Week 36 Commentary

Glynn has defended his title and won the 2014 Conway NASCAR League championship, setting a torrid pace through much of the season.  Team Taser had a stellar season, but lost ground to Glynn down the stretch.

Congratulations to Kevin Harvick and his Stewart-Hass Racing team for winning the 2014 Sprint Cup Series Championship!  The championship is his first, and the first for his new team as he moved over to join Stewart-Haas after having been at Richard Childress for over a decade.

Kevin Harvick, 2014 Sprint Cup Champion

Ryan Newman finished second, Denny Hamlin third and Joey Logano, whose team had a miserable late pit stop, finished fourth. 

The top five finishers for 2014 in The Conway NASCAR League were Glynn, Team Taser, KDog Racing, No Ones Beatch and Smoke's Fury.

WTC Racing won the week, a consecutive win as they won last week as well.  FLYNC5 was second, Slim Shady third, Blue 7 Racing fourth and Little Circle Burner fifth.  Not too many movers, with FLYNC5 and WTC racing moving up more than three or more and Burke and CosmoD falling three or more.

JR Racing is the winner of the last segment, with 88 AMPs second and Glynn third.

The 2014 leaders for wins this year were Eagles Nest and Smoke's Fury with 4 and Team Taser, Glynn with 3.

The 2014 leaders for top fives were Glynn with 11 and Team Taser and Blind Squirrel with 9.

The 2014 leaders for top tens were Glynn with 19, and Team Taser and BAHL with 15.

It was a great year, and although we had a few folks park their car, the competition behind the top five was spirited.

We will have an awards ceremony in January, where we will down some wings and beer along with enjoying fellowship among the racers in our league.  We will also do signups for 2015 as well.

We will update the blog and our Facebook page with details about the event after the first of the year.

Enjoyed it. Stay thirsty!

Week 35 Commentary

The four drivers who will battle it out for the 2014 NASCAR Chase Championship have been set as we head to Homestead.  The four racers who will race for the title are Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman, Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin.  None of these drivers have won the championship previously.

To get to this point, we saw Kevin Harvick won the Quicken Loans Race For Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.  Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth and Brad Keselowski ran strong, but fell short.

Ryan Newman pushed rookie Kyle Larson up against the wall to take a spot from him, giving Newman the opportunity to be in the final four.  As such, Jeff Gordon missed it by one point.  Gordon, and surprisingly nobody else, seemed peeved at Newman, with Gordon blaming Keselowski and the AAA 500 once again.

Hamlin has great success at Homestead, and is the defending race champion.  Harvick seems to feel entitled, and Newman could be the first driver to win the championship without getting a win over the season.  I'll be cheering for Logano.

WTC Racing won the week, with Jr. Racing, Mama's Boy, Lil Boy and Big Boy all tied for second.  O Racing was next.

Not too much movement this week, which was kind of odd considering what was at stake for the actual drivers.  Big Boy gained several spots on the way up, while FLYNC5 and BAHL tanked.  Yes, your commish dropped an eye popping five spots, leaving the top ten with little chance of getting back in.  Damn it Bowyer!

Unless Glenn fails to make picks, he will bring another title on home.  Team Taser sits in second. K Dog jumped No Ones Beatch swapping third and fourth. Smokes Fury is fifth.

It will all be settled on Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.  THE CHAMPIONSHIP RACE, The Ford 400, will go green at approximately 3:16PM.

Week 34 Commentary

Jimmie Johnson won the AAA 500 at Texas, but nobody seemed to care as the action on pit road after the race made those folks at WWE jealous.

Jeff Gordon was torqued Brad Keselowski hit a hole and brushed the #24 Chevrolet which resulted in the left rear on Gordon's car going down.  Gordon confronted Keselowski on pit road, and just as things appear to have settled down, Kevin Harvick showed up and shoved Keselowski in the back.

While Harvic ran away, fisticuffs between Gordon and Keselowski ensued.  In an instant, crew members for Gordon, and Kasey Kahne, another overrated driver who spent the day wrecking his car, attacked Keselowski.

It ended with Keselowski and Gordon bloodied, while Johnson watched with enjoyment.

That sets the stage for a really wild day today at Phoenix International Raceway.

Eagles Nest won the week, followed by ME Racing, WTC Racing, MMSH and 88AMPs.

It was a tight day on the scoring grid, with only two racers going 3 spots either way.  FLYNC5 went up 3, while Fitz Racing went down three.

The top five in the standings remained the same, and Glynn looks about a lock for another championship.

