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NFL Wide Receiver Randy Moss of the New England Patriots announced yesterday that he was forming a Craftsman Truck Series team, Moss Motorsports LLC.  The NASCAR annals are littered with the remains of failed NFL ventures in the past (Dan Marino, Brett Favre, and Tim Brown just to name a few).  We have one success story (Joe Gibbs) and a half success (Hall of Fame).  But when word came yesterday about Randy Moss, I thought he might have a legitimate shot at succeeding.  Why, you ask? Moss currently sponsors a dirt track program in West Virginia and has been active within the Urban Youth Racing School.  Moss also is heavily involved in the Inta Juice franchise – he currently is the Chairman of the Board and Vice President of Marketing.  Fact is, Moss has his faults, but he applies himself to making these ventures work (as long as they’re not in Oakland).  His new three-year, $27 million deal in New England won’t hurt either.  What I hate to say, but can’t be overlooked, is Moss’ involvement could be a great opportunity to make another push to minority fans.  In light of Danica Patrick and Ashley Force making history, and NASCAR not having a talented female driver in contending equipment this year (sorry, Chrissy, maybe 2009) I think Moss is in a better position than most athletes to have some longevity in the sport and garner more attention from the more stick-and-ball types that could be looking for a reason to watch.

The Aaron’s 499 at Talladega SuperSpeedway was full of surprises.

“Front Row Joe” Nemechek took the pole as one of the drivers who had to qualify on time to make the race. Nemechek gave the Furniture Row team its first pole position.

Racing action through out the restrictor plate race was hotly contested all race long. Fifty-two lead changes among twenty drivers gave the fans their money’s worth.

Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Fed\Ex Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, ran up front most of the day along with eventual race winner Kyle “Rowdy” Busch. Busch had never shown much, in any of his previous starts at the 2.66 mile tri-oval, while part of Hendrick Motorsports. Hamlin had this to say about the quality of racing:

“If the fans didn’t like that, then they don’t like racing. The whole race was crazy. We were having a lot of fun out there, trying to give the fans a good show.”

The one disappointment came in the last lap as much of the field was crashing behind the leaders, NASCAR threw the yellow flag after the white had been shown; thus eliminating any suspense for what would have assuredly been a great finish.

That leads us to this weeks BUZZ ON PIT ROW:

With the last lap wreck behind the leaders, why didn’t NASCAR allow the race to continue under green, to get a winner, like it did in 2007 at Daytona?

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.

Next to the “Top 35 Rule’ the “Impound Race” has to be one of NASCAR most ridiculous concepts going.

Talladega is the first of NASCAR’s five Impound races, originally designed to save teams money and drivers time at the race track. The original idea had some merit. If NASCAR teams weren’t allowed to touch their cars after qualifying; then there would be no need for special qualifying setups. That would save the teams money. No more special this, or special that to gain an advantage for the run to the pole. In theory teams would make their car setups based on what they thought would be good for race day not qualifying day.

In theory a good idea–I say. Letting teams, especially low funded teams, only have to worry about one setup would indeed save them not only cash but would also give their much overworked staff a little time to relax between qualifying and race day. Yes indeed a great plan.

But hold on here a minute cowboy. Let’s take that great concept–a worthy and noble gesture on NASCARs part and screw it sideways into the very teams that could most benefit from it–”the go or go homers”.

This group that resides outside the top 35; a group that must week in and week out spend more money qualifying for races and devote more time for that process than any of the big boys do, must now make some hard decisions. They are forced to set their cars up to qualify so as to be included in the 43 car field. If they become one of the three unlucky souls to miss the race, they will, and most likely have already been relegated to a season of qualifying disparity.

But, the impound rule now makes it doubly difficult to be able to race into good finishes thus elevating oneself into the top 35. The car that has been setup to qualify to just make the race, must run until the first yellow flag pit stops with a less than ideal qualifying setup in the car. All the while the big boys that didn’t have to worry about qualifying are out on the track running up front with the same setups that they were able to run with during practice and qualifying.

