Danica Patrick reveals 2012 Sprint Cup plans; will honor Dan Wheldon Saturday

Image via Wikipedia
On to Feb. 26, 2012, where there will now be three drivers to root for at Stewart-Haas Racing at the 2012 Daytona 500.

In addition to Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman, Danica Patrick has announced that she will start the 2012 season with a limited Sprint Cup schedule in the #10 GoDaddy car, beginning at Daytona.

Patrick will also be driving full time in the Nationwide Series in 2012. Won’t it be fascinating to watch this capable  woman racing in a stock car? She will start by running the last three races of this year’s Nationwide season, just to get additional seat time before her season officially begins.

Patrick will contribute to Dan Wheldon’s Memorial Trust Fund

Patrick said today, “she will be happy to have a roof over her head,” referring to the open-cockpit cars of the IndyCar series she is leaving behind. The last race Patrick drove, which had been her plan, was the season finale at Las Vegas Oct. 16. That race was cut short after the horrific 15-car crash that claimed the life of two-time Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon.

In this Saturday’s race at Texas, Patrick will honor Wheldon with a special paint scheme on the hood of her Nationwide car. It will bear the same image that Wheldon wore on his helmet.

Her helmet will also be specially designed to pay tribute to Wheldon. Following the race Patrick's helmet will be auctioned off. The proceeds will go to the Dan Wheldon Memorial Trust Fund. Patrick will also donate her prize winnings from Saturday’s race to the fund.

The fund was started when Graham Rahal donated his helmet to be raffled off in what he thought would be a small gesture to benefit Wheldon’s widow and their two young sons. When Rahal announced his intentions on Twitter the response from the motor sports community was overwhelming. In three days, more than $200,000 was raised. Since that time, the fund has continued to grow.

Stewart-Haas Racing marked by opposites and irony Sunday at Louden

Image via WikipediaDuring NASCAR’s second Championship race at Louden, New Hampshire, Stewart-Haas Racing drivers were both victorious and defeated, all at the same time.

Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 car won the race, his second consecutive win during the Chase for the Championship. Ryan Newman, driver of the #39 who started in the pole position, finished a lap down, in 25th place.

Ironically, Stewart passed leader Clint Bowyer, driver of the #33 car, on the last lap when Bowyer ran out of gas. Last year, the roles were reversed.It was Stewart who ran out of gas and watched Bowyer cross the finish line first.

Stewart now holds the top spot in points in NASCAR’s Chase for the Championship. Newman lost four spots in the standings, dropping from 7th to 11th in points. Ouch! It was a devastating day for Newman.

Newman had the best qualifying lap, so he started on the pole. He had great expectations, since he was the most recent Sprint Cup driver to win at Louden, winning the regular season race there in July when he also started from the pole. It is one of his favorite tracks and he always runs well there. And his performance of late has been superb.

It wasn’t meant to be this weekend, however, as it really is all about team work. And the #39 team didn’t deliver.

The first issue was a fluke—when during a pit stop Newman’s air hose got caught up on his splitter, costing precious time to clear it. Then there were other blunders on pit road, such as an issue with a lug nut and a bad call that resulted in his crew chief Tony Gibson’s numerous apologies over the radio. 

Finally, with five laps to go, Newman had to pit to change tires as he felt a problem with his right front tire. It was a devastating day for the #39 team.

As a fan, the whole race was hard to watch, especially since Newman’s car was featured on ESPN’s Race Buddy. A camera was mounted inside his race car, allowing us to feel as though we were riding along with our favorite driver at breakneck speeds. The experience was quite enjoyable during the first 62 laps, while Newman was leading the race.

We look forward to a turn around at Dover next weekend.

Who lit the match igniting the fire in Stewart-Haas Racing?

The Army team changes tires on the #39 Chevy Impala in the pit
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There seems to have been a turn around at Stewart-Haas Racing in the competition department. Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman are on fire—peaking at just the right time—so to speak.

Could Matt Borland, VP of Competition at Stewart-Haas Racing be holding the match?