No positions in the final Chase event in Homestead have been set.  It promises to be a wild day at Phoenix International Raceway as we run Quicken Loans Race For Heroes 500.  They aim to put the field under green at approximately 3:16PM

Should be fun!

Week 33 Commentary

A wild day at Martinsville culminated with Dale Earnhardt, Jr. picking up the win, his first at the famed track.  Jimmie Johnson, who owns Martinsville, had a very poor day and has not been near as strong this season.

Lisa Las Vegas easily won the week.  BAHL, BMF lugnuts and SPC Racing tied for second, with Burke fifth.

The top nine position did not change, and it looks as though Glynn will pick up a consecutive championship.

Only Mama's Boy gained over three spots.  With Boy Racing, Inc. having their drivers sitting in 18th, 23rd and 24th positions, it is safe to say they will finish at the lowest positions in their high performance history.  They are going to have to find some horsepower in their Ford stable before we head back to Daytona.

O Racing, Cosmo D, Blind Squirrel Racing, Team Hot Stuff and Slim Shady all slapped the wall.

This week we are at Texas Motor Speedway.  Matt Kenseth is our polesitter.

The green flag for the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway drops at approximately 3:16PM.

Good Luck

Week 32 Commentary

Several prominent drivers needed a win to advance to the eliminator round of the Chase, but only one was able to pull it off, and it has been the driver who has arguably had the best overall season with the most wins; Brad Keselowski.

Brad charged to the front at Talladega and held on to advance, but Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. were eliminated.  So was Kyle Busch, who although riding around in the back, got caught up in a wreck and his day was essentially done. 

There was not the usual 20 car pileup that most expected.

Miss Make Shit Happen (MMSH) won the week handily rolling here picks.  Imagine that.  Team Hot Stuff was second, SPC Racing third, with Glynn and ME Racing tying for fourth.

Glynn remains on point, and has opened up a once razor thin margin to 119 points over Team Taser.  Taser has gone on major runs before, and he may just have one more in him in 2014.  We will see.
The rest of the top five has not shifted in recent weeks, but we expect someone to make a move, discarding the bosom of safety.

SPC Racing, Team Hot Stuff and MMSH made moves toward the front, while Cosmo D and WTC found themselves in the garage area.

This week we head to the paper clip known as Martinsville Speedway for the running of the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500.  This is short track racing at it's finest.

Few races are remaining, and those with any inkling to get toward the front must act now.

We will place the field under green at approximately 1:43PM.

Steady as she goes, and protect the brakes.

Week 31 Commentary

Tempers were flaring at Charlotte Motor Speedway during, and most notably after, The Bank of America 500 Saturday night.  Brad Keselowski lost the most friends, although I don't know if he is all that worried about being taken off the Christmas card list of Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth.

Kevin Harvick won the race, and cemented his spot in the next round of the Chase.

After taking 30 minutes to eliminate all the double dipping of those racers who rolled thier picks on a box change, we find that Glynn won the week. Jr Racing was second, followed by Blind Squirrel Racing, Me Racing and Eagles Nest Racing.

There were few big movers; however, JR Racing moved up while BAHL and FLYNC5 moved down.  BAHL fell out of the top ten, which is not good.

The top five, with Glynn closely chased by Team Taser, remained the same.

This week we head to Talladega, and given all those chasing spots in the Chase, things could get more crazy than they already are. It will be a show, that is for sure.

The GEICO 500 goes green at approximately 2:16PM.  Hang on!

Week 30 Commentary

Joey Logano won the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway Sunday afternoon, establishing the #22 team as the favorite moving forward in the Chase. Kyle Larson had another strong run, and is a threat to win every week.

Several top teams had bad days, led by Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski. Kurt Busch had another wall slapping afternoon.

Eagles Nest won the week, followed by Blind Squirrel Racing, OSteen Racing, Jr. Racing and SPC Racing, which is an odd grouping to be sure.

Blind Squirrel Racing was the only racer to gain big on the day, but Team Wolf, Team Hot Stuff, Slim Shady Racing and Punch lost the draft early.

Glynn remains our leader, with Team Taser close behind.  No Ones Beatch took third from KDog, who fell to fourth, with Smokes Fury in fifth.

We begin our final box set this week as the race at Kansas concluded our last box set.  Blue 7 Racing won the segment, with Blind Squirrel Racing second and Eagles Nest, on the heels of the big win this week, third.

THE BOXES HAVE CHANGED FOR THE CHARLOTTE RACE!!!!!!!!!!!!

