, Doug Richert, was pleased with his teams comeback and sixth place finish, but was still annoyed at their brake problems.
"Sunday wasn't a good championship day for us, we made mistakes with the brakes," Richert said, "and we probably took a capable car of winning the race and we messed it up, so that's kind of the way we look at that."
"We really didn't fix the brakes," Richert said. "We boiled the fluid out of the front brakes. Obviously, there wasn't enough air cooling the brakes.
"We've taken Pocono for granted and the new rule change, without shifting and the gear rules that NASCAR has put on, it just put a lot more strain on the braking."
"We came here with a totally capable braking system, but we didn't take care of the heat problem. Obviously, we just boiled the fluid. We bled the brakes twice and screwed a bunch of rear brake into it to try to take care of the fronts."
"So we sort of just patched it. The brakes weren't right by no means, Greg just drove his butt off and got us a top 10 finish out of it."
Biffle added, "It was unbelievable to drive this racetrack without brakes, you know, we've got something going on with these brakes and it's a bit unfortunate because we could have ended up second."
Still, Biffle had a chance to challenge Hamlin for the win, but the Gordon wreck with ten laps to go ruined any chance he may have had.
"In that Jeff Gordon wreck, something happened and I cut a tire," Biffle said. "I drove over the piece of metal and poof, I heard it, and then the right rear tire went flat so we had to pit, unfortunately."
Biffle wasn't the only driver to challenge Hamlin. Fellow rookie Clint Bowyer also had a dominant race car as did past Nextel Cup Champion Kurt Busch. Busch was the runner up to Hamlin when the checkered flag waved while Bowyer eventually dropped to 21st.
Defending Cup Champion Tony Stewart, who was unable to finish the race last week and was replaced by retired veteran Ricky Rudd, ran an incredible race and finished third. Stewart is without question one of the toughest drivers in all of motorsports. Driving with a newly designed seat, his first new seat in more than six years, Stewart wheeled his way around the Pocono track surprising nearly everyone with his determination and tenacity.
"It was easier in a place like this," said Stewart. "I knew that between Saturday and Sunday that we were going to get more strength and mobility." "It Felt good all day in the car even when it was loose. If this was Dover this week, I'd probably be wore out."
After the race Stewart was ecstatic, "I feel really good. I thought I would be a lot worse off than I am right now," Stewart said. "This is as good as a win for me right now." Still everyone is attendance was amazed and the legions of "Smoke" fans were thrilled.
Some of NASCAR's best drivers and teams had problems in the pits which ultimately | | | | | |
