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NASCAR at Auto Club Speedway: Dudes, Dames and Delayed Dominance

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

February 22, 2010 11:23 pm CST No Comments

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The Auto Club 500 was vintage Jimmie Johnson. To the chagrin of those fans who had hoped that J J’s Daytona 500 performance might be a sign. Sorry haters. Lowes no. 48 crew chief Chad Knaus still makes the perfect pit call more often than anybody else and, like Albert Pujols, Jimmie Johnson knows what to do with a fat pitch. He doesn’t miss it.

The Sprint Cup Series race almost seemed like the undercard of this second round of 2010 NASCAR schedule. Most of the buzz early in the weekend was about Danica Patrick’s second run in her limited 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule. Patrick wasn’t a factor in the actual Nationwide Series race. She may not worry the leaders at all this year. But she did OK. She’s learning. It adds interest.

On Pit Row was ably represented by Jerry Wilson - the Diecast Dude to many - during the Auto Club Speedway weekend. Read Jerry’s posts and go to the OnPitRow Twitter page if you missed any of Jerry’s observations during the weekend. Thank you my friend. It was a blast following you the past few days and an honor hosting your stories.

Time for Vegas. Who’s betting against the Lowes car?

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

Filed under: Auto Club Speedway, Danica Patrick, NASCAR, Nationwide Series, On Pit Row on the road, Sprint Cup Series

Tagged with: Chad Knaus, Diecast Dude, Jerry Wilson, Round girl Jen

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First, A Look At Yesterday’s Nationwide Race Minus Any Discussion Of Danica

by Diecast Dude, Special To NASCAR commentary,NASCAR video,NASCAR pictures, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

February 21, 2010 11:04 am CST No Comments

The synchronized beauty and frustration of NASCAR is you never know what’s going to happen at any point in time during every race. Which isn’t completely true, come to think of it. There is one thing you do know will happen. That being you not knowing. Such was the case yesterday during the Stater Brothers 300 at Auto Club Speedway.

After laying down a blistering qualifying run no one could so much as approach, Joey Logano proceeded to school the field throughout the event, which was quite the accomplishment given how he looks like he should be attending high school freshman algebra rather than a drivers meeting. Occasionally teammate Kyle Busch, who sat on the front row alongside Logano, would make a guest appearance near the front. Brian Scott, a young driver well worth keeping an eye on, also had a strong run early on that kept Logano honest for a time. Greg Biffle also stopped by for a social call. However, for the most part Sliced Bread was toasting the field.

The race was relatively incident-free. There were occasional sprinkles of action, thankfully minus the celestial sprinkles which held off until after its conclusion. But by and by it was Logano waving bye-bye to the field as he took care of business.

Right up until when it counted.

A green-white-wreckers finish found Logano up front, with Busch, Biffle and Brad Keselowski behind. At the restart, depending on whose story you believe either: 1) Logano spun his tires and Biffle, directly behind, had no choice but to tag him; 2) Biffle shoved Logano out of the way. Given that the contact took place in-between turns one and two, draw your own conclusion. Anyway, the end result was Logano being shuffled back to fourth as Biffle, Busch and Keselowski charged ahead.

On the final lap, Busch overtook Biffle on the backstretch to take the lead. Logano mounted a furious charge heading into turn three. It briefly appeared as if he would overtake both Busch and Biffle. However, coming out of turn four Keselowski nudged Logano from the side, sending him spinning across the infield. Busch took the win, with Biffle second and Keselowski third.

So much for racing at Auto Club being dull and predictable, what say?

Filed under: Auto Club Speedway, Nationwide Series

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Stop Dissing Danica Patrick

by Diecast Dude, Special To NASCAR commentary,NASCAR video,NASCAR pictures, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

February 18, 2010 1:53 pm CST 1 Comment

While waiting for a flat tire to be fixed, a few thoughts on the driver of the #7 Go Daddy/Hot Wheels Chevrolet Impala in the Nationwide Series, next scheduled appearance this Saturday at Auto Club Speedway.

Earlier this week, your intrepid blogger lent his dulcet tones to On Pit Row — you were listening, right? — discussing this past weekend’s season-opening races at Daytona International Speedway. One of the weekend highlights, if not the highlight, at least to the casual observer was the appearance of Danica Patrick in her first NASCAR event. Unfortunately, her day was cut short when she was caught up in a wreck she had no part in creating. Such are the fortunes of racing.

To say that Danica’s appearance generated far more attention than is the norm for the race in question is a severe understatement. Television ratings were through the roof; the race was far better attended than is usually the case, and her souvenir merchandise trailer at the track was far and away the busiest of all the drivers. For at least one day, Daytona became Danicatona. This weekend she’ll be at Fondanica… er, Fontana.

The frenzied frenetic falderal following Mrs. Hospenthal’s every move and curve, occasionally noticing her driving a car around the curves on the track as opposed to her individual ones, irritated a good portion of the NASCAR Nation. Then again, what doesn’t? Some elements of NN kvetch so much you’d think they were political bloggers crying that unless every politician on their side of the aisle does every little everything their way they’re immediately going from boffo to Beelzebub. But I digress.

While Danica has garnered more than a little criticism for flaunting her looks as a means of gaining attention, there are other aspects of her life and work that warrant praise from all sides. One is how she has inspired more than a handful of young woman the past few years into believing they can pursue their dreams, even in fields traditionally considered off-limits such as auto racing. Yes, there’s also how she’s inspired more than a few boys to enter puberty, but that’s for some other blog; back to racing. She is a gifted, skilled race car driver more than able to compete at any level. Great? Not really. Good enough? Yes. Given a choice between her and Chrissy Wallace in a stock car I’d take Chrissy. But Danica’s not going to embarrass herself.

