Based On The First Five Races, My Top 12 Chase Contenders

After five races in the books for the 2013 season, we have a better idea of who has gone to work on the Gen 6 car and who may be a little behind. I know it’s really early to be thinking of the chase, but the five completed races cover most of the types of tracks that make up the 36 race schedule. Before I give my top 12 picks I just want to say that so far the new car has given us some great racing. While some drivers may not like it yet, I can argue that we might have the best on-track product that I can remember. The off-track drama had been just as entertaining. While seeing Denny Hamlin get injured was unfortunate, it is nice to see the emotion and passion spill over outside the race car. I applaud NASCAR for not stepping in and letting the drivers show those true emotions. Now on to my picks for who looks like they will make a successful run into the chase. These are in no particular order except for the 10 who make it in on points and the two who do it with wins.

1. Brad Keselowski – Not much needs to be said here. Brad and Paul make a formidable team and always seem to be around the top 5 in the closing laps. He was about to get his fifth top 5 in as many races before his engine overheated at California.  Penske has shown they have a handle on the new car and with the switch to Ford, have a real shot at two championships in a row. Not everyone is a bad Brad fan, but you can’t deny he backs up that attitude with his performance.

2. Dale Earnhardt – This pick is not to please the throngs of loyal fans out there. Dale’s performance so far has earned him a spot in my top 12. With finishing in the top 10 for all five races and in the top five 3 times, Dale is again a serious contender. We’ve all seen the interviews with him talking about how much he likes the new car. At first I was skeptical, but I’ve been made a believer. I’ve watched him battle back from a pit road mistake and Steve Letarte has been able to make the right adjustments so he could be there at the end.

3. Matt Kenseth – Matt has been under the microscope after making the move to Joe Gibbs Racing and leaving a successful career at Roush Fenway behind. I thought he was making a lateral move at best, but he might be proving me wrong. When his cars have held together, he has been fast. Matt is a smart driver and always takes care of his equipment. He has a David Pearson quality to him and that’s why I think he’ll be around at the end of the year. I think TRD’s reliability problems are behind them. Look for Matt to get a couple of pre-chase wins and top 10 everyone to death.

4. Carl Edwards – Fresh off one of his worse season, Carl is off to a fast start this year. With one win already under his belt it looks like we have the old Carl Edwards back. He would be even higher in the points if it wasn’t for getting caught up in a wreck at Daytona. Having Jimmy Fennig come on board is probably one of the best moves Jack Roush has made. Jimmy is a very good crew chief and has a history of turning around under-performing teams. Bob Osbourne is also still in the background helping all three teams.

5. Greg Biffle – I thought about putting Greg in the “in on wins” section with his up and down performance so far this year. I was a little worried after a lackluster race at Las Vegas because of Roush Fenway’s historical success on mile and a half tracks. Greg renewed my faith with his 6th place run at California. I like his crew chief Matt Pucia and I look for Greg to run well at the big tracks. Las Vegas was a mere speed bump and Biffle will be a contender for a few wins this year.

6. Jimmie Johnson – Ok this was an easy one. Our 2013 Daytona 500 winner was off to a good start, but has had trouble the last two races. Still I’m sure there is little doubt in anyones mind that 5-time will once again be battling for a championship. Chad and Jimmie are the best at performing when it counts. The two are constantly pushing the boundaries of the rule book, but that’s what it takes to be the best. Look for Jimmie to be a favorite next weekend at Martinsville.  A couple more wins would almost guarantee Jimmie a chase birth.

7 . Clint Bowyer – Do you believe in the 2nd place curse? I know I do. It seems like the second place points finisher always has a tough time the following year. Carl Edwards has felt the wrath of the curse twice. Bowyer has had two rough races this year so far at Las Vegas and California, but had shown speed before his engine expired during the Autoclub 400. MWR took a big step up last year in performance which I believe comes from them making some smart hires. One of those hires was Clint Bowyer himself. They are committed to becoming one of NASCAR powerhouse teams and I don’t see why that can’t happen.

8. Kevin Harvick – Mr. “where he come from?” is living up to his name, but with how often he’s seen at the front of the field, the nickname may be dead. Harvick is not known for great qualifying , but usually makes his way to the front. RCR seems to have upped their game this year with the new car. I point to Paul Menard sitting 8th in the stands as more evidence. Paul seems to fizzle out by mid-season and I don’t think he’ll make the chase. I think Harvick will get better through the summer. If Kevin can keep the speed in his car for the end of the race, don’t be surprised to see him fire off a couple of wins.

9. Kasey Kahne – Kahne’s move to Hendrick seems to be paying off. This is the first time since Evernham that Kahne hasn’t experienced some kind of large charge in the off-season. No new manufacturer, team, or crew chief. With the mighty support of Hendrick behind him, Kenny Francis can continue to build his notebook and lean on his teammates. With already one win, I look for Kahne to have his best year in the Sprint Cup series. Bristol is not one of Kahne’s better tracks so the fact that he won there should have his competitors taking notice.

