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)

[Chode]

Darth Earnhardt...

[Chode]

seems like yesterday

[Chode]

trucks like that must look for special routes to get into/out of some of the tracks...

he'll prolly have to come in from Corning to get into the Glen

[nascarnation]

Wondered about that from the first time I saw it.
Mgmt needs to draw the line between legitimate crash damage repair and aero enhancements.

[mabarker1]

LOVE IT!

[mabarker1]

Off into the Wild Blue Yonder!!!

[mabarker1]

In 2015 the "Rules" will apply to all but 6whine...

When I see them do things like Dale Sr did that might change My opinion- but don't count on it;)

[nascarnation]

I’d forgotten that one.

[mabarker1]

I was also looking for the ?Atlanta? Race when the camshaft broke and the Team pulled the engine out, replaced the broken camshaft, filtered the oil with cheesecloth to get the big chunks out (Rules- can’t change the oil) and put it all back together so they could finish the Race.

IIRC they won the Championship that Season because they got the car back in the Race and those points made the difference.

[mabarker1]

Not following why.

Because of the low clearance of the Trailer?

[Chode]

and length... looks longer than a standard semi

it could never make the left to the track in town without going past the turn and turning around and even it it could make the turn it looks like it would high center and still have to go past the turn and turn around heading back south to go up the hill

coming in from Corning would be the easiest way with best turn radius and least hills

[mabarker1]

Thanks for the info. Next time We go to JRM I’ll tell them just in case they have not thought of that.

[Chode]

they may ALREADY come in from Corning so they don’t have the hills to deal with, and it maybe a mile or two shorter but i’m not sure

this is the turn up to the track if coming from the south

if you hit street view you can see it would be easy to high center

https://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=15th+and+franklin+street+14891&layer=c&z=17&iwloc=A&sll=42.371867,-76.868807&cbp=13,337.4,0,0,0&cbll=42.371814,-76.868777&sa=X&ei=q52pVNfXA9P3ggS52YH4Dw&ved=0CCAQxB0wAA&output=classic&dg=brw

[mabarker1]

LFR Driver Development Group formed: LFR Chassis has announced the formation of the LFR Driver Development Group, a company that will provide professional and experienced coaching with state of the art race cars for developing drivers in all late model and modified divisions nationwide. The company's goal is to provide top-level racing experience and equipment to drivers looking to progress through the motorsports ranks. LFR Chassis has quickly made a mark in the short track racing industry by providing top notch equipment along with a racing staff that is unparalleled in the industry.
Four racing veterans will lead the group: Rob Fuller, Tony Eury Jr., Jeff Fultz and Ryan Stone. From Daytona International Speedway to Hickory Motor Speedway, these racing veterans have collectively won more than three dozen championships and over 700 victories at the highest level of motorsports, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to new drivers.
Rob Fuller, owner of LFR Chassis, was born into a racing family, but made a name for himself in NASCAR by winning at the top levels as a driver, engineer, and pit crew member for teams including Penske Racing and Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Fuller's 25 years of racing experience and innovative approach to building racecar chassis led to the creation of LFR Chassis.
Tony Eury Jr. is the competition director at LFR Chassis and brings over 20 years of experience working at the top levels of NASCAR as a crew chief, car chief, mechanic and tire changer. He has lead the top teams in motorsports - including Dale Earnhardt, Inc., Hendrick Motorsports and JR Motorsports - to numerous wins and championships.
Jeff Fultz has 30 years of experience in racing as a driver, car chief and builder. He has 10 championships to his name and over 250 wins throughout his career. Fultz is a three-time champion and all time wins leader in the NASCAR All Pro Series.
Ryan Stone is a championship winning crew chief in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. He has been racing for 18 years and has a decade of experience specifically in modified racing as a driver, car chief and crew chief.
"With the experience level of our coaches and quality of equipment, we are taking a huge variable out of the developmental stages of a driver's progression," said Rob Fuller. "We have all wished at some point of our career to have the best equipment and most knowledgeable crew so we can test our driving ability, and all that is under one roof. We have worked closely with the NASCAR community throughout our 20 plus year careers, and know what it takes to succeed in this ultra-competitive sport."
The LFR Driver Development Group will utilize equipment and racecars from LFR Chassis. These chassis were designed and constructed by some of the best racing minds in the industry. The group will offer several different packages for all experience levels. "What will be great about our program is that we will have entry level to pro level classes available," said Jeff Fultz. "Some drivers might only drive a few races while others will continue through a few seasons. All this depends on the talent level shown throughout the year. We expect this to be a high-profile driver development program within the industry in a short amount of time. We've made heads turn with our progress at LFR Chassis and expect to do the same with this program."
The LFR Driver Development Group will also offer marketing and communications support for this next generation of drivers. Nealie Stufflet, a veteran NASCAR public relations professional, partnered with LFR Chassis in its inception to offer PR, social media and sponsorship services to its customers and will do the same for the development drivers. Interview skills training, media coaching and landscape insight will also be offered. "We created this group to help those looking for the right place to find a combination of unparalleled experience in NASCAR and top level equipment for drivers looking to take their careers to the next level," said Fuller. "We have two drivers signed up as of today and will announce the full team when all seats are occupied." To get in contact with the LFR Driver Development Group, please contact Rob Fuller at rob@lfrchassis.com.(LFR Chassis)(1-3-2015)

