Gen-6 Car Rules Improvements/Changes

Back in early December NASCAR had a few teams head to Charlotte for some Gen-6 car testing, with the intent for "development of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series intermediate-track package for 2014," with "The overall goal for the new package is to help promote more side-by-side racing and passing throughout each race. "

This test saw sixteen teams bring 30 drivers and they ran more than 140 "race-replicating laps" to help generate their final decisions on changes to the Gen-6 car.

After that, the new rules packages were delivered to all contenders on December 17th, 2013, giving them plenty of time to prepare for the Daytona 500.

Some of those changes?

Statically setting the race car ride height;

Eliminating the pre- and post-race front height rules and inspections;

A square leading edge on the splitter, side skirt and rear fascia adjustments;

An eight-inch rear spoiler;

A 43-inch by 13-inch radiator pan.

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The first race that you'll see these new rules implemented will be at Phoenix International Raceway on March 2nd.

This package will not be used at restrictor-plate races like the 2014 Daytona 500 on Feb. 23.  (Ug, I hate the enforced over-heating scenarios they use at these tracks, but it is what it is

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Wanna Know SpeedWeeks and Daytona 500 Dates/Times?

If you were curious about dates and times about various events during Daytona 2014 Speedweeks, check it out: (Times are eastern)

-The Sprint Unlimited, Saturday, Feb. 15, 8 p.m. (on FOX Sports 1)

-Daytona Beach Half Marathon, Sunday, Feb. 16, 6 a.m. (For the runners in the fan group.  If you run this, you will probably run into a few drivers too!)

-Daytona 500 Qualifying, Sunday, Feb. 16, 1p.m. (FOX)

-Budweiser Duel At Daytona, Thursday, Feb. 20, 7 p.m. (FOX Sports 1)

-Daytona 500, Sunday, Feb. 23, 1 p.m. (FOX, MRN, SiriusXM)

Seems simple enough...  but there's so much to get done for the teams between now and February 23rd!

 

 

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Carl Edwards TV Appearance

For the Carl Edwards fan out there, if you're curious / interested, he will be making an appearance on the January 7th episode of The Biggest Loser on NBC.

I'm not sure how big of a piece of the episode it will be.  My guess, about a 15-minute stint at most and since he's a Subway spokesperson, and Subway is pushed on the show, that's where we'll see him.

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Chase Elliott To Drive for JRM

Today JR Motorsports reported that Chase Elliott, the son of Bill Elliott, has been signed to drive the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevy.

He'll be driving the car full-time in the Nationwide Series.

How neat... the son to drive the same number his dad made famous, the No. 9.

In other news, it looks like NAPA has found themselves a new house to sponsor in NASCAR.  At least in the Nationwide Series.

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Hornish Gets A Seven Ride Deal in 2014

Hey Sam Hornish Jr. fans, some good news hit the web today.

Turns out that Sam Hornish Jr. has signed a deal to drive the JGR No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota for JGR, filling the seat between times when Kyle Busch is not driving the car under the Nationwide Series banner.

Sam had been under the Penske banner for 10 years, but now finds himself a free agent of sorts after they made some changes under the Penske roof.

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Sam will helm the No. 54 on May 3rd, at Talladega, plus both races at Iowa, the Road America racs, Chicagoland Speedway on July 19, Mid-Ohio, and then Kentucky Speedway on Sept 20. 

As is the case, everyone involved is happy about this scenario.  And hopefully Sam can parley this into a bigger presence behind the wheel for any other team.

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Did Anyone Catch The Banquet Award Show that Never Was?

Hey all, so who got to watch the NASCAR 2013 Award Banquet that aired live on Fox Sports 2?

Well it wasn't me, that's for sure.

Last Friday night was the 2013 season NASCAR Awards banquet from Las Vegas.  Admittedly, I can't sit through the entire event.  They try their best, but the show usually tests my patience on various levels.  But regardless, I have always tuned in every year, if even for a little bit, to catch the goings-on of the show.

And like any other year, that's what I tried doing.

Except with SPEED having been converted to Fox Sports, things have been a little different this season.  Including my higher level of withdrawal from my NASCAR fix on TV.  But hey, at least it still has a TV venue.

But last Friday, when I went looking for the telecast, it seems that I could not, for the life of me, find Fox Sports 2 on my Comcast cable lineup.  Anywhere.  I'm sure I just didn't look in the right spots.  I can't imagine it's not somewhere in my channel lineup.