10. Kyle Busch – My last chase points pick is none other than Rowdy himself. Kyle missed the chase last year due to mainly engine issues. TRD even came out earlier this year and apologized for costing him a championship run. Those issues spilled over to 2013, but the JGR Toyotas have been fast. Kyle Busch was able to make the California sweep scoring his first win of the year. It was also Toyota’s first win in their backyard. Kyle has a string of top 5s going and the momentum of winning. I think running JGR nationwide cars has taken some of the stress off his shoulders from running his own team.

Make the Chase Based on Wins:

11. Joey Logano – this is my surprise pick for this years chase. Joey has been in the headlines for butting heads with Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart, but he has backed up his talk on track by running up front.  The move to Penske was just what “Sliced bread” needed to re-energize his career. I think he will get along with his new teammate a lot more than his former teammates at JGR. He always seemed to be living in the shadow of Kyle and Denny. Now with his new team he’s on a mission to prove he belongs at a top-tier team. Look for Joey to get a two or three wins before the year is over.

12. Tony Stewart – I went back and forth on this pick between Tony Stewart or Jeff Gordon. Both have not had the start they wanted, but both are at great teams that will sort their issues out. Since this chase spot is all about wins, I had to tip my hat in Tony’s favor. He is a racer that goes for the wins and not the points. Tony runs well when the temperature goes up. It probably has something to do with his fondness of slick tracks. Look for him to knock off a few wins during the summer and win his way into the chase.

Others that were considered: Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon, Martin Truex Jr.

What are your thoughts on my Top 12? What drivers would you swap out?

image from wikimedia author Jarrett Campbell

2011 Mustang GT 60k Mile Review

This week my 2011 Mustang GT rolled over 60,000 miles. I thought I’d post a now out of warranty review on the car so far. I’ve had this car nice June 2010 when I bought it new. Since then it had been my daily driver and also my weekend warrior. It was the first Ford I have owned. Up until the introduction of the new Coyote 5.0 engine, I would never have considered a newer Mustang GT. I’ve felt for a long time they have been underpowered compared to the other cars in its class. The redesign in 2010 took some getting used to for me. My mother actually bought a 2010 and I really liked the updated interior. I love the Sync sound system and the Bluetooth connectivity. When Ford finally announced the new engine selection, I made a trip to the Ford dealer to see when they would get the 2011s in. Some dealership were getting them in early 2010, but I couldn’t find the color I wanted. I wanted a Kona blue with the tan interior. I also wanted it to be a premium with the Brembo brake package, HIDs, and 3.73 rear gear. Ordering the car would have taken too long so I asked the local Ford dealership to keep an eye out for one.

A week later the local dealership called. They said that a dealership in Winston Salem had one with some of the options I wanted. The car was the right color combo, a premium, and had the 3.73 gear. It did not have the other two things I asked for. I decided I could add the Brembos later and I wasn’t even a fan of the Brembo wheels. The HIDs I could also live without. Now I did one of the dumbest things you could do when buying a new car. I bought the car sight unseen. I was happy with the price and what they were giving me for my trade in. I completely rushed into signing the paperwork. I had to wait a couple of days for them to drive the car down and prep it. It was too late to go back because I already signed on the dotted line.

When I picked up the car the relationship got off to a rocky start. Once I got home I noticed an intermittent engine tick that sounds like a bbq grill igniter. I also felt a clunk in the front that transmitted through the pedals. I called the dealership and they said they would look at it the next day. They wanted to keep it overnight, but it was my only car so I insisted on a loaner.  What they did next was insulting. They brought out a dirty 6 year old Altima that somebody just traded in. The inside was disgusting and it was obvious the car needed some mechanical repair. They wouldn’t even give me my 2007 Scion tC back for a day that I just traded in. Clean I might add. I drove home not touching anything I didn’t have to in that car. Not the way I wanted to be treated after just spending over $30,000. The next day they said to come pick up my car. When I arrived I was told the engine tick was normal and they did feel the clunk in the front. They said they would open a case with Ford and see what they would recommend. I never heard from the dealership again. I never went back and I wouldn’t buy another car from them.

Soon the engine tick problem started popping up on forums with other new 5.0 owners. 3 years later there is no fix. So far it has not influenced the performance, but I’m always wondering if something will fail down the line because of it. To this day my car still does it for the first 1,000 miles after an oil change then goes away. It’s very loud and can be embarrassing when people notice. The clunk didn’t go away until I upgraded most of the suspension. If I would have drove the car before I bought it, I would have waited for another car. Oh well, live and learn. Other than those two problems I love the car. It was one of the first 5.0 Mustangs in Charlotte and I received a lot of attention. Everyone at the first Cars & Coffee I went to wanted to look at it. It was cool to have something unique. More 5.0s quickly started showing up and the exclusivity was gone. Still I was having a lot of fun driving the car everyday. It made my 30 minute commute much more enjoyable. The car had plenty of power and decent handling in stock form.

