DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – For NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Jamie McMurray and AJ Allmendinger, the best way to celebrate the holidays is do what they love most – race.

Both drivers have joined hundreds of other karters at the annual Daytona KartWeek By Cometic Gasket events at Daytona International Speedway.

The three-day event that started on Monday showcases the World Karting Association on three different courses – the 3.56-mile road course, the Sprint track located in Turns 3 and 4 and the newly constructed quarter-mile dirt track outside Turns 1 and 2.

“This is not kick back and relax, this is very serious and it’s very high stress,” McMurray said with a grin. “We’re trying to run two classes this year, it’s just hectic today trying to get both karts on the track today and get everything ready but I’ve got some good helpers.”

Continue reading “Allmendinger, McMurray Go Karting at Daytona”

SCHATZ WINS, STEWART SEVENTH AT PARRAMATTA

Four-time World of Outlaws Champion Donny Schatz continued his winning ways with victory in the Valvoline Australian Sprintcar Grand Prix at Sydney’s Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway this evening.

Driving the Garry Rush-owned Pick’n’Payless entry, Schatz started the night off in flying fashion by setting the fastest time during qualifying before finishing second in his heat race.

Schatz’s team boss in the World of Outlaws Series, NASCAR Legend Tony Stewart, was coming to grips with a rain soaked ‘heavy’ track during the early part of the evening before starting from the back row in the main event.

After starting from position six in the 30-lap feature race Schatz had powered his way to the front of the field by the end of the second lap, only to have his passes negated when Warren Ferguson rolled his car bringing the race to it’s first stoppage.

Continue reading “Tony Stewart 7th racing 'Down Under'”

Drivers Are Indeed Athletes
Guest Column By Cathy Elliott

I think the first really in-depth piece of NASCAR-related writing I ever did was for inclusion in a USA Today special section during NASCAR Champion’s Week six or seven years ago. The story was titled,

“Drivers are athletes.”

I did my due diligence, researched the topic thoroughly, and put together a convincing argument lauding NASCAR drivers’ athletic and competitive skills. Whether it swayed anyone’s opinion, I will never know.

But the real questions in my mind were then, and continue to be, why are we even having this conversation, and what is there to argue about?

This issue reared its head once again on December 21 when the Associated Press announced Jimmie Johnson as its Athlete of the Year. He is the first race car driver ever to receive the award in its 78-year history.

Internet message boards are now exploding with discourse on this topic. Some question the AP’s choice; others question whether NASCAR is even a sport. I even saw one comment saying that when the drivers start pushing their cars around the track, then they’ll be considered athletes.

Continue reading “There's no doubt, NASCAR drivers are athletes”

WELCOME, N.C. (December 26, 2009) – Richard Childress Racing pit crew member Donald “D.J.” Richardson, Jr., passed away December 25 in a Massachusetts hospital from complications of the H1N1 virus. He was 37.

Richardson, of Leominster, Mass., contracted the H1N1 virus over the Thanksgiving holiday. He was admitted to Health Alliance Hospital in Leominster for evaluation, where it was determined he was suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome.

“All of us at RCR are saddened by D.J.’s passing,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “D.J. was a gifted tire changer, one of the greatest team players in the business and a valued member of the RCR family. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.”

Continue reading “RCR/Harvick Tire Changer dies from H1N1”

Speedweeks Opener Features Star-Studded Lineup

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 23, 2009) – NASCAR announced Wednesday a revision to the 2010 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona format that provides fans with a strong lineup of drivers highlighted by last year’s top performers and a collection of previous winners at the sport’s most-storied race track.

The 32nd annual season-opening event launches Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, Feb. 6 with green flag set for 8:10 p.m. The new criteria are based upon the following qualifications, with eligibility based on a driver having competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series within the last two seasons:

• The 12 drivers that qualified for the 2009 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup
• Past NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions
• Past Budweiser Shootout champions
• Past Daytona 500 and Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola champions
• The reigning Raybestos Rookie of the Year

Continue reading “New Bud Shootout Rules puts Dale Jr. in race”