joey logano

NASCAR 2012 Preseason Thunder at Daytona International Speedway – Day 1

by on January 12, 2012

in nascar, sports

54th Annual Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race

Softer springs, smaller spoilers, smaller radiators, new fuel system and a no-talk rule are all the new rage in NASCAR for this 2012 season…  is everyone ready for some racin’?  I know I sure am…  NASCAR has always been good to me, and the folks within the industry are just awesome to deal with, so bring it ON!

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With the Daytona 500 only 45 days away, well, one of the longest sportings seasons is about to get back underway, and it started with PreSeason Thunder as the teams got to get out on the track and test the new scenarios they’ll be up against when the 2012 NASCAR season commences once again.

Jeff Gordon paced the morning pack today in practice hitting a lap speed of 192.773 as everyone got on-track and practiced their solo and two-car runs, to see how things are going to shake out.

Daytona Preseason Thunder - Day 1 - Kyle Busch in the No. 18 M&M's Toyota

Kyle Busch, with Joey Logano tailing him, paced the afternoon pack with a 202.402 speed.

And not to mention, how the new fuel injected systems are going to work for the gang.

As teams hit up the track, this is the race, the Super Bowl of NASCAR.  Sure, it’s the first race of the season, but it’s a storied track and many important events have taken place here, in Daytona Beach, Florida.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr during Daytona Preseason Thunder at Daytona International Speedway on January 12, 2012

Coming into today, everyone was looking to get a feel for the smaller spoiler, smaller radiator & larger restrictor plate!  And I presume, they were also possibly playing around with the new radio rule, which is no more chatter between drivers in a race.

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NASCAR News From the Week That Was

by on October 1, 2011

in nascar, sports

NASCAR News and opinion from NASCAR BITS & PIECES on Brusimm.comSo what happened last week that caught my eye in the sport of NASCAR?

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First up, I caught a wiff that Bank of America Charitable Foundation will be giving $1 million to education programs.  This nice deed is connected with their sponsorship of the October race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Any time schools can get money is a nice thing, considering schools seem to take the brunt of budget cuts when money needs to be saved.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr’s Sponsor Swap

Word on the street is that Amp Energy is dripping off the hood of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s hood and will be replaced for 16 races in the 2012 season by Diet Mountain Dew.

When Diet Mountain Dew is on the the hood of the No. 88 Chevy, Amp will be an associate sponsor.

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The Front Row Wins The NASCAR New Hampshire Race

by on July 18, 2011

in nascar, sports

This weekend Stewart-Haas Racing not only qualified 1-2 to start the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series  Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at Loudon, but they also finished the race 1-2, in the same order they qualified. A feat I’m not sure I’ve ever seen before. (Disclaimer: That I recall off the top of my head.) [Ah... Pocono 2006, Hamlin/Ku Busch.]

Over the weekend, Ryan Newman won the pole for the NASCAR Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and he ended up sharing the front row with is boss/teammate Tony Stewart. Newman and Stewart fans everywhere seemed pretty pleased.

But as driver fans can attest to, when your driver does something that sparks your imagination, it’s usually a one-up deal. I can’t say how many times pole-sitters win a race, but this was one of those times as Ryan Newman took the checkered flag and Tony Stewart pulled in 2nd at the end of the race that the happy fans turned to victorious giddy fans.

Now, Ryan Newman fans are pretty damn happy.

NASCAR News, Updates and Opinions-

The race itself is a huge chess match of tire strategy and fuel mileage on a race track that’s purportedly known for being difficult to pass on. I think it’s one of the best tracks there is for a race. The banking of the track doesn’t allow for all-out turn entry or drafting potentials or what not. This is a skill-test like no other at a classic paper-clip shaped 1.058-mile track.

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The Closing Laps of the NASCAR Nationwide Series July 2011 Daytona Race

by on July 2, 2011

in nascar, sports

NASCAR Nationwide Series Daytona finish - Joey Logano

Joey Logano Wins the NASCAR Nationwide Series Subway Jalapeno 250 Powered by Coca-Cola

Last night’s NASCAR Nationwide Series Subway Jalapeno 250 closed out it’s event with quite the exciting stir.