Good enough that I just drove it stock for the first 10,000 miles. I didn’t really want to do anything to the car at first, but soon felt the modification itch. So I started with a simple Roush cat-back exhaust. While the exhaust is quite loud, it has zero drone. One thing I would not tolerate. After that I replaced the shifter with one that had a shorter throw. I did not want to do any mods that could affect the cars powertrain warranty so I did not get the very popular cold air intake and tune upgrade. While the car is not crazy fast, I was satisfied with the stock acceleration. In 2011 I decided to start working on the suspension. I order the Ford Racing adjustable handling kit. I thought this would be a pretty good compromise between ride quality and handling. Multimatic from Canada engineered the kit and they know a thing or two about Mustang chassis. They build the Mustang Grand Am race cars. I also wanted a minimal drop so I didn’t have to mess with the rear pinion angle. Once installed I noticed a nice increase in grip. The large amount of brake dive the car had stock was nearly eliminated. After these modifications I started autocrossing the car.

The last two mods I have completed was adding the Brembo front brakes and larger wheels to fit around them. The Brembo 4 pistons front brakes don’t stop any quicker than the smaller standard brakes, but they are more resistant to fade. The larger wheels would allow me to run 275 width tires on all four corners. I wanted to keep the tires all the same size to keep from increasing the large amount of low speed understeer the car already had. The tires were probably the biggest inprovement to reduce my autocross times. Also I started to play with the suspension setting to dial out the understeer. I could never completely get rid of it, but I was able to make the car more neutral. As far as the car itself, I did not have to do any other maintenance other than oil changes. I am getting 25 mpg average on the highway and 19 around town. Not bad for 412+ hp. I’m also not the best at getting good fuel mileage. I like to use the right pedal when sensible. The only interior wear the car has is the steering wheel cruise control buttons. The black paint is chipping off.

I also found that the exterior paint is easily scratched. The car came with a lot of scratches in the clearcoat when it was new. Probably due to some careless lot porter washing it incorrectly. In the three years I’ve owned it, the car has never left me stranded. While I take care of it, I also drive it very hard. I bought the car to drive and have fun with, not to look pretty. I’m driven it on a 15 hour road trip to Canada. I’ve trashed it on the Tail of the Dragon a half dozen times. I also drive it in the snow. It is actually not bad in the snow. I was able to make it to work during a bad snow storm a few years again with little effort.

After 60,000 miles the car feels as tight as the day I bought it. Now with the clunk gone, there are no rattles or sounds. I have not experienced any transmission problems that have plague many 11+ GT owners. Nor any clutch problems. The engine consumes very little oil and pulls as strong as it did the day I bought it. The body has a few scratches, mostly from hitting cones during autocross, but the car still cleans up nicely. Now with no warranty I’m debating whether to continue modding it and how far to go. Should I step up to track days from autocross or just enjoy the car as is? While the 412 hp is nice I have been jaded by faster cars and the idea of adding some form of boost keeps creeping into my mind. I like the car enough that I don’t know if I’ll ever sell it.

The big question is would I buy it again? My answer is yes and no. If I only had to buy one car and daily drive it, yes I would buy it again. Would I buy it as a weekend or fun car only…. no. I think I would rather have a used C6 Corvette. Similar power, but lighter weight and much more competitive in autocross. Now the burning question is, leave it alone or take it to the next level (boost)?

Drive Your Sports Car The Way It Was Intended

Many race fans often dream about getting the chance to experience the thrill of driving all out on a race track. To most it stays just a dream because of the lack of opportunities and the perceived financial barriers. There is a way to get 90% of the fun with only 10% of the cost of a normal track day. You don’t need a race car or any racing experience. Anybody with a driver’s license can participate (there are jr. kart classes too) and no matter your driving skill, I guarantee you’ll have fun. You’ve probably heard of autocross, but if haven’t experienced it, this is for you. If you’re not familiar with autocross it is a single timed lap through a temporary course set up with cones. The run usually lasts 50-70 seconds depending on the location and speeds can get up to 70 mph. This may not seem fast, but the tight corners will challenge anyone of any skill level. You get multiple runs to try to improve your time a position.

