RaceWay Tours Blog

Ford Mustang Coming to NASCAR Racing

Ford Mustang Coming to NASCAR Racing
Posted by GEORGE July 30, 2009 4:47:51 PM

Finally! Ford Motor Company is putting the Ford Mustang on the NASCAR Nationwide Series track next year and that's great news for NASCAR fans. Even if you aren't a Ford fan, you still have to agree it's like bringing real race cars back to the race track.

I'm happy about this move because I'm a Mustang lover, and because I'm a race fan. I'd like to watch a race and be able to tell the difference between the Ford, Chevy, Toyota, and Dodge cars without having to catch the number on the car or squint to see the manufacturer's name on the bumper. It's time to put the Mustangs and Camaros out there to fight it out with the Dodge and Toyota entries. Let's hope they don't change the look of the Mustangs so all the cars look alike again.

Tony from New York asks, "Is Kevin Harvick out at RCR for sure?" There are indications that Harvick is ready to throw in the towel at Richard Childress Racing, and some of these indications are right on the money. Much of what we're hearing however, is rumor mill material based on the frustrations of Kevin Harvick and his team for the lackluster year they are having. Richard Childress wants Harvick at RCR, but Harvick is thinking about leaving. There will be some holes to fill on a few high visibility NASCAR teams next year and the year after, and Kevin would be a good fit for more than one of these. How about a Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick scenario?

The NASCAR Nationwide Series may be looking at a sell-out crowd for this weekend's race. It's the first NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa, and it's going to be a weekend to remember. Iowa's stockcar fans are some of the most enthusiastic race fans in the nation, and they are welcoming the Nationwide Series with open arms. The motor homes were lining up before the track opened Tuesday morning, and tickets are starting to become tough to find. Not many tracks can boast about a Nationwide Series sell-out crowd, but the Midwest loves their racing!

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Pocono's tri-oval this weekend for the Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500, and this is a track that keeps the drivers on edge the entire race. There's no room to sit back and relax at this 2.5-mile, three-turn track. One of the biggest challenges in NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing, the races at Pocono Raceway are always exciting!

See you at the track!

Johnson Wins The Allstate 400 at The Brickyard

Johnson Wins The Allstate 400 at The Brickyard
Posted by GEORGE July 28, 2009 12:32:36 PM

Jimmie Johnson picked up his third win of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, but it wasn't easy. Johnson took the lead from Mark Martin on the last restart, and he held on for dear life as Martin raced him hard to the finish line. Johnson is the first driver to win two in a row at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Prior to the race, Johnson said that he had the car to beat, but it turned out that Juan Pablo Montoya's car ran away with the race for 116 laps, more laps than Montoya had led all season. No one could touch him, and it appeared the race would be for second place. Unfortunately, Montoya was hit with a very expensive pit road speeding violation which not only cost him the race, but sent him back to an 11th-place finish. Montoya lost one place in the standings and over $200,000 in winnings.

Greg Biffle drove a solid race and jumped into the top 12 with only six races left in The Race For The Chase.

Kyle Busch nose-dived to 14th-place, 82 points out of the top 12. In a pre-race interview, Busch made it clear that winning is everything and points are not his main concern. As a matter of fact, his belief is that the second-place finisher in a race is nothing more than the first loser, a belief that may cost him a shot at the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.

Dale Earnhardt Jr took the blame for blowing up his engine during the race and apologized to his crew members and his fans. Earnhardt over-revved his engine coming out after a pit stop, causing engine damage. It usually happens to young drivers NASCAR fans, but it has happened to Dale Earnhardt Jr a number of times in the last few years. Dale Jr had a solid race going, and probably would have finished in the top ten until he made this rookie mistake.

Tony Stewart may be biding his time, and appears to be comfortable with just accumulating points, but if The Chase started today Smoke would only be tied for third-place, 20 points behind the leader. Hang on Tony Stewart fans, the next race at Pocono Raceway kicks-off the month of August. This is the time when Tony finds that extra horsepower and starts winning races.

Don't miss a race! There's much to be decided, and the standings change every week!

See you at the track!

NASCAR Collectables - My NASCAR Stuff!

NASCAR Collectables - My NASCAR Stuff!
Posted by GEORGE July 23, 2009 11:13:37 AM

I've tried collecting stuff over the years, but always seemed to get tired of it after a while. I used to collect sea shells from beaches where we vacationed, but there's only so much you can do with sea shells. I would give them to my friends until they started avoiding me. I collected wheat pennies and iron 1943 pennies, but realized years later that they would have been worth more if I would have just spent them.

