NASCAR OFF SEASON WITHDRAWAL AND THERAPY THREAD

Local and Internet ^ | 12/10/2014 | Self

[mabarker1]

USAF Thunderbirds to Perform Flyover for the Daytona 500: For the fifth straight year, the world-renowned U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will provide the flyover for the 57th annual DAYTONA 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season opener on Sunday, Feb. 22. The Thunderbirds, officially known as the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, will fly their signature "Delta" formation over the "World Center of Racing" during the finale of the national anthem for "The Great American Race." The Thunderbirds have visited Daytona International Speedway to perform the flyover for the DAYTONA 500 for the past five years. In addition, the Thunderbirds also provided the flyover in 2008 for the historic 50th running of the DAYTONA 500. "The flyover by the Thunderbirds is a signature moment in the pre-race festivities for the DAYTONA 500," Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. "We're proud and honored to be able to host this elite flying team and the thousands of race fans and the millions more watching on FOX Sports are looking forward to seeing them soar over Daytona International Speedway."
"We have a long-standing relationship with the Daytona 500," said LtCol Greg Moseley, the squadron's commander and lead pilot. "We're grateful to the Speedway for allowing us to share the Air Force story with race fans." The Thunderbirds feature six F-16 Fighting Falcons, the Air Force's premier multi-role fighter aircraft. Assigned to Air Combat Command, the squadron is composed of 12 officers and more than 100 enlisted Airmen serving in about 30 Air Force job specialties. Since the unit's inception in 1953, more than 350 million people in all 50 states and more than 60 countries have witnessed the distinctive red, white and blue jets in thousands of official aerial demonstrations. Tickets for the 57th annual DAYTONA 500 are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 1-800-PITSHOP or visiting daytonainternationalspeedway.com.(DIS)((12-10-2014)

[cornfedcowboy]

Now that it has been a few weeks past-what is your thought on the race for the chase?

[mabarker1]

I still prefer the “Old System” like back in the Winston Cup Days.

I still call the Divisions: Winston Cup/Busch Grand National/Etc.

AND NASCAR IS NOT THE nfl!!!

And should not try to be!!!

JMHO;)

[happydogx2]

Good and Happy New Year to ya & missus Bender. Looks like we made it through another one. Every year seems crazier then the last.

-10.8 degrees this morning at the dog house. 8” of snow on the ground. Be flying over your place ‘bout 1PM on my way to Pasadena to watch the Ducks play fsu in the Rose Bowl. It’ll be a balmy 58 degrees tomorrow at game time and although we were hoping for temps in the 70’s we’ll take it. No earthquakes, please.

[ColdOne]

May you all have a good New Year!!!

[tubebender]

You’ve got my vote!!!

[Chode]

Happy FReepin New Year!!!

[mabarker1]

HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL!!!!

STAY SAFE!

52:18:44:02 Till DAYTONA>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[mabarker1]

GOOD!

I’m thinking maybe We should start one of those Online Petition things and send it to brainless and Co.

[mabarker1]

Molly got Her Stung Unstucked and is ready to PARTY!!!

She requested a 3 pound cheeze ball with cat turds on the outside in place of the nuts

or one of these:

Recipe

[mabarker1]

• Sad News: #42-Kyle Larson's grandmother passed away on Tuesday, December 30th. From Kyle Larson's Twitter: "RIP Grandma Patty. I know you missed Grandpa and couldn't wait to be with him again in heaven. I love you guys!" )(1-5-2015)

• Sad News - Valerie Shaak: Doug Shaak, former Melling Racing (w/Bill Elliott), Joe Gibbs Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing machinist, tire changer and mechanic lost his daughter Valerie to a automobile accident Friday night. Valerie worked as a hostess at Olive Garden. At 11:22pm/et, authorities said a moped driven by Phillip Brice Black, 19, was rear-ended by a 2011 Infiniti driven by Robert John Leahy, 46, in the 10000 block of Old Statesville Road in Charlotte. The moped was lodged in the front of the car and Black was thrown from the moped along with Valerie Shaak, 22, who was a passenger. Shaak was pronounced dead at the scene and Black was taken to Carolinas Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, police said.(full article on accident at the Charlotte Observer.
  See the obituary at the Charlotte Obsever for info on services and condolences.(12-23-2014)