Sigh...  another bit of missing coverage to add to my NASCAR TV anxiety attack!

Well, it's the off season.  Teams are testing and prepping for the 2014 Daytona 500 and hence, my anxiety levels should be returning to normal, as they expect little or no TV coverage this time of year.

The Daytona 500 will take place on Sunday, February 23rd, 2014.  At least that should still be on TV.  Right?

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NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards

Who will appear on the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards?

On Friday, December 6th, 2013, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards will be televised on Fox Sports 2, NASCAR.com, Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.  So you have various options.  FOX Sports 1 will re-air the event at noon ET on Sunday, Dec 8th.

For the radio listeners, it might be your best option. As far as the awards go, they're tough on me for watching, but I could see listening to them.  (Hmm, I can see listening???)

For me, it's tough to watch non-NASCAR fans hired to do a job and, in my opinion, flub at pretending.

And then there's the poor drivers who are out of their element as they all thank all of their sponsors, over and over and over.

I get that they don't have big bucks to drop on a production, and I get the hard core fans appreciate the telecast/performance.  But I've tried watching a few times over the years and it just gets painful to watch.

But that's not saying it's a bad thing, it's just how I perceive it.  Personally, I think we need more motorhead jokes from those who get it!

But if you're interested in who and what will be at the awards banquet this Friday, check out this info in the press release:

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via press release

John Mellencamp, Dierks Bentley And Sara Bareilles To Perform; Comedian And Actor Jay Mohr To Host 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - A little bit of country, pop, rock and roll and comedy will equal a show chock full of entertainment when chart-topping musicians John Mellencamp, Dierks Bentley and Sara Bareilles take the stage, and comedian, actor and radio personality Jay Mohr hosts this year's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards™.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards, which will take place at Wynn Las Vegas® on Friday, Dec. 6, will begin at 8 p.m. ET. The event will crown six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series™ champion Jimmie Johnson and honor the remaining top 10 drivers in the final Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™ standings. The event will air on FOX Sports 2 and NASCAR.com® beginning at 9 p.m. ET, with Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio™ also providing coverage starting at 8 p.m. ET.

Penske and Hornish End Relationship

I'm sure you heard of this, but just in case you had not, news is that Sam Hornish Jr. and Penske Racing have parted ways after a ten-year relationship.

Ten long years and finally, they went their separate ways.

And right now, they say he has no ride in NASCAR for the 2014 season.

What's up with that?

According to the AP source, Roger Penske says that Sam needs to be racing in the Cup Series and he doesn't have a ride for him in that division.

And Hornish, having no plans in concrete yet, has said that he'd rather be a NASCAR test driver than an IndyCar regular.

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I'm not sure what the heck happened between Penske and Hornish.  Even though he came in 2nd in the standings of the Nationwide Series by a mere three points.  I suspect he's had ten years to show his merit, and had not really stood out in any one series.

But unless Hornish has a great investment and savings plan, this statement about rather being a test driver than a regular in IndyCar, seems pretty daring.

But hey, it is what is.

Good luck to Hornish in his job search!
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NASCAR Buys Itself A Track - Iowa Will Never Miss Another Season!

News today out of NASCAR is that they have bought Iowa Speedway.  But don't worry if you're a ticket holder at the track, they've made auspices for you too.

So if I can make an educated guess, it seems that folks around the Iowa track won't be missing any seasons any more!

Check out the press release below...

In a strategic move designed to expand its commitment to enhancing event experiences and fan engagement, as well as solidify the future of one of the premier racing and entertainment facilities in the Midwest, NASCAR announced today that it has purchased Iowa Speedway. The agreement, finalized today under a wholly-owned subsidiary, Iowa Speedway, LLC, is effective immediately.

“Iowa Speedway is a great entertainment facility with a very bright future,” said Eric Nyquist, NASCAR vice president, strategic development. “The facility has the support of the region, it’s positioned well in the heart of the Midwest, and year in and year out it provides great short-track racing action for motorsports fans.

“NASCAR ownership will allow us to draw on the entire resources of our company. It also provides us with the opportunity to execute first-hand a number of entertainment ideas and engagement opportunities with fans – much of which we have outlined repeatedly as the core of our Industry Action Plan.”

The facility, located 30 miles east of Des Moines in Newton, features a fast, .875-mile asphalt paved tri-oval designed by NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace. The Speedway released its 2014 schedule earlier this month, encompassing three weekends, one each in May, July and August. The schedule will include two NASCAR Nationwide Series races, a combination NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and IndyCar Series weekend, plus two additional NASCAR K&N Pro Series support races. NASCAR has no plans for Iowa Speedway to host a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race next year or in the immediate future.