[mabarker1]

I figure they are aware of this. Don’t know if that is a new hauler or just repainted.

Right now We got the “crud” here at the house and My Mother is going downhill fast. Last week She was moving to Assisted Living, that won’t be enough as of last night- She will need full Nursing Home Care so things are on hold.

I have My hands full with GMa and My feet so I can’t take on adding My Mother to the list here.

If nothing else Molly would knock Mom down “being friendly”...

[mabarker1]

Heck the damned rat's have never even paid the bill for the Convention and now this...

*****************************

Council to hear proposed changes to NASCAR HOF loan: Efforts to persuade two banks to forgive a $19.1 million loan to the city of Charlotte that helped build the NASCAR Hall of Fame appear to have made progress, with City Council members set to hear about "proposed amendments" on Monday to that agreement. On Friday, Deputy City Manager Ron Kimble wouldn't talk about the proposed amendment or the negotiations, saying council members needed to be updated first on the so-called sponsorship loan and another agreement concerning NASCAR royalties. But an agenda item that Kimble wrote for Monday's meeting suggests that some agreement has been reached, with council members hearing the proposed changes. They won't take action until their Jan. 12 meeting. In November, the Observer reported that the city and the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, which manages the racing museum, had begun negotiations with Wells Fargo and Bank of America to forgive the loan. Growing to $21 million with interest, it was supposed to be repaid from the sale of sponsorships and commemorative bricks. Yet money from those two sources hasn't come close to paying off the loan. When the hall opened in 2010, NASCAR was supposed to get royalties on such items as tickets, T-shirts, and food and drinks - but only if the museum was making money. The facility has lost money, according to the CRVA. It lost $1.4 million for the fiscal year that ended in June, and $1.6 million the previous fiscal year. But CRVA leaders are hopeful that the hall's finances are stabilizing with attendance essentially leveling off. Still, no royalties to NASCAR have been paid.(full story at the Charlotte Observer)(1-4-2015)

[mabarker1]

Press Pass, reportedly will be ceasing operations: NASCAR's lone trading card manufacturer, Press Pass, reportedly will be ceasing operations. "Sports card manufacturer Press Pass is closing its doors. Hard to stay healthy these days," tweeted ESPN Sports Business Reporter Darren Rovell on Friday afternoon. Messages to Nick Matijevich, who had worked as the VP of Operations since February 2013 after a previous four-plus-year stint with the company were not yet returned. Other calls and messages into the Huntersville, N.C.-based company's offices were not answered. Founded in 1992, Press Pass released more then 300 products for auto racing, football, basketball, baseball rodeo, non-sports and multi-sports programs during that run. Its primary focus for years had been NASCAR, particularly since the company lost college logos for its popular basketball and football draft picks sets when the Collegiate Licensing Company license went to Upper Deck on an exclusive basis in 2010.(Beckett)(1-4-2015)