It may be no coincidence that stepped up performance in both Tony Stewart’s #14 car and Ryan Newman’s #39 car seems to coincide with personnel changes at Stewart-Haas Racing instituted in June. That was when Matt Borland was promoted to VP of competition. Borland, who had been with the team even before Stewart took over co-ownership, replaced Bobby Hutchins, who was ‘let go’ June 6.

It seemed that performance in both teams was lacking. Something had to be done. And, it appears the change was just the right medicine.

Borland had been Newman’s crew chief at Penske Racing during the time when Newman was nicknamed “Rocketman” because of his unstoppable qualifying prowess.

Both drivers got off to a rough start this season. But in July, Newman won his first race. Two months later—last weekend at Chicagoland--Stewart won his first race. Just recently, Newman has put together a string of top 5’s and top-10 finishes. Both drivers have made the Chase for the Championship.

And, Newman has just clocked the fastest qualifying lap for tomorrow’s race at Louden.

Whatever caused the winning formula, let’s just hope it continues.

First Chase for the Championship race, good for Stewart-Haas Racing

Image via WikipediaOverall, I'd say the first race of the Chase for the Championship was great for Stewart-Haas Racing. Tony Stewart is to be congratulated for a great run. He started way in the back, but it didn't take him long to make his way forward.

As for Ryan Newman, he turned lemons into lemonade. Normally, that would be a good thing, instead of settling for lemonade, Newman could have had champagne. He finished 8th after running out of gas on the last lap. It was a gamble, and he lost. He could have won the first race in the Chase for the Championship. But that's the way it goes sometimes. Newman has to be proud of his performance in the rain-delayed race Monday. He drove a phenomenal race, hovering at the front of the field the entire day. Who knows what would have happened had he not run out of gas at the end? Perhaps it is best that he didn't have to race the boss man for the win. As nice as it would have been to see Ryan win it, seeing Tony win it was just about as good.

I'm glad they finally got the race in, even though it was a day late. Tony probably would not have done so well on Sunday, since he said he had a migraine headache. All is well for Stewart-Haas Racing fans.

Image via WikipediaI always have nostalgic feelings when the race is held at Chicagoland Speedway.

I watched Chicagoland Speedway being built. It was just a few miles from where I used to live and work as a reporter for a local paper. There is no doubt that if I still lived and worked there, that I would be at the track covering the rain, and then interviewing Tony Stewart afterward. I'm sure there would also be a generous number of photos of the #39 car as well.

When the track was being built, I remember thinking that it was massive; it rose like a monolith on the flat, fertile land. In those days I didn't understand. I had very limited knowledge of racing. I knew nothing about NASCAR or drivers' personalities, or the speeds at which the cars are driven. I had no idea that this huge endeavor would add to the billion-dollar industry that is NASCAR. I had heard names like Richard Petty and Davey Allison, but knew nothing of who they were.

I recall meeting one of the track promoters at a local gathering, though I can't remember her name. She was very interested to learn that I worked for a newspaper, as she was obviously trying to publicize the track's activities. She offered to show me around the completed race track. And she said to call her if I was interested in press credentials, or if there was anything else she could do for me.

My how things have changed. Somewhere around 2004, I had my NASCAR awakening. My son, Chris introduced me to the sport and to Ryan Newman, his favorite driver. My adoration for Newman and his driving prowess may have even surpassed that of my son. It didn't take long before I was completely obsessed, like so many others who worship at the oval altar of concrete and asphalt, banked turns, three-wide racing and photo finishes nearly every weekend. Friends and family know not to call me on race day.

Retired now, home is in Arkansas, not Illinois. I love living here, in the beautiful 'Natural State.' I'm not homesick for Illinois, but it sure would be nice to be there, if just for race day.

