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Coke Throws a Big NASCAR Barbeque

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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

May 28, 2010 9:40 pm CDT No Comments

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The Coca Cola folks always have something big cooked up for the Coca Cola 600 weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Thousands of fans turned out for the Coca-Cola Family Track Walk and Quarter-Mile Cookout at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday, May 28. The event gave fans an opportunity to get active by walking the entire length of the 1.5-mile track, followed by a free cookout on the nation’s longest grill.

Coca-Cola Racing Family driver Ryan Newman used an oversized match to light 7,000 pounds of charcoal ablaze in a quarter-mile-long grill. Newman was joined by fellow drivers Michael Waltrip, Joey Logano and Clint Bowyer for the cookout and the Coca-Cola Family Track Walk.

Ryan Newman waved the green flag to start the Coca-Cola Family Track

Walk. Afterward they feasted on free chicken and burgers cooked on a quarter-mile-long grill, positioned in the track’s infield.

Coca-Cola Racing Family members Michael Waltrip (left) and Joey Logano competed in a spoon race. Logano won the competition when Waltrip fumbled the egg from his spoon in the closing steps of the final lap. The Track Walk reminded the thousands of fans on hand how simple and fun getting active can be.

Photo credit: Harold Hinson

Filed under: Clint Boyer, Joey Logano, Michael Waltrip, NASCAR, NASCAR & the Media, Ryan Newman 

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Did Old Spice Pave the Way For Budweiser at Stewart-Haas?

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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

May 18, 2010 12:20 pm CDT 3 Comments

The news last Tuesday that Proctor and Gamble was going to pull its Old Spice sponsorship of Tony Stewart’s race cars certainly wasn’t good for Stewart-Haas Racing.

Tony Stewart’s year-plus stewardship of the team Gene Haas built has been mostly, wildly successful. The #14 has been solidly sponsored by Old Spice and Office Depot. But Ryan Newman’s #39 has shown up with Haas Automation on the fenders almost as often as the U S Army. Probably not the preferred situation.

So losing one of the big check writers - while not winning at all on the track so far in 2010 - makes year two of Tony’s reign less lustrous.

Stewart and Newman are famous fisherman. And there’s a big’un out there for the hooking.

Anheuser-Busch probably has an out with Richard Petty Motorsports, what with their chosen one - Kasey Kahne moving on. I look for Budweiser to be on one of those Stewart-Haas Chevies in 2010.

Photo credit: BethAnne Heisler - OnpitRow.com

Filed under: Kasey Kahne, NASCAR, NASCAR Bidness, NASCAR Rumors, Ryan Newman, Stewart Haas Racing, Tony Stewart 

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Fantasy Pick’Em: 2010 Goody’s Fast Relief 500

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by Chris Leone, Special To NASCAR commentary and pictures,2010 NASCAR schedule,NASCAR video, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

I do weekly Fantasy Pick'Em columns here at OPR, as well as the occasional opinion and analysis piece. I also provide the IZOD IndyCar Series coverage. For more on that, head to my site, OpenWheelAmerica.com. My Twitter handle is @christopherlion.

March 25, 2010 12:49 am CDT 1 Comment

The Sprint Cup Series is beginning to hit its stride, five races in and heading to Martinsville Speedway for the Goody’s Fast Relief 500. It’s the first race of 2010 where drivers and teams will be guaranteed in based on 2010 owners’ points, meaning we’ve run enough of this year to nail down who’s on top and who’s in a hole.

Clearly, Jimmie Johnson is on top after winning his first career race at Bristol. I didn’t have in the column at all last week, judging by his abysmal record at the track the past few years. My pick, Kyle Busch, wound up ninth, while dark horse Marcos Ambrose had a poor day and wound up 33rd. Kurt Busch had the best day of anyone I mentioned, finishing third, while Dale Earnhardt Jr. placed seventh and Kevin Harvick finished 11th.