[mabarker1]

RCR Sues former employee: Richard Childress Racing failed to prove that an engineer who became another team's crew chief stole trade secrets, the North Carolina Business Court ruled. Matthew McCall started working for RCR as a race engineer on the Camping World Truck Series team in 2010. Two years later, RCR promoted him to similar position working on the #31 Chevy in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. McCall's contract included provisions that, if he resigned, he could not work for a competitor in a similar capacity for 12 months. During the 2014 season, McCall said several times that he would like to work as a crew chief for a Sprint Cup team. When RCR offered McCall a crew-chief spot on the Nationwide Series, NASCAR's second-ranked circuit, he resigned at the end of the 2014 Sprint Cup season. Two days later, Chip Ganassi Racing hired McCall as the crew chief for Jamie McMurray's #1 Chevy on the Sprint Cup circuit.
RCR sued McCall in Davidson County, N.C., in November for breach of contract and misappropriation of trade secrets. It moved on Dec. 3 for a temporary restraining order to keep McCall from working for Ganassi or another competitor. As quoted in the Dec. 19 ruling, RCR argued that the positions were similar because McCall "routinely performed the tasks of the crew chief (and complained about doing so)," and filled in for the crew chief when he was unavailable. (Parentheses in original.) The team also noted that McCall officially served as the crew chief during the 2013 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. McCall responded that he filled in as crew chief during for just one practice session and one testing session. During the Brickyard 400, the regular crew chief was suffering from an eye injury but made the critical decisions from a trailer, where he was watching the race, McCall added. The North Carolina Business Court denied RCR's request for a restraining order. "Plaintiff has not shown, at this time, a likelihood of success on its claim that by accepting a crew chief position with Ganassi, Defendant has become employed in a 'capacity identical or similar to that in which he participated while employed by (plaintiff) and therefore as breached the employment contract," Judge Louis Bledsoe III wrote. RCR also did not prove that McCall had or would disclose its trade secrets, the court found.(Court House News)(1-1-2015)

[mabarker1]

2015 Driver/Team Silly Season Chart

[mabarker1]

Toyoda Machinery partners with MWR: Toyoda Machinery USA announced its partnership agreement with Michael Waltrip Racing in early December. "Partnering with a top NASCAR team is something we've wanted to do for quite some time," said Tim Leoni, Toyoda's vice president of sales, "Because of our company's automotive background, it makes sense that we team up with one of Toyota Racing Development's top NASCAR outfits. This synergy is something the engineers will immediately recognize in the shop, the crew will feel in the pits, and the fans will see on the track." With this partnership, Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) has added four Toyoda vertical machining centers to its shop floor. MWR selected Toyoda's FV1165 and FV1565 machines for their 8,000 RPM, geared head spindles and robust construction. Steel parts, such as the spring buckets, center links, and idler arms, are all machined on the boxway series. "Our tools have to have a long reach to be able to machine around different suspension components," explained Dale Brown, machine shop supervisor at MWR, "We needed a couple of really good, rigid machines to do some of the heavy machining." The timing of the Toyoda installation couldn't come at a better time for MWR. The end of the racing season is when the shop begins putting in long hours building cars for next year. Brown said the shop is looking forward to improved quality and productivity with the Toyoda machines. "Everything fits together really tight. It seems to be a really good, quality machine."(MWR)(1-2-2015)

[mabarker1]

Keen Parts to return to the #32 in 2015: Keensparts.com and corevetteparts.com will return to sponsor the #32 Go FAS Racing Ford for at least eight races in 2015. No word who the driver will be. See an image of the scheme on the #32 Team Schemes page.(1-2-2015)

[mabarker1]

As we inch closer to the 2015 season, we wanted to share DaleJr's new helmet

[mabarker1]

The eligible drivers for the first BuschClash in Feb 1979.