With 6 laps left, one of the most exciting possibilities for a NASCAR race-winner, Danica Patrick, steam-trained to the front of the pack, being pushed by whom I believe was Aric Almirola.  With 5 to go they found themselves so far out front that what little aero advantage they had went away and the pack caught them.

You could hear the crowd at Daytona International Raceway cheering loudly as Danica Patrick took and held the lead, though it only lasted for 2 laps.

For but a moment, I thought we were going to get to see a piece of NASCAR and racing history in the making.  But alas, it would not be such for our bright green printed GoDaddy Chevy driver.

With only 4 laps to go things started to change for everyone as one tandem team after another jockeyed for the coveted spot that would let them out-draft the others into the win.

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The Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR Viewing Marathon From Charlotte Motor Speedway

by on May 29, 2011

in nascar, sports

The 2011 Coca-Cola 600 fr NASCAR

Race Notes and Results

The 2011 Coca-Cola 600 from Charlotte Motor Speedway was the culmination of a very long day of auto racing viewing.  Monte Carlo, Indianapolis 500 and then this, the longest race of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the Coca-Cola 600.  This is a long race, in fact it became the longest race ever in NASCAR.  It started around 3 something in the afternoon and tore in into the evening, coming up on 8 at night.

Kevin Harvick wins the Coca-Cola 600 from NASCAR

So yea, today was an auto racing fan’s dream come true.  That and my butt hurts!

But as the Coca-Cola 600 wound down, the question of fuel mileage started finding itself being pitched by the race announcers.  Who had enough, who was told to put their foot in it and who was being told to save gas.  At least that was the tactic with 10 laps to go, barely over 20 cars on the lead lap, and then with 8 laps to go, Matt Kenseth hit the pits for a splash of fuel, starting the cycle of green flag pits.

Then Jeff Gordon pits, while others were guessing the Kasey Kahne and Dale Earnhardt Jr. were good to go for the last five laps.  And yet with 5 to go, Jimmie Johnson‘s engine blows up, throwing the suspense of cars trying to make it under a green flag out the window and now we had to worry about if yellow flag laps was going to affect the front-runners.  That and some crew chief foul language being let slip out into the airwaves.

Under caution, a few cars stayed out, the rest came in for gas and tires.  This didn’t bode well for Greg Biffle, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and 8 other cars who stayed out.  And then “Junior Nation” starts to worry because Dale Jr is turning off his engine to save fuel under yellow… but then he couldn’t get it going for a bit.  Biffle had to buckle and pit under caution.

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NASCAR At Dover International Speedway This Weekend

by on May 13, 2011

in nascar, sports

This weekend, NASCAR is at Dover… one of the last independently owned tracks not owned by the big two race track organizations.

For the schedule, Friday the 13th already had two practice sessions.  Qualifying for the ‘FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks‘ at Dover International Speedway will be taking place on Saturday, the 14th of may at Noon, Eastern time.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race will take place on Sunday, May 15th, at 1 p.m. Eastern.

In the practice sessions, David Ragan was the only driver to be in the top-10 in practice speeds in both sessions.

Between both practice sessions, Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch shared the top spots.  They were followed by A.J. Allmendinger, Brad Keselowskit, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards and  Joey Logano shared the top-5 other spots across the two practices.

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RCCA & Daytona…. A Sweet Opportunity For Members Only

by on February 8, 2011

in nascar, sports

RCCA EliteAs a member of RCCA, (Racing Collectables Club of America) which, in case you didn’t know, is now a part of Lionel NASCAR Collectables, you have a pretty cool event for the upcoming week at Daytona.  They have three drivers confirmed for the events and all you have to be is a Platinum, Gold or Bronze member to participate!  I wish I were headed there or I’d sign up in a hot flash!

RCCA members will have an opportunity to race go karts on Feb 16th, and if the timing works out, the winner of the race will face off, head to head with Mike Wallace.

On the 17th of Feb., it’s dinner with the racing legend, Bobby Allison.