I have a few things related to NASCAR that I've accumulated over the years. My NASCAR Winston Cup Series cap continues to enjoy a prominent place on top of my printer here in my office. It's still original with the dirty, sweat-stained look from many trips to the race track. It disappears every once in awhile, but so far I've been able to find where my wife hides it.

My daughter gave me a NASCAR monopoly game that is pretty cool. I've never opened it, but the box shows the game pieces are all NASCAR-related items like a gear shifter, gas can, and of course, a stock car.

My son and daughter-in-law gave me a framed picture that I like a lot. It shows Jimmie Johnson beating Tony Stewart at the finish line in a race at Talladega that I attended a few years ago.

I bought a NASCAR sweatshirt online. It's too big for me, and the bottom hangs down to just above my knees, but I like it anyway. I also bought my granddaughter a couple of NASCAR outfits at the track when she was born. I haven't ever seen her in one of them. Her parents might be steering her away from the "camo" look.

A guest of our NASCAR tour business showed me a 1/24 scale model car which he purchased at the track. It had amazing detail, even down to the exhaust system and spark plug wires. It looked like a very small person could probably get in it and drive it away.

I admire NASCAR collections, and I always make time to visit the merchandise trailers at the track. Each driver and manufacturer have their own merchandise trailers, and part of the fun of being at the track is to go take a look and see what's new!

What sort of NASCAR stuff do you have?

See you at the track!

NASCAR at The Brickyard!

NASCAR at The Brickyard!
Posted by GEORGE July 21, 2009 12:27:51 PM

To NASCAR and IRL fans alike, it's known as "The Brickyard," and it's a legend in motor sports. Indianapolis Motor Speedway is something that every race fan should experience. Built in 1909, it is a 2.5-mile, oval track with seating for 250,000 race fans.

Our NASCAR tour group is headed for Indianapolis this weekend for the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. We'll be looking for the qualifying record of 186.293 MPH set by Casey Mears in 2004 to be broken!

Along with the Daytona 500, Indy is a track where every driver wants to win before his career ends. The excitement is contagious, and the celebrations are the best, with the winning team kissing the short stretch of bricks that remains as part of the race track.

Eight proven drivers have contracts that expire in 2010. For all practical purposes this makes these drivers "free agents," which means they can start looking for the best deal for 2010. These drivers are: Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin, Jamie McMurray, David Regan, David Reutimann, and Elliott Sadler.

I can think of many scenarios for these guys, including everything from retirement to bumping another driver out of the way. For instance: Will Rick Hendrick finally throw in the towel for Dale Earnhardt Jr, and bring a driver like Kasey Kahne on board? If that happened, where would Dale Earnhardt Jr end up? Back at DEI with a partial ownership?

Only seven races remain in The Race for The Chase. After the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 on September 12th at Richmond International Raceway, the field will be set for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship run. 2009 has been an exciting and competitive season so far, and it's going to continue through the last race of the season at Homestead-Miami in November!

See you at the track!

The 2009 Chase Field Shapes Up

The 2009 Chase Field Shapes Up
Posted by GEORGE July 16, 2009 10:59:25 AM

My 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup predictions have gone astray, and this may be my worst performance ever. Only seven of my picks are in the top 12 right now, and a couple of those are having a tough time staying there. I knew this would be an interesting year with some of the upcoming drivers starting to make a name for themselves, but I am surprised with the performances of a few of these guys. Here is who I think is in and who is out of this year's Race for the Chase.

I'm very sorry to tell you this, because I truly wish he would not only make The Chase, but also win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship this year - Mark Martin is out. He has the most wins in NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing, but the problem is his inconsistency. Even with all those wins, he is only 11 points from 13th-place.

Greg Biffle is in. A touch of good luck wouldn't hurt Biffle's chances, but Greg is only 10 points out of The Chase right now, and he has been in the top 10 in 13 of the 19 races this year.

Kyle Busch is out. There's too much "stuff" going on in Kyle's life right now, and he continues to blame it all on everyone else. He's not gunning for points like he should be, and his feeling is that he needs to win at any cost. A driver can't continually go to the track with Busch's attitude and perform well. He's still the best driver in NASCAR racing, but Kyle needs maturity in the worst way. It will come for him, just like it did for his brother.

Everyone from the seventh spot up is in, and guys like Matt Kenseth, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Kasey Kahne are in even though they are on the bubble.

The last spot will be filled by either David Reutimann, Clint Bowyer, or Brian Vickers. Reutimann has done well this year, but has only cracked the top 10 five times, so he's probably out. Bowyer and Vickers have each been in the top 10 the same number of times, but Vickers has five poles to show for his efforts while Bowyer has none. Vickers wants it more than Bowyer. I think Bowyer is out and Vickers is in.