[mabarker1]

A North Carolina court has ruled against Richard Childress Racing in its attempt to block former RCR engineer Matthew McCall from going to work as Jamie McMurray's crew chief on the No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
 
According to a report at Courthousenews.com, RCR sought to block McCall's move, citing a 12-month non-compete clause in his contract should he resign.
 
The website wrote, "RCR sued McCall in Davidson County, N.C., in November for breach of contract and misappropriation of trade secrets. It moved on Dec. 3 for a temporary restraining order to keep McCall from working for Ganassi or another competitor."
 
But the request for a restraining order was denied.

"Plaintiff has not shown, at this time, a likelihood of success on its claim that by accepting a crew chief position with Ganassi, Defendant has become employed in a 'capacity identical or similar to that in which he participated while employed by (plaintiff) and therefore has breached the employment contract,'" Judge Louis Bledsoe III ruled, adding that there was no evidence of misappropriation of trade secrets.
 
McCall, 33, is a native of Denver, N.C. In addition to his garage work, he was driven in five races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and two more in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He is also a third-degree black belt in karate.
 
In 2014, McCall was the race engineer on the No. 31 RCR Chevrolet, which Ryan Newman drove to a runner-up finish in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.
 
"Matt brings a lot to the table that we are thrilled to have," team owner Chip Ganassi said on Nov. 18 when the team announced McCall's hiring. "He has been a successful race engineer for the No. 31 team and has the added experience of being a driver, which we feel will add to his success in leading the No. 1 team. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that will mesh very well with Jamie and the whole team. We couldn't be happier."
 
"This organization is one that everyone in the garage has taken notice of in 2014, and I am just looking forward to the opportunity to make them even better," McCall said. "We have a group of very talented people building and driving the race cars here and I can't wait to get started."

[mabarker1]

[mabarker1]

No word on Rockingham Speedway sale or auction: Owners have yet to announce a sale or auction of Richmond County's NASCAR track following a Thursday deadline for the court-ordered deal. Superior Court Judge David Lee's Oct. 14 consent order required Rockingham Speedway owners Andy Hillenburg and Bill Silas to "enter into a binding agreement with a third party for the sale or other disposition" of the track by Jan. 1 in order to avoid foreclosure. No new documents have appeared in the case file since Dec. 15, and it remained unclear Friday whether Hillenburg and Silas had met the New Year's Day deadline. Lee's order does not require that a sale or auction agreement be on file with the Richmond County Clerk of Superior Court's office by a specific date. A Friday phone message left for Hillenburg was not returned in time for this story.(Richmond County Daily Journal)(1-3-2015)

[mabarker1]

#13 Crew Chief Bootie Barker explains flaring the skirt out:
Q) "How does the post-race inspection process work with the body - specifically with the "flare" on the right side, side skirt by the wheel well? I race on a short-track level, and our officials would never let that through tech."
Barker: "We flare the skirt out to increase the car's downforce and side force. They're big hitters on just planting the car more. I use the term "capability." A car has two limitations on how fast it can go: the driver and its capability. When you flare out the sides like that, you're adding downforce, you're adding capability to the car. It can physically run faster because it sticks more. How can we get away with it? NASCAR's not blind. They know we're doing it. You have to go through initial inspection in a certain way, and for whatever reason, they have deemed it acceptable for us to do those things during the race and we aren't suffering the consequences afterwards. Now, will they one day go, 'This has gotten ridiculous and we have to stop this?' That's really their decision, and we won't know what that "too far" is until one of us does it. So, that's what happens. We just keep pushing the limit until somebody kind of establishes what the limit is."(see full interview at NASCAR Illustrated)(1-3-2015)