Danica Patrick joins NASCAR

Gone are the days of "Gentlemen, start your engines." Those gentlemen will now include a lady, once Danica Patrick is on the scene. Patrick has announced that she will join NASCAR as a full time driver in 2012 in the Nationwide series. She will drive for JR Motorsports, owned by Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

Patrick will also spend nearly two dozen races behind the wheel of a Sprint Cup car, driving for Stewart-Haas Racing.

It was bound to happen to the male-dominated sport of stock car racing. It is not that there haven't been successful women participating in the sport in the past, because there have. Women have made their mark in race car driving.

In 1949, Sara Christian, the first woman race car driver, posted a fifth-place finish at Pittsburgh, the best finish by a woman in NASCAR history. Christian ran seven races, with her first competition at Charlotte.

But probably the best known woman race car driver was Janet Guthrie, who ran 33 races between 1976 and 1980. Like Patrick, Guthrie was probably better known for driving Indy cars, but she also made a name for herself at NASCAR. She started in the top ten and posted top-ten finishes in the NASCAR’s Winston Cup, which is now the Sprint Cup Series. She finished sixth at Bristol, Tennessee in ‘77, which remains the best by a woman in the recent NASCAR era.

Guthrie is the only woman to take the lead in a Cup race. She was the Top Rookie in five races in her day. She was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2006.

It will be exciting to watch Danica Patrick go the distance with these good ole boys. It might be more fun to watch how they react to it. I believe Patrick is here to stay. She is spunky. She is competitive. And she is qualified. Her presence will undoubtedly beef up the Nationwide Series, which is already, in my opinion, becoming a must watch program.

I’m even more excited to watch her career as a Sprint Cup driver in a Stewart-Haas car. Since I’m a woman, Ryan Newman is my favorite driver, and I happen to have a GoDaddy website (http://www.ozarkattitude.com) this is a tad personal for me. I am really going to enjoy racing in 2012, not that it hasn’t been stellar this year.

With Ryan Newman seventh in points, his racing prowess is becoming obvious to even his staunchest critics. I love saying I told you so to those hard-nose idiots that have long misjudged him. 

One-Two Punch for Stewart-Haas Racing

Image via WikipediaRyan Newman took ownership of New Hampshire Motor Speedway at Louden this weekend. First he gained the pole twice--then he chalked up a couple of wins. His qualifying lap even set a new track record. Excellent job, Newman!


The first feat in Newman's double play occurred early Saturday when he won his third Whelen Modified Tour, a NASCAR open-wheeled race. It was Newman's third win in New Hampshire and his fourth straight win overall. 


Newman second feat was on the Sprint Cup side Sunday, as he and the entire #39 team dominated the race, leading the most laps of the day--119 of 301. Earning the pole position, Newman started first and finished first.  


Not only was Newman's performance stellar for the entire 301 laps of the race, but the end was a nail-biter. Crew Chief Tony Gibson reminded him every lap to save fuel. Newman worked the throttle gingerly as he aimed for the finish line. He said on the radio as he crossed the finish line that he thought he may have about a gallon left. Whoops and hollers could be heard from his team over the radio. He picked up both the checkered flag to signify his win and an American flag to honor his U.S. Army sponsor. 


As he carried the American flag, that waved from his window, Newman's smokey burnout came to an abrupt end. He finally ran out of gas. 


This wasn't just a win for Newman and his team. It was a win for Stewart-Haas Racing, as teammate and owner Tony Stewart crossed the finish line directly after his teammate. Stewart was second on the pole and at the end. It was a one-two punch for the racers hungry for that win. 


Newman gained a point in the standings, along with gaining that insurance of one in the win column, which all but ensures his spot in the coveted race for the championship. Newman is now eighth in points in the top 12. 

Stewart-Haas displays sense of humor

NASCAR is fortunate to have teams that can exhibit a sense of humor.

Take Stewart-Haas Racing, for example. 

Stewart-Haas Racing posted, via Twitter, a photo of Ryan Newman's banged-up #39 race car following last weekend's night race at Richmond, (see details), where Juan Pablo Montoya intentionally smashed into Newman's race car. Newman's car was then accidentally hit by another race car, driven by his former teammate Kurt Busch. The result of the damage caused Newman to finish the race in the 20th position. He had been running eighth when Montoya ruined his day.