On Saturday night, right there amidst the LSU-Florida game at the Swamp, we will drop the flag on the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.  They aim to place the field under green at 7:46PM.

It is flat time to mash the gas.  We note that the three team stalwart of Boy Racing Inc is in serious need of horsepower, with positions 20-25 flat covered in the standings.  This is most unusual for this perennial powerhouse organization, so we will see if they can find some speed here in the last box set.

Have a good week!

Week 29 Commentary

Jeff Gordon was some kind of strong at Dover last Sunday, securing a spot in the next round for the Chase by winning the AAA 400 at Dover.

Eliminated from the Chase were AJ Allmendinger, Greg Biffle, Aric Almrola and Kurt Busch.

No Ones Beatch won the week, followed by 88 AMPS, Chief Racing, eam Hot Stuff and CosmoD.

Glynn passed Team Taser up in the corner of turn two and is now in command of the field.  Taser is tucked in behind off the rear bumper with KDog Racing, No Ones Beatch and Smokes Fury rounding out the top five.

There were not a lot of significant moves this week.  Team Hot Stuff and BMF Lugnuts moved up, while FLYNC5, Pamela's Pistons and Blind Squirrel Racing blew engines.

This week we are at Kansas Speedway in greater Kansas City for the running of the Hollywood Casino 400.  The race goes green at 2:16PM, and those in attendance will have time to get over to The Harry S. Truman Sports Complex to see the Kansas City Royals take on the LA Angels at Kauffman Stadium.

Stand On It!

Week 28 Commentary

In was an exciting race at New Hampshire International Speedway, Joey Logano won the Sylvnia 300 to clinch  spot in the next round of the Chase.  Logano joins Penske teammate Brad Keselowski as the first to secure a spot in the second round.

In the Conway NASCAR League, Blind Squirrel Racing won the week, followed closely by Punch, BAHL, Team Wolf and MMSH.  A rather odd top five to be sure.

Team Taser passed Glynn for the lead as they continue to swap spots.  Glynn is only 2 points behind, so this fight will go on and is exciting to watch.  Both of these teams are really getting it done.

KDog Racing it third, followed by Smoke's Fury and No Ones Beatch.

Unlike last week, there were some significant moves in the standings.

Moving up were Blue 7 Racing, FLYNC5, who is moving on the top ten, Team Wolf and Blind Squirrel Racing.  Dropping down with a flat tire were Big Boy and Lil Boy, who are having an uncharacteristically bad season, Pamela's Pistons and Little Circle Burner, whose late decision to go with Denny Hamlin was costly.

This week we head over to Dover Downs to run the AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway.  Jimmie Johnson has not been running as good of late as he has n past seasons, but he owns this place and it will be interesting to see if finds some speed and can challenge for the win Sunday.

We put the field under green at approximately 2:15PM.

The time to hammer down is now.

Week 27 Commentary

Brad Keselowski had the field covered at the MyAFibStory.com 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway, winning going away and securing himself a spot in the next round of the Chase.  Aric Amirola, running fifth at the time, blew an engine, becoming the last place finisher among those in the Chase.

Man In Black Racing won the week, followed by KDog Racing, CF Canes and Blue 7 Racing tied for third, with Glynn rounding out the top five.

Moving up were Blue 7 Racing, Burke, Big Boy and Eagles Nest.  Down a cylinder were FLYNC5, Chief Racing, Fitz Racing and Blind Squirrel Racing.

Glynn has retaken the lead from Team Taser, leading by only 14 points.  KDog is third, with Smokes Fury fourth and No Ones Beatch fifth.

Currently, the top three racers in wins are Smokes Fury with four and Team Taser and Burke with three.  The top three in top fives are Glynn and Team Taser with nine, and Blue 7 with seven.  The top three in top ten finishes are Glynn with fifteen, Team Taser with thirteen and BAHL with twelve.

We return to New Hampshire International Speedway this weekend.  The  Sylvania 300 goes green at approximately 2:15PM.  Brad Keselowski is on fire, and is your polesitter this afternoon.

Good Luck.

Week 26 Commentary

Brad Keselowski dominated at Richmond on Saturday night, placing his team in the pole position in the Chase with 4 victories. Among the contenders, Matt Kenseth had the worst evening, finishing 41st.

Our own Dr. Jerry Punch won the week, with the powerhouse team of Team Taser finishing second. Blue 7 Racing was third, Team Hot Stuff fourth and WTC Racing and CF Canes 7 tied for fifth.

