Amanda’s Articles

By Amanda Vincent

Richard Childress Racing has been considered one of the top-tier teams in Sprint Cup Racing for several years, going back to the mid-eighties when its driver Dale Earnhardt won six of his seven Cup titles in a span of only nine years. The RCR team, however, is experiencing one of its worst seasons in recent memory in 2009, especially in the Sprint Cup Series.

RCR’s Nationwide Series program isn’t experiencing the level of success this year that it has in recent years, but the organization has scaled back in that series, usually only running one car (as opposed to two in previous years) and having no full-time Nationwide Series drivers in its stable. Even so, RCR does have two Nationwide wins so far this season.

Continue reading “Childress searches for solutions”

The Final Lap Podcasts –  Subscribe Here

LISTEN HERE: The Final Lap CHAT Show #86 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. is out of excuses
October 21, 2009 11:30 AM
Recapping Charlotte, previewing Martinsville, discussing Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s comments from this past weekend, Jimmie Johnson on a roll (again) and more. Hosted by Kerry Murphey and Paul Northrop

SUBSCRIBE FROM iTUNES: Take us with you! Subscribe to our audio shows from iTunes, and they will automatically show up on your computer as soon as we post fresh shows..it’s easy, FREE, and we take no information.  It’s like a DVR for audio so you can take us with you anywhere and listen on your schedule!

NOTE: THE FINAL LAP CHAT now broadcasts LIVE on Tuesday’s at 11:30am Eastern from UStream – Click Here | Also HEARD on Stitcher Radio | Grab Stitcher Radio Here

WELCOME, N.C. (October 21, 2009) — Richard Childress Racing continues to retool team leadership with its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series teams.
Following this weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, Todd Berrier will take over the crew chief duties of the No. 31 Caterpillar team with driver Jeff Burton while Doug Randolph assumes Berrier’s duties on the No. 07 Jack Daniel’s team with driver Casey Mears.

Continue reading “Richard Childress does the Crew Chief Shuffle”

NASCAR’s smallest and largest tracks – Martinsville Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, respectively – are combining for a potentially active two weeks in and out of the Chase standings.

Martinsville, tiny in comparison to Talladega, nevertheless is the big track’s equal in difficulty.

One of the country’s oldest racing facilities, .526-mile Martinsville hosted events during NASCAR’s debut season of 1949 and still poses problems for today’s drivers.

Hairpin turns, a flat surface and a unique combination of concrete and asphalt make Martinsville a tough venue in any era. Contact is a given, with priority given to keeping one’s car clean.

Heard of “boiling the brakes?”

Drivers do it regularly at Martinsville, punishing pads, fluid and pedal because they’re constantly on and off them heading into and out of the tight corners.

At 2.66-mile Talladega, which hosts the seventh Chase event next week, brakes often are an afterthought. It’s the season’s final restrictor-plate race and Talladega’s high-banked layout and unpredictability often lead to surprise winners and jumbled finishes and standings.