[mabarker1]

• Larson Wins Wild Winter Heat Sprint Car Showdown Slide Fest on Night 2 : Kyle Larson outlasted sprint car veterans Stevie Smith and Danny Lasoski in an epic duel on the dirt Saturday in the Winter Heat Sprint Car Showdown at Cocopah Speedway, which hosts the midpoint of the five-race event next Tuesday. "It ranks right up there mainly because I haven't been in a sprint car in a long time," Larson said after securing the $12,000-to-win top prize. "To beat Danny Lasoski and Stevie Smith in a duel like that was pretty amazing. I think it's a great event. It's a great race track. The purse is really good. I think this event will grow each year."(Inside Line Promotions)(1-5-2015)

[mabarker1]

NASCAR could have some changes before Daytona 500

Before you know it, the Daytona 500 will be here.

Of course, there will be a lot that happens before that race takes place. There will most likely be some changes implemented by NASCAR.

I often think that they really don’t give some of their changes enough time to see if they work or not. All the changes just keep adding to the rising expense of being a car owner in NASCAR Sprint Cup or their other major divisions of competition.

Think about this. Sprint Cup racer Brad Keselowski owns a NASCAR Camping World Truck team.

Despite losing $1 million in 2014, he will field two trucks in 2015. He claims that his organization brings in between $7 million to $8 million in revenue (I would think he would have a much better idea of what is coming in).

His trucks won a couple of races. His trucks had sponsorship support.

So if his Truck organization is losing that much money, can you imagine what must be happening with some of the other less successful Truck teams, Infinity (replacing Nationwide) and Sprint Cup teams. It has a lot to do with the loss of competitor support.

Even wealthy owners are finding it just too expensive to be involved.

As Keselowski told Motor Racing Network recently, “It’s really simple, you’ve got to cut costs and raise more revenue (sponsorship support). It’s easier said than done. It’s all hands on deck to make that happen. I worry all the time about it.”

It is pretty much a given that there are quite a few owners with the same thoughts.

But enough about the problems that face the sport in 2015. Let’s talk about who deserves some special recognition for their efforts during the 2014 Sprint Cup season.

Special recognition should go to Ryan Newman. Though NASCAR kept pushing the idea that drivers in the Chase were unworthy unless they won a race, Newman hung in there and actually looked like he might win it all.

If it had not been for a late race caution in the Homestead finale, Newman could very well have won the title.

Newman did it with consistency. That is what I believe auto racing has been about for years.

Winning championships has been about consistent performance. NASCAR wants it to be all about winning.

Perhaps in 2015, they will change the Chase so that only drivers who have won races will be eligible. I think that would be a mistake.

The fight that took place after the Texas race that was part of the Sprint Cup Chase was a sad display. Jeff Gordon stopped to talk with Keselowski when the race was over.

Kevin Harvick turned it into a melee that had crews battling it out after he pushed Keselowski into the fray and then ran and hid. We all saw that Harvick was the instigator but the crews that did battle suffered penalties while “Dennis the Menace” Harvick just smiled as NASCAR did nothing to him.

The WWE mentality seems to be more important than anything else in the sport.

The fact that Jeff Gordon would have won the title if there was still a real championship chase, all 36 point races included, does not mean much. Gordon has not won a title since 2001 because the various new point formats just do not seem to reward the guy who does the best all season, but rewards a driver who does well in the final 10 races.

I have said this before, but it seems worth repeating. The point leader at the end of the regular season should be rewarded.

Perhaps it would be only a solid gold plastic trophy but it should mean something to have been leading the points at the end of the real season. As you probably have surmised, I am not big on gimmicks.

I still have trouble accepting the Lucky Dog (should Beggin' Strips be a sponsor) or the wave around. It is sort of like a reward for doing poorly.

