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Excuse me Mr. France but Could You Pee in this Cup?

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

September 25, 2008 3:20 pm UTC No Comments

Don’t blame me for the headline. It’s Mindy’s fault. Or NASCAR’s if you side with Ms Monday on this week’s Monday Morning Crew Chief.

Mindy passes out advice to Rowdy Busch, the M & M’s team and A J Allmendinger.

Tune in for the continuing saga if Biff-Man and Rowdy. Click here for the latest Monday Morning Crew Chief.

Filed under: A J Allmendinger, ARCA Remax Series, Bench Racing TV, Brad Kesolowski, Dover International Speedway, Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, Greg Biffle, Hendrick Motorsports, Justin Allgaier, NASCAR Rumors, NASCAR video, Nationwide Series, Red Bull Racing, Scott Speed

Tagged with: A J Allmendinger, ARCA, Brad Kesolowski, Greg Biffle, Justin Allgaier, Kyle Busch, Mindy Monday, Monday Morning Crew Chief, NASCAR video, Scott Speed

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Speedo the Clown?

by Charlie Turner

September 22, 2008 10:02 am UTC 2 Comments

Scott Speed is good. But his stay in the ARCA RE/MAX Series has taken on a different tint from the glowing comments of early this season. Speed leads the series points but has been vocal about how relatively unimportant the ARCA RE/Max Series championship is to him. He has told national media how the ARCA equipment is crude, compared to even the Truck Series and how he “would rate himself an “A” and his team a “C” even though his Eddie Sharp Racing Camry was clearly one of the two best cars in the series, at the half-way point. He has become known among some as “Speedo the Clown”. And others think less of him than that, due to the above attitude and, lately, actions on the track.

I don’t know what any of this means for a Cup career. Maybe nothing. And Scott will have a Cup career regardless. There is speculation that Speedo will replace A J Allmendiger at Team Red Bull for the 2009 Sprint Cup season. Allmendinger has taken some well publicized shots to his ego, and for the good of the Red Bull No. 84 team (and admittedly, his own survival in the team) swallowed his pride and toed the company line. Not sure Speed would do that. And at the very peak of Cup competition – on the teams that contend for wins and championships – team chemistry is often the final piece of the puzzle.

Photo credit: BethAnne Heisler – ON PIT ROW

Filed under: A J Allmendinger, ARCA Remax Series, Brian Vickers, Chip Ganassi Racing, Eddie Sharp Racing, NASCAR Rumors, Red Bull Racing, Scott Speed, Sprint Cup Series

Tagged with: A J Allmendinger, ARCA, Red Bull, Red Bull Racing, Scott Speed

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Signing A.J. Allmendinger Would Be A Steal For Ganassi

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

I'm the former blogger of The Catfish Show NASCAR Blog and a contributor to On Pit Row. Follow me on Twitter: @mattmercer

September 21, 2008 7:58 pm UTC 4 Comments

Should Red Bull Racing make the (stupid) decision to fire A.J. Allmendinger, Ganassi will score a coup. Allmendinger has returned from the brink in fine fashion this season after getting Mike Skinner in the car to confirm what he was feeling. A.J. has gone on to score no fewer than 9 finishes in the top half of the field, with 5 top 15 finishes – a marked improvement from his 2007 and early 2008 results. What’s more, Allmendinger won the Sprint Open in May and has run in the top 5 during races, specifically his race at California a few weeks ago. Yet he will likely face termination, possibly as soon as this week or next, to make room for Scott Speed. Sure, Speed has talent coming out of his painted toenails, but there is no reason to rush him to Cup – especially not to replace Allmendinger, who has shown more improvement than any driver except for David Ragan in 2008.

Should it happen, Ganassi will likely swoop in and sign Allmendinger to drive the #41 in 2009 – or sooner, should Reed Sorenson cause enough trouble to get released early to his new ride at GEM. It wouldn’t be the first time for Allmendinger and Ganassi to work together, last season Ganassi put A.J. in the #42 Busch car 7 races. It’s believed that this seat time helped A.J. immensely. Not to mention, as others have, Ganassi has multiple teams in open-wheel and sports cars to scratch whatever itch his drivers may have. That could include moving to the IRL and compete for the championship, or an Indy 500 win.

Simply put, I don’t want Allmendinger gone from Red Bull. He has done too much and shown too much promise to be shown the door. If it happens, I look at Ganassi being his best option. Juan Pablo Montoya’s been running a bit better lately, perhaps showing that the disbandment of the #40 team has helped. I know this: A.J. Allmendinger belongs in the Sprint Cup Series – whether it’s with Red Bull or Ganassi. He’ll prove to whoever doubts him that the talent and desire are there. He just needs the team and the equipment.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media

Filed under: A J Allmendinger, Chip Ganassi Racing, David Ragan, NASCAR, Red Bull Racing, Reed Sorenson, Scott Speed

Tagged with: A.J. Allmendinger, Busch Series, Chip Ganassi Racing, David Ragan, Ganassi Racing, GEM, Indy 500, IRL, Juan Pablo Montoya, Red Bull, Red Bull Racing, Reed Sorenson, Scott Speed, Sprint Open

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Allstate 400 Tire Fiasco – What Would Mindy Say?

by Charlie Turner

July 31, 2008 10:49 am UTC 1 Comment

The latest Monday Morning Crew Chief video is up and you can watch it right here.