Autocross had been around for decades and is becoming a very popular way to push your vehicle to its limit in a safe environment. There are a few sanctioning bodies with SCCA being the largest. I’m actually a little embarrassed to say that last year (2012) was my first year doing it. I’ve known about it for 10+ years, but never took the plunge. The extra bit of motivation I needed came from the girl I was dating. Yes, you read that right! After we went to our first event together I was hooked. I couldn’t believe I waited that long to try it. My Mustang was essentially stock at the time and I had a blast. That is the best thing about autocrossing. You can drive almost any car as long as it is safe. There are plenty of different classes to keep you racing similar cars and to keep up your competitive fire. Even if you are not competitive within your class, you still have the personal challenge of improving your time.

I was actually really nervous about competing in my first race. Would I mess up and take out half the course? How many cones will I hit? I quickly realized I had nothing to worry about. Hitting cones is part of the game. Even the best drivers hit cones as they try to get the most out of their run. You will hit cones! You will spin out! So don’t sweat it. Just have a good time and learn as much as you can from the veterans. Most regions are excited to get new novices every year and do as much as they can to make them comfortable. My region, Central Carolina Region (CCR) was very helpful my first year. They have someone assigned to look out for the beginners and conduct a novice course walk every race. I’m assuming this is the same for all regions. For you first time concentrate on learning the procedures and safety rules. Make sure to introduce yourself to as many people as you can. Most people will be more than happy to help you if they are not busy prepping their car. Having an experienced co-driver helped me immensely.

To find your region check the main organizations website (SCCA, NASA, etc). Each region will usually have its own website for event registration. On the day of the event arrive at the recommended time on the schedule. If you are new I suggest arriving early. It will give you some time to see what other people are doing. Don’t hesitate if you have any questions. I suggest looking at the online rule book before the event to figure out what class your car will be in. You should also empty out your car of everything except the things you’ll need for the day. The car will have to go through tech with nothing in it. You should wear some comfortable closed toe shoes that you can run in. If rain is in the forecast bring a cheap poncho. Autocross is a rain or shine sport. Some other things you might want to bring are your helmet(Snell rated) if you have one, some painters tape in a contrasting color for your door numbers (Door, not window!), a small cooler with drinks and snacks, sunscreen, tire pressure gauge and pump, and any tools you may need. Maybe a chair too. I’m sure I’m forgetting something! I try to fit everything in one backpack that I can leave in my pit spot.

When you arrive empty your car and put your numbers on the door. If you don’t know what to do, look at somebody next to you that is making temporary numbers. Some regions will want you to take your drivers floor mat out. The only thing you want to bring to tech is your helmet. Get in line for tech and when it is your turn shut your car off and pop your trunk and hood. They will give your car a quick inspection. Checking for leaks and pulling on your wheels feeling for any issues.  They will make sure your car is empty. If you car has any mechanical problems do not race it. Even if it a small problem, driving a car hard will amplify the problem. You will not get on anybody’s good side by slipping a non-mechanically sound car through tech and breaking on course. If you have any doubts, ask!

After tech it will be time for a course walk. Many people have their own rituals for the course walk. Some of them amusing. You can usually tell when someone is very serious about learning the course and dont’ want to be bothered. Others will be on a leisurely walk chatting away. For your first time walk it a couple of times to get an idea of how the course flows. Don’t beat yourself up if you forget all the corners. I rarely can remember the whole course and to me it looks different at speed. After the course walk you can wait for the drivers meeting. Pat attention to who runs the region and all the rules. Listen for them to announce the run group and work group you’ll be in. That’s right, everyone who drives also has to work. Novices usually run with their base class. After the meeting there will probably be a novice walk of the course. This is a great time to ask any questions you might have. They will also go over what you have to do when you’re working on the course. If you’re new and not disabled you will probably run for cones. Listen carefully to all the instructions and safety rules.

If you work first, report to the timing trailer and sign in. Get your assignment and head out on the course if you’re running after cones. Talk to your corner captain and tell them you are new. They will show you what to do if you’re still not sure. I won’t go over all the rules, like never turn your back on a car. You’ll get it all if you pay attention in the meetings. I will say that working sucks, but it’s apart of the sport and fair. There are other non-running positions you can volunteer for once you’re not a novice anymore or can’t run.

What you’re really here for is to drive. When it is time for your run group make your way to the starting grid in your car. Someone will direct you where to go depending on how many drivers you have. Each car is allowed two drivers. Having a co-driver really adds to the fun in my opinion. It also allows you someone to compare to while driving the same car. For your first time you can have someone ride with you that will help you through the course. You’ll have people come up and ask if you need an instructor if you have the “N” on the side of your car. I suggest taking the offer if you don’t really know what you’re doing. You can always take a solo run later. It’s also a good way to get to know some people. For your first run just take it easy and focus on staying on course. At first the track can look like a sea of cones and can be intimidating. This is where a vocal co-driver can come in handy. You are going to get at least 3 runs. Most regions allow 4 or 5 runs. For your first run your adrenaline will be pumping, but try to stay calm. The run will be over before you know it!. Try to improve over each run. Don’t be afraid to get close to the cones.