Can you imagine what the reaction would be at the weekly short track if those racers who fell off the pace were given the chance to catch up?

To make the Chase more interesting, there is talk of changing the schedule so that different tracks would be included as part of the Chase. A better idea is to include all the tracks in the Chase and have all 36 races count.

Promote all 36 events as was done with the Chase, and you would, I think, have more interest all season instead of just in the final events.

There are some racers who have been around for a while who should probably consider retirement and open up some seats to new young talent. We have guys like Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson really bringing some excitement to NASCAR big leagues. I keep wondering how Mike Wallace, Mike Bliss and a few others still manage to get rides when there are some youngsters out there anxious to show their talent.

Terry Labonte retired late in the season, and it was disappointing that a sure bet for the NASCAR Hall of Fame did not get more attention as he ran his final Cup race.

The Most Popular Driver Award in Sprint Cup was again won by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Years back, Bill Elliott won it so often that he was embarrassed by it all and withdrew his name from consideration. I can remember him telling me in New York some years back that he was honored by the many times he was selected and he appreciated the support of the fans but he just felt it was time to take his name from consideration. Perhaps it is time for Dale Jr. to do the same. It should not come down to who gets the most TV exposure.

I still think that some of the Cup races are far too long. As other sports, MLB is one of them, are trying to shorten the games, it would be great to see NASCAR take steps to shorten some of the Cup races.

You have any complaints or suggestions you would like to share with me?

See you in Daytona, an event that I have been writing about since 1969.

[mabarker1]

They say if you want to make a small fortune in racing, you better start with a large one. NASCAR is a big-money sport, but who has made the most earnings throughout their Sprint Cup career?

Taking a look at Racing-Reference.info, here is a list of 30 Sprint Cup Series drivers and their estimated career earnings. This figure does not include contracts, endorsements or any other factor, simply the money earned throughout their on-track performance in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

1.     Jeff Gordon -- From 'Wonder Boy' to the aged veteran, Jeff Gordon changed the game in many ways when it comes to NASCAR. Making his first career start in the same race in which Richard Petty made his final start, it was truly a passing of the torch. Being young, marketable, and a heck of a race car driver, Gordon has earned $144.6 million in career earnings.

2.     Jimmie Johnson -- Gordon's Hendrick Motorsports teammate and protégé followed in his footsteps and has won six Sprint Cup Series championships along the way. A dominant force in NASCAR for many years, Johnson has earned over $142 million.

3.     Tony Stewart -- A three-time Sprint Cup Series champion, Tony Stewart has been one of the toughest drivers to beat in NASCAR since his rookie season of 1999. Throughout his career, 'Smoke' has been to Victory Lane at least once every season except for 2014. That effort has netted him $117 million in career earnings.

4.     Matt Kenseth -- The driver of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota has one Sprint Cup Series championships, two Daytona 500 victories and earned $105.9 million.

5.     Kevin Harvick - The defending Sprint Cup champion got his start in the series in dramatic fashion when he took over at Richard Childress Racing after the tragic death of Dale Earnhardt Sr. in 2001. Since then, Harvick has gone on to earn $96 million.

6.     Mark Martin -- One of NASCAR's most liked and most respected drivers, Mark Martin never earned a Sprint Cup Series title or a Daytona 500 victory, but he did earn $92 million throughout his career.

New faces in new places: Major changes coming in 2015

7.     Jeff Burton -- The Virginia native may have hung out his helmet and will step into the broadcast booth starting in 2015, but the former Roush Fenway Racing and Richard Childress Racing driver earned $88 million throughout his 22-year career.

8.     Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- While Earnhardt Jr. certainly has more earnings from endorsements, contracts and outside ventures, the driver of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet has earned $87.8 million throughout his Sprint Cup career.

9.     Kurt Busch -- One Sprint Cup Series championship and 25 Sprint Cup Series victories have led the elder Busch brother to earn $86.3 million throughout his tumultuous career.

10. Bobby Labonte -- The 2000 Sprint Cup Series champion ran his last full season in 2012, but earned $80.5 million throughout his 23-year career.

