So much for DVD'ing the race to watch later!
It's pouring (or has) there on Saturday.
Does NBaP smell sick time coming up Monday?
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Truck Series At Martinsville
Martinsville Speedway will host the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this weekend. After that, they take a break then head off to Kansas looking for Toto at the Kansas Speedway for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 on Saturday, April 25.
Defending race winner Ron Hornaday Jr. led 136 of 167 laps on his way to Victory Lane. He was also the first to win from the pole. NBaP kind of roots for Ron since we hail from the same region!
Fast Facts From Martinsville (Is there any such thing as a slow fact?)
The Race: Kroger 250
The Place: Martinsville Speedway
The Date: Sat., March 28, 2009
The Time: 2 p.m. ET
Race Distance: 250 laps / 131.5 miles
TV: FOX, 2:00 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SIRIUS XM. Listen locally on WZBB-FM 99.9.
Track Layout: .526-mile oval
2008 Winner: Dennis Setzer
2008 Pole: Jack Sprague
Schedule:
Friday—Practice, 11-11:50 a.m.; 1:45 - 3:30 p.m.
Saturday—Qualifying, 9:10 a.m.
2009 Driver Standings Truck Series
Driver Points
1 Kyle Busch 560
2 Todd Bodine 535
3 Mike Skinner 441
4 Ron Hornaday Jr. 436
5 Chad McCumbee 426
6 Matt Crafton 423
7 Terry Cook 413
8 TJ Bell 412
9 Timothy Peters 406
10 David Starr 384
Defending race winner Ron Hornaday Jr. led 136 of 167 laps on his way to Victory Lane. He was also the first to win from the pole. NBaP kind of roots for Ron since we hail from the same region!
Fast Facts From Martinsville (Is there any such thing as a slow fact?)
The Race: Kroger 250
The Place: Martinsville Speedway
The Date: Sat., March 28, 2009
The Time: 2 p.m. ET
Race Distance: 250 laps / 131.5 miles
TV: FOX, 2:00 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SIRIUS XM. Listen locally on WZBB-FM 99.9.
Track Layout: .526-mile oval
2008 Winner: Dennis Setzer
2008 Pole: Jack Sprague
Schedule:
Friday—Practice, 11-11:50 a.m.; 1:45 - 3:30 p.m.
Saturday—Qualifying, 9:10 a.m.
2009 Driver Standings Truck Series
Driver Points
1 Kyle Busch 560
2 Todd Bodine 535
3 Mike Skinner 441
4 Ron Hornaday Jr. 436
5 Chad McCumbee 426
6 Matt Crafton 423
7 Terry Cook 413
8 TJ Bell 412
9 Timothy Peters 406
10 David Starr 384
Are There Any Takers At Martinsville?
Statistically, the Jimmie Johnson-Jeff Gordon, Hendrick Motorsports tandem is the clear favorite to outperform most others this weekend at Martinsville Speedway.
But statistically, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin – are no slouches at the Virginia short track either.
Of the two, Earnhardt has scored top-10 finishes in three of the last four races there, and since the inception of Loop Data, ranks high in a number of key statistics.
Earnhardt has the 4th best Driver Rating of 102.4, and an Average Running Position of 10.4, which is also 4th on the list. But I'm not too worried about him this week. NBaP doesn't think he's got it together to conquer this track. At least not from the way things are looking lately.
Though Earnhardt has never won here, Martin has two Martinsville wins, but has finished out of the top 10 in his last three Martinsville races, with his last top five finish coming in the spring race of 2005.
Since 2005, he has a Driver Rating of 78.2, an Average Running Position of 17.0.
Stats say look out for Tony Stewart though.
Stewart has a Driver Rating of 113.7, and an Average Running Position of 7.4.
Stewart won in 2006, breaking up the win streek that Gordon and Johnson were buliding.
Actually, Stewart, Denny Hamlin and Rusty Wallace are the only other drivers to win since 2003.
But statistically, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin – are no slouches at the Virginia short track either.
Of the two, Earnhardt has scored top-10 finishes in three of the last four races there, and since the inception of Loop Data, ranks high in a number of key statistics.
Earnhardt has the 4th best Driver Rating of 102.4, and an Average Running Position of 10.4, which is also 4th on the list. But I'm not too worried about him this week. NBaP doesn't think he's got it together to conquer this track. At least not from the way things are looking lately.
Though Earnhardt has never won here, Martin has two Martinsville wins, but has finished out of the top 10 in his last three Martinsville races, with his last top five finish coming in the spring race of 2005.
Since 2005, he has a Driver Rating of 78.2, an Average Running Position of 17.0.
Stats say look out for Tony Stewart though.
Stewart has a Driver Rating of 113.7, and an Average Running Position of 7.4.
Stewart won in 2006, breaking up the win streek that Gordon and Johnson were buliding.