The only significant movers in our standing were Blue 7 moving up and BMF Lugnuts moving down.

Team Taser has assumed the lead over Glynn, with Smoke's Fury, KDog Racing and No Ones Beatch rounding out the top five.  Time is getting short to make a move into the top ten.

This weekend we are at Chicagoland for the running of the MyAFibStory.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.  Qualifying was rained out, leaving Kyle Busch, due to practice speeds, our polesitter.

They aim to place the field under green at 2:16PM.  Good Luck!

Week 25 Commentary

Kasey Kahne, who it would seem might be a casualty of silly season due to poor performance, scored a huge win at Atlanta Motor Speedway Sunday night, securing himself a spot in the Chase.

It was a hot night at Atlanta, and tempers flared.  Kyle Busch seemed to be the main culprit, upsetting both Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr.

Tony Stewart returned to action and ran well, but blew a tire, which forced him to retire from the event.

Eagles Nest won the week, with Blind Squirrel second and FLYNC5 third.  Pamela's Pistons, Boris Head Racing and Blue 7 Racing tied for fourth.  Only Blind Squirrel Racing moved more four of more spots, gaining on the field.

The top five stayed the same.  Glynn continues to run point, with Team Taser, Smoke Fury, No Ones Beatch and KDog Racing rounding out the top five.

It is the final race to make the Chase this weekend, as we hit Richmond International Raceway for the Federated Auto Parts 400.  Stewart, who recorded his firs win at Richmond, will need to win it to make the Chase.

They will aim to place the field under green at approximately 7:46AM on Saturday night.

Good Luck

Week 24 Commentary

Joey Logano took the checkered flag at Bristol Motor Speedway Saturday night, and as is usually the case, tempers flared throughout the night.

Denny Hamlin was not pleased with Kevin Harvick, appropriately so, and Kyle Busch and his crew chief had a fiery post race conversation.

Eagles Nest won the week, followed by Luckydog, Blue 7 Racing, Team Hot Stuff and Burke.

Luckydog, Burke and Eagles Nest all made big moves up in the standings, while OShea Racing and Mama's Boy Racing slipped down several spots.

The race at Bristol closed out our segment.  KDog was the segment winner, with Smoke's Fury second and FLYNC5 third.

Glynn took Team Taser on the high side and has assumed the lead, but Taser remains tucked right in off Glynn's rear bumper only 8 points back.  The race between these two going down the stretch will prove interesting.  Smoke's Fury is third, followed by No Ones Beatch and KDog Racing.

As we move to a new segment, THE BOXES HAVE CHANGED!

On Sunday night, we will be at Atlanta Motor Speedway for the running of the Oral-B USA 500.  Live from Hampton, GA, the aim to place the field under green at 7:46PM.

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend!

Week 23 Commentary

Jeff Gordon and his #24 Kraft Food For Hunger Chevy SS team is on a torrid pace of late, and after sitting on the pole, passed lap leader Joey Logano with 15 laps to go to take the Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway.  Kyle Bucsh had his third consecutive poor finish after a pair of second place finishes.

An uncommon pair shared the winners circle for the Conway NASCAR League as Fitz Racing and Burke got the top score. Slim Shady Racing, Team Wolf and Pup N Suds (love that name) rounded out the top five.

Very few movers upward of note this week, but Burke shot up the leaderboard.  In the garage were Luckydog, picking on road tending to some personal business, Boris Head Racing OShea Racing and Chief Racing, who has turned to operation on four cylinders.

Team Taser had a long pit spot this week but maintained the lead.  Glynn has got the pedal mashed, followed by Smoke' Fury, KDog Racing and No Ones Beatch.  There are several drivers who are attempting without success to crash the top five.

It is Saturday Night short track racing this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway for the running of the  IRWIN Tools Night Race.  Bumpin and bangin at it's finest, but stay in the car when the tempers flare due to the new rule imposed in the aftermath of the death of sprint car racer Kevin Ward, who was hit by the car driven by Tony Stewart.  It is expected Stewart will sit out again this weekend as he continues the grieving process, for which we wish him well.

In other news, Carl Edwards announced he will, as expected, join Joe Gibbs Racing in 2015

This is the last race of this box set, so let it rip.  The field will be placed under green at approximately 7:43PM.

Week 22 Commentary

AJ Allmendinger got his first NASCAR Sprint Cup win last weekend at the road course at Watkins Glen, likely putting him in the Chase.

Some of the favorites had dismal days, and we had a nasty crash involving Michael McDowell and Ryan Newman.