11. Ryan Newman -- The former Team Penske and current Richard Childress Racing driver won the 50th running of the Daytona 500, as well as $79 million in career earnings.

12. Carl Edwards - One of the most sponsor savvy drivers in NASCAR, Edwards is headed to Joe Gibbs Racing with a career earnings of $73.6 million.

Five stories to watch during the 2015 Sprint Cup season

13. Kyle Busch -- 'Rowdy' Busch has seen success across the board in each of NASCAR's top three divisions, but his Sprint Cup Series earnings come in at $69 million.

14. Greg Biffle -­- The former Camping World and Xfinity Series champion has raced at Roush Fenway Racing during his entire NASCAR career, earning $69 million in his Sprint Cup Series career alone.

15. Kasey Kahne - The driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet has driven for the likes of Ray Evernham, Richard Petty, and Rick Hendrick, and has $66 million in Sprint Cup Series career earnings.

16. Denny Hamlin -- The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has been successful in each of his nine full seasons in the Sprint Cup Series, earning victories each year and taking home $60.7 million in earnings.

17. Dale Jarrett -- The former Sprint Cup champion and member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame is a three-time Daytona 500 winner and two-time Brickyard 400 winner, earning him $59.9 million.

18. Rusty Wallace -- The 1989 champion scored 55 career Sprint Cup Series wins over 26 years, leading to $49.7 million in career earnings.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. talks 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season with Darrell Waltrip

19. Bill Elliott -- 'Million Dollar Bill' was the first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver to win the Winston Million prize in 1985. The NASCAR Hall of Fame member used that big payday to earn a total of $46 million throughout his Sprint Cup career.

20. Terry Labonte -- A two-time champion, 'Texas' Terry Labonte earned a total of $45.6 million during his Sprint Cup career.

21. Ricky Rudd -- Throughout his 32-year Sprint Cup career, Ricky Rudd earned 23 victories, 194 top fives, 374 top 10s, and a total of $44.5 million in career earnings.

22. Sterling Marlin -- The two-time Daytona 500 champion ran his last full season in 2006, but earned $43.5 million throughout his 33-year Sprint Cup career.

23. Dale Earnhardt -- The 'Intimidator' was one of the most successful race car drivers in NASCAR, both on the track and when it came to marketing. However, Earnhardt ranks No. 23 on the list in terms of Sprint Cup Series career earnings with $42 million.

24. Brad Keselowski -- The young Team Penske driver is already a Sprint Cup Series champion, and has earned $39.4 million throughout his seven-year career.

25. Ken Schrader -- A perennial dirt track racer, Schrader's Sprint Cup Series career spanned 29 years, earning him four victories and a total of $38 million in earnings.

26. Joey Logano -- The young 24-year-old driver has already made waves in the Sprint Cup Series, earning eight victories, 43 top fives, 82 top 10s, and $33.9 million in career earnings.

27. Darrell Waltrip -- The NASCAR Hall of Fame member and FOX Sports analyst is a three-time Sprint Cup Series champion with 84 victories and $19.9 million in earnings.

28. Cale Yarborough -- The first driver to win three championships in a row, Yarborough is a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame and earned a total of $15.6 million during his career.

29. Richard Petty - 'The King' of NASCAR is the standard bearer for much of the sport, but earned just $8.5 million throughout his Sprint Cup career.

30. David Pearson -- The 'Silver Fox' may have won three titles and hold the No. 2 spot on the all-time win list, but Pearson ranks 30th on the list with $2.8 million in career earnings.

By looking at the list, it is clear the drivers racing in NASCAR today are making more money than those that paved the way before them. Fortune 500 companies are now an integral part of the sport, driving purses and earnings much higher.

For example, consider the fact Red Byron, the first champion of what is now the Sprint Cup Series, earned a total of $10,025 in his career. Rex White, the oldest living Sprint Cup champion and 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, earned $223,511 in his career.

It is certainly a good day to be a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, especially if you can get to Victory Lane.