Actually, Stewart, Denny Hamlin and Rusty Wallace are the only other drivers to win since 2003.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Bristol - Reflecting On Last Week
Bristol confuses me.
Before they repaved it into the banked mini-monster-superspeedway that it is today, it was relatively flat. Flat and harmful. It only had one groove and bumpers were the main course on this menu when looking to pass other drivers during the race.
By the end of the race, there was a lot of E-Bay sheet metal looking for buyers and nary a car came off the track not looking like... well, like it was at Bristol, or just came off a demolition derby.
But the reconfiguration has me stymied.
The first race I watched after the reconfiguration, I liked it.
Suddenly we had some racing where they could play with each other, side by side. Now the race finished in under 6 hours. That is awesome in and of itself. OK, NBaP is joking about the "under 6 hours" thing, but sometimes it felt like it.
I really don't mind not seeing a caution every 15 to 30 laps.
But the flare that WAS Bristol is gone.
No one came off the track pissed off. No one was called to the hauler. Most of the cars were only rumpled, and not crumpled.
WTH is that about?
It's still a cup race and all, but now, it looks like we only have Martinsville to give us the old style skill and bumper driving.
I wonder when they're going to bank the paperclip? I hope never.
Before they repaved it into the banked mini-monster-superspeedway that it is today, it was relatively flat. Flat and harmful. It only had one groove and bumpers were the main course on this menu when looking to pass other drivers during the race.
By the end of the race, there was a lot of E-Bay sheet metal looking for buyers and nary a car came off the track not looking like... well, like it was at Bristol, or just came off a demolition derby.
But the reconfiguration has me stymied.
The first race I watched after the reconfiguration, I liked it.
Suddenly we had some racing where they could play with each other, side by side. Now the race finished in under 6 hours. That is awesome in and of itself. OK, NBaP is joking about the "under 6 hours" thing, but sometimes it felt like it.
I really don't mind not seeing a caution every 15 to 30 laps.
But the flare that WAS Bristol is gone.
No one came off the track pissed off. No one was called to the hauler. Most of the cars were only rumpled, and not crumpled.
WTH is that about?
It's still a cup race and all, but now, it looks like we only have Martinsville to give us the old style skill and bumper driving.
I wonder when they're going to bank the paperclip? I hope never.
Kyle Busch Still Has To Beat The Paperclip
Kyle Busch won last week at the mini-superspeedway called Bristol. He's now fourth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings. But Martinsville looms over him like Jason from Friday the 13th does over most of his victims.
Kyle Busch in the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota has had three top fives and four top 10s in eight Cup starts there.
NASCAR Loop Data statistics for Martinsville says Busch has an Average Running Position of 14.9, with his best finishes a pair of fourths in 2007.
He finished 38th there last spring and 29th last fall, both due to brake problems. They've done some testing over at Little Rock to "get our brakes squared away" and they believe they ahve fixed the problem.
THat's bad news for the rest of the field.
If he masters this place, and NBaP has no doubt he will, then we be headed for trouble.
Kyle Busch in the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota has had three top fives and four top 10s in eight Cup starts there.
NASCAR Loop Data statistics for Martinsville says Busch has an Average Running Position of 14.9, with his best finishes a pair of fourths in 2007.
He finished 38th there last spring and 29th last fall, both due to brake problems. They've done some testing over at Little Rock to "get our brakes squared away" and they believe they ahve fixed the problem.
THat's bad news for the rest of the field.
If he masters this place, and NBaP has no doubt he will, then we be headed for trouble.
Who Is Mr. Martinsville
So do you think is Mr Martinsville? Jimmy Johnson, the reigning three-time series champion or Jeff Gordon, the four-time series champion.
They both love the place and both have fond memories of the place.
NBaP thinks that they should have a 25 lap trophy dash with just those two on track. Hmm, maybe even mix in a little Kyle Busch and see who wrecks who!
But seriously, more than likely we'll see any of these three up front at Sunday’s Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500.
Gordon and Johnson have won the last 9 of 12 races here at Martinsville. I don't think we'll ever forget that finish in the spring of 2007. I mean how can we, we see it every week in ads.
They rank one-two in the NASCAR Loop Data category, Driver Ratings.
Johnson is ranked at 124.7.
Gordon is ranked at 124.0.
But Gordon leads all active drivers with seven wins and seven poles at Martinsville.
Do you dare hit the betting window on this one?
They both love the place and both have fond memories of the place.
NBaP thinks that they should have a 25 lap trophy dash with just those two on track. Hmm, maybe even mix in a little Kyle Busch and see who wrecks who!
But seriously, more than likely we'll see any of these three up front at Sunday’s Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500.
Gordon and Johnson have won the last 9 of 12 races here at Martinsville. I don't think we'll ever forget that finish in the spring of 2007. I mean how can we, we see it every week in ads.
