RaceWay Tours Blog

NASCAR Eliminates Testing in 2009

NASCAR Eliminates Testing in 2009
Posted by GEORGE November 25, 2008 7:48:49 AM

Sue from Pennsylvania asks, "What will eliminating testing in 2009 do to the NASCAR teams as far as saving money?" Estimates show that each team could save as much as $1.5 million per year. For a four-team organization, that's $6 million in 2009. But the one-car teams will benefit most. Those are the teams that can't afford to shell out that much money for testing. So, along with saving everyone big money, it should help to level the playing field a bit.

Jerry from California asks, "Isn't eliminating testing kind of a drastic measure? Can't other things be done to help the teams save money?" "Drastic" is exactly how I would describe the move, but drastic times deserve drastic measures. It's the right move Jerry, and there is more that can be done.

The COT helped to some degree, but I'd like to see NASCAR standardize more of the parts, motors, and other equipment the teams use. Ordinarily, I would be against all of this, but owners and teams are having a tough time financially, and moves like these need to be made, at least for the short haul.

Toni from Missouri asks, Ok George, I need your help! I've been to three NASCAR Sprint Cup races in the last two years, and I still haven't been able to score any pit road passes. I'm planning a trip to at least one race in 2009. How do I get pit passes?" You might want to consider going to the races with a NASCAR tour group. Our NASCAR tours have pit passes available for most of the NASCAR races we attend.

Amber and Tom from Texas wrote, "We're ready for the 2009 NASCAR season down here in Texas, and we're looking forward to your predictions. You always seem to come closer than anyone when it comes to picking The Chase contenders, so bring it on George!" Thanks for the vote of confidence, but you've really put the pressure on me. The 2009 season will be the toughest year yet for predicting the NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion. I have only narrowed it down to five drivers so far.

This will be a "break out" year for a few drivers, and I think Dale Earnhardt Jr will be one of them. Despite the disappointment Junior fans experienced this year, I believe he will run for the title in 2009.

There will also be some surprises in store for NASCAR fans next year, and you'll see some of them reflected in my list of Chase drivers for 2009. I can predict right now that the 2009 season will be the most exciting, and hotly-contested championship season in years.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

See you at the track!

2008 NASCAR Season Recap

2008 NASCAR Season Recap
Posted by November 20, 2008 8:54:29 AM

The 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Season will be remembered as the year that Jimmie Johnson tied the record of winning the most championships in a row, but 2008 was much more than that. It was the excitement of who would make The Chase, the championship coming down to the last race of the season, the departure of top notch drivers from teams they had been with for years, and Dale Earnhardt Jr's first year with his arch rivals at Hendrick Motorsports.

This has been the year of a questionable economy, which left some race tracks with empty seats. But the economy has not affected NASCAR as much as you might think. Speedway Motorsports Inc reported record third-quarter revenues of $112.3 million, compared to $87.6 million from the same period last year.

NASCAR merchandise sold at a record pace in 2008, partly due to Dale Earnhardt Jr leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc and signing with Hendrick Motorsports. But the biggest reason merchandise sales skyrocketed was clearly due to the popularity of the sport and the new NASCAR fans who jumped on the bandwagon in 2008.

The enthusiasm of 2008 is not all about NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing either. Ratings for the Homestead-Miami Nationwide race jumped 33 percent. Ratings for the last Craftsman Truck Series of the season were up a whopping 136 percent from last year, and 19 of the NCTS races saw an increase over last year.

A couple of years ago, seven of the top 10 attended sporting events in the nation were NASCAR events. This year, that figure was eight of the top 10. No matter what, NASCAR fans are always NASCAR fans, and they will be there when the green flag waves.

Our NASCAR tour business took hundreds of NASCAR fans of all ages to the tracks this year, and we'll do it again in 2009. We had so much fun with all of you, we look forward to seeing you again starting in February, 2009!

Don't forget about the NASCAR Awards Banquets! Here's the schedule:

NASCAR Nationwide Awards: Sunday, November 30th at 12:00 pm Eastern on ESPN2

NASCAR Sprint Cup Awards: Friday, December 5th at 09:00 pm Eastern on ESPN Classic

Sprint Cup Awards Replay: Monday, December 8th at 02:00 pm Eastern on ESPN2

See you at the track!

Jimmie Johnson is the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion

Jimmie Johnson is the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion
Posted by GERGE November 18, 2008 7:33:58 AM

Carl Edwards did everything he could and won the battle at Homestead-Miami, but Jimmie Johnson won the 2008 championship war. Edwards brought home the first place trophy in the Ford 400, leading the most laps, and scoring all of the points available to him, but he could not overcome the lead that Jimmie Johnson had amassed in The Chase for the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.