If you spin out regain control and continue on as long as there is not red flag. If you see red flag at anytime come to a complete stop. If you were not the cause of the flag you will get a rerun. Don’t start going again until the course worker clears you to continue. If you make a mistake don’t get discouraged. Remember you’re there to have fun. In between runs you can check and adjust your tire pressures. If you have a boosted car you can open your hood to help with the heat soak. Always stay with your car in the grid area and be ready for when it’s your time to go again. After your second run you should have a feel for how long you’ll have in between runs. After your last run you can go back to the pits.

Congratulations you just completed your first autocross event! If you’re like me you’ll be hooked after your very first run. If you have already worked, you are free to leave at this point. You can also stick around for the trophies. If the event goes smooth, there might be some time for fun runs. A fun run is pretty self-explanatory. Usually you pay a dollar per fun run. This is a good time to practice some more if you think you need more experience.

If you’ve ever been thinking about autocrossing, don’t wait or put it off. I’m sorry I did and now I love it. It’s something you can do a couple of times a year or a couple of times a month. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to have fun, but I will warn you, you might want to drop some coin for some better tires after a few events. If you have any questions feel free to ask. I am by no means a veteran, but I feel I can answer most.

More info at  www.scca.org

Best Driving Road in America?

If you are a driving enthusiast there’s a good chance you have already had the pleasure of driving what I consider the best road I’ve ever been on. If you haven’t, you better! This road is worth a mini vacation on its own. Not to mention all the great door activities that are available surrounding it. The road I’m taking about can overload your senses and unfortunately for a handful of people, be deadly. After having made more than a half-dozen trips I still get the same thrill every time I drive it. The tight turns, quick elevation changes, and decreasing radius turns make it more challenging than any race track I’ve been on if you’re lucky enough to make a clear run. Everyday hundreds of people come to drive or ride this famous road. There is almost a cult following surrounding it. The road offers breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. What makes this road so special is it boarders a national forest and there are no other intersecting roads. Almost eliminating the risk that someone could pull out in front of you.

The road I am talking about is of course US 129 at Deals Gap. Or as most people know it, the Tail of the Dragon. If you haven’t heard of it you need to hop on Youtube. Tucked away on the North Carolina and Tennessee border this road has been raising heart rates for decades. The last fifteen years have seen an explosion in interest and people from all over the US come to enjoy it. The most popular stretch of the road is 11 miles long and has over 300 turns. The speed limit is only 30 mph, but you’ll hard pressed to go much more than 40 mph through the turns when driving hard. The banked switchbacks and blind corners leave you often wondering if you will make it to the end in one piece. As a passenger it can feel like an amusement park ride.

The road is shared with bike and car enthusiasts. Generally speaking the cars will have faster cornering speeds and will be held up by the bikes. Plus you will have a lot of people who have no desire other than to cruise the Dragon at a slow pace. Which can be annoying, but that is their right and it is best to pull off on one of the many areas along the road to make a little gap. Then you can take off again. If the slower traffic is just one car or bike they may let you by if you’re not tailgating. The best way to enjoy a spirited drive on the Dragon is early in the morning on a weekday. You can practically have the road to yourself if you get up early enough. I recommend getting a cabin in the area and to spend a few days there. That way you can have access to the road whenever you want. If you head up on the weekend it will be unlikely you’ll get a clean run. Don’t let that discourage you from going if that is your only opportunity. You will still leave with a huge smile on your face. You can also avoid the local law enforcement by going at less popular times. I will say I’ve never had a problems with the cops. As long as you’re not driving like an idiot and crossing the center line, they will most likely leave you alone.  You should also be on the lookout for warnings from other people coming  in the opposite direction.

The legendary part of US129 starts at a motel and restaurant just on the North Carolina side of the border. During the weekend the motel will be full of bikes and there will be no parking available for cars. Across the street there is a new restaurant that has additional parking. It can be a little nuts and hard to get your group organized, but be patient and you will find a spot. If you can get your group together before you get to the motel and just head up the road to the dragon, that is probably be the best bet. There is a beautiful overlook at the end where you can stop and chat about the run. Most people turn around at the overlook and head back down.

If you are going to tackle the dragon as a group and it is your first time, I recommend staying in the back. Also it can be tempting to overdrive your car trying to keep up with someone faster. Drive within your capabilities! The only times I’ve had “moments” on the road was when I was trying to stay with a group of much faster cars. Do not drive at the grip limit. If you’re driving at the limit already and the corner unexpectedly tightens up, you could be in trouble. Take it easy until you get a feel for the road. There are so many turns that it’s hard to remember them all.  If you are going at a cautious place please be aware of faster vehicles coming up behind you. It is common courtesy to pull over and let the faster vehicles by when there is a safe opportunity. The most important rule as I stated before is to stay in your lane. Do not overdrive your car so that you have to push into the oncoming lane. That is how most of the accidents happen.

