Tag: #88

Posted on

Auld Lang Syne!

104 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 THIS WEEKS STORY LINES:

1.   ROBBY GORDON REMAINS IN 3RD @ DAKAR RALL(nascar.com)

2.   2009 BUD SHOOTOUT FORMAT CHANGES:(2009 Bud Shootout)

3.   KESELOWSKI TO RACE SEVEN CUP RACES:(HMS PR)

4.   RUETIMANN TO RUN FULL CUP SEASON:(scene daily)

5.   TESTING AT MANY NON NASCAR SANCTIONED TRACKS:(speedtv)

6.   TIM MCCREADIE INJURED @ CHILI BOWL:(chili bowl.com)

7.   VERIZON BUYS ALLTEL:(AP)

8.   GILLILAND POSSIBLY OUT AT YATES:(scenedaily)

9.   MAX SIEGEL LEAVES DEI:(espn.com)

10.  MIKE SKINNER LOOKING FOR A RIDE(daytona beach news journal)

11.  REGAN SMITH IN #78 FURNITURE ROW CHEVY:(KUSA9NEWS)

12.  YATES AND HALL OF FAME RACING PARTNER UP:(sports business journal)

13.  BOBBY LABAONTE IN THE #96 HOF FORD:(nascar.com)

 

It oftens seems that even before one NASCAR season ends, the teams are already looking forward to the next season.  That is especially true for the non Chasers!!  Fortunately, thanks to one of the shortest off-seasons in professional sports, the wait is just about over ( 29 days,15 hours and 10 minutes from this writing)!!

 

 

You know that song you hear every New Year’s Eve?  You know that one about not forgetting old acquaintences?  Did you ever wonder what that phrase is in the chorus?

 

 

The most common song for most English-speaking people to sing at New Year’s Eve is the old Scottish song “Auld Lang Syne”.  Isn’t it a little bit odd how we sing that song and have no idea just what it means.  Would it be funny if it meant “Old Slow Buick Roadmasters” or something like that????  Actually, a good translation of that phase “auld lang syne” is “times gone by”.  So when we sing this song, we are saying, “We will drink a cup of kindness yet, for times gone by”

 

 

That might be true for the fans of the 2008 Champion.  As for the rest of us, our cups are brimming over with something else!!!!   It is extremely true for this reporter, last year was good but this year will be great!  A new year brings in all the hope and excitement, much like a child opening presents on Christmas morning.  This year is by far no exception.  There are more changes in the garage area than husbands on Elizabeth Taylor’s and Zsa Zsa Gabor’s resume!!!  There are drivers that are changing teams, crew chiefs changing teams, mergers of teams, emerging new teams, sponsors changing teams, and some established teams running a limited schedule.  Many of the teams are still searching and scrambling for that ever elusive sponsorship dollar!  The global recession has had a huge impact on the NASCAR community this off season.

 

 

Most of us don’t want to reminisce about the blown tire, Kyle Busch (aka The Las Vegas Weasel) crashing our favorite driver on the last laps of the race, or a bad pit stop.  Did I mention that we really didn’t want to waste time reflecting on TLVW crashing our favorite driver( read #88 JR) at Richmond and winning the race???????  All those memories are now relegated to the book called HISTORY!  History books are good to read, but the only books that I am intersted in reading regarding NASCAR focus on the future and this season!!!  The only Eve that I am now interested in is February 14, the night before the Daytona 500!!  I have an appointment with the Sprint Cup Tower row 48 seat 6 for the Dual 150’s, Trucks race, Nationwide race and the Daytona 500!!!

 

COMMENTARY:

 

 

As you can see in the story lines listed above, there are tumultuous activities going on in the garage area.  I strongly suggest that you click on to each of the links above and read those articles.  They are a good resource to what is happening this week in NASCAR! There are drivers with new teams, sponsors with new teams, merged operations, and a couple of new race teams all together!!  So get out your scorecard and sharpen up you memory skills, cause I can hear those V8’s starting to get warmed up!! 