Edwards ran a masterful race and once again, he relied upon excellent gas mileage at the end. Without a couple of bad luck races during The Chase, one can easily imagine Carl Edwards winning the 2008 championship. Edwards had an outstanding year, and won the most NASCAR Sprint Cup races this season. Carl will receive the appropriate consideration in my 2009 NASCAR predictions.

Sunday's race at Homestead-Miami was a 267-victory-lap event for the top driver in NASCAR racing. In the end, it became a championship that would go to the fittest, or the luckiest, or the most consistent, or whatever you want to call it, but a true champion is what Jimmie Johnson is, and no further proof is necessary. I've heard comments that Johnson is nothing but the second guy to win three championships in a row, but I love the way Kyle Petty views the feat. Kyle said, it's like being the second man to set foot on the moon. He may be the second to do it, but he's still on the moon!

Lost in the excitement was Chad Knaus who became the first crew chief to win three NASCAR championships in a row. A great driver is no better than his crew chief, and Jimmie Johnson has one of the best, if not the very best. I have to look at the success of this team and figure that Chad Knaus won some races this year for Johnson.

The Hendrick Motorsports team of Jimmie Johnson, Chad Knaus, and the crew are now being called a dynasty. They are being compared to the New York Yankees of old and the Boston Celtics in their heyday. When you consider all that must go right and all that can go wrong on the way to a NASCAR championship, to win three in a row is unbelievable, and somewhat unimaginable. Maybe a dynasty is exactly what we are witnessing here.

Congratulations to Rick Hendrick, Jimmie Johnson, Chad Knaus, and the Hendrick Motorsports organization on a super performance this year. And congratulations to Johnny Benson for winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Championship, and Clint Bowyer for winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Championship.

See you at the track!

The 2008 NASCAR Season is Almost Over!

The 2008 NASCAR Season is Almost Over!
Posted by GEORGE November 13, 2008 9:53:51 AM

Jimmie Johnson may have the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship locked-up going into the final race of the season, but there's a closely-contested race for 10th place. Don't underestimate the importance of finishing 10th in The Chase. Even though 12 drivers made The Chase, only 10 go to the awards ceremony.

As of now, there are only 32 points separating 8th place from 12th place in the standings, and the drivers involved have been jumping around in the standings with each completed race. Drivers currently on the bubble in order from top to bottom are: Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Kyle Busch, and Tony Stewart is bringing up the rear.

The race this weekend at Homestead/Miami is extremely important to these guys. Any of them could finish anywhere from 8th to 12th. All of these are top notch drivers, but two of them will have to watch the 2008 NASCAR Awards Ceremony on TV!

The first of the mergers has been announced, and it involves two great teams in NASCAR. Dale Earnhardt Inc and Chip Ganassi are forming Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, and are expected to compete under the Chevy/General Motors banner. The drivers will be Martin Truex Jr, Aric Almirola, and Juan Pablo Montoya. The fourth driver will be either AJ Allmendinger, Scott Riggs, or Regan Smith.

I've been outvoted! In my last article I voted for Kyle Busch as the NASCAR Driver of the Year based on his outstanding overall performance in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the Nationwide Series, and the Craftsman Truck Series. I asked for your input as to who you would vote for, and the overwhelming opinion was that I was out in left field with my pick, and Jimmie Johnson should be named the NASCAR Driver of the Year! I gladly yield to the popular opinion, especially since I would be delighted to see Jimmie Johnson get the nod. Thank you for your input!

Our NASCAR tour group is off to the races again this weekend and we look forward to being at Homestead-Miami for the crowning of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion. There's a lot riding on this race, and we're happy to be there to be a part of the action.

See you at the track!

Jimmie Johnson Wins at Phoenix International Raceway

Jimmie Johnson Wins at Phoenix International Raceway
Posted by GEORGE November 11, 2008 9:44:48 AM

Johnson was the class of the field in Phoenix International Raceway, winning the Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500. His power was evident after each restart as he quickly pulled away from the field and led 217 of the 313 total laps in the race.

Carl Edwards said it best when asked if he had a chance to catch Jimmie with only the race at Homestead-Miami remaining. Carl said, "It's possible, but not probable." And Kurt Busch, who finished in second place behind Johnson at Phoenix, said "They're putting a whipping on everybody." Busch went on to say that Hendrick Motorsports is building on "something special."

Jimmie Johnson has five wins in the last 11 races and needs to finish 36th or better in the final race at Homestead-Miami to take the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.

Few can argue that Jimmie Johnson doesn't deserve the 2008 NASCAR title. The field is not tilted his way, and nothing has been given to Jimmie which he didn't earn. Hendrick Motorsports has the best driver, the best car, and the best crew chief, and is being supported by the best technology in the sport. Combine these with deep-pocketed sponsors, and you have an ideal situation to win a NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.

Who do you think should get the nod for NASCAR driver of the year? Three championships in a row ought to swing a few votes Johnson's way. However, I would have to lean toward another driver who has had success this year while working with fewer resources. I agree with drivers who say they would pick Kyle Busch. Busch has had some bad luck in The Chase, no doubt about it, but that has more to do with the type of tracks than it does was Kyle's abilities.