They rank one-two in the NASCAR Loop Data category, Driver Ratings.
Johnson is ranked at 124.7.
Gordon is ranked at 124.0.
But Gordon leads all active drivers with seven wins and seven poles at Martinsville.
Do you dare hit the betting window on this one?
Media Voting on Truck Series Champ and Rookie
We the media have voted in the first-ever poll to predict who they thought would be the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion and Raybestos Rookie of the Year.
The results are in.
The media, including NBaP, are claiming that Ron Hornaday Jr. (No. 33 VFW/Longhorn Chevrolet) will be the champion come Homestead. Hornaday edged Todd Bodine (No. 30 Germain Toyota) in the poll.
Johnny Benson (No. 1 Red Horse Racing Toyota) isn’t predicted to grab a historic back-to-back championship as they have him slated to finish third.
Mike Skinner (No. 5 Bad Boy Mowers Toyota), Matt Crafton (No. 88 Menards Chevrolet), Kyle Busch (No. 51 Miccosukee Resorts/NOS Energy Drink Toyota), Rick Crawford (No. 14 Circle Bar Truck Corral/International Engine Ford), Colin Braun (No. 6 Con-Way Freight Ford), Terry Cook (No. 25 Harris Trucking Toyota), and Chad McCumbee (No. 07 SS Green Light Racing Chevrolet) rounded out the top 10.
In the rookie corner, the media claim Rick Carmichael (No. 4 Oakley/Moster Energy Drink Chevrolet) will be the series’ Raybestos Rookie of the Year.
So say we all!
The results are in.
The media, including NBaP, are claiming that Ron Hornaday Jr. (No. 33 VFW/Longhorn Chevrolet) will be the champion come Homestead. Hornaday edged Todd Bodine (No. 30 Germain Toyota) in the poll.
Johnny Benson (No. 1 Red Horse Racing Toyota) isn’t predicted to grab a historic back-to-back championship as they have him slated to finish third.
Mike Skinner (No. 5 Bad Boy Mowers Toyota), Matt Crafton (No. 88 Menards Chevrolet), Kyle Busch (No. 51 Miccosukee Resorts/NOS Energy Drink Toyota), Rick Crawford (No. 14 Circle Bar Truck Corral/International Engine Ford), Colin Braun (No. 6 Con-Way Freight Ford), Terry Cook (No. 25 Harris Trucking Toyota), and Chad McCumbee (No. 07 SS Green Light Racing Chevrolet) rounded out the top 10.
In the rookie corner, the media claim Rick Carmichael (No. 4 Oakley/Moster Energy Drink Chevrolet) will be the series’ Raybestos Rookie of the Year.
So say we all!
Kroger 250 Truck Race Look At Martinsville
Next Race: Kroger 250
The Place: Martinsville Speedway
The Date: Sat., March 28, 2009
The Time: 2 p.m. ET
Race Distance: 250 laps / 131.5 miles
TV: FOX, 2 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SIRIUS XM. Listen locally on WZBB-FM 99.9.
Track Layout: .526-mile oval
2008 Winner: Dennis Setzer
2008 Polesitter: Jack Sprague
Schedule: Friday—Practice, 11-11:50 a.m.; 1:45 - 3:30 p.m. Saturday—Qualifying, 9:10 a.m.
Track Contact: Mike Smith, (276) 956-7232 or mksmith@martinsvillespeedway.com
2009 Driver Standings
Driver Points
1 Kyle Busch 560
2 Todd Bodine 535
3 Mike Skinner 441
4 Ron Hornaday Jr. 436
5 Chad McCumbee 426
6 Matt Crafton 423
7 Terry Cook 413
8 TJ Bell 412
9 Timothy Peters 406
10 David Starr 384
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Johnny Benson On The Outside, Looking In
Johnny Benson, the defending NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion, sits 29 points out of the top 10 – a position he and everyone else did not figure to be in at the close of 2008.
Now, after three races, his next race to regain standings prominence is Martinsville – and the last time the series visited the short track, Benson won.
So optimism is high. Benson has been solid at Martinsville since the inception of Loop Data in 2005. In his last eight races there, Benson has a Driver Rating of 90.5, an Average Running Position of 12.8, 59 Fastest Laps Run and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 66.8%.
But there’s a snag. David Starr, who is 10th in points, ranks above Benson in almost every key statistical category. Starr, who won at this race in 2006, has a Martinsville Driver Rating of 92.6, an Average Running Position of 12.6, 60 Fastest Laps Run, a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 65.7% and has been passed only 74 times in the last eight races, the fewest of any driver during that span.
Starr struggled during the last Martinsville race, finishing 33rd, but has finished in the top 10 in four of the last six Martinsville races.