The gap between the haves and the have-nots is an ever widening one. NASCAR is seeing to it. Not only are they making life impossible for anyone outside the top 35 to make it into the top 35; they are imparting needless time and money constraints on those that can least afford it.

Come on NASCAR, if you must keep one of these silly rules, get rid of the other. Everyone is at the track already–let them work on the car to get them race ready. Maybe - just maybe - one of those back markers might have a chance.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.

Talladega Super Speedway is famous for tight packs of cars racing sometimes four abreast, all trying to avoid the almost inevitable “Big One”. Maybe we should have recruited one more writer for this week’s Loose in Turn 3 discussion.

We didn’t do that. Once again you get the opinions of Tim Zaegel of Do You NASCAR?, Bruce Simmons of Bruce’s NASCAR Bits and Pieces and me, Bench Racin’ Charlie on a trio of topics-du-NASCAR.

Is there a “Danica” on the NASCAR horizon?

Charlie: If there is, it’s probably not THE Danica. Now that Danica Patrick has cracked the race winner ranks in the Indy Car Series - where she is the sport’s most popular driver - I can’t see her moving to NASCAR full-time. Maybe she will make a few cameo appearances in stock cars. I once thought that “Danica to NASCAR” was a no-brainer. I have changed my mind.

Chrissy Wallace could be the one that breaks through to NASCAR stardom. She has the backing, family support and knows all the right people - which may be the most important thing of all. I like Chrissy’s chances.

TZ: Chrissy Wallace is the first and only name that comes to mind. Danica moving to NASCAR may or may not be in the future, who knows, but I think that if Chrissy is able to get out there and make a name for herself and win a few races, then that may actually draw Danica to NASCAR one day. I think Chrissy has a pretty bright future ahead for her in this sport, though … not based purely on skill, but she’s got all the backing that anyone breaking into the biz could possibly ask for.

Bruce: Danica has pretty much said no for the moment. Chrissy Wallace seems to be it. Everyone else seems to languish in a vain or rushed attempt at Cup level competition and it hurts more than it helps .. the there are those who bag the boss, but that’s another LITT for another day all together.

That’s what the guys think - though the opinions are not necessarily shared. What do you think?

You can read about more looseness in the third turn at…

Bruce’s Bit’s: A J Allmendinger; is the ex-Champ Car driver going to make the cut over the next year?

TZ’ post: Will Jeff Gordon ever win a fifth championship?

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.

Jimmy Johnson says that Talladega Super Speedway is the perfect race track for NASCAR’s new car. JJ claims that the new pavement and the wide open spaces of Talladega will make for exciting four-wide racing, with more drivers taking chances in the relatively early championship season. The fall race - the first CoT restrictor plate experiment - was notably boring. Jimmy blamed that on a tight, late season, Chase for the Cup which forced drivers to be protective of their point standings and eschew risking involvement in Talladega’s famous “big one” wreck.

Johnson went on to say that the #48 team’s win at Phoenix International Raceway in the Cup Series’ most recent race was a confidence booster but maybe as important was the team’s second place finish the week before at Texas Motor Speedway. Success on the intermediate Super Speedways has lagged behind Hendrick Motorsports’ prowess on short tracks, road courses and plate tracks.

All of that adds up to a confident defending Cup Series Champion. But Johnson doesn’t have the best NASCAR Loop stats at Talladega. He is in fact tied for sixth best Driver Rating with Denny Hamlin. Neither driver leads any of the significant Loop stat categories. Johnson has led only 38 laps in the last six races at the Alabama track while Hamlin had 90 in only four races. Johnson’s results are more impressive with one win, four top fives and five top tens. Hamlin has one top five finish.

The Once and Future King of Talladega

The current king of Talladega is Johnson’s teammate Jeff Gordon. His top Driver rating of 98.5 is supported by Loop leading Ave. Mid Race Position of 8.3 and significantly, 300 laps led - 26.3% of all Loop laps - by far the most of any driver. Add in six career wins, 13 top fives and 16 top tens. Gordon would be the easy pick this week.

