Today we’ve collected some updates on a few NASCAR drivers that you might be interested in hearing about. We chat about Jamie McMurray’s new contract, Mark Martin’s 2011 plans, what Rusty Wallace has in mind for his son Steve, Michael McDowell’s 2011 driving plans. Plus a few NASCAR Bits & Pieces on Bill Elliott, Dave Blaney & Sam Hornish.
Jamie McMurray
Daytona 500 champion Jamie McMurray speaks at a press conference at Willie Mays Plaza in front of AT&T Park following his victory tour of San Francisco
Jamie McMurray signed a multi-year contract extension with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing (EGR), giving him a seat for the next couple of years. If you remember, he won the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte last year, but ended up 14th in points. I’d love to see him get more gusto in that car/team and compete for the Cup! He’s a likable personality who I like to see interviewed.
Mark Martin
Mark Martin has huge plans. He’s looking to compete in all three National NASCAR series this year, Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck series. Hmm, I wonder which series he declared that he’ll be competing for the championship in? A really twisted part of me would love to see him tame the Nationwide Series yet again, but seriously, we know where he has to be.
Jimmie Johnson finished 2nd at Homestead-Miami Speedway to capture the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship, beating Kevin Harvick by 36 points, and Denny Hamlin, the odds on favorite to take the cup, by 39 points.
While Jimmie Johnson was pacing his day in the field headed to the end, the day was long for Denny Hamlin as he spun early off the fender of Greg Biffle, taking out the toe of the car for the rest of the day. After that it was a struggle that looked like Denny was going to win as the day went on but the factor counting against him was his taking pit stops earlier than everyone else.
Because Denny was pitting earlier than everyone else, he was pinned a lap down during the last set of green flag pit stops when Kevin Harvick drove through Kyle Busch, driving him into the wall to bring out the caution. This will be an interesting controversy for a short time because when you listen to the replays, you’ll note Harvick never lifted and drove through Busch.
[click to continue reading…]
(photo courtesy Leon Hammack)
(This is a guest post by by digital neighbor, Leon Hammack, from www.workingonmyredneck.com.)
This week NASCAR rolls into the Talladega Superspeedway, formerly the Alabama International Speedway. This racing facility is rich with NASCAR history.
Big Bill France built this track and opened up for business with the first race in 1969. Throughout those 41 years this track has witnessed some of NASCAR’s highest highs, as well as some of the lowest of lows.
When the track first opened and all the drivers got their race cars out on the track, the high speeds and the tire failures that occurred during practice led the drivers to band together and refuse to race on that opening weekend. The drivers voiced their opinion to Big Bill France, he got into a race car, proceeded to drive a few laps and announced that it was perfectly safe.
[click to continue reading…]
Dave Moody on SIRIUS just reported that his sources say that Kenny Schrader is coming back for a 1-up race in the 2010 Budweiser Shootout.
He’ll be doing it in the No. 82 Red Bull Toyota! Now, we get to see Kenny in good equipment!
Folks, Red Bull just made a serious fan out of me for that move. That’s awesome.
News is also that Bill Elliott will be driving the No. 6 UPS car in the race also!
I’m starting to like those rule changes for the Budweiser Shootout they’ve instituted. 
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the favorite son. He’s the favorite son of the fans who seem to keep Dale Sr.’s spirit alive by rooting for Dale Jr. I get that. I’m there too. Despite a rough and tough season, the fans stick behind Dale Jr.. So much so that he’s won the Most Popular Driver award, again.
Richard Petty won it 9 times starting in 1962. Then in 64, 68, 74-78.
Bobby Allison won it 8 times starting in 1970 to 73, then 1980 to 83.
Bill Elliott though is the man to beat in the category of the Most Popular driver. Elliott’s won the award 16 times starting from 1984, spanning ’84 to 88, interrupted by Darrel Waltrip in ’89 & 90, then Bill Elliott ran with it from 1991 to 2000.
In 2001 Dale Earnhardt (Sr.) took the award in his afterlife, and Bill Elliott won it once again, for the last time, in 2002.
Since 2003, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been the recipient of the award ever since.
I feel bad for the rest of the competition. We should make a runner-up kind of, we haven’t forgotten you award for those coming in 2nd!
NBaP Tidbit: Rumor (?) has it that the award will be renamed to The Bill Elliott Award once Bill retires from the sport.
