Beyond the News with Katy Lindamood:

NASCAR fans are just like fans of any other sport. We complain a lot. When our driver isn’t winning we moan and groan about it. When the underdog wins a rained shortened race because he didn’t pit we call it a fluke. When driver error on pit road causes the dominant car to lose the race we blame it on the officials claiming that he was robbed. No matter who you are or which driver you are cheering for you complain. It’s just a fact of life.

NASCAR fans, this season more than ever, have made complaining about the television announcers an art form. It started from the very first race of the season and will no doubt continue until the very last lap has been driven. What have we complained about this season? Continue reading “What's All the Complaining About?”

Stewart: The Glen vs. Infineon:

Tony Stewart is a good person to talk about the difference between the two road courses on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule. He took his first road-course victory at Infineon Raceway in 2001, and has four victories at Watkins Glen International.

“It’s horsepower and aerodynamics just like it is anywhere else we go,” Stewart said. “It just happens to be in the form of a road course. Sonoma has a lot less grip in the racetrack. You have to really be careful with the throttle there, and that puts more of the race in the driver’s hands. If anything, Sonoma is probably more technical than Watkins Glen because there’s hardly any time where you get a chance to rest. You’re always either shifting or accelerating or braking or turning or doing something. At Watkins Glen, at least on the frontstretch and on the backstretch, there are three straightaways where you get a little bit of time to take a break.

Continue reading “Tony Stewart: Differences between The Glen & Infineon”

Said, Fellows, Lally Lead List of ‘Specialists’

Back in the 1960s, road racing “specialists” annually took advantage of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regulars in their annual visit to the old Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway. Dan Gurney won five races at the circuit – including four in a row – while Parnelli Jones and A.J. Foyt also came home winners.

While Mark Donohue continued that trend in January 1973, that marked the final time that a specialist won in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Bobby Allison won the next race at Riverside, followed by Cale Yarborough, Richard Petty and David Pearson.

Today, a new generation of NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers dominate NASCAR’s road course action. This weekend, at least seven non-regulars will look to turn back the clock and bring home a victory at Watkins Glen.

Ron Fellows, Boris Said, Max Papis, Patrick Carpentier, P.J. Jones, Brian Simo and Andy Lally seek to become the first non-regular to win a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race since Donohue.

Continue reading “Here come the road course 'Specialists'”

Johnson Not Quite ‘Superman’ On Road Courses

“Trying to beat that guy is like trying to beat Superman,” Mark Martin (No. 5 Carquest/Kellogg’s Chevrolet) said after losing to Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) in the recent Brickyard 400. “Look at the results they get. From the sheer number of successes they’ve had to the incredible comebacks that just are almost beyond belief. They certainly rebound consistently better than anybody in the series for several years now.”

But if Johnson is NASCAR’s ‘Superman,” the Kryptonite for the defending three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion has been the road courses – where he has yet to win.

Continue reading “'Superman' Johnson's Kryptonite: Road Courses”

Statement from Richard Petty Motorsports

Sorenson to Race This Weekend

“Reed Sorenson will drive the No. 43 Dodge for Richard Petty Motorsports in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen International. The Petty team retained Jacques Villeneuve as a substitute driver in case Sorenson continued to suffer from the effects of carbon monoxide he inhaled in Monday’s race at Pocono. Fortunately, Sorenson has recovered from the accident. Owners George and Foster Gillett along with the Richard Petty Motorsports team appreciate Villeneuve’s willingness to help out on such short notice.”