JR Racing won the week, with Glynn and Ricky Racer tied for second, Team Wolf in fourth and Team Taser in fifth. Team Taser and Glynn continue to blister the score sheet each week.

Team Taser continues to show the way, followed closely by Glynn.  Smokes Fury, No Ones Beatch and KDog round out the top five.

Not a lot of shake and bake in the overall standings, with Jr Racing sliding up while Boris Head Racing was sliding down.

Tony Stewart sat out the race at Watkins Glen and will sit out again this weekend at Michigan, still dealing with the overwhelming grief of the tragic events with killed young racer Kevin Ward.  Jeff Burton will drive the #14 Chevy SS.

We will be carrying some seriously high speeds this weekend as we run the Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway.  Jeff Gordon is our polesitter.

They aim to put the field under green at approximately 1:16PM.

Week 21 Commentary

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. drove his Chevy SS to victory lane last Sunday at Pocono, leading the last 14 laps to sweep both the stops at The Tricky Triangle.  Jeff Gordon, who is on fire, led the most laps.

In a shocker, MMSH won the week.  However, we did have a big crash which took out a lot of top drivers.  It also may have knocked Tony Stewart out of the Chase, although he does run well at Richmond, where we are in a couple of weeks.

Hot Blooded CosmoD came in second, with Fitz Racing, Eagles Nest and that bat out of hell Team Taser, who continues to show the way in the overall points standings.  Glynn remains second there, with KDog, Smoke's Fury and No Ones Beatch rounding out the top five.

Fitz was out big gainer, while Daily Habit slipped out of the groove.

We head up to the Finger Lakes region of New York this week to run the Cheez-It 355 at The Glen at Watkins Glen International Speedway.  I don't know about you, but I have really come to enjoy these road course, particularly Bud at the Glen.

Qualifying, on Saturday morning, should be fun.  On Sunday, we aim to put the field under green at approximately 1:19PM.  Should be a lot of fun.

Good Luck!

Week 20 Commentary

Jeff Gordon won his fifth Brickyard 400 last Sunday.  While he did not lead the most laps, it was clear that the #24 Drive For Hunger Chevy SS was the dominant car.  Gordon looks like a real serious contender for the championship, which would be his fifth.

Team Taser won the week with a strong performance, gaining ground on his overall points lead.  Luckydog finished second, KDog was third and BMF Lugnuts, Pamela's Pistons and SPC Racing tied for fourth.

There was not a lot of big moves this week in the point standings.  Lisa Las Vegas gained five spots while AFLAC Chief Racing blew an engine dropping eight spots.

Team Taser remains on point, followed by Glynn.  No Ones Beatch is third, Smoke's Fury is fourth and KDog Racing holds fifth.

As we noted over on our Facebook page, Denny Hamlin got docked a bunch of points due to post race infractions from the Brickyard.

This week we return to Pocono, and rookie Kyle Larson is our polesitter.

The GoBowling.com 400 is expected to go green a 1:19PM Sunday.  The King, Richard Petty, will be your Grand Marshal.

Good Luck

Week 19 Commentary

Brad Keselowski dominated the weekend at New Hampshire International Speedway, becoming the first racer to sweep the weekend.  His performance in his Red Apple Ford in the Cup race was most impressive.  Certainly, the Penske Racing Ford team has to be considered a favorite for The Chase.

Jimmie Johnson has a horrible day, his day having ended after a single car crash as a result of a blown tire.  Kevin Harvick ran out of gas, continuing issues with his crew, while 72 year old Morgan Shepherd, some 15 laps down, collected Joey Logano and ended his day.  Logano was running second at the time, and was not pleased.  Racers with those guys did not score well.

Smoke's Fury and Blue 7 tied for the checkers this week, posting blistering scores. in the draft,  Blind Squirrel Racing, FLYNC5 and KDog Racing tied for third.

Glynn chose a few of drivers mentioned above, and lost first place to Team Taser.  Glynn settled in at second place, with Smoke's Fury moving up to third, No Ones Beatch and KDog Racing rounding out the top five.

With all the good teams with poor finishes, you may have expected some big moves in the standings.
However, only a handful represented, with FLYNC5 and Blue 7 Racing moving up several and OShea Racing, Team Hot Stuff and Fitz Racing finding themselves in the garage area.

The Sprint Cup Series if off this weekend, the last break of the season.

A week from Sunday, the Cup teams will be in Indianapolis for the running of the Brickyard 400 presented by Crown Royal.  Coverage moves over to ESPN, with Allen Bestwick, Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree in the booth.

