Thanksgiving Reflections - Things I am Thankful For

Ah, yes. Today is Thanksgiving and another NASCAR season has already been completed. I have been reduced to once again piping team numbers instead of belt buckles on my pilgrim hat s’mores (a festive treat my family does for the holiday).

During this time of year, people of America remember and cherish all the things they are thankful for. Admit it or not, living in this county is something to be thankful for in and of itself. I hope, like mine, being thankful for family and friends is on your list, as well. I am thankful for a lot of things, but wanted to share some of the NASCAR-related ones with you.

So here you have it, five things about NASCAR I am thankful for this year.

My Popular Speed Family
Of course, these awesome people are at the top of this list. I am honored to be a part of the staff and have enjoyed seeing the website grow every step of the way. I, in turn, have grown along with it and can’t wait to see where the next year leads us both.

The New Chase Format
Whether you are a fan of the new system or not, you are probably tired of hearing everyone talk about it, but please hear me out. I was skeptical at the first of the year to mid-way through the Chase, but in the end I have come to enjoy the new Chase system.

Like anything brand new, it certainly needs some tweaks, but its potential is great. It brought more intense competition throughout the entire season and especially during the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. That trend is always welcome in the sport.

Young Talent in the Lower Ranks
If you watch the NASCAR Nationwide Series or Camping World Truck Series you should be well aware that the sport has no shortage of young talented drivers. Several drivers, some who are still in high school, are thriving as they climb the NASCAR ladder. Many are competing with veterans of the sport almost every week of the season – and every once in a while the student out-duels the master. Some even make history.

One day, these fresh faces will make up the majority of the field in the premier series of NASCAR. They will be battling each other for positions, victories, and championships. Indeed, we have a lot to look forward to. The sport’s future seems very bright with many exciting days ahead.

Tony Stewart Smiling Again
At one point, I was concerned that I wouldn’t say this for a long time. Little explanation is needed to tell how Stewart has had an incredibly tough year. When he returned to the track nearly a month after being involved in a very difficult incident, he seemed different. The driver/team owner carried a burden which oppressed the fiery yet fun personality he normally conveyed.

But with time and a good support system, healing comes. Slowly, glimpses of Stewart’s infectious grin came back and by the end of the season, he was standing on stage as the championship-winning team owner. For that moment he was happy, and the NASCAR community seemed to be along with him. Which brings me to my final point.

The NASCAR Community
I am thankful for the NASCAR community because it has something very unique and special about it. Yes, there are many times that we argue, become frustrated with each other, or have differing opinions on matters concerning the sport, but there is something that separates us from the typical sports community.

Like other sports, every fan has their favorite driver that they cheer for every race day. But when a hard time or tragedy befalls in the community, there is a sense of family found in no other sport but NASCAR. While opinions may contrast, we all have one thing in common – we love racing. That one interest connects us, and brings us together.

I think one way to sum up this list is to say that I am thankful for such a great sport. With that, I hope you have had a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoy an amazing off-season. 

2014 Mid-Season Standouts: Most Improved List

This season, like many, has been filled with surprises. There are the usual ups and downs, but some teams have stood out with an up-swing in their on-track performance. The July race at Daytona marked the halfway point of the season which is a perfect time to review those who have improved the most as compared to this point last season.

My evaluation of “most improved” is not only defined by wins and placement in the standings. It is also defined by consistent finishes, team cohesiveness, a noticeable increase in competitiveness compared to this point last season.

With that explained, here are four race teams and one organization I think have made noteworthy advancements in the first 18 races.

No. 22 Team - Joey Logano
In 2013, Logano had his best Sprint Cup Series season after leaving Joe Gibbs Racing to race for Team Penske. He seems to have already topped that within the first half of the 2014 season. Currently, Logano has collected six top-fives and nine top-10s along with two trips to victory lane. The triumphs mark the first time Logano has won multiple races in a season during his Sprint Cup Series career. In comparison to this point last year, the 24-year-old had collected five top-fives, eight top-10s, and no wins (his only 2013 victory came later in August).

Additionally, Logano has also led more laps in the first half of this season than in the entire 2013 season. The Middletown, CT native is currently sixth in the point standings whereas last season he was 15^th. The No. 22 team has quickly proven that they are shaping up to become a championship contender - maybe not this year but certainly in the future.