With the popularity of the road there are 4-5 photographers that will take your photo as you drive by. If you’re driving hard you probably won’t be paying any attention to them. Please do not try to show off. There are plenty of photos of people crashing because they tried to light up the tires are they go by. You can jump online when you get home and check out your photos. If you made multiple trips up and down the dragon there should be plenty of photos to choose from. Don’t think that the Dragon is the only great road in the area. There are enough spectacular roads to keep you busy for a week.

Is the Tail of the Dragon the best driving road in America? Obviously there are many great roads that I haven’t experienced. Even so, I have a hard time imagining a road that provides more driving satisfaction or challenge. If you know a better road I’d like to hear about it!

Joey Logano vs. Hamlin and Stewart

It seems like the feud between Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano finally reached a climax today on the last lap of the Auto Club 400. After looking like Joey was either going to blow his engine from overheating or win the race, Denny was able to pull up along side of Joey. The bounced off each other going down the back straightaway. Then Joey dive bombed into turn 3 and ran up the track taking out both of the cars. Meanwhile Kyle Busch was digging hard on the top and passed Logano and Hamlin right before they wrecked. Taking the checker flag. It was an exciting finish and the fans loved it. After the contact Denny’s car took a hard left and hit the inside wall where there is not any SAFER barrier. The impact was hard enough for the back tires to come a couple of feet off the ground.

It initially looked like Denny was OK, but after climbing from the car he laid on the ground and the medical team quickly assessed the situation. He was loaded into the ambulance and taken to the care center. I can only speculate that his back was in some pain. Denny has a history of back problems. Last I knew he was being airlifted to the local hospital as a precaution. I hope that he recovers quickly. When I watched it live it looked like two guys wanting to win. Joey over-drove the corner and leaned on Denny. It kind of looked like Denny then tried to turn down and spin Logano, but ended up wrecking himself. Joey managed to limp to a 6th place finish.

I thought the fireworks were over, but on pit road after the race Tony Stewart pulled up next to Logano. A heated Stewart climbed from his car and went over to Logano swinging. Quickly the crew intervened with Logano punching his own team member in the back of the head. I had to go back and see what Tony was even mad about. It looked like Joey came down on the  last restart and blocked Tony Stewart. Tony then bumped into the back of Joey who took off after Kyle Busch. It just looked like hard racing at the end of the race to me. I didn’t think anything would come from it.

Tony apparently feels Logano ruined his race. I don’t see how. After the block, Stewart slid back on his own accord. If he had a better car he would have advanced. Tony had 9 more laps to make a run, but instead he slipped back to 22nd. How is that Joey’s fault? He also said Joey had thrown a water bottle at him. While immature I don’t see how that really was anything to start throwing punches over. If I remember back Tony was blocking at a plate race recently and caused a big wreck. That wasn’t even at the end of the race like this incident was. Afterwards Tony gave a pretty funny interview. Pretty much saying he was coming for Joey.

I don’t know how I feel about what Joey is doing. On one hand he is trying to stick up for himself and earn some respect. On the other he is making enemies with other good drivers that will come back to bite him later. It is hard to win races when you’re driving with a target on your back. Either way I think the fans have to be excited and there has been some great racing with this new car. In a couple of weeks after the Easter break, we go to Martinsville. A great place for payback and don’t be surprised to see the drama continue.

What do you think? Is Joey sticking up for himself going to help or hurt?

 

image from Raceconn on wikimedia

Too Soon For Danica?

If you’re like me you are probably tired of hearing about Danica Patrick during the race broadcasts. Thankfully her latest performances have them talking about her less and less. I should say up front that I have no problem with her running in the Sprint Cup series if she has the on track performance to be competitive.  I think it’s great all the new fans she has brought into the sport. The ratings from Daytona were huge. Having Danica on the pole for the race was a big win for NASCAR.

The truth is that it had nothing to do with her. That is more a credit to the team and engine department and a bit of luck with the wind. Anyone of us could have hopped in that car and after an hour of practice, put it on the front row. Hold the gas pedal to the floor and run your line. Even most of the drivers will tell you they have little to do with the lap. The monkey reference has been used multiple times. Actually the only way she really contributed is her light weight. Even with the maximum weight penalty, I believe she still has an advantage. I wouldn’t be surprised if NASCAR themselves encourage Hendrick to give her the best package. It made for a great story. I can already hear the black helicopters circling overhead. She ran strong in the race, but again 80% of a good finish is staying out of trouble. The plate tracks are probably the only places that a strategy like that works.

