Latest Headlines

Comments

Sections

NASCAR’s Coming and the Cards Say…

by Charlie Turner

I'm Charlie Turner co-host of the syndicated, mostly NASCAR radio show On Pit Row. Thanks for stopping by OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. Oh yeah, Steve is an idiot. Follow me on Twitter @onpitrow

January 15, 2010 10:35 pm CST No Comments

We’re having a bit of a January thaw here in On Pit Row-ville the last few days. Easy to take in the northern latitudes.

And the NASCAR news that’s bubbling up in the media lately is more substantial than the glorified press releases we’ve been served with for the last several weeks.

I mean, who is compelled by stories with titles like…“Denny Hamlin ready to build on 2009 momentum”?

I know. Somebody’s got to write them. But do you really want to read that? I did find some good stuff this week though.

The Fox Sports question and answer session with Ray Evernham is terrific. Evernham is one of the smartest guys in racing. I have more to say about some of Ray’s comments, but that’s for another post. Read the article yourself. If you haven’t already, here’s a bit of bait for you. Evernham says…

“NASCAR has a little bit of a credibility problem because they don’t tend to communicate openly enough.”

Ray Evernham may not have said anything like that when he was an active, NASCAR team owner. But he put those and other cards on the table in his interview. I can’t wait to get him On Pit Row.

Photo credit: Chicagoland Speedway

Filed under: Chicagoland Speedway, NASCAR, NASCAR & the Media

Tagged with: Ray Evernham

Digg This | Save to del.icio.us

NASCAR’s Crumpled Fenders and Bruised Egos

by Steve Wronkowicz

I am co-host of the syndicated radio show: ON PIT ROW. Charlie likes to call me an "idiot". I'm not an "idiot"; I just prefer not to let the facts get in the way of my opinions.

July 14, 2009 5:54 am CDT No Comments

There seems to be some dissension in the ranks as drivers aren’t liking the double file restarts as much as initially claimed.

Veteran Jeff Burton was not thrilled at all with the consequences of the new restart program. He went so far as to allude to not wanting to participate any more if the new program continues,

“I know it’s exciting for fans. But I’m tired of it. I’m about done with it.”

Would Burton really be done with double file restarts? What are his options? He could go to a series that doesn’t use the rule–the Camping World Truck Series hasn’t adopted the rule –yet. He could move to the ARCA Re/Max Series where they still do single file restarts with less than ten laps remaining. Neither option is likely to happen. The fact is that the fans love the new restarts and NASCAR would be committing public relations suicide to change back.

The fact is that NASCAR fans have something to look forward to at the end of a long race–some excitement. While I can enjoy a fuel mileage finish as much as the next guy; a couple of side by side restarts with less than thirty laps to go is what will bring fans back to the sport. Good tight racing for a win is what fans want to see and if there happens to be some bumping and grinding along the way, then so much the better.

Without double file restarts the on track incident between Kurt Busch and Jimmie Johnson would never have occurred. Regardless of who was at fault, it led to not only exciting racing but great post race fodder. Busch’s comments questioning a three time champion’s abilities on the race track are priceless. NASCAR can’t afford not to let that type of controversy and calling out of fellow drivers continue.

That leads us to this week’s BUZZ ON PIT ROW:

Who was to blame for the Busch/Johnson incident and will the feud continue?

Let us know what you think and we could use your answer on this week’s ON PIT ROW radio show. Listen live, every Tuesday from 5-7pm ET at www.onpitrow.com. Call us during the show at 1-800-645-2946 and you could win a Kevin Harvick bobblehead courtesy of Shell Gasolines if you are The Shell Nitrogen Enriched Call of the Day.

photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc

Filed under: Chicagoland Speedway, How to fix NASCAR, Jeff Burton, Jimmy Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, NASCAR, NASCAR Bidness, NASCAR officials, On Pit Row The Fastest Two Hours on Radio, jimmie johnson

Tagged with: Jeff Burton, jimmie johnson, Kurt Busch, NASCAR

Digg This | Save to del.icio.us

NASCAR Past and Present: Moonshiners to Bootleggers

by Charlie Turner

July 11, 2009 9:14 am CDT No Comments

Chicagoland. Gangland. Al Capone. Bootlegging.

NASCAR. Moonshiners. The Flock brothers. Junior Johnson.

I was watching the History Channel last night after the Nationwide Series race at Chicagoland Speedway was over. The first show was about the history of Al Capone’s run as Chicago’s crime boss during Prohibition. Capone’s business was illegal liquor. And whatever it took to provide it.

The second show was about the history of bootlegging booze. NASCAR’s Junior Johnson was prominent in that one. Johnson was interviewed extensively about what they did to the cars that he and other’s - like the Flocks - used to run that hootch. And NASCAR’s origins were a topic too.

I just thought it was interesting that the two topics ran back-to-back on the weekend when NASCAR comes to Caponeland Speedway.

Photo credit: Round girl Jen by BethAnne Heisler for OnPitRow.com

Filed under: Chicagoland Speedway, NASCAR, NASCAR & the Media, Nascar Legends

Tagged with: Al Capone, Junior Johnson, LifeLock.com 400, Round girl Jen

Digg This | Save to del.icio.us

Chicagoland Fantasy Racing Live Chat: Thursday at 7 PM ET

by Charlie Turner

July 9, 2009 8:46 am CDT 1 Comment

Join Eric McClung tonight for a live fantasy racing advice for the LifeLock.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway this Saturday night. This will be the fourth in our fast growing live blog/chat sessions focusing on NASCAR fantasy racing. Enter your email below and we’ll remind you before the start.