There you have it, NASCAR fans! I'm sure that I just raised a few eyebrows. You are welcome to send me your opinions.

See you at the track!

Mark Martin Wins the LifeLock.com 400

Mark Martin Wins the LifeLock.com 400
Posted by GEORGE July 14, 2009 1:00:18 PM

Chicagoland Speedway was to Mark Martin's liking as he led most of the LifeLock.com 400 race, but at the very end Martin still needed Lady Luck’s help to take home the trophy. With the exception of a few Mark Martin fans, no one would have predicted that Mark would have four wins at this point in the season.

The end of Saturday night's race was wild, as four drivers gave up the lead for Mark to sail across the finish line to take the win. Martin certainly deserved the win after leading 195 laps, and putting forth a masterful exhibition of NASCAR Sprint Cup driving.

Once again, Hendrick Motorsports came out with first- and second-place finishes with Jeff Gordon coming from behind to finish second. If Jimmie Johnson and his new nemesis Kurt Busch wouldn't have been playing "demolishion derby" late in the race, Hendrick might have had a car in third place as well. The banging and bumping played a big part in Mark Martin's win. Mark just laid in the weeds, and he let the front runners take themselves out of the race.

Even with four wins in a hotly-contested season, Mark Martin remains on the bubble, as far as making The Chase. Martin advanced two places in the standings, but is barely hanging on to 11th-place. He has more wins than any other driver in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, but he has had some bad finishes in a few races this year, garnering him very few points. It's definitely a points race for Martin now, and consistency is what he needs to make The Chase.

So which drivers are in, and which are out of The Chase for the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup? Check back with me on Thursday at TrackChatter.com, and I'll fill you in. I promise a couple of real surprises!

See you at the track!

Jeremy Mayfield Back in NASCAR Racing

Jeremy Mayfield Back in NASCAR Racing
Posted by GEORGE July 10, 2009 2:34:12 PM

I have stayed away from the controversial subject of Jeremy Mayfield's drug-related suspension from NASCAR racing, but now that a federal judge has ruled in Mayfield's favor, I feel it's time for me to share my opinion.

You have heard me state my position in the past; there is no place in NASCAR racing for drugs. Much to NASCAR's credit, they took a solid stand this year, stating that indefinite suspensions would be issued to anyone who violates their drug policy. I applauded NASCAR for this stand, but questioned how they would react when someone actually violated the rules.

NASCAR has done well in addressing a number of drug-related incidents this year, and has stood tall while enforcing the rules and penalties. In short, NASCAR did exactly what they told teams they would do if anyone stepped over the line. Kudos to NASCAR. For a federal judge to overrule NASCAR's decision by stating that the loss of income and jobs of a suspended team member outweighs the risk of a driver injuring, or possibly killing, a fan or a participant on the track is ludicrous.

There is much more I could write on the subject, but I feel I have made my point clear. I only hope that when this thing eventually shakes out, it will be in the best interest of all concerned.

See you at the track!

Tony Stewart Wins the 2009 Coke Zero 400

Tony Stewart Wins the 2009 Coke Zero 400
Posted by GEORGE July 7, 2009 12:35:21 PM

Tony Stewart didn't feel like celebrating after his July 4th, 2009 win at the Daytona International Speedway, but there were plenty of fireworks on the track, just the same.

NASCAR fans knew the last-lap action would be exciting when Kyle Busch took the lead from Stewart after Stewart had led the majority of the race. As Busch spun out with just a few hundred yards to go, Stewart sailed across the finish line with Jimmie Johnson close behind.

Tony Stewart showed remorse in the way he had won the race, and even apologized, just in case he had caused the wreck. Of course Stewart fans are saying Kyle Busch caused his own spinout, but Busch fans are all blaming Tony for the crash.

I've seen replays a number of times, and it's apparent that both drivers were merely doing their jobs. Busch was obviously trying to block Stewart from passing him on the high side, which is exactly what he should have done.

Stewart saw an opening on the high side and was trying to pass Busch for the win. This was the right thing to do, according to the opinions of other drivers. No blame should be placed on either side, as far as I can determine. This was just one heck of an exciting finish to another NASCAR Sprint Cup race!

Check back with me on Thursday at www.TrackChatter.com, and I'll share thoughts about drugs and NASCAR racing. And It's almost time to start talking about who's in and who's out of The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship. I'll get my information together, and we'll take a look at that subject next week.

See you at the track!