Kurt Busch has the second best Driver Rating at 95.0 and has the best Ave Finish and Position - 5.8 and 11.3. His 890 laps in the top 15 - 78.1% - and 1794 Quality Passes are series best as well. Busch has six top fives and 11 top tens at Talladega but has never won a restrictor plate race. The Blue Deuce has had a poor 2008 so far. There hasn’t been much evidence to make me think this will be the turn-a-round week.

Tony Stewart is third in Driver Rating at 93.1. Smoke has eight top fives, 11 top tens and zero ‘Dega wins. It’s hard to believe he can be kept out of victory lane much longer - this season or at this track.

The other drivers in the Talladega top five are Jamie McMurray and Brian Vickers. There’s nothing fluky about it either as they both have solid stats. First, they’ve both won restrictor plate races - McMurray at Daytona last July and Vickers at Talladega in 2006. Their Loop Driver Ratings are 92.6 and 91.5. Jamie has three top fives and four top tens while Vickers owns two top fives and three top tens at TSS.

Dale Earnhardt Jr is always a tempting choice at a plate race. He is a five time winner with seven top fives and nine top tens to temper his 11th best Driver Rating of 81.2. Junior was the top finishing Hendrick Motorsport driver at Daytona and he has been running up front all 2008 long. It would be hard to pick a more likely place for Jr to break his winless streak than at Talladega.

Who else? Points leader Jeff Burton is right behind Earnhardt with the 12th best DR of 79.3. Two top fives and ten top tens are pretty stout, but five DNF’s indicate plenty of involvement in Dega’s big ones.

Kevin Harvick has been a rock so far in 2008. His Driver Rating is 13th at 76.3 for Talladega and he has three top fives and seven top tens. Harvick is winless at Talladega - as are all of the other top twelve in Cup Series points besides Johnson and Jr. But Harvick won at Daytona and knows how to stay out of trouble with no DNF’s in 14 Talladega races.

This one looks like a Hendrick Motorsports win to me. I’m thinking Junior gets his win. Dark horse pick - McMurray.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.

OK, so Marty Smith posted a story he has about Tony Stewart being in negotiations with Chevy teams, mentioning Haas CNC by name. The story has even been here earlier this week. So, would Tony really leave JGR for ownership of Haas? I think it is very likely. Haas is a satellite team of Hendrick Motorsports, of course. I would imagine if Tony takes over the team, he would be receiving much more assistance in that aspect. Then there is the option of him buying into the team, and driving for another Chevy team. Hello #5? Hello #33? Casey Mears hasn’t lit the world on fire, but the NASCAR world may explode if Stewart joins Jeff, Jimmie, and Junior. That would leave the #33, flush with funds from General Mills, and Stewart has a champion’s provisional to guarantee the team makes the field. Also, at RCR, he has a good relationship with Kevin Harvick.

It certainly would be intriguing if Tony becomes an owner. He would the highest-profile new owner in the series since Dale Earnhardt Inc. moved to Cup in 1998 with Steve Park. What is interesting to look at is how owning a team affected Dale Earnhardt’s performance from ’98 until 2001. He won just once in ’98, three times in ’99, and twice in ‘00. That’s a total of six wins, but taking a closer look, three were at Talladega, and one each at Daytona, Bristol, and Atlanta. Four of his six wins came at plate tracks, where he was the acknowledged master. Did owning those teams really affect his performance? Hard to say, but it’s worth mentioning. He finished seventh in ’98, eighth in ’99, and rebounded to finish second in ’00. Perhaps the biggest factor is the equipment, and depending on whom Tony is driving for: himself, Childress, or Hendrick, he may not add significantly to his win total.

What I’ve failed to mention is Gibbs in this scenario. How willing is Gibbs to let Tony go? Well, I think it depends on how well Joey Logano performs in the Nationwide Series this year. If Logano proves to be what he is hyped to be, he could very well find himself sitting in the #20 come Daytona in February 2009.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.

I saw this headline at Scene Daily

Lowe’s Motor Speedway to host burnout competition before all-star race

I immediatley established Aaron Fike as the favorite to win.  That’s what a NASCAR fantasy analyst is supposed to do, right?  Whattaya mean it’s not that kind of burnout contest?