Johnson and Edwards' success in The Chase has removed Kyle Busch from the limelight, but if you look at the entire season, Kyle Busch was the most successful, and had the most all-around wins. Let me know who you would vote for.

There's turmoil at Joe Gibbs racing, and it's evident in their results this year. The applecart was upset when Tony Stewart announced he was leaving, and it never settled down after that. Stewart is making the right move for himself, but his lame duck status as a driver at Joe Gibbs Racing has left the team with no clear lead driver. Both Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch have what it takes to be lead drivers, and that may cause a conflict next year. I believe Kyle Busch will be the one to come to the top, and Denny Hamlin will need to fall in line.

I am diligently working on my 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup predictions, and I plan to share them with you in early December. There will be some surprises and a few shake-ups, so stay tuned.

See you at the track!

Jimmie Johnson could Clinch the 2008 NASCAR Championship in Phoenix

Jimmie Johnson could Clinch the 2008 NASCAR Championship in Phoenix
Posted by GEORGE November 6, 2008 8:46:19 AM

In order to clinch the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship, Jimmie Johnson needs to leave Phoenix International Raceway this weekend with a 196-point lead over second place. This would clinch the trophy and the big pay-off for Johnson. If Jimmie leaves PIR with a 162-point lead, he would only need to start the race at Homestead-Miami and the championship would be his. And no matter what other drivers do, Johnson could clinch by averaging a seventh-place finish in these last two races.

I don't think any of that is going to happen this weekend at PIR and, as I've said, I believe the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship will be decided at Homestead. Jimmie Johnson will win the championship, but he will need to fight a battle in the last race of the season to do it.

The Raybestos Rookie of the Year race has tightened up, and is now a four-point race between Sam Hornish Jr and Regan Smith, with Hornish in the lead. Hornish has won the Raybestos Rookie of the Race four consecutive races, and has made a contest of it after it seemed no one wanted the award.

Those of you headed to Las Vegas in February 2009 with our NASCAR tour group will see an additional 18 laps for your money! Shelby Automobiles will sponsor the race in 2009, and it will be called the Shelby 427. The added laps will help Shelby and LVMS market the new Las Vegas Motor Speedway Limited Edition Shelby 427 Ford GT 500 Mustang. Limited edition is right! Only 427 of these packages will be sold!

I try not to think about it too much, but the NASCAR off-season is only two races away. I'm already looking forward to the 2009 Daytona 500 and the start of another new year of NASCAR racing. Many changes are in the works with drivers and teams, and we'll keep you up-to-date on all of them in weeks to come.

Watch for my 2009 NASCAR Predictions, by George!

See you at the track!

Carl Edwards Wins the 2008 Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway

Carl Edwards Wins the 2008 Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway
Posted by GEORGE November 4, 2008 8:31:58 AM

It wasn't just a good race for "Cousin" Carl Edwards at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, it was a GREAT race and a must-win for Edwards. Carl and his crew wavered during the closing laps of the Dickies 500, but in the end, they made the correct gas mileage call, and Carl easily took the checkered flag.

Edwards gained a huge number of points on leader Jimmie Johnson, and like the fighter Edwards is, he will battle right down to the wire. But to win the fight, you have to do well in all the battles, and unfortunately, Edwards was knocked down in earlier rounds in The Chase leaving him too far behind in the points.

It's not important where Jimmie Johnson finishes in the last two races. What is important is where Jimmie finishes in relation to Carl Edwards. As long as Johnson is within a few places of Edwards at Phoenix and Homestead-Miami, Jimmie wins the championship. If Johnson finishes in the top ten in both races, it will be good enough to take the championship.

As far as championship fighters go, Carl Edwards has proven that he is one of the best, and he just might win the next two races in a row. A NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship is surely in Carl's future, just not this year. The "Cat in the Hat," Jack Roush, has the second-best team in NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing, and they are proving it during this Chase season.

I'm becoming more impressed with Clint Bowyer as each race goes by. I stated a year or so ago that all Bowyer really needed was more of a killer instinct, and I see more of it this season in Clint. He's driving with more authority, and he seems more sure of himself, especially in his post-race interviews. He's losing that good old Kansas boy demeanor, and he's projecting more of a hard-nosed approach to his job. Next year will be the year that Bowyer shows what he's made of.

Mergers and more mergers are in the works for many NASCAR owners and their teams. There are too many being talked about to even list right now, as teams seek backers for their programs. I'll wait until it settles down a bit, and then we'll talk about it.

Our NASCAR tour group is off to Phoenix International Raceway this weekend for the Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 presented by Pennzoil. This is a "no holds barred" sort of track that will deliver some fantastic tri-oval, one mile racing. Warm Arizona weather and racing at PIR is hard to beat!

See you at the track!