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NASCAR Evolution Theory: The Pinniped-aled Car of Today

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by Charlie Turner

Thanks for stopping by OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. The best NASCAR and IndyCar news and opinion, exclusive pictures and video. I'm Charlie Turner. Follow me on Twitter @onpitrow

March 13, 2012 10:05 am UTC No Comments

I enjoyed both the NASCAR Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup Series race from Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The racing has come a long way, on the track, since the intro of NASCAR’s Car of Tomorrow prototypes.

The evolution continues. So does the aesthetic weirdness. That aero device attached to the driver’s side c-pillar and deck lid – the so-called sharkfin – just keeps getting bigger.

In the NNWS race at Vegas, I kept thinking that the cars had a winged sprint car look to them. Maybe that’s why Ricky Stenhouse Jr was so good in his. He can wheel a sprint car.

I know that there is often a trade-off between good looks and  performance on the track. I also know that NASCAR is working with the manufacturers to make the cars more street-car like.

NASCAR – and the teams – also fight the urge for more billboard space to sell to sponsors. That fin has possibilities.

But I digress. It seems to me that it’s only a matter of time before Bruton Smith gets a second date in Las Vegas. The France family parlayed their Kansas City combination of casino games and stock car racing into two dates for Kansas Speedway. With the show that LVMS puts on, I’d like another one there too.

Filed under: Bruton Smith, Car of Tomorrow, Kansas Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, NASCAR, NASCAR Tech, Nationwide Series, Sprint Cup Series 

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NASCAR Pack Racing Has Risen from the Grave

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by Charlie Turner

Thanks for stopping by OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. The best NASCAR and IndyCar news and opinion, exclusive pictures and video. I'm Charlie Turner. Follow me on Twitter @onpitrow

February 25, 2012 11:24 pm UTC No Comments

Is it possible that NASCAR has found the perfect balance in restrictor plate racing?

Could the Family France have found harmony between 2011′s, new age, tandem – or pairs – plate racing and the old school, flash mob, chaos of recent seasons?

It sure looked that way in the Nationwide Series, Drive for COPD 300. Congrats to James Buescher, on surviving the wreck fest and winning the race.

Rookie driver John King pulled a similar rabbit out of the wrecks in Friday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, NextEra Energy Resources 250, but that isn’t the point I want to make.

For maybe 90 percent of the NNWS race, pack racing was the story. Caused a bunch of semi-BIG ONES and wrecked a bunch of contenders. Fun stuff.

Then, for about the last 25 restarts (I know, it was about 4 really) the whole tandem-racing thing came back. Which I kind of – in the minority I think – like.

They still wrecked like they all owned body shops, but it was tandem wrecking, not pack wrecking.

I think I liked it. Cannot wait for Sunday.

Photo Credit: John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR

Filed under: Camping World Truck Series, Daytona International Speedway, NASCAR, Nationwide Series 

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At Last NASCAR Victory for the Son of Sam

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by Charlie Turner

Thanks for stopping by OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. The best NASCAR and IndyCar news and opinion, exclusive pictures and video. I'm Charlie Turner. Follow me on Twitter @onpitrow

November 12, 2011 10:07 pm UTC No Comments

Sam Hornish Jr won the 2011 WypAll 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race Saturday at Phoenix International Raceway. Finally triumph for the Penske Racing driver whose first NASCAR start came at the same track in a Nationwide Series race in 2006.

One win in almost six seasons of NASCAR.

But Hornish won 19 races in eight seasons of IndyCar (CART and IRL) including three championships. He won the 2006 Indianapolis 500. He’s a helluva good driver.

Watching Hornish hold off his teammate Brad Keselowski over the last 25 laps, I was on the edge of my seat. I can’t remember wanting a driver to hold on more than I did Saturday. It wasn’t a big race in relative terms and the result had little to do with history making. It didn’t save a career, or validate anything. But it felt good to me.

Congratulations Sam Hornish Jr and Penske Racing. Now go get some more.

Photo credit:  Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images for NASCAR

Filed under: Brad Kesolowski, Indy Cars, NASCAR, Nationwide Series, Phoenix International Raceway, Sam Hornish Jr 

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NASCAR Pictures: Carl Edwards Wins at Dover

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by Charlie Turner

Thanks for stopping by OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. The best NASCAR and IndyCar news and opinion, exclusive pictures and video. I'm Charlie Turner. Follow me on Twitter @onpitrow

October 1, 2011 8:09 pm UTC No Comments

Exclusive NASCAR Victory Lane photos from The Monster Mile

Carl Edwards and Kyle Bucsh continue to carve the NASCAR Nationwide Series pie and it was Cousin Carl’s turn at Dover International Speedway.

Photo credit: Glenn Bure – OnPitRow.com

Filed under: Carl Edwards, Dover International Speedway, NASCAR, NASCAR photos, Nationwide Series 

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NASCAR Pictures: Friday NASCAR Practice at MIS

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by BethAnne, Special To NASCAR commentary and driver pictures, 2011 NASCAR schedule, video, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

I am the field producer/photographer of the syndicated radio show/website ON PIT ROW. When Steve and Charlie ask me to 'jump', I say "Yeah right."

June 17, 2011 2:04 pm UTC No Comments

NASCAR Track Photos from the Heluva Good! 400 at Michigan Speedway

Friday was Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series practice day at MIS. The weather was nearly perfect and we got some great NASCAR driver photos and pictures from the pits.

Photo credit: BethAnne Heisler – OnPitRow.com

Filed under: Michigan International Speedway, NASCAR, NASCAR photos, Nationwide Series, Sprint Cup Series 

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NASCAR Driver Pictures: STP 300 from Saturday at Chicagoland

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by BethAnne, Special To NASCAR commentary and driver pictures, 2011 NASCAR schedule, video, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

I am the field producer/photographer of the syndicated radio show/website ON PIT ROW. When Steve and Charlie ask me to 'jump', I say "Yeah right."

June 6, 2011 9:00 pm UTC No Comments

Pre-qualifying for NASCAR Nationwide Series at Chicagoland Speedway

I was in Chicago for OnPitRow.com last weekend and got a ton of nice photos of NASCAR drivers for you. Help yourself if you need to use any. Please give us some credit though OK?.

Photo credit – BethAnne Heisler for OnPitRow.com.

Filed under: Chicagoland Speedway, NASCAR, NASCAR photos, Nationwide Series 

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