Mindy has a take on the whole tire deal at Indy. She talks a bit about the cancellation of the Mexico City race by Nationwide Series, and what they ought to do about it. And she has Scott Speed news too.

Check it out and let us know what you think about those topics and the MMCC vids in general.

After you watch the show, take the time to join Bench Racers, our community site for ON PIT ROW Crewbies, Nascaholics and Arcaholics. We think some of the best racing discussions anywhere are taking place in Bench Racers forums. We need your voice too.

Filed under: Bench Racing TV, Car of Tomorrow, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Inside ARCA, Monday Morning Crew Chief, NASCAR & the Media, NASCAR Rumors, NASCAR Tech, Nationwide Series, Red Bull Racing, Scott Speed, Sprint Cup Series

Tagged with: Allstate 400, ARCA, Bickyard, blog, Goodyear, Indy, Monday Morning Crew Chief, motorsports, NASCAR, NASCAR video, Nationwide, Red Bull, Scott Speed, Series, Sprint Cup

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Scott Speed Will Be Sprint Cup Racing Soon

by Charlie Turner

July 30, 2008 7:18 pm UTC 6 Comments

Red Bull Racing development driver Scott Speed was our featured guest INSIDE ARCA Tuesday night. Scott is heading to Pocono Raceway this Saturday in his Eddie Sharp Racing Toyota Camry, with a two race ARCA RE/MAX Series win streak and a real shot to make it three in a row.

Speed is the first ARCA driver to win three races in 2008, having won early in the season at Kansas Speedway in addition to the last two at Kentucky Speedway and Berlin Raceway. The Red Bull driver is part of a very strong 2008 rookie contingent in ARCA’s top touring series. That group includes series point leader and Roush-Fenway Racing driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

We’ve talked with Scott several times now. I really like the guy. He’s brash, confident and always seems to be enjoying himself. He does not embody the corporate NASCAR image. Very refreshing. But it’s obvious, in discussion, that he takes his racing career very seriously.

Steve asked him about his 2009 plans which, Scott said, look to include a full Craftsman Truck Series campaign and several Sprint Cup races. So I asked about the balance of this 2008 racing season.

Although he didn’t give any details, Scott did say that he is getting a lot of seat time in the Cup cars and that he was pretty sure he would get a few races in Sprint Cup before the 2008 season ends.

Don’t let the antics fool you. He’s going to be good at this. I can’t wait.

Photo credit: Bob Costanzo – ARCA

Filed under: A J Allmendinger, ARCA Remax Series, Brian Vickers, Car of Tomorrow, Craftsman Truck Series, Dover International Speedway, Eddie Sharp Racing, Inside ARCA, NASCAR Rumors, Red Bull Racing, Scott Speed, Sprint Cup Series

Tagged with: ARCA Remax Series, Pocono, Red Bull, Red Bull Racing, ricky stenhouse jr., Roush-Fenway Racing, Scott Speed

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It’s a New Racing Game with NASCAR’s New Car

by Charlie Turner

July 24, 2008 11:49 am UTC 1 Comment

The National Stock Car Commission has denied the appeal by DEI to overturn the penalties issued to the Bass Pro Shops team at Daytona. No surprise there.

NASCAR has proven this year that they don’t want you messin’ with the Ugly Little Toad, that is the New Car. It’s the France Family toy and they will decide how you play with it.

But that fact really changes a big part of what auto racing is all about.

Last Tuesday, one of our guests on INSIDE ARCA was Shawn Umphries, trackside services representative for Mr Gasket and Mallory Ignitions. During a break, Shawn, Steve and I were talking about what we would discuss with Patrick Donahue, our next guest on the show who is the crew chief for Scott Speed’s Red Bull Racing Toyota in the ARCA RE/MAX Series.

Patrick’s car had gotten nailed for a height infraction after winning last weeks race at Kentucky Speedway – an obvious topic to get into. Shawn has twenty plus years with his company and has been around racing a lot. He made the point that as a team owner, or sponsor, you want the guys running your teams to get caught pushing the envelope sometimes. It means that they are doing their jobs.

Jeff Hammond, in his blog on FoxSports.com today, said this…

I love bending the rules, don’t get me wrong. When I came into the sport, that was the nature of the beast. But now you can’t mess with the beast because it’ll eat you every time.

So the game of stock car racing at its highest level has been changed. NASCAR has taken something basic away. It kind of makes it less interesting.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.

Filed under: ARCA Remax Series, Car of Tomorrow, Dale Earnhardt, Inc., Eddie Sharp Racing, Inside ARCA, It's Only Cheating if You Get Caught, Kentucky Speedway, Martin Truex Jr., NASCAR officials, NASCAR Tech, Scott Speed, Sprint Cup Series