NASCAR will host a special event in Des Moines on Thursday, Dec. 12, to outline additional details on the purchase and plans for the future. Information on this event will be announced soon.

The 2014 Iowa Speedway season opens May 17-18, with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East versus West Challenge on Saturday night. The stars and cars of the NASCAR Nationwide Series then will battle on Sunday in a 250-lap, high-speed contest. The race marks the only Sunday afternoon event of the season at Iowa Speedway.

The new NASCAR Camping World Truck Series / IndyCar Series race weekend at Iowa Speedway is slated for July 11-12. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will race Friday night and feature short-track racing action that has become synonymous with the series in the American Ethanol 200. The first-ever Iowa Corn Indy 300 will follow on Saturday night.

On Friday, Aug. 1, a second NASCAR K&N Pro Series East versus West challenge race will be held followed by a second NASCAR Nationwide Series 250-lap event on Saturday under the lights.

Season ticket holders may renew their tickets for the 2014 season, and will have an exclusive right to secure their current seats until Dec. 14. All other seats are available for purchase immediately, with season ticket prices starting at $95. All season tickets will include a guaranteed seat location, complimentary Casey’s Fan Walk pass and an opportunity to participate in pre-race ceremonies. Season tickets, parking passes and onsite camping options are available online at www.iowaspeedway.com, or by calling the toll-free ticketing hotline, 866-RUSTY-GO (787-8946).

Iowa Speedway’s ticketing office, located at 3333 Rusty Wallace Drive in Newton, also will be open to assist customers from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, holidays excepted.

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2014 IOWA SPEEDWAY EVENT SCHEDULE

Saturday, May 17 – NASCAR K&N Pro Series East vs. West Challenge

Sunday, May 18 – NASCAR Nationwide Series

Friday, July 11 – American Ethanol 200, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

Saturday, July 12 – Iowa Corn Indy 300, IndyCar Series

Friday, August 1 – NASCAR K&N Pro Series East vs. West Challenge

Saturday, August 2 – NASCAR Nationwide Series

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About Iowa Speedway

Iowa Speedway, a state-of-the-art motorsports and entertainment facility, is located 30 miles east of Des Moines at I-80 Exit 168 in Newton, Iowa. The track was designed by NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace, now an anchor and analyst for ESPN. Call 1-866-RUSTY-GO, or visit www.iowaspeedway.com to learn more.

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Our First Weekend Without Racing

Well... here we are.  The first non-racing weekend outside the 2013 season.

Jimmie Johnson has won his sixth championship (across three different car types), Matt Kenseth seems to have adapted quickly to his new ride, and it seemed as if the Kevin Harvick/Richard Childress union is parting in under a wee bit of duress.  (If you can take that truck series incident as any kind of clue.)

We've seen new rules added to the fold that seem redundant, and yet, apparently, it's necessary to tell the drivers that they must race to the best of their ability at all times.  (That seems akin to launching your queen, bishops, rooks and knights first in a chess match,)

But most importantly, our TV landscape has changed drastically as SPEED has become FS1 (FoxSports 1).  And NASCAR fans suddenly have a huge void in their entertainment venue that we must adapt to.

It used to be that all we had to do was pull up SPEED to see what, if anything, is going on in NASCAR.  It seems, reflecting back, that any news was good news to hear.

Yet now there's this void that can't be filled until a daily 30-minute program of some other venue pops up under Fox or ESPN.

If you have Sirius Satellite Radio, you can get that fill on their NASCAR channel (Ch. 90).  But unlike other channels on the satellite provider, this channel runs full of ads.  But at least it's something.  I'm glad I have it.

But I feel the void with no TV coverage when and where I'd like to see it.  I'm forced to resort to the Syfy channel or some horrid movies on my pay channels.

But for the moment, I'm quelled by the idea that I am living in an era that is seeing another dynasty mark its name in the record halls of NASCAR, as, inevitable as it is, we'll be looking for Jimmie Johnson to attack the circuit in 2014, as we look on wondering if this will be number 7, or if someone else will steal the championship away for a season.  Like Kenseth.

I'll touch on a few more things in the upcoming weeks, as I try to add some filler content to keep the off-season a bit more tolerable.

It's 11-23-13 and it's roughly 91 days until the 2014 Daytona 500.  Sigh.
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