Here is your first look at the Brickyard 400 Chevy SS Pace Car.

2014 Brickyard 400 Chevy SS Pace Car

Who will kiss the bricks?  We will find out a week from Sunday.

Week 18 Commentary

Welcome race fans; back to the Daytona International Speedway for the running of the 2014 Coke Zero 400.  Junior nation was hoping Dale Jr could sweep the Daytona races in 2014 and many local FSU fans were excited to see the #55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota driven by Brian Vickers honoring the Florida State Seminoles 2013 College Football National Championship.

 

Brian Vickers #55 FSU Dream Machine Toyota Camry

Race day was met with a rather unusual weather pattern on Saturday, as late afternoon rains failed to dissipate as normal and continued to soak the high banks.

Team Hot Stuff, driving the drivers around after driver introductions, found the track soaked amidst intermittent rainfall.

 

The wet track conditions for driver introductions.

2000 NASCAR Champion Bobby Labonte peeked through the window, wondering if there may have been room to come in from the rain.  It would be hard to wave to the drenched fans from inside.

 

Bobby Labonte nothing but wet in the bed of the truck.

 

The race cancelled until Sunday with the hope of better weather.  The early morning looked great, and two time Daytona 500 champ Michael Waltrip gave the thumbs up to go racing.

 

Micheal Waltrip gives the thumbs up!

In honor of the retiring Barney Hall of MRN Radio, we turned the field loose shortly after 11AM on Sunday.  Perhaps it was urgency to the potential of bad weather once again, but we had some real dicey racing going on early.

Of course, we had the big one.  Two of them.

Ricky Stenhouse got loose to cause the first one, which took out Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harivck.

Twenty-six cars were involved in the second crash, leaving only six cars who did not have some sort of damage from one of the wrecks.  What a mess it was.

The race was called after rain showers engulfed the speedway in mid afternoon, much to the dismay of many.  As such, UCF grad and Tampa native Aric Amirola got his first win in Richard Petty's famed 43 Ford. 

The win came 30 years to the weekend Petty got his 200th and final win in his STP Pontiac with President Ronald Reagan in attendance.

Aric Amirola celebrates first win in Coke Zero 400/NASCAR.com

Brian Vickers

Finishing second to Amirola was the aforementioned Brian Vickers in his FSU #55 Toyota. This was the best finish of the season for Vickers and his best ever at Daytona.  Go 'Noles!

Many media members, inclusive of seemingly the entire staff at The Orlando Sentinel, are letting NASCAR have it about scheduling this race in rainy season on July 4th weekend.  It seems the folks over there place little value on traditional events, such as the old Firecracker 400.

In the Conway NASCAR League, there was a tremendous amount of carnage.  Smoke's Fury won going away, with his nearest challenge, from BAHL, twenty points in arrears.  Twenty-two points back from that found Blind Squirrel Racing in third, 88AMPS fourth and Team Wolf fifth.

No racers saw big moves, but those gaining more than three spots were Smokes Fury, BAHL, 88AMPS, Team Wolf and Blind Squirrel Racing.  SPC Racing, Blue 7 Racing and WTC all found lost ground on the wet and wild weekend.

Glynn remains the leader, with Team Taser and No Ones Beatch holding spot in second and third.  Smokes Fury moves to fourth, with KDog Racing in fifth.

This concludes the thrid box set.  The winners for this segment were as follows:

Smokes Fury 1412, Glynn 1393 and O Racing with 1373.

Smokes Fury leads in wins with 3.  ORacing and Glynn are the only drives with over 5 top five finishes, while BAHL and Glynn are the only drivers with double digit top ten finishes.

THE BOXES HAVE CHANGED as we head to go racing at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon.  The Chase is getting closer, and time is running out for drivers to secure a spot.  Therefore, I think we can expect the running of the Camping World RV Sales 301 to be every exciting.

Jeff Burton is back in the 66 Toyota this week, and Morgan Shepherd is in the #33 Chevy.  Brian Vickers is your defending champion.

They expect to place the field under green at approximately 1:15PM on Sunday.  Good Luck.

Week 17 Commentary

Brad Keselowski dominated the 4th Annual Quaker State 400 presented by Advance Auto Parts at Kentucky Speedway on Saturday night. 

Pup N Suds scored the win from the Bluegrass State.  Blue 7 Racing, The Blue Deuce, Blind Squirrel Racing and Boris Head Racing rounded out the top 5.