I’d be picking Johnson to win Martinsville even without the momentum of three wins in five starts, and the latest coming at his worst track. He’s also won five of the last seven run at the paper clip, six in his career, and you don’t expect any less from him barring catastrophe.

As for a dark horse, check out Juan Pablo Montoya. Until he wins an oval race in Cup, I think this is a fair place to categorize him. He led 37 laps here in the fall, and has a career worst Martinsville finish of 16th, in his track debut in spring 2007. Montoya has only failed to complete one lap in six starts, a key fact at short tracks where cars can easily fall laps down under long green flag runs.

Don’t like what you see? Three more:

Denny Hamlin won the two races out of the past seven that Johnson did not, which basically guarantees him a place in the column. Yes, he’s 19th in points, and I bet that bum knee’s got something to do with it. That might even spell disaster for him at the track, where he has a strong 7.2 average finish and only one finish outside the top 10 in eight starts. But the Virginia native, barring that one poor finish (a crash in spring 2006), has always run well here. I’m going to give him a break.

Jeff Gordon has seven wins, 22 top five finishes, and 28 top-10s in 34 career Martinsville starts. He hasn’t been outside the top 10 at the end of a Martinsville race since 2002. If you took Gordon’s Martinsville track record and tallied up the points, he’d have enough to win the championship in almost any pre-Chase season.

Finally, in an attempt to make this column interesting (and not just pick the four drivers with the best four average finishes at Martinsville), Ryan Newman is a choice that many might overlook. Like a handful of other drivers worthy of consideration, Newman has a 50% top 10 rate; unlike many of them, he hasn’t won at the track. But Newman’s 2009 record at the track, with finishes of 6th and 7th and a pole in the fall race, merits strong consideration for this weekend.

Filed under: Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, Juan Pablo Montoya, Martinsville Speedway, One and Done NASCAR Fantasy Racing, Ryan Newman, jimmie johnson 

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Double J and The Luck of A Golden Horseshoe

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by Clance' McClannahan, Special To NASCAR commentary and pictures,2010 NASCAR schedule,NASCAR video, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

Clance' McClannahan, famous author behind The Church of The Great Oval and also one of the much appreciated Contributing Authors at Thunder Lounge.

February 27, 2010 12:04 am CST 1 Comment

How much does luck really have to play in NASCAR? Auto Club Speedway was a perfect example of both good luck, bad luck, skill and strategy.

Race Day at ACS started out cloudy, with the threat of rain looming overhead in in the future. Lovely Katharine McPhee, Season 5 American Idol runner-up, performed the National Anthem, after stating “I’ve never watched a NASCAR game before.” Personally, I am really glad she said that prior to the first inning, or it might have been embarrassing for her later.

Andy Garcia was able to give the command. “ Gentlemen, start your engines!” and still be politically correct.

Pole sitter Jamie Mac led the race for about 5 seconds, and then Juan Pablo Montoya politely said “Excuse me?”, and took the lead. If you would reach far back into your memory…(I mean, it’s a stretch for me),  you will remember that JPM led 60 laps at ACS in October, and in one truly horrendous moment, lost that race. Juan Pablo Montoya meant serious business and opened up a lead of more than 3 seconds by Lap 12. By Lap 29, Jimmie Johnson’s good luck began to show, and the 42 car’s not so good 30th lap, gave him a brush with the wall.  Soon after…it was Good vs. Bad for JPM, Kasey Kahne and a few others. Namely Dale (**NOTE to Jr. Nation: Dale doesn’t want to be called Jr. or June Bug, anymore).

In the meantime, a war was beginning to rage. Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson had begun the battle that would continue throughout the race, which culminated in one of the finest moments in NASCAR History.

Lap 97 began to get a little more interesting. Now we will get into the good luck, bad luck, strategy (?) syndrome that happenedthat day.

Martin Truex Jr. loses power. Later, Martin Truex Jr’s engine blows.
JPM begins to battle with Jeff Gordon for 5th position. Harvick and Johnson continue to dance the Flamenco (to impress Juan Pablo Montoya) for 1st and 2nd, not being able to decide who would lead and who would follow.