Filed under: Chicagoland Speedway, NASCAR, NASCAR Fantasy Gaming

Tagged with: fantasy racing advice, fantasy racing live chat, fantasy racing picks

Digg This | Save to del.icio.us

One and Done: LifeLock.com 400

by Chris Leone, Special To NASCAR commentary,NASCAR video,NASCAR pictures, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

If OnPitRow.com was a NASCAR team, I’d be the development driver of the bunch. In the same way that young hotshots like Joey Logano have been driving since they were in grade school, I’ve been following and writing about all forms of motorsports since I was barely old enough to talk.

July 9, 2009 12:26 am CDT 3 Comments

Despite originating as a Sunday afternoon race, this weekend’s LifeLock.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway will be run under the lights for the second year in a row. It is also the second consecutive Saturday night race for the Sprint Cup teams, after last week’s Coke Zero 400. Speaking of that – how about Charlie and I with our “crapshoot” picks? His pick, Kurt Busch, wound up fifth, and one of mine, Marcos Ambrose, was sixth.

Hopefully, the advice I give you this week will be as solid as it was last week – I had the winner, the almost-winner, the eighth place car, and the aforementioned sixth place car. Picking at Chicagoland can be a challenge, if only because there’s not a whole lot of history to back it up – the track is still young enough that five drivers have average finishes in the single digits.

For this week’s picks, however, I’m relying on that history. It’s recent enough to be a solid predictor, and it also makes the picks a little more interesting, as a good amount of them aren’t contenders on a weekly basis this year.

Kevin Harvick: He’s been bad this year, I know. But he’s one of only two drivers to win here twice, so he must know something about the track that a lot of guys don’t. He’s only failed to complete one lap and has led in five of eight starts here, and his last three Chicagoland races have seen two fourths and a third. Think of Happy as your “kinda-sorta-sleeper-but-not-really” for the week.

Brian Vickers: Despite failing to qualify for the race in 2007, Vickers has a 9.2 average finish at Chicagoland, making it one of his strongest tracks. He’s never failed to complete a lap in his four starts, and is usually solidly near the front come the end of the race.

Juan Pablo Montoya: He’s been solid, although not spectacular, in two career starts here. Judging by the quality of the Ganassi cars, though, a 15th and an 18th are results to be proud of. Expect more this weekend, as his team tries to make up for the loss of Martin Truex Jr. by giving Montoya the absolute strongest car they possibly can. (It’s also fair not to expect much out of Truex for the rest of the year.)

Ryan Newman: Eh, why not. It’s about time he adds to the Stewart-Haas win total. He’s won at the track before, and if not for a bad stretch of luck from 2004-2006 (best finish: 29th), he’d probably be in the single digits in average finishes too.

Tony Stewart: The other guy to win twice at Chicagoland also won last week, has been strong for most of the season, and is running one of those cool “Back to School” schemes that Office Depot usually does at this race. (For the record, it’s a little early to be running a “Back to School” paint scheme, but it’s a nice thought nonetheless.) The No. 14 team has shocked a lot this year, and there’s no reason to think they can’t shock again.

Also, it’s been a while since we’ve checked in on the guys running limited schedules, and when folks will be able to pick them. So, without further ado:

Aric Almirola is expected to be back in the No. 8 car by the Brickyard 400. Fox Sports’ Lee Spencer reported recently that the team is close to securing sponsorship; not only that, the race is one of the highest paying on the schedule.

Still nothing to report on Travis Kvapil. Yates Racing is continuing to focus on Bobby Labonte and Paul Menard, with no known deals for Kvapil.

Regan Smith is adding the August night race at Bristol to his schedule. His streak of 51 consecutive races without a DNF, spanning his entire career, carries on, and Furniture Row Racing general manager Joe Garone implied that Smith’s ability to keep the car on the track played a big factor in the team’s decision to add races.

Filed under: Chicagoland Speedway, One and Done NASCAR Fantasy Racing

Tagged with: Chicagoland Speedway, LifeLock.com 400, One and Done NASCAR Fantasy Racing

Digg This | Save to del.icio.us

Fast Laps: Chicagoland

by Matt Mercer, Special To NASCAR commentary,NASCAR video,NASCAR pictures, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

I'm the writer of The Catfish Show NASCAR Blog, which you can access through the links on the right. Follow me on Twitter: @mattmercer

July 8, 2009 6:26 pm CDT 5 Comments

This may be for Chicagoland, but I’m still hung up on the finish of the Coke Zero 400. If you’re reading this you know the deal. Kyle Busch comes out of turn 4, blocks Tony Stewart, Stewart moves to the outside, Busch tries to block, gets spun, get’s clobbered. Twice. The finishes of these plate races has officially jumped the shark. We now know that the leader at the end of the race will end up in the wall just before the start/finish line. It’s not anyone’s fault, per se. The drivers have voiced frustration at NASCAR for the situation they’re put in. I began thinking, is there anything that can change? I started looking at some plate races from the late 90s when the fad was diving below the line on the front and backstretch. Perhaps the most famous example was Jeff Gordon diving below race leader Rusty Wallace with 11 laps to go heading into turn 1 with a slowed Ricky Rudd on the apron. Gordon was just a few feet from Rudd when Wallace moved up, gave Gordon the room on the inside, and watched him win his 2nd Daytona 500. Today, Rusty says he wouldn’t have given Gordon the room. If the yellow-line rule is lifted, would we see a situation like that again? Who knows. I just know that something’s got to be done to change the finishes of these races, because I’ll take the money in my pockets and bet someone all the money in theirs that the finish at the fall race at Talladega will look very similar to those that saw Brad Keselowski and Tony Stewart end up in victory lane instead of Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch.