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NASCAR Green Initiative?

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 6, 2011 10:17 pm UTC No Comments

A friend of mine just sent a text to me. He asked why NASCAR was wasting all this gasoline. Just give the Nationwide Series race trophy to Kyle Busch every week and save the fuel.

The Shrub got his first NNWS victory ever at The Track Too Tough to Tame tonight. He led the most laps and is now just one race behind Mark Martin for the the all-time most wins in the old Grand National Series. Kyle avoided a big wreck and used a bunch of gas.

Not very green of him.

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

Filed under: Darlington Speedway, Kyle Busch, Mark Martin, Nationwide Series

Tagged with: Lady in Black, Royal Purple 200, Track too Tough to Tame

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Fishing for Darlington Stripers with Wall Bait

by Charlie Turner

May 16, 2009 6:09 am UTC 4 Comments

Mark Martin’s winning Hendrick Motorsports Chevy was pretty pristine at the end of the Southern 500. Not many of his competitors could say the same. The Darlington wall bait was tempting to the Cupsters.

The Wallie award for Darlington goes to Carl Edwards. Cousin Carl couldn’t resist a nibble on the Lady in Black on lap 22, causing Wallie favorite Michael Waltrip to spin out too.

You might think that Start and Park specialists would be likely Wallie winners. But those guys – just look at the first seven cars out every week – are just trying to get off the track in one piece. If this were the “No Brakie Award” or something, they’d be shoe-ins.

The Bench Racing blog is considering a “I Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Pit Box Award” – tentatively called the “Junior”. The trophy would be a BIG PINK PIT BOARD. Let us know what you think about that.

Filed under: Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Darlington Speedway, Michael Waltrip, NASCAR, Sprint Cup Series

Tagged with: Junior, Lady in Black, start and parkers, Wall Bait, Wallie

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Mark Martin’s Darlington Win Moves His Comeback to the Next Level

by Steve Wronkowicz

I am co-host of the syndicated radio show: ON PIT ROW. Over ten years on the air and three on the net; see what can happen when I don't let the facts get in the way of my opinions.

May 12, 2009 4:09 am UTC 1 Comment

Mark Martin said after his first win of the season that he was back to win races; a championship wasn’t why he came to Hendrick Motorsports.

He went on to question if he could win another. If he could, then his thoughts might turn elsewhere. Saturday night at Darlington the oldest man on the circuit tamed the oldest lady. The Lady in Black couldn’t get the best of Martin despite the hard time it gave to a myriad of other drivers.

I’m just very, very happy right now, and I don’t need to say, you know, we’re gonna win a whole bunch more races this year. We’re going to race just like we raced this race and all the other ones, and the ones we cross the line first, we’ll take the trophy. It could happen. But if not, at least we got two instead of one. That’s the way I look at it (smiling). Don’t take those kind of answers from me as pessimistic or a lack of confidence. All I want to do is be happy and have fun doing this. If you don’t set yourself up for disappointment, then it’s much easier.

A record 17 cautions for 73 laps slowed the race but not the action. The resurrected Southern 500 delivered some of the greatest racing of the year. Martin held off teammate Jimmie Johnson for the win. Hendrick affiliated cars filled six of the top seven finishing spots.

Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman finished third and fourth respectively, share technical information and more with the Hendrick teams. Even Talladega winner Brad Kezelowski, driving a fifth Hendrick car finished in seventh. The only HMS driver to struggle–again was Dale Earnhardt, Jr., finishing 27th.

This week’s BUZZ ON PIT ROW is all about Martin:

What does Mark Martin’s second win of the season say about his championship hopes?

Let us know what you think and we could use your comments on this week’s radio show. Tune in every Tuesday from 5-7pm ET right here. Or give the show a call at 1-800-645-2946 and you could win a Kevin Harvick bobblehead if your call is the Shell Nitrogen Enriched call of the Day..

photo credit: Icon Sports Media

Filed under: Brad Kesolowski, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Darlington Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports, Kevin Harvick, Mark Martin, NASCAR, On Pit Row The Fastest Two Hours on Radio

Tagged with: Brad Kesolowski, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Darlinton, Hendrick Motorsports, Jimmy Johnson, Lady in Black, Mark Martin, Tony Stewart

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Darlington Tire Test: Eight Thumbs Up

by Charlie Turner

March 13, 2009 10:20 pm UTC 1 Comment

NASCAR invited a foursome to Darlington Raceway this week for Goodyear Tire testing. Drivers of each of the four manufacturers that compete in the Sprint Cup Series participated. We have video here.

The comments about the tires have been mostly positive. Even after Atlanta, where the cars looked squirrely as hell to me, there wasn’t much complaint. Nothing like Tony Stewart’s quote – compliments of FoxSports.com – after last years springtime in Atlanta…

“most pathetic racing tire I’ve ever been on in my professional career.”

Bobby Labonte, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin and Eliott Sadler seemed pretty satisfied with the tire Goodyear brought.

Testing rubber at the Lady in Black makes sense. It could be tough to get it right there. And nobody wants to poke the Stewart-Haas hornets nest again.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.

Filed under: Bobby Labonte, Darlington Speedway, Denny Hamlin, Elliott Sadler, Kevin Harvick, NASCAR, NASCAR video, Sprint Cup Series, Testing news, Tony Stewart

Tagged with: Goodyear, Lady in Black, tire test

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The Darlington Stripe is Forever

by Charlie Turner

May 11, 2008 10:54 pm UTC 1 Comment

Darlington Speedway no longer hosts the venerable Southern 500 on Labor Day weekend. NASCAR and International Speedway Corporation had good reasons for taking that date from the Lady in Black and giving it to California Speedway – or whatever they call the So-Cal track now.

The Rebel 400, Firecracker 400 and Rockingham are gone too, from NASCAR. The tradition trickles away.

But this past weekend stamped one NASCAR tradition emphatically on the sides of most of the Dodge Challenger 500 field. The Track Too Tough to Tame still puts her mark on those who want to challenge her. Long live the Darlington Stripe.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.

Filed under: Car of Tomorrow, Darlington Speedway, Kyle Busch, NASCAR Bidness, Nascar Legends, Sprint Cup Series

Tagged with: blog, Darlington Speedway, Dodge Challenger 500, Firecracker 400, Lady in Black, motorsports, NASCAR, Rebel 400, Southern 500, Sprint Cup Series

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