Now that we are on to the conventional race tracks her true experience and talent level is showing through.  Las Vegas was very telling of where she stood on a downforce track. If you remember she ran well there in the Nationwide series. It is apparent that she does not have a good feel for the car and struggles to make improvements. Some of it has to be that she doesn’t knows what she needs. While watching her struggle on track this weekend at California, I am surprised she hasn’t asked someone else to drive her car. That is the kind of help she needs. Or even if she jumped in Tony Stewart’s car for a quick run she could feel a different setup. Danica needs to be taking advantage of her teammates. I believe at this stage of the game she needs to be at least running top 20. She is in some very good equipment and has a good crew chief.

I think another full year in the Nationwide series would have been the best choice. I know there was probably a lot of pressure for her to make the leap into Cup. A lot of other open wheel drivers had tried to rush the transition and end up not sticking around long. Cough Dario Cough. If you look at all the drivers that have been successful in Cup and win races, they were strong out of the box. They came into the series with a lot of experience already in stock cars. Very rarely do they get put in a car and have to learn how to drive it. Look at Rusty Wallace, he finished 2nd in his first Cup race. Matt Kenseth finished 6th in his debut. It would have been better in the long run for Danica to not rush this transition. Now that she’s here and finishing poorly she risks losing fans and maybe even her sponsor. We’ve already seen Go-Daddy cut back her tv ad exposure.

She has the wrong attitude about racing at these tough race tracks. I have seen a few interviews where she has said her goal was to “stay out of trouble” To me that is a recipe for riding around in the back. The Cup series is so competitive that you that to be somewhat aggressive. Of course there is a fine line between aggressive and stupid. Ask her new squeeze Ricky Stenhouse. The only drivers that should be trying to stay out of trouble are the start and parkers who will be putting their car on the truck after 40 laps. There is no reason she shouldn’t be able to contend for top 20s in the quality of cars she has. I think if Patrick is not consistently finishing in the top 20 by the last 1/3 of the season, she needs to think hard about stepping back to the Nationwide series. Look at what it has done for Sam Hornish. When Sam gets another chance in Cup he will have so much more confidence and I believe he will be much more successful.

What do think about Danica’s first full season so far?

Racing as a Career?

Have you ever wondered what it would be like working in motorsports? What kind of path you have to take to start a racing career. There are many websites that tell you how to start a career as a driver. This one shows you what it is like to be a crew member. I started this website because I’m often asked how I got started in racing. It’s a long story so it is easier to just hand them a business card. There is a lot of helpful information and even weekly job postings. It covers all forms of racing. I’ve spent a lot of time on the content and not as much on the design. Check it out. www.breakintoracing.com

Not Just a Sunday Drive

My parents gave me a really cool present for my birthday this year. I never ask for a gift so they surprised me by getting me a super car driving experience on group on. The company was Xtreme Xperience. They travel around to different race tracks around the county and offer driving experiences over 3 or 4 days. There are a bunch of these companies that have started over the last 5 years. Xtremes claim to fame is they let you drive the cars the way they were ment to be driven. Hard and on a proper race track with a real driving instructor. I still did not know what to expect. They had four different cars available and I had to pick two. First I chose the Ferrari F430 (one of my dream cars) and a Lamborghini Gallardo LP560. The other two didn’t seem as exotic to me. They were a Audi R8 V10 and a Porsche 911 Turbo.

I honestly wasn’t that excited before hand. I mean it was going to be cool to drive the cars, but I though you would just drive around the track slowly, parading around at a safe speed. I looked at some youtube videos and saw that they were actually pushing the cars and encouraging the driver to go faster! Now I began to look forward to the day a little more. I also went into it thinking I was going to drive the cars as hard as they let me right from the beginning. Many people take it easy the first lap and right when they start to get comfortable, the drive is over. I wanted to maximize the opportunity.

As the day drew closer it looked like it was going to be cold and raining. Major bummer! The day arrived and I left my house early to make the two hour drive to Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, South Carolina. You may have seen this track on “Are you faster than a redneck” Which is a stupid show IMO. It poured the whole way there. The experience runs rain or shine and I had no idea what to expect. I arrived at the track 40 mins early and signed in. There was an option to buy more runs at a discounted price and also to add a video package. I did not opt for the video. The rain had finally been reduced to only a mist, but the track was really wet and not drying.

Thirty minutes before your schedule time they take you into a room for a short driving class. I sat in the front. After a brief introduction the instructor started going over the features of the cars. I was surprised when we were told we could shift the cars ourselves using the paddle shifters. This may not seem like a big deal in the dry, but on a wet track it could be a problem for an inexperienced driver. I suspect most left it in automatic. The instructor went over the basic lines you should be taking and all the safety procedures. When asked if anybody had been on this track probably 1/3 of the room included myself raised their hand. It seemed like most people there had some track experience.