No. 24 Team - Jeff Gordon
Gordon has also improved immensely when compared to last year’s first half of the season. By this time in 2013, the four-time NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion had accumulated four top-fives, six top-10s, five DNF’s and no wins (his only 2013 victory came later in October). Additionally, he nearly missed the Chase, which would have been his first absence since 2005.

The first 18 races of this season have been the complete opposite. Gordon has one victory, six top-fives, and 13 top-10s. He also has an average finish of 8.7 and no DNF’s. Currently leading the point standings, the team is locked into the Chase and has successfully turned their on-track performance around.

No. 27 Team - Paul Menard
Last year, Menard compiled three top-fives and nine top-10s in the 2013 season. Halfway through 2014, the Richard Childress Racing driver has matched his previous stats exactly. In the third race of the season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Menard captured a third place finish - his best since the 2012 October race at Kansas Speedway.

Currently the No. 27 Team sits 10^th in the point standings, 10 positions better than this time last year. With a much stronger on-track performance, Menard and company may find themselves competing in their first Chase this season.

No. 88 Team - Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Earnhardt Jr. began the 2014 season with a bang, winning his second Daytona 500 and ending a one-and-a-half year winless streak. From there he led the point standings for three races - something the 39-year-old has not done since 2004. Currently, Earnhardt Jr. has collected two wins, nine top-fives, and 12 top-10s. In comparison to the halfway point of the 2013 season, the driver had accumulated four top-fives, nine top-10s, and no victories.

Earnhardt Jr. is currently second in the point standings, 27 points from leader Jeff Gordon. He, crew chief Steve LeTarte, and the entire No. 88 Team have continued to improve in each of their seasons together. As a result, they have also become one of this year’s top picks for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

JTG Daugherty Racing
Of all the teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, one stands out to me as an organization who has made considerable improvement. Many details have changed for JTG Daugherty Racing in the past year. A new driver, AJ Allmendinger, replaced Bobby Labonte in piloting the No. 47 Chevrolet. A less obvious change was their new technical alliance formed with Richard Childress Racing.

Both adjustments to the team have proven beneficial thus far. In 2013, their best finish was 15^th collected in the season-opening Daytona 500. By the halfway mark, they had suffered four DNF’s, accumulated an average finish of 27.7 and were 30^th in the point standings.

This season to date has been the team’s best in four years. Allmendinger drove the No. 47 Chevrolet to a season-best fifth place finish at Talladega Superspeedway and has captured two other top-10 finishes throughout the first 18 races. The team’s current average finish is 21.2 as they sit 24th in the point standings. They also have only one DNF which came last week at Daytona. The progress JTG Daugherty Racing has made in the last year is exceptional and could continue in the months to come.

Ryan Preece a Busy Driver this Weekend

Current NASCAR Next member Ryan Preece has a busy schedule this weekend as he plans to compete in four different NASCAR sanctioned races, concluding with the NASCAR Nationwide Series race this Saturday.

On Friday, he will begin with the NASCAR Whelen Modified All-Star Shootout at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The race is comprised of the biggest names in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. The 20 driver lineup has collected a combined total of 16 series championships and 132 wins. Later on in the day, Preece will travel to Stafford, CT to participate in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified Divisions race at Stafford Motor Speedway.

The following day, the 23-year-old will be heading back to New Hampshire to race in the Whelen Modified Sunoco 100. Once the event is over, Preece will have a few minutes to rest before preparing to get back inside a race car. This time, he will be driving Tommy Baldwin Racing’s No. 36 Chevrolet for the Nationwide Series STA-Green 200.

East West Marine will be sponsoring Preece’s car and is pleased to have him in the driver’s seat.

“We are very excited to be able to support Ryan’s continued progression through the NASCAR ranks and once again be a partner with Tommy Baldwin Racing,” said Brian Slaga, President of East West Marine. “We fully support Ryan’s career through the various racing series that he participates in. He is a great ambassador for East West Marine and we are proud to have him wave our flag. We look forward to his continued success for many years to come.”

Preece is the current Whelen Modified Tour champion after posting four wins and 10 top-fives in the 14-race season. He has a career total of nine wins and 58 top-10s in the series. Additionally, the Kensington, CT native has one previous Nationwide Series start which took place at New Hampshire as well. Last year he raced at the track for Tommy Baldwin Racing where he finished 24^th.