Stewart-Haas released the picture with the statement, "Thanks Juan. Crumpled sheet metal makes for a great gift. We'll add this to our Target registry." 

Teammates tied for 3rd place in standings

NASCAR stats this week following the Bristol race is a thing of beauty, at least in my mind.

Ryan Newman is tied for third place with teammate/bossman Tony Stewart. 

Beautiful is probably not the descriptor for Tony Stewart or his fans, however. Stewart came into the Tennessee race leading in points, but an ill-handling race car and a tangling in front of him that caused him to slam into the back of Newman's car, combined to give Stewart a less than stellar run at Bristol. He finished 19th despite leading the field in an early practice.

Newman's race car wasn't quite right either, though a good pit strategy allowed him to lead a couple dozen laps. That was in stark contrast to a little bounce off the wall, but saving it. Ultimately, Newman finished 10th. Despite poor handling, both Stewart-Haas teammates had fast race cars.  

Newman and Stewart have both commented about their affection for racing at Bristol. Both have a good short-track history.

Despite their 10- and 19-place finishes, Stewart-Haas Racing is off to a good start in the 2011 season.

Congratulations to Kyle Bush for his win at Bristol. Now it is off to California.

It's Bristol Baby!

It is always exciting to get back to racing after an off-week, but never so much as when getting back to racing means It's Bristol Baby!

Racing at Bristol Motor Speedway, dubbed the World's Fastest Half-Mile, is always exciting to watch. For drivers like Ryan Newman, racing at Bristol is like getting back to basics where he can draw on his extensive short-track racing experience.

Newman set the record at the high-banked, half mile oval in 2003 where he clocked a qualifying speed of 128.709 miles per hour. He made it around the track in a mere 14.908 seconds. 

Not only does Newman hold the track record, but he has a good 'track record' at Bristol Motor Speedway. With 18 career starts there, he has finished in the top 10 ten times; once in the top five, and has sat on the pole twice. While at Stewart-Haas Racing, he has started four times, and finished better than seventh at three of them. 

Newman goes to Bristol Motor Speedway with momentum on his side. He is currently ranked 5th in points, just 10 points back from his owner/teammate Tony Stewart who tops the points standings. Newman has finished the last two races in the top five. While a crash, not of his doing, took him out in the last laps at Daytona's season opener, Newman led the most laps in that race.
 

This year, which marks the 50th Anniversary of racing at Bristol Motor Speedway, promises to be as action-packed as ever.
 

Wouldn't it be nice to see Ryan Newman be the first to cross the checkers this Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway?

Ryan Newman shows grit at Daytona

There is no question that restrictor plate racing isn't a favorite of the #39 team. Ryan Newman has had more than his share of challenges on restrictor plate tracks like Daytona. 

Prior to Sunday's opening 2011 season race, Newman's crew chief Tony Gibson commented to Scene Daily about his expectations. 

"If we can come out of there with a solid top-20 finish, then we know our mile-and-a-half program has been good; our short–track program has been good,” Gibson said. “The rest of our season is great. It’s just the darn restrictor-plate races that we can’t seem to get through.

“We finally finished one [plate] race, and that was the last Talladega race. Up until then, we had not finished a restrictor-plate race in almost two years. You just can’t give up those points, because there are 12 other guys [in Chase contention] that aren’t going to have those problems. When we made the Chase in 2009, we had a problem at Daytona, we wrecked, but we didn’t’ have those problems from there on out.

“For us, it’s all about coming out of Daytona with a decent finish. If we can start our season out good, the rest of the season will be fine.”

While Newman's finish was slightly short of the team's expectations, his was a decent finish, given the circumstances. 

Even some bad luck at the end can't take away from Newman's stellar performance in the first 186 laps of the 200-lap race. Newman's car was fast, both in and out of the draft. He led laps. 