After the class you went out to the cars where the last hour block of people were finishing. You could wear your own helmet if it was Snell 2005 approved or they had rental helmets with headsocks. I would guess there was 20 people in my time block spread out over 5 cars (there were two Lambos). Each car had a driving instructor. Some were local. As you waited you could feel the excitement building as you watched the people before you go out. Once on the track you had to follow a pace car and you couldn’t pass the car in front of you unless the driving instructor gave you permission and radios ahead. The pace car was actually a V6 Mustang with a local driving instructor and he drives the racing line as hard as the car will go. I thought it would be easy to stay with him.

The first car I climbed into was the Ferrari F430. It was even in the exact color combo that I would own! When you get in you only have a few minutes to get acclimated to your surroundings. The cars were set in the wet weather mode. Which means the traction and vehicle stability will be very aggressive and the shifting will be slowed down. I asked if I could shift the car myself. He suggested I didn’t, but I went to manual anyways. I was warned that we were in the slowest car in the rain there. The F430 is rear wheel drive and the rest of the cars are all wheel drive. The car was actually very comfortable and the interior was exquisite. As soon as I was done looking around it was time to head out on the track. The instructor told me to be easy on the throttle.

I thought back to my plan on driving as hard as possible. I clicked down a couple of gears and tried to put my right foot to the floor. Immediately the back wheels broke loose. I eased off the throttle to try to regain grip and we were off. The all wheel drive cars in front of me drove away while I struggle for grip. I tried not to think about wrecking the car and that I only had the base $50,000 insurance option. If I totaled the car I would have been screwed. After about a half lap I was getting used to the car. Understeer into the corner and massive oversteer off the corner. I was able to go full throttle down the straightaway and the sound from the V8 engine was magnificent. The Ferrari had a tubi exhaust and the sonic ecstasy coming out of the pipes was spine tingling. I loved every minute of it.

The car did not have much lowend torque, but when it reached its powerband it gave you a nice push into the seat. It was not tear your face off fast, but was still satisfying. I felt like I was driving something that was made for the race track. The steering was sharp, the suspension was stiff and the brakes had a very nice firm feel. The car felt light and wanted to go where you pointed it despite the wet track. On the straightway every time I shifted at wide open throttle the tires broke loose. The car constantly  felt like it was on the edge. It felt like if you made a mistake it would quickly make you pay for it. I liked that. Much different from the Lambo, but I’ll get to that later. I drove the car as fast as I could in the presented conditions. The driving instructed never told me to slow down and he mostly just kept telling me I had good car control.  After two laps of sliding around and trying to keep the car pointed in the right direction, it was time to pull into the garage. I can tell you I was not able to keep up with the rest of the group so the V6 Mustang pace car was plenty fast in the rain. I think it would be easier to keep up with it in the dry.

I had a 10 minute wait for my next laps in the LP560. I climbed into the Lambo and introduced myself to the instructor. This instructor was much different from the first one. He actually provided some instruction! Almost yelling at me to clean up my driving lines. Some people might not have liked his style, but we went way faster in the Lamborghini. A lot of that is attributed to the all wheel drive system,  but my lines were also way better. Even on the wet track I was able to plant the throttle out of the corner and just let the computers figure out how much power to send to each wheel. Even though it was faster, the Lambo felt much bigger and heavier. The brakes were much different from the Ferrari. The pedal feel was soft and the steering a little vague. The car was quick in a straight line, but there was minimal exhaust noise. It didn’t feel as “special” as the Ferrari. To me the F430 was much more fun to drive and is the one I’d rather own. The Lambo seemed like a better car though if you were going to drive it a lot. Much easier to drive and live with.

The Mustang pace car ran out of the gas so the Porsche 911 Turbo was now the pace car. I was the second car in line and I felt like the pace was much quicker. I was also gaining confidence and braking later and harder. I decided on the last lap I was going to brake a lot later on the straightaway. We were flying. I do not know how faster we were going, but it was FAST for the conditions. Right when the instructor was going to yell “Brake!”, I stomped on them. The pedal was to the floor and the car was squirming while the ABS tried to maintain control. For the first time the instructor was silent and for a brief moment I believe we both thought we weren’t going to make the corner. The car slowed down just enough and I turned in. We barely made it through the sharp right hander. I actually apologized to the instructor and he said it was ok since there was no harm done. I think that was the fastest he had been down the straightway in the rain that day. It might have been a little stupid, but it raised my heart rate and was a lot of fun.

Overall I had a great time. Even with the miserable weather conditions the staff did their best to make sure everyone enjoyed the experience. After my two drives I stuck around for 15 minutes to talk to the employees a little more about the cars. Just my opinion about the cars and how they drove. Looking back I wish I had gotten the video package. I would definitely recommend this driving experience to anyone who wanted to drive one of these cars fast on a real race track.  I left with a big smile on my face. If you’re thinking of giving a car lover a gift, something like this is a great option. It is a little expensive, but you’re left with a memory you’ll never forget.