This reporter’s New Year’s resolutions:

1. I resolve to be in front of the TV when the green drops each Sunday!

2. I resolve to solidly root for #88 each week and defend him against all detractors, foreign and domestic!

3.  I ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY NEVER EVER FORGET TIMES GONE BY!!!!

 

Now if you will go back and look at the picture of the Daytona Speedway above.  Notice the black square of seats just on the upper tight side of the Palm tree.   If you squint your eyes you will see this reporter sitting there waiting for the drop of the green flag for the Daytona 500!!!

 

REMEMBER, I LOOKED IT UP SO THAT YOU WOULDN’T HAVE TO!!!

Posted on

The Chase Begins

Img2720 

THIS WEEKS STORY LINES:

 

1.  JIMMIE JOHNSON  WINS AT RICHMOND: ( jayski Richmond results)

2.  JOEY LOGANO MAKES SECOND ATTEMP AT CUP DEBUT: ( nascar.com)

3.  GILLETTE-EVERNHAM SUES ROBBY GORDON: ( Winston-Salem Journal)

4.  SCOTT SPEED TESTING WITH RED BULL RACING:( www.jayski.com )

5.  RED BULL RACING POSSIBLY WITH 3 TEAMS: ( espn.tv )

6.  JAY FREYE STILL IN LIMBO: ( espn.tv )

7.  DODGE NOT TO SUPPORT THE TRUCK SERIES: ( www.jayski.com )

8.  NATIONWIDE SERIES TESTS COT AT RICHMOND: ( Scenedaily.com )

 

The first 26 races have been ran and the contenders for the Chase are set in stone!!!  The scores have been adjusted for the winning bonus points and the REAL race is about to begin!!  From the outside looking in, one might view this championship as a three horse race between TLVW, aka Kylie Busch, Jimmie Johnson, and Cousin Carl, aka Carl Edwards.  But don’t be fooled, my friends, there are TWELVE capable teams that can take this championship home!! 

 

There was much hype and anticipation before the season started about the Henrick Motorsports Dale Jr. #88 AMP/NATIONAL GUARD/MOUNTAIN DEW team!  They quickly came out of the box and won the first two races at Speedweeks in Daytona.  They were very consistant in their finishes through the first 20 races.  Although they only won one race, they were a top 5 team and every week.  However since that win at Michigan, the #88 team has experienced some bad finishes resulting from some bad decisions.  Does the #88 team have what it takes to wrestle the top spot away and take the trophy home after Homestead????

 

The Joe Gibbs Home Depot #20 is lurking back in eighth place and has had a VERY sub-par year!!  They have yet to post a victory this season!  That team was a dominating team in the very early part of the season leading lots of laps, but couldn’t close the deal and bring a win home.  Has the magic vanished with Zippy and THE SMOKER, aka Tony Stewart?????  Can they gather it up and “win one for the Gipper”?????

 

What about the #24 Dupont Chevy????  They too have fallen on hard times!!!  They have not been to the winners circle in 2008.  Does La Tarte and Gordon have anything for the three horse team at the top?? 

 

Well these and many more questions are about to be answered in the next ten races, my friends!!  This is where the contenders separate themselves from the pretenders!!  This is where you see the talent and desire come together to lead them to their goal…………The Sprint Cup Trophy!!!!  

COMMENTARY:

As the picture above shows, the sun is starting to set in the West.  It is time to dig down deep and see if you got anything for the leaders!  The  twelve race teams in the Chase have got to go to the front NOW, if they can!!!  After twenty- six weeks of the week in and week out grind of BIG TIME RACIN’, this is where we see which team has what it takes to get it done!!  Will the Joe Gibbs #18 Toyota prevail?  Can the #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy continue to add to their momentum?  Can the #99 Office Depot Ford continue in their winning ways?  Or will a spoiler like the #88 AMP/National Guard/ Mountain Dew Chevy driven by JR be the Sprint Cup Champion??  Could a really long shot get hot and steal the championship away from the favorites??? 

 These questions and many more are about to be answered in the next ten weeks!!

So pull those belts tight, make sure that the steering wheel is on straight, getcha four fresh Goodyears, a full tank of that Sunoco fuel, step on the loud pedal, let the big dawg eat, AND LET’S GO RACIN’ BOYS!!!!