NBaP likes both drivers, but I think we have to pull for the classic fave of Johnny Benson!
Now, after three races, his next race to regain standings prominence is Martinsville – and the last time the series visited the short track, Benson won.
So optimism is high. Benson has been solid at Martinsville since the inception of Loop Data in 2005. In his last eight races there, Benson has a Driver Rating of 90.5, an Average Running Position of 12.8, 59 Fastest Laps Run and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 66.8%.
But there’s a snag. David Starr, who is 10th in points, ranks above Benson in almost every key statistical category. Starr, who won at this race in 2006, has a Martinsville Driver Rating of 92.6, an Average Running Position of 12.6, 60 Fastest Laps Run, a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 65.7% and has been passed only 74 times in the last eight races, the fewest of any driver during that span.
Starr struggled during the last Martinsville race, finishing 33rd, but has finished in the top 10 in four of the last six Martinsville races.
NBaP likes both drivers, but I think we have to pull for the classic fave of Johnny Benson!
Kerry and Jeffrey Earnhardt join Rick Ware Racing
NASCAR Bits and Pieces (NBaP) see's that Kerry and Jeffrey Earnhardt have joined Rick Ware Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
Kerry will debut April 4th at Texas Motor Speedway in the No 31 Chevrolet. His son Jeffrey, 19, is scheduled to make his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut May 30 at Dover International Speedway.
Kerry is the son of seven-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt. Kerry has 70 career starts in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, with three top fives and six top-10 finishes. He competed full time in 2002, finishing 22nd in points. He last raced in the series in 2008.
Jeffery has raced in the NASCAR Camping World Series East where he was fifth in the standings as a rookie in 2007 and finished 15th last year. NASCAR Bits and Pieces hopes that Jeffery has some of that fire that Dale Sr. has!
Both father and son will be paired with former NASCAR champion crew chief Paul Andrews until they do battle at Atlanta Motor Speedway this fall. At that juncture, Clyde McCloud will serve as crew chief for the younger Earnhardt.
Atlanta also will highlight three Earnhardts in series competition. Jeffrey's uncle, Dale Earnhardt Jr., a two-time series champion, also is slated to compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race there.
Jeffrey will race a progressive schedule this year, running seven events from a 1-mile track to a 2-mile oval as he prepares for the 2010 season and a Raybestos Rookie of the Year campaign.
The Earnhardts will be driving in events when Stanton Barrett will be competing in IRL races. The No. 31 will be the organization's primary car and the No. 41 Chevrolet will be the second car for races in which Barrett, Tim Andrews, Travis Kittleson, Tim Brown (seven-time NASCAR Whelen Modified track champion) or Jeffrey compete.
NBaP hopes that Kerry can do something this time around. We've liked Kerry and have pulled for Kerry but it just hasn't panned out. The last time we saw Kerry race was at Irwindale in the Allstar Race and we watched him get lapped, and lapped and well, it was a bummer.
Good luck to all the Earnhardt's and BRING IT JEFFREY!!!
Kerry will debut April 4th at Texas Motor Speedway in the No 31 Chevrolet. His son Jeffrey, 19, is scheduled to make his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut May 30 at Dover International Speedway.
Kerry is the son of seven-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt. Kerry has 70 career starts in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, with three top fives and six top-10 finishes. He competed full time in 2002, finishing 22nd in points. He last raced in the series in 2008.
Jeffery has raced in the NASCAR Camping World Series East where he was fifth in the standings as a rookie in 2007 and finished 15th last year. NASCAR Bits and Pieces hopes that Jeffery has some of that fire that Dale Sr. has!
Both father and son will be paired with former NASCAR champion crew chief Paul Andrews until they do battle at Atlanta Motor Speedway this fall. At that juncture, Clyde McCloud will serve as crew chief for the younger Earnhardt.
Atlanta also will highlight three Earnhardts in series competition. Jeffrey's uncle, Dale Earnhardt Jr., a two-time series champion, also is slated to compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race there.
Jeffrey will race a progressive schedule this year, running seven events from a 1-mile track to a 2-mile oval as he prepares for the 2010 season and a Raybestos Rookie of the Year campaign.
The Earnhardts will be driving in events when Stanton Barrett will be competing in IRL races. The No. 31 will be the organization's primary car and the No. 41 Chevrolet will be the second car for races in which Barrett, Tim Andrews, Travis Kittleson, Tim Brown (seven-time NASCAR Whelen Modified track champion) or Jeffrey compete.
NBaP hopes that Kerry can do something this time around. We've liked Kerry and have pulled for Kerry but it just hasn't panned out. The last time we saw Kerry race was at Irwindale in the Allstar Race and we watched him get lapped, and lapped and well, it was a bummer.
Good luck to all the Earnhardt's and BRING IT JEFFREY!!!
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