There were limited races making major moves on way of the other, with Lisa Las Vegas and Blue 7 gaining and Daily Habit and CF Canes losing 5 or more spots.

Glynn has taken the lead outright, pulling away from Team Taser.  No Ones Beatch is third, with KDog Racing fourth and Man In Black Racing fifth.

With a return trip to Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night for the running of the Coke Zero 400, we bring out the restrictor plate, which opens the opportunity for some big point swings if selected drivers end up in the big one.

Coke Zero 400

It is always exciting on the high banks. The Labonte brothers will be racing this weekend, with Terry in the #32 and Bobby running the #33 Chevrolet SS.  Michael Waltrip will be in the #66 Toyota Camry.

Of course, we will be pulling for Brian Vickers this weekend, as he will be piloting the #55 Aarons Toyota Camry honoring the 2014 College Football National Champion Florida State Seminoles.

Brian Vickers #55 Toyota Camry honoring FSU!

 TNT will have the television coverage, with MRN Radio having radio coverage.  Barney Hall reports the field will be put under green at 7:50PM.

 

We will see on the high banks, and stand on it!

 

BAHL

Week 16 Commentary

It was a wild afternoon at the old Sears Point Raceway as Carl Edwards won the Toyota / SaveMart 350(k) at Sonoma Raceway.

No big issues, other than Matt Kenseth crushing the inside tire barrier after a bump from Junior.  AJ Allmendinger led a bunch of laps was on the way to a great finish when he got bumped, again by Earnhardt, Jr. and his day was essentially done.

The NASCAR ratings are down, but a recent story indicates the sport fares best in the TV Ratings when Cousin Carl is winning.  We posted that story on our Facebook site, but you can read the story HERE.

Considering the breaking news we have reported, again on our Facebook page, that The Home Depot will be leaving NASCAR at the end of the season, the effect of the dwindling eyeballs is now in crisis mode. The Home Depot has been one of the most important sponsors on the circuit, and if you watched Raceday on FOX yesterday, you may have noticed no Home Depot participation and staff remaining in studio.

The loss of The Home Depot to NASCAR, no doubt not a snap decision, is quite concerning.  Needless to say, the economic recovery the media continues to report is fragile.

For Joe Gibbs Racing, many questions arise.  M&M's seems in line with Kyle Busch, but with Home Depot gone, is the potential fourth car for JGR off the table?  Does this impact the potential of Carl Edwards joining JGR, which seems the odds favor, at least until this announcement.  Stay tuned.

While Carl Edwards engaged on his customary back flip, the results were tabulated and Glynn was our weekly winner.  O Racing, BMF Lugnuts, Blind Squirrel Racing were next across the checked line, with the Fords of Big, Lil and Mama's Boy tied for fifth.

Glynn has caught Team Taser, and it looks like the run to the finish by these former champions will be epic.  There are others in contention, but it seems that whenever a team does well, the don't the following week.  Heck, I finished 13th and fell a spot!  Good grief.

Mama's Boy and Luckydog were big mover up in the standings, with Slim Shady, Team Wolf and Burke falling five or more.

The good ole boys are on the way to Daytona, but this Saturday night they stop at Kentucky Speedway for the Quaker State 400.  This will be our fourth trip to Kentucky, with Ford and Chevrolet yet to find victory lane.  Lye Busch and Matt Kenseth have won in Toyota's, with Brad Keselowski winning in Dodge.

The field is scheduled to go green at 7:46PM on TNT.

Good Luck to all!

Week 15 Commentary

Jimmie Johnson, who has not ran particularly well at Michigan, won the Quicken Loans 500 on Fathers Day at Michigan International Speedway.  Speeds were very high throughout the day.

Ricky Racer won the week, followed by ORacing, Team Taser and Eagles Nest.  Glynn and CF Canes tied for fifth.

There were not a lot of major moves in the standings this week.  O Racing was the only racer to pick up five spots, while Jr. Racing and The Blue Deuce, who is having an interesting season, were the only racers to slip five or more spots.

Team Taser continues to run on the point, and without a caution flag, he looks to be the favorite to close the season.  Glynn is second, No Ones Beatch remains strong in the top five at third, whith Man In Black and KDog Racing rounding out the top five.

We hit our first road course this week as we travel out to Sonoma for the running of the Toyota / SaveMart 350(k). While Clint Bowyer was fastest in Happy Hour practice, Jamie McMurray is your polesitter.

I don't know about you, but I have come to like these road course races about as much as any of them.