In one of the most endearing and heart breaking moments of the race, Kasey Kahne, being conscientious of the bleak economy, decided he would help out some poor souls, who needed to make some money to feed their kids, by making sure they had jobs replacing the sod he tore up.
Ryan Newman’s engine blew up. DNF. Again.  JPM, looking very competitive, was out of contention once again, after a great 140 laps. It also, was due to another kaboom of a large quantity of moving parts, critical to the car continuing to run..

Kevin Harvick discovered that one of Jamie Mac’s pit crew has a part time job with Cirque du Soleil. Scary.

Then there was Dale Earnhardt Jr. It seems like the last few years, if it’s going to happen to someone it will be Dale Jr. Personally, I don’t think he has any better or worse luck than many driver’s. I think his worst luck is the scrutiny he is constantly under. Much more than other driver’s. Broken Axle. Axle Broken. Race over for the 88.

Jimmie Johnson seemed to be going backwards for a small moment in time. Then… From out of the blue…comes JJ again. Jamie Mac, startled, said “”How can he be leading? “He was on pit road, wasn’t he?!!”
Why yes, he was. Double J won. 48/48.
Luck? Strategy? All of the above?

Kevin Harvick , at the end of the race, summed it all up, in one sentence. Possibly one of the finest quotes in NASCAR History. I am honored to have been able to do small tribute to that little quip at The Church.
“They have a golden horseshoe stuck up their ass.”
…And that, Dear Fans, was the finest finish to a race I have seen since the Daytona 500.

*What wondrous events shall LVMS bring us this weekend? Aw…the suspense is killing me!

Filed under: Auto Club Speedway, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Danica Patrick, Diversity and NASCAR, Jamie McMurray, Jeff Gordon, Juan Pablo Montoya, Kasey Kahne, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Martin Truex Jr., NASCAR, NASCAR Conspiracies, Ryan Newman, jimmie johnson 

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Jamie McMurray Live On Pit Row and Back Home

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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

January 21, 2010 11:19 pm CST No Comments

Earnardt - Ganassi Racing’s Jamie McMurray joined us On Pit Row this week and said he’s right at home, back with Chip’s group and a sponsor that is from his Missouri home - Bass pro Shops.

Jamie will be teamed with Juan Pablo Montoya on the team likely favored to win the Rolex Daytona 24 Hours and he talks about it.

Get the Flash Player to see the wordTube Media Player.

But I want to see a bass fishing match between Jamie Mac, Rocket Ryan Newman and Martin Truex Jr.

Filed under: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, Jamie McMurray, Juan Pablo Montoya, Martin Truex Jr., NASCAR, On Pit Row The Fastest Two Hours on Radio, Ryan Newman 

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A Tale of Two Race Teams: Bass Pro Shops’ Dilemma

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by Chris Leone, Special To NASCAR commentary and pictures,2010 NASCAR schedule,NASCAR video, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

I do weekly Fantasy Pick'Em columns here at OPR, as well as the occasional opinion and analysis piece. I also provide the IZOD IndyCar Series coverage. For more on that, head to my site, OpenWheelAmerica.com. My Twitter handle is @christopherlion.

November 3, 2009 6:16 pm CST No Comments

The sponsors of NASCAR teams are obligated to pay the bills in order to plaster their logos on the cars. They’re obligated to stick with a team through the length of their contract, for better or worse, and make the best of what the race team can provide them. But that doesn’t mean that when the situation is less than stellar and the contract is approaching its final year, the sponsor isn’t going to look for a quick out; they’ve also got an obligation to look for the greatest return on their investment.

Bass Pro Shops has been a major primary sponsor of a car in one of NASCAR’s top two series since 2003, when they debuted on the hood of Hank Parker Jr.’s Chance 2 Motorsports Chevrolet at a then-Busch Series race in Atlanta. They stuck with that team for the next two seasons, when they won championships with driver Martin Truex Jr. and crew chief Bono Manion.