Finally, Danica is using her position as a public figure known by even those who have no interest whatsoever in motorsports to bring attention to an issue dear to her own heart. Namely, the pursuit of a cure for COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), also known as emphysema.

Long story short: image and reality often have little in common.

A further illustration coupled with some shameless promotion of my employer from which I borrowed the bulk of this post (hey, I wrote it; I can steal my own material) if you don’t mind.

Last week, I spoke on the phone with one of our customers. Several months ago she had been in a bad car accident. Her auto insurance was through us. During the conversation, she marveled time and again at how the Claims adjuster who handled her case answered her phone calls, took care of every issue, and even recovered, then sent to her, a music CD that was in the insured’s car stereo at the time of the accident. It was a pleasant conversation to say the least!A

Sometimes, in a world where seemingly every bit of news about anyone and anything connected with insurance focuses on the negative, it’s good to know there are acknowledgments when we do what we’re supposed to do; namely, take care of our customers when they need us. It won’t change everyone’s perception of us as an industry, for some will choose to believe the bad no matter what. However, as in the case of Danica Patrick, image and reality often have little in common.

Filed under: Auto Club Speedway, Danica Patrick, Nationwide Series

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NASCAR’s Best Race Didn’t Measure Up

by Charlie Turner

February 13, 2010 11:12 pm CST No Comments

I camped out for the first Camping World Truck Series race of 2010 at Daytona International Speedway. The truck race, postponed due to rain Friday night and the best RACE on most NASCAR weekends…sucked.

I called out the ARCA Racing Series presented by Re/Max and Menards last week for a bad show in their 2010 debut. But maybe Daytona International Speedway is more to blame for that ARCA wreck-fest than I first gave Frank Kimmel and company credit for.

NASCAR’s truckers didn’t do any better. And the NASCAR Nationwide Series race Saturday afternoon broke a bunch of cars too, including those of Danica Patrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. The presence of those two “personalities” certainly brought viewers who didn’t know the difference between a Busch race and the real big time. Maybe that type of fan likes big wrecks. I don’t.

So I apologize to my friends at ARCA for what probably seemed an attack. It wasn’t. Observation is what it is. And so far, Daytona 2010, with the exception of the Gatorade Duels, hasn’t been very good from this watcher’s point of view.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc

Filed under: ARCA Remax Series, Craftsman Truck Series, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Danica Patrick, Daytona International Speedway, NASCAR, Nationwide Series

Tagged with: Camping World Truck Series

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Danica Does Daytona

by Charlie Turner

December 18, 2009 5:02 pm CST No Comments

Danica Patrick took her first laps in anger on Daytona Internaional Speedway today during practice with the ARCA Racing Series. Here’s a bit from ARCA’s PR department…

Patrick, one of 26 drivers who posted a time during the 35-minute single car run session, was 12th quickest on the charts with a time of 51.095 seconds (176.142 mph) around the 2.5-mile superspeedway. A trio of three cars fielded by long-time ARCA Racing Series team Venturini Motorsports comprised the top three positions in Friday’s test session, led by fulltime series competitor Mikey Kile (49.804 seconds/180.708 mph).

Patrick only had four laps at full speed Friday, due to rain delays. But she said she got a feel for stock cars…

“It’s still a car once you get in it, “Patrick said during a post test media center press conference on Friday. “I feel most comfortable once I’m at speed actually.

Everything from getting into the car to getting the car started–that part feels quite different to me. It’s not normal to me. The car gets pulled out to pit lane and you get in the car when its in its pit stall in an IndyCar and the getting strapped in part is something that I’ve been familiar with for a long time now so everything is a little bit different but once I get out there I feel good. I feel comfortable.

These cars can run more lanes on the track. You’re all the way to the wall and the car is good to go there. It’s easier to drive there and in an IndyCar you can’t use quite as many lanes usually. That’s just one of the first things I noticed. The gear shifter has more travel. You have to pull something and no more paddle anymore. The clutch is long. It’s just different stuff. But I wouldn’t say that there is any instinctual stuff that is different which is the best part, right? Because I just get to be a driver and I get to do what I’m used to. I feel comfortable once I get going. “

Photo credit: Getty Images for NASCAR

Filed under: ARCA Remax Series, Danica Patrick, Daytona International Speedway, JR Motorsports, NASCAR & the Media, Nationwide Series, Testing news

Tagged with: ARCA testing, GoDaddy.com

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ARCA Racing Series President Ron Drager Welcomes Danica Patrick to Stock Cars

by Charlie Turner

December 11, 2009 1:57 pm CST No Comments

Danica Patrick - NASCAR driver.

Not so fast bubba. First, Danica will do ARCA. As in the ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/Max and Menards.

Danica Patrick’s long waited for announcement that she will drive for Dale Earnhardt Jr’s J R Motorsports in selected 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series races was Tuesday.

But before she turns a NASCAR lap in anger, D-Pat will test and race at Daytona in the ARCA Racing series.

Get the Flash Player to see the wordTube Media Player.

ARCA president Ron Drager joined us On Pit Row Tuesday night for a far ranging interview. He talked about Patrick, and other high profile racers who have gotten their stock car chops honed in ARCA and the state of the ARCA Racing Series as it enters 2010. Here is part one of Ron Drager, On Pit Row.

Filed under: ARCA Remax Series, Danica Patrick, Daytona International Speedway, JR Motorsports, NASCAR, NASCAR & the Media, NASCAR Rumors, Nationwide Series, On Pit Row The Fastest Two Hours on Radio

Tagged with: ARCA 200, ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/Max and Menards, ARCA testing, Go Daddy Racing, Ron Drager

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