On the 18th of Feb., the selected RCCA members will get a garage tour and meet with Joey Logano, Brian Scott and Clint Bowyer.

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All you have to be is a member.  I don’t know if signing up to become a member gets you the chance or if this is open to existent members like myself.  I’ve held an RCCA card for … wow, around ten years now.  And yes, I have so many diecast that it’s a hazard to my health!

Check out the press release below and if you are, and you can, go for it and come back and let NASCAR Bits and Pieces know about the fun you had!!!

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NASCAR Phoenix 11-14-10 [Points Super Close, Edwards Wins, Hamlin Leads]

by on November 14, 2010

in nascar, sports

NASCAR Sprint Cup Race at Phoenix
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The Kobalt Tools 500 became a pretty exciting race Sunday as the start of the race had itself a few cautions and the top three drivers did what they did.  Denny Hamlin dominated the race until a late race pit stop was forced on him by gas mileage, Kevin Harvick had a bad pit stop with a missing lugnut but that looked like it became an advantage as the race progressed and Jimmie Johnson was stretching out his fuel fumes to finish the race.  Denny pitted early and with right-side tires and enough gas, he fought back onto the lead lap as the laps wound down.

Daddy-to-be, Ryan Newman had a great day and finished 2nd.

Carl Edwards won, Ryan Newman was 2nd, Joey Logano 3rd, Greg Biffle 4th, Jimmie Johnson 5th,  Kevin Harvick was 6th, followed by Kenseth, Martin, Kurt Busch, McMurray, Jeff Gordon &  Denny Hamlin recovered to 12th.

NASCAR Unnofficial Results

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Chase Points Standings
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The points standings are an incredible, drama inducing tight between the top-3 drivers and the chase is down to these three only.  Everyone else is out of the running.

Denny Hamlin is 15 points in front of Jimmie Johnson and 46 points in front of Kevin Harvick.

NASCAR Unofficial Standings

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NASCAR Nationwide Championship Clinched, Cup Pole Sitter in Texas

by on November 6, 2010

in nascar, sports

NASCAR

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At Texas Motor Speedway, Brad Keselowski finished third in the O’Reilly Auto Part Challenge, clinching the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series Championship.

Congrats to Brad.

Brad, winning the championship, brought Roger Penske his first NASCAR championship in one of the major series.

In the Nationwide race, Carl Edwards won the sprint off the start line for the final restart for a green-white-checkered finish.  Kyle Busch finished 2nd, Brad was 3rd, Joey Logano 4th & Martin Truex Jr. finished 5th.

And once again, Danica Patrick found no luck in the event as she got herself caught up in yet another incident very early in the race.  I tell ya, if it weren’t for bad luck, she wouldn’t be having any luck in the Nationwide Series!  She ended up finishing 22nd that was three laps off the lead pace.

Texas: Resultsexternal link | Standingsexternal link

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On the NASCAR Sprint Cup side of things for tomorrow (Sunday, November 7th), Elliot Sadler snagged the pole followed by Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, Juan Montoya, David Ragan, Kurt Busch, Clint Bowyer, Regan Smith, Mark Martin and A.J. Allmendinger rounding out the top-10 starter spots.

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Talladega Is More the Wild Card Than Any Other Track

by on October 31, 2010

in nascar, sports

Talladega racing traffic

Headed into Talladega, who will walk away unscathed, and enhance their position in the NASCAR points standings:  Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin or Kevin Harvick?

With the portent of restrictor plate races, the real concern is if someone gets sideways and causes a wreck.  In NASCAR most wrecks only involve a car or two but if you’ve never seen a race at Talladega, they need draft nose to tail and side-by-side to stay in the hunt for that all important next position in front of the driver that makes it a nervous endeavor if the guy next to or just in front of them gets out of shape.

Talladega crash

I never want to see what they call “The big one,” the wreck that takes out up half the field.  The speeds the pack travels at injects an unknown into the variables because suddenly, at 190 mph, a car can become a victim of the air and get lifted off the ground or a car can get sideways and run into the inside wall at the same speeds.  The worse possible scenario is hitting the inside wall at one of only a few spots that are more conducive to a voilent hit.

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