In fact, he led 37 laps, the highest number of anyone in the field. 

Newman finished in 22nd place Sunday, eaking out 24 points. 

What was more important than race stats, Newman showed his grit. After the first wreck he got caught up in, Newman came back to make his way up to the 10th position. Then another wreck causing heavy damage to the #39 car. Gibson announced they were done because the radiator was involved. 

"Just put some water in it and let me get back out there," Newman said as he coaxed his car to the finish.

Newman and Stewart-Haas Racing can be proud of what Newman accomplished in the 53rd running of the Daytona 500. 

Newman's performance in the Budweiser Shootout was also worth noting. There too, he was oh-so-close to taking the checkered flag with leading laps and a 3rd place finish. 

Now, it is on to Phoenix, the track that scored Newman's most recent win. 

23 Days til Daytona

The weather is warming, the days are getting longer. The calendar on my desktop tells me there are now only 23 days til we will see the #39 rocketing down the backstretch at the Daytona International Speedway. 

I am daring to get excited about the NASCAR 2011 racing season.

After watching the car on the track already, this proves to be a great season. Thanks to Speed TV for streaming the Speedweeks testing. 

Didn't the Daytona track look fine? Nice and smooth.

In only 15 days, we will be able to enjoy our first official race--the Budweiser Shootout. How exciting is this???

I'm feeling good about the new points structure implemented by NASCAR. 

After seeing the way Ryan Newman ended the last season, I'd say he has momentum on his side. With a new baby girl and a new sponsor in WIX Filters, plus that tried and true U.S. Army motivation and yummy Tornados, I expect Newman to be consistently 'on' this year along with his boss/teammate Tony Stewart. Wouldn't it be fun to watch the two of them battle for the lead? 

Stewart/Haas Racing has two excellent drivers in the right position to get the job done. I can hardly wait.

Stewart-Haas Racing isat the 'at the ready'

The Budwiser Shootout is now just days away.

Like the start of a new year, I am excited about this upcoming racing season. Armed with untold possibilities, I like what I'm reading about the off-season prep work at Stewart-Haas Racing. They seem more prepared than ever, with their inaugural season behind them, to begin their second season. I imagine that Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman are chomping at the bit, waiting for that first green flag fall. As a fan, I can hardly wait either.

I like the fact that they have hired a third pit crew. That shows forward thinking. It seems as though this is the move to prepare for Danica Patrick, or some other driver next year. They will be ready. I think a backup is an excellent idea, even if a third driver isn't in the offing.

While I am saddened that Greg Newman will no longer be spotting for his son, I understand the strategy behind it. I have long felt sorry for Greg, unable to sit back, as we fans can do, and 'watch' his son race. After all, Ryan is an elite driver who is living his dreams -- and the dreams of his father. Ryan is well aware of what his father sacrificed for his career. It is time Greg should be able to enjoy the fruits of his labor. At his age, he shouldn't have to subject himself to the grueling pace, the elements, and the emotional roller-coaster that goes with the job.

I admit it will certainly not feel the same, not having Greg and Ryan share radio banter during caution periods. Having the two of them talk together was like having them over for Sunday dinner.

It was comforting to have Greg on the box communicating with his driver, his son, like he has for Ryan's entire racing career. But, perhaps it was too family-oriented. Though it is doubtful, perhaps those close family ties did hold Ryan back to a degree. Maybe they were too comfortable. It will be very interesting to hear how Ryan reacts to a new spotter, one who isn't as familiar with his driving style or the way he wants to hear 'what he wants to hear.' I imagine it is going to be a real learning curve for both of them. But that might put them both right on that edge - the razor's edge that tough competition requires. Oh, I can't wait to see the results. I have a feeling we will see a new resurgence of the 'Rocketman.'

Championship Prediction

I am going out on a limb, to make a prediction for the 2009 Sprint Cup Championship. It will either be Tony Stewart or Mark Martin. Anything can happen in the next ten races, and probably will.

