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NASCAR Evolution Theory: The Pinniped-aled Car of Today

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

Tagged with: ricky stenhouse jr.

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NASCAR in the Desert: On the Pole in Phoenix, Yoda Is

by Charlie Turner

March 4, 2012 12:12 pm UTC No Comments

Mark Martin found an oasis of youth at a track where he has been consistently strong.

Martin qualified his Michael Waltrip Racing #55 fastest.

He is the all-time leader in top fives, top tens and lead lap finished at Phoenix International Raceway.

Nice though, a win would be, hmmm.

Photo credit: Getty Images for NASCAR

Filed under: Mark Martin, Michael Waltrip Racing, NASCAR, Phoenix International Raceway, Sprint Cup Series

Tagged with: pole qualifying

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From Bad Start to Devastating: Jimmie Johnson’s Daytona 500

by Charlie Turner

February 29, 2012 3:22 pm UTC No Comments

The NASCAR gods are piling on Jimmie Johnson’s #48 team. The other shoe dropped from the pre-practice violations found on the Lowes Chevrolet.

Johnson, who gained just 2 Sprint Cup championship points at Daytona, will enter the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway, dead last with a minus 23 points. Come on man, he didn’t even win the Cup in 2011!

Here’s the NASCAR press release.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 29, 2012) – NASCAR has issued penalties, suspensions and fines to the No. 48 team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, as a result of rules infractions found on Feb. 17 during opening day inspection for the Daytona 500.

The No. 48 car was found to be in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4J (any determination by NASCAR officials that race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules detailed in Section 20 of the rule book or has not been approved by NASCAR prior to the event); and 20-2.1E (if in the judgment of NASCAR officials, any part or component of the car not previously approved by NASCAR that has been installed or modified to enhance aerodynamic performance will not be permitted – unapproved car body modifications).

As a result, crew chief Chad Knaus and car chief Ron Malec have been suspended from the next six (6) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship events, suspended from NASCAR until April 18 and placed on NASCAR probation until May 9. Additionally, Knaus has been fined $100,000.

Driver Jimmie Johnson and car owner Jeff Gordon have been penalized with the loss of 25 driver and 25 owner points, respectively.

At least Chad Knaus gets a vacation out of it.

Photo credit: BethAnne Heisler – OnPitRow.com

Filed under: Hendrick Motorsports, Jeff Gordon, jimmie johnson, NASCAR, Phoenix International Raceway, Sprint Cup Series

Tagged with: Chad Knaus, It's Only Cheating if You Get Caught

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Fins to the Left Fins to the Right Daytona Pack Racing is All Right

by Charlie Turner

February 28, 2012 11:48 am UTC No Comments

The 2012 Daytona 500 was memorable for many things including the debut of Monday Night NASCAR.

I don’t write race recaps. I don’t enjoy doing them and there are really good, professional journalists who do that better than I ever could anyway. So go read Bob Pockrass or Dustin Long or Ryan McGee’s stories this week if you want to know what happened in the Daytona 500 and why it did.

Congrats to Matt Kenseth on winning the race and to Jack Roush for owning the front row of the grid in addition to the car that won the race. Nice start for the Roushies in 2012.

Dale Earnhardt Jr finished second, and looked to have a shot at the win late in the race. But it was not to be.

The Pack is Back. Pack racing at restrictor plate tracks is once again the rule. The proof came when, with a couple laps left, and Kenseth all alone out front with no one to draft with, the combo of Junior and Greg Biffle couldn’t catch him.

In the days of tandem plate racing, Matt would have been as toasted as Reilly Mansfield at a Saturday night gig. But he held on.

The pack racing led to some crazy wrecks. And Juan Pablo Montoya’s, yellow flag spin into a jet dryer was just bizarre . So was 15 hours, spread over two days, of pre-race fill by DW, MW and MJ.

I hope to hell there’s no weather in the forecast for Phoenix.

Photo credit: Round girl Cindi by BethAnne Heisler – OnPitRow.com

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Darrell Waltrip, Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway, Greg Biffle, Juan Pablo Montoya, Michael Waltrip, NASCAR, NASCAR & the Media, Sprint Cup Series

Tagged with: bob pockrass, Dustin Long, restrictor plates, Ryan McGee

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Tony Stewart Vampire Slayer

by Charlie Turner

November 7, 2011 12:22 pm UTC No Comments

With his win in the 2011 AAA Texas 500 Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway, Tony Stewart cut Carl Edward’s Chase to the Sprint Cup lead to 3 just points.

Smoke has won four of the eight 2011 Chase races, including the last two. And even though Edwards leads in the standings, it is the Stewart wins at Martinsville and Texas that have driven a spike through the heart of Jimmie Johnson’s six year reign of NASCAR terror.

Put the garlic away NASCAR Nation – Count Johnson is dead – metaphorically. Even Jeff Gordon will be able to sleep at night again – actually.

What? You think I’m over reacting? With 30 laps to go at TMS whom do you think Stewart and Jack Roush were watching closer – Kevin Harvick and The Kez, or Count Five Time?

But it’s over. The people of Transylvania and Dixie can open their windows at night and turn on the Speed Channel again. No more Sunday nightmares. California Dreamin’ will be sung by the Beach Boys again, not Chad and Jimmie.

But seriously, Johnson and the #48 team had an unbelievable run, there’s nothing supernatural about it. Just a great team, and a magic time. I just have one question.

Has anybody ever seen Johnson’s reflection in a mirror?

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

Filed under: Brad Kesolowski, Carl Edwards, Chase for the Cup, Hendrick Motorsports, Jeff Gordon, jimmie johnson, Kevin Harvick, NASCAR, Roush Racing, Sprint Cup Series, Stewart Haas Racing, Tony Stewart

Tagged with: AAA Texas 500

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Somebody’s Gonna Hurt Someone ‘for this Race is Through

by Charlie Turner

October 22, 2011 8:38 pm UTC No Comments

It’s Talladega Super Speedway and for the first time in my memory – and maybe ever – there is worry that The Big One won’t happen like it used to.

There are five races left in the 2011 Chase to the Sprint Cup. This might be the most important. It will be a decider for some. The eliminator for a few.

NASCAR is playing with restrictor plate sizes. Drivers are not talking trash. Just get through it.

It’s a potential fluke race. Wild card, we call it. Pressure is what it is.

I can’t wait. I may try to sleep until the last five laps. But it won’t work. I’ll be on the edge of my chair, just like always. I hope you will too.

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

Filed under: Chase for the Cup, NASCAR, Sprint Cup Series, Talladega Superspeedway

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