The upcoming race at New Hampshire will be the first of two Nationwide Series events Preece is scheduled to compete in this year. He is also slated to drive in the Virginia529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway on Friday, September 5^th.

“I can’t wait, and I’m very happy to have this chance again,” Preece said. “You never know if your first race in a car, could be your last one. Making the best of the opportunity is key. I’m very lucky to have someone like Tommy pushing and supporting me. He has given me a ‘true’ opportunity that is very hard to come by in today’s racing. There aren’t very many car owners that will put you in a car like he is doing. I’m looking forward to getting back in a full body car and doing what I love to do.”

The Nationwide Series STA-Green 200 will be broadcasted live on Saturday, June 12 with coverage beginning at 3:00 PM EST on ESPN2.

Storylines from the All-Star Race

The 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series All-Star Race was a success. It gave an energized crowd an exciting race under the lights. There were many memorable moments, including pre-race antics by AJ Allmendinger (who did “the worm” during driver introductions). In addition, there were some surprises, such as defending winner Jimmie Johnson’s lack luster night. Now that the confetti has settled and a winner has claimed $1 million, here are some storylines from the electrifying race.

Jamie McMurray wins All-Star, First for Chip Ganassi
To begin, here is the obvious headline. Jamie McMurray surprises everyone by winning the All-Star race. Early on, the event was mostly dominated by drivers like Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne. Within the third segment, McMurray begin to improve on his position and found himself inside of the top five. As the green flag flew for the final 10-lap shootout, McMurray took part in a close battle with Edwards. He soon took the lead and never looked back.

“Carl (Edwards) got a little bit of a jump on me on the restart and I was able to hold onto his quarter panel”, McMurray said in Victory Lane. “When we kept entering (Turn) 1 and Turn 3, I was like ‘Heck with it, it’s for one million bucks. If we wreck, it is not that big of a deal’. It is so cool to come out on top of that.”

What will the Joplin, MO native buy with his large paycheck first? A train for his three year old son, Carter.

“(Wife) Christy told him ‘Now Carter, if dad wins today what would you want?’ and he said ‘A train’ so Carter you are going to get a really cool train, I promise in the next few days”.

Not only is this win a first for the 37 year-old, but also for team owner Chip Ganassi. McMurray adds this victory alongside the crown jewel wins of the Daytona 500, Pepsi (now Coke Zero) 400 at Daytona International Speedway and Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Both driver and team owner have won the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the fall twice. Will the No. 1 team rise up and win the Coca-Cola 600 this upcoming week? After what happened Saturday night, the team will certainly be a favorite for the series’ longest race.

Four-time Winner Jimmie Johnson a Non-factor during Race
Coming into the All-Star race, Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 team were the prime pick to win the race. Why wouldn’t they? They entered Charlotte as not only the defending winners, but back to back winners.

From the time the green flag flew to the moment the checkered flag was waved, Johnson was a non-factor. He was barely mentioned in the television broadcast and hardly ever broke into the top five. It is not that the team performed badly – they finished sixth. The problem was they didn’t gain many positions. The team stayed around sixth most of the race.

Not that bad, but not that good.

This comes after much frustration in the No. 48 camp. They have struggled to place well in the last few races. Johnson and company have run into bad luck and mechanical issues. When everything is performing well, like last week at Kansas Speedway, they still aren’t able to make it to the front.

Knowing the history of team No. 48, this year has been strikingly odd for them. Time will only tell if they can turn their season around and capture a win before the Chase.

Pushing It to the Limit for $1 Million Dollars
Some predicted the this year’s All-Star Race would be fairly uneventful. The event in reality was exactly the opposite. From beginning to end drivers battled hard for positions. Unfortunately that resulted in quite a few wrecks. Many drivers taken out of the race were legitimate contenders such as Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon and Joey Logano.

Indeed each of the drivers were pushing both their car and their abilities in effort to better their average finish per segment. This would give them a better position entering pit road before the final 10-lap shootout.

The hard racing made for a great night under the lights and reminded everyone how much a driver would push the limits for a chance at $1 million.

Allmendinger, JTG-Daugherty Racing on the Rise

Talladega Superspeedway is known for mayhem and surprising finishes. This time, it ended under yellow with Denny Hamlin going to Victory Lane. Along with a winner sticker for the JGR driver, came some notable finishes.