Tony Stewart is, in my opinion, probably the best driver on the track. He can drive anything, as evidenced by his recent successive win at his own race track, earning top points in the regular season, and cruising into Victory Lane three times. Stewart has really come into his own this year. There is something different about his temperament, his attitude, and what seems to be a new approach to racing as an owner/driver. He has already won a championship, so he knows how to get it done. Winning this time, in his new status as owner/driver would be like winning it for the first time. Stewart's being top in points is acknowledgement for his ability to get it done.

Besides, I'm partial to Stewart-Haas Racing because Stewart's teammate Ryan Newman is my favorite driver. Nothing would please me more than for Ryan to win the championship, but realistically, as much as that would be the greatest thing, I don't see it happening. Winning a race in this next series of races is certainly within the realm of possibility, however.

Mark Martin winning the championship would be an ideal scenario. This goal has long eluded him. It is the one thing he has not achieved in his long and storied career. This could be the time. Mark knows how to get it done. He has proven himself in the regular season with four trips to Victory Lane. He is happy with his race team and with himself. It would be really nice to see it happen for him.

Mark Martin is a genuinely nice man. I feel a sort of kinship to him, since by about 100 miles, he is my neighbor. And, I've visited his museum where he stores his immense number of trophies, cars, and other racing memorabilia.

I also expect a win or two from outside the Chase for the Championship from Kyle Busch. Kyle has something to prove since he was squeezed out of the chase this year. And, I suspect he will come back in fighting form.

To see the results of the Race for the Chase, check out the following:
NASCAR Chase Decided

Racing at Richmond

originally written May 21, 2009
There is nothing like short track racing under the lights. Richmond, Virginia was host this weekend on May 1 and 2, to the NASCAR Nationwide and Sprint Cup series races.

A race at Richmond offers drivers and fans a back-to-basics kind of racing that is a favorite among them. It often reminds some of the sports' premier drivers of their own humble beginnings when they began their racing career on a neighborhood short track.

The weekend culminated with the Sprint Cup race, NASCAR's top series, where the drivers are arguably the best in the country. The Richmond International Raceway is a D-shaped oval with fourteen-degrees of banking in the turns and room for more than 112,000 fans. Sprint Cup cars are engineered to exact standards, using precision tools and years of innovation, not to mention millions of development dollars. Race teams hire pit crew members which consists of the best and most consistent in their field.

These refinements are in direct contrast to local dirt-track racing where race cars often begin as junkers, but are artfully transformed in a garage, backyard, or carport by men who turn wrenches for fun. Usually on a shoestring budget, they work hard to enter a local race, where they can earn enough in winnings to buy more or better parts to improve on what they have. Despite the sharp contrast, there is an element of similarity in the feel of a professional race at Richmond and those amateur Saturday night venues.

Short-track racing is a fan favorite as it offers close side-by-side racing, passing, and the proverbial 'beatin' and bangin' that has come to be expected at a track like Richmond.

Drivers' skills are always put to the test at the three-quarter-mile oval. Patience is necessary in the 400-lap race, as drivers in the rear of the field try methodically to pass the cars in front of them, one at a time, always trying to advance positions. They are intent on working their way to the front, in anticipation of being the first to take the checkered flag.

Each position is nearly a race in itself as drivers battle one another for each coveted position. The give and take sometimes causes problems as the cars become two- three- and four-wide across the track. Something has to give and usually does. And then there are times that patience simply runs out. The result is often crumpled fenders, flattened tires, visible sparks, and smoke billowing from beneath the car as one or more limps its way to pit road.

Richmond is a feel-good race track. And that translated into the top five finishers at Saturday's race. Kyle Busch won the race. And what could be better than winning a race on your twenty-fourth birthday? He also won Friday night's Nationwide series event on the same track.

In second place was Tony Stewart who is enjoying a phenomenal first year as a team owner/driver. Stewart left the comfort of Joe Gibbs Racing last year after a 10 year association to become co-owner in his own team, Stewart-Haas Racing.