It seems that NASCAR will pick five drivers to compete in the made for TV, All Star Race night bonus competition.  It might just be fun, though I’m having trouble coming up with five different styles of burnout.  Just how will these guys differentiate themselves? 

Apparently, Clint Bowyer wrecked a Richard Petty Driving Experience car while practicing for the event.  Maybe NASCAR better choose drivers with a few more wins, eh?  Stay tuned.

The Shrub, won his third straight Nationwide Series race Sunday at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez outside Mexico City. In order to pull that off, Rowdy Busch had to pass Scott Pruett, one of America’s very best, veteran road racers.

And don’t tell yourself that Pruett has a habit of getting passed at the end of these things. He doesn’t. He usually wins. Sure, Juan Pablo Montoya bumped past Scott in this very same event, at a similar stage of the race last year. But Juan Pablo is an acknowledged, world class, road course master. There is no shame in being passed by JPM.

Scott Pruett is 48 and has had a long successful career in just about anything with wheels. Juan Pablo is an Indy 500 and Formula One Grand Prix winner. Kyle Busch, at something like 22, is already a 27 time winner in NASCAR’s top three series. That’s amazing!

This latest win was Kyle The Younger’s first ever on a road course too. AP has this quote….

“It’s fun to be able to win on a road course because there’s only certain guys that tend to be able to do it,” Busch said. “My first year, first year and a half … I was terrible. I sort of picked up on it a little bit, somehow.”

Yeah, I guess. So now Kurt’s little brother leads the Nationwide and Craftsman Truck Series and sits an ominous second in the Sprint Cup Race to the Chase. Is he the best of the NASCAR best?

He might be. Sure, equipment plays a big part in success on the track. But to get a chance to drive the best cars - for the best teams - you have to be one of the most talented drivers. Kyle is.

Many vaunted athletes have been put in what appeared to be the perfect circumstances in which to thrive. Plenty have choked. Tiger Woods didn’t. Kyle Busch hasn’t.

After finishing second at this year’s Masters, Woods will have to wait until next year to make another attempt at Pro Golf’s Grand Slam. I hope Rowdy will decide to run the whole schedule of NASCAR’s majors. Taking the NASCAR Grand Slam would leave no doubt in my mind who the best in NASCAR was.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.

Twenty year old Matt Hawkins wins in his ARCA ReMax Series debut at Iowa Speedway.

ARCA’s premier series is perfectly suited to NASCAR owners for the development of their younger talent. Roush-Fenway Racing is using the series to develop #99 Ricky Stenhouse Bill Davis Racing has two drivers using the unique series to give #28 Michael Annett and #02 Bobby Santos some much needed heavy-car experience.

Chase Austin is a Rusty Wallace Inc. driver. Also running the ARCA series is Landon Cassill, driving for Hendrick Motorsports. Michael Waltrip Racing has Ken Butler III running #22 Toyota’s for Eddie Sharp Racing. Also in a ESR Camry is former F1 driver #2 Scott Speed with his ties to Red Bull Racing.

Not all drivers listed are running a full ARCA schedule and some NASCAR teams may add or change drivers at a later date. Be sure to check out arcaracing.com to get a look into all the drivers, developmental or not, in the ARCA ReMax Series.

photo credit: arcaracing.com

The Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog wants you to have your very own copy of the new A&E Home Video production of “Daytona 500: 50 Years of the Great American Race”. All you have to do is be one of the winners of our little caption contest right here.

That’s Bruton Smith with Las Vegas Motor Speedway president Chris Powell. I’m thinking…

“It’s a quarter to three, there’s no one in the place, except you and me…. so set ‘em up Joe….”

But that’s just me.

We have a few copies of the new DVD, so for every 15 answers, we’ll give away one copy of this great prize. The winners will be determined by The Pit Crew. The contest ends Monday April 21, 2008 at noon PDT. Post your captions in the comment section of this post. You can answer as often as you want but please, only one answer per comment. We reserve the right to end the contest early if we detect abuse. Have some fun. Win a great prize.

Update: The first comment made had three answers. I don’t care if you give ten answers - just make ten separate comments. Please.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.

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