One of those notables was AJ Allmendinger who finished fourth. The JTG-Daugherty Racing driver secured his first top five of the season. For No. 47 team, it was their first top five since the 2011 Daytona 500.

The organization came to the Alabama track with a strong race car. In first practice, they placed 11^th and claimed third place in qualifying. Determination, luck, and speed paid big for the team.

This is not the only time they have impressed this year. Last week at Richmond International Raceway, they finished sixth. At Auto Club Speedway, the group finished eighth.

Looking back at the team’s history, this has been their best season in four years – and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is only 10 races into the 36 race season.

Contributing to the group’s success is their new technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing. Receiving engines and mechanical support from the organization, JTG-Daugherty Racing has become an underdog team.

“It’s been amazing for the No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing team,” Allmendinger said. “With the new rules package - the ride height rules and everything going into this season - there were so many variables for us to try to figure out. To have all the engineering help and the notes that RCR brings is a huge help to our race team. Without it, I feel like we could easily be lost in trying to figure out where we are at."

Heading to Kansas Speedway next week, the team looks to continue competing for top 10s. With the added momentum from Talladega, keep an eye on the group. They are on their way to having a break out year.

“I’m just really proud of all the work the guys are doing and to have all the sponsors we have on the car each weekend… I just take it one week at a time.  It can be this weekend, it could be next weekend as long as we keep doing the things we are doing and progressively getting better each weekend. You know, we will have a shot at it.”

New Challenge Awaits Motivated Kurt Busch

Recently 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kurt Busch revealed big news on the TV show “Fox and Friends”. He announced that he would be attempting “The Double”, competing in the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 in full, on the same day.

That is 1,100 miles in a 10 hour period between two different race tracks (Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway) separated by more than 400 miles. In addition Busch will be racing in two cars that couldn’t be more different: an open wheel IndyCar and a NASCAR stock-car. This is the ultimate challenge of strength and versatility for a driver.

While it has been attempted five times by three different drivers (John Andretti, 1994; Tony Stewart 1999, 2001; and Robby Gordon 2002, 2003), only Tony Stewart (2001) has completed every lap. Because of the demanding conditions the three-time NASCAR champion was on IV fluids while on the plane ride to Charlotte.

“There is going to be a full-on workout regimen that I am going to be full tilt the next three months with”, Busch said. …To do 1,100 miles in the same day, it’s not just the physical side, it’s the mental side as well.”

“Core strength is probably the most important key… just having the ability to stay in the seat and be able to stay hydrated, stay focused. The mental side is big but the physical strength of the upper body and what drivers have to go through to challenge themselves to stay on top of their game.”

As Busch talked about the lofty undertaking, he looked relaxed… smiling… almost like he was happy to be there. Is this Kurt Busch? What happened? Where is the guy who was constantly in scuffles with other drivers and strongly despised the media? That Kurt Busch is well on his way out the door as the new and improved one is stepping in.

What could have helped the 35 year-old go from nearly losing a spot in NASCAR completely, to joining one of the top teams in the sport (Stewart-Haas Racing) and attempting to achieve one of the most strenuous feats in motorsports? The source seems to be his girlfriend and President of the Armed Forces Foundation Patricia Driscoll. In the few years they have been together, Busch has made a change for the better, both in his personal and professional life.

The two have a deep passion for one thing: Helping injured military veterans receive the help they need as they return to their civilian lives. It is an exceptionally worthy cause and exactly why Busch is doing “The Double”.

“It’s Memorial Day weekend, I mean this isn’t just a PR stunt. I have been working with the Armed Forces Foundation the last three years and to build attention towards our troops and their PTST (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder) struggles, traumatic brain injury. I’m doing this for the troops.”

The Las Vegas native has become a spokesmen for the foundation, holding an annual tournament called “Busch Whacked”. It is a mud run, with a military style flare that has raised more than $250,000 in its two years done.

With his newest endeavor to raise awareness of the cause, he encourages Americans to support and give to the Armed Forces Foundation which is as easy as texting 50555 to “AFF”.

On May 25^th American motorsports fans will be keeping an eye on Kurt Busch, the fourth driver to attempt “The Double”. With a new outlook and a great cause motivating him, he may just become the second to achieve it.