In 2006, the whole team moved up to the Cup series, and they made the Chase in 2007, with Truex taking his maiden Cup win at Dover. But in 2008 and 2009, the wheels started to fall off: the team failed to make the Chase again in 2008, it was forced to merge with Chip Ganassi’s team in the offseason, and right now is mired at 24th in the standings, while teammate Juan Montoya challenges for victories week in and week out. In response, Bass Pro Shops has scaled back its sponsorship of the car, with a presumptive 26 races this season and only 20 next year.

Right now, that car is vacant for the 2010 season, with Truex heading to Michael Waltrip Racing to replace its namesake in their flagship car. New owner Ganassi wants to put Jamie McMurray in the car, out of a combination of history (McMurray never finished worse than 13th in points in three years spent with Ganassi) and “best available”; the sponsor isn’t so sure that McMurray fits their image.

In a FoxSports.com article, Lee Spencer mounts a weak defense for McMurray, saying that last week’s winner “will go above and beyond for his sponsors whether it’s Bass Pro or anyone else.” Duh. Name me one successful driver this side of Stroker Ace who hasn’t.

Former champion Bobby Labonte is available to Ganassi, and he fits the sponsor’s image much better, but two things stand in the way of that marriage: TRG Motorsports is working to keep him on board with their team, and Labonte is having the worst season of his illustrious career, lingering at 30th in points.

The other available drivers, Reed Sorenson and Casey Mears, are other Ganassi castoffs who never did anywhere near as much with that team in the past (or with other teams as of late) as McMurray did.

The other, more desirable option that Bass Pro Shops has is to find a way out of their contract with Ganassi and head to Stewart-Haas Racing, where they would fill out the gaps in the schedule on Ryan Newman’s car left by the U.S. Army. It’s been an open secret for a while that the match makes a lot of sense; the sponsor occupies a B-pillar spot on owner Tony Stewart’s car, they’ve had an association with him for years, and Stewart-Haas is a step up from Ganassi in almost every way.

Back in April, Hermie Sadler reported on SPEED that there is no “out” in Bass Pro Shops’ contract for the 2010 season, just a day after Fox Sports posted rumors of the sponsor switching teams due to a performance clause. But sometimes, ripping up a contract makes more sense for both sides.

Ganassi, through Target as well as his team’s other partners, could probably find enough sponsorship to field McMurray for the full season if Bass Pro Shops were to be let out of its contract. Before the merger with Dale Earnhardt Inc., Ganassi had a commitment from Target that would have allowed him to run two full-time cars in 2009. This year, Target and its partners combined to sponsor 18 races for Truex and Aric Almirola, besides the full schedule for Montoya (who had other Target partners on his car for four races).

Running a two-car Target program in Sprint Cup could work similarly to Ganassi’s IndyCar Series program with Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti. This year, Dixon drove a Target car all season, while Franchitti’s car carried a multiplicity of sponsors who marketed through Target for the majority of the year.

It’s hard to convince an existing sponsor to expand its support in this economy, but given Target’s 20 years with Ganassi, McMurray’s solid history with the team, and the fact that his personality fits Target’s marketing programs much better than those of a hunting outlet, it seems only plausible. That would then free up Bass Pro Shops to fill out Newman’s schedule, strengthening Stewart’s new team even further.

Of course, this only works out as well as it does when you keep the monetary figures away - I don’t know that a buyout would be worth it for either Ganassi or Bass Pro Shops, or that Target would really be willing to expand its Sprint Cup participation. But for the sponsors, being involved in racing requires a return on the money they’ve invested. The way that things stand right now, everybody stands to be more successful if things get switched around.

Filed under: Chip Ganassi Racing, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, Jamie McMurray, Martin Truex Jr., NASCAR, NASCAR Rumors, Ryan Newman, Stewart Haas Racing, silly season 

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