The field will be put under green at approximately 3:19PM on Sunday.  Coverage will be on TNT.

Keep the shiny side up!

BAHL

Week 14 Commentary

The tricky triangle proved no match for Brad Keselowski on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon.  However, with some trash on the grill, Brad K had to make a move to try to get if off by inching up behind lap car Danica Patrick.

The effort failed, but worse yet, Dale Earnhardt Jr. passed Keselowski and claimed his second win of the season, giving Junior his first mulit-win season since 2004.

Smoke's Fury won the week in the Conway NASCAR League.  K Dog Racing was second followed by WTC Racing.  BAHL and OSteen Racing tied for fourth.

There were only three big movers this week, with Smoke Fury busting into the top ten, and Lil Boy and OSteen Racing making moves.

Jr. Racing, FLYNC5 and Team Hot Stuff Racing all spent time behind the wall and dropped in the standings.

Team Taser continues to show the way, with Glynn second.  No Ones Beatch is third, BAHL fourth and K Dog Racing fifth.

Next up is the Quicken Loans 500 at Michigan International Speedway on in Brooklyn, Michigan on Sunday.  Greg Biffle is the defending champion, and it look like he will show up fresh off re-signing with Roush Fenway Racing.  With that piece placed, and Trevor Bayne coming over to run the #6 Ford, what will happen with Carl Edwards?

The green flag will drop at 1:16PM.

Enjoy your Fathers Day and good luck!

Week 13 Commentary

Jimmie Johnson won his second consecutive race Sunday winning FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks at Dover.

Several drives had a rough afternoon, most notably Kyle Busch.

Glynn is on fire and won the week.  BAHL was second, followed by Little Circle Burner. Pamela's Pistons, Slim Shady and BMF Lugnuts tied for fourth.

BMF Lugnuts was the only drive to gain more than five spots. SPC Racing, ME Racing and Pup N Suds got tangled up in turn two and tumbled down the standings.

Team Taser remains out front, with Glynn second and No Ones Beatch, CosmoD and Man In Black rounding out the top five.

This week we run the tricky triangle at Pocono. The Pocono 400 is scheduled to go green at 1:20PM.  Denny Hamlin is on the pole.

Good Luck!

Week 12 Commentary

Jimmie Johnson passed Matt Kenseth with a few laps remaining to win the Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on a glorious Memorial Day weekend.

Kurt Busch ran very well at Indianapolis, finishing 6th in not only his first Indy Car race, but in the granddaddy of them all, the Indianapolis 500.  Busch began the race running well at Charlotte, but engine failure ended his day of double duty earlier than he would have hoped.

Burke won the week, followed by Team Wolf, O'Steen Racing, CF Canes 7 and O Racing.

O Racing and Team Wolf were the big gainers, while OShea Racing and BMF Lugnuts were the loose wheels of the week.

Team Taser is coasting out front, with Glynn, No Ones, Cosmo and Burke in high speed pursuit.

As we find ourselves in Dover this week, the last FOX broadcast of 2014, it is noted that the
BOXES HAVE CHANGED

For the second segment, the winners are as follows:

1.   Cosmo D
2.   Team Taser
3.   Glynn

The FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks at Dover will is set to go green at approximately 1:15PM.
Brad K is on the pole.

Good Luck!

Week 11 Commentary

Jeff Gordon, who has been running very well in 2014, got his first victory of the season at Kansas Speedway Saturday night, winning the 5-hour Energy 400 Benefiting Special Operations Warrior Foundation

There were a couple of big hits during the race, mots notably a crash involving David Gilliland, who was not seriously injured.  Jamie McMurray had the worst night among the contenders.

Little Circle Burner and 88AMPS tied for the win this week, with Luckydog third, Glynn fourth and FLYNC5 fifth.

Little Circle Burner, 88AMPS and FLYNC5 were our big gainers this week, with Team Wolf and The Blue Deuce blowing engines.

Team Taser continues to show the way with a rather alrge lead, followed by defending champion Glynn, No Ones Beatch, Cosmo and Man In Black Racing.

There is no points race this weekend, but we are in Charlotte for the Sprint All Star race on Saturday night.

We get back to points action on Sunday, May 25, for the running of the Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte on Memorial Day weekend.

Until then, cool the engines!

BAHL

Week 10 Commentary

It is always hair raising when running the high bank 2.66 mile Talladega Superspeedway, where he "big one" always lurks.

There really was not a real "big one", but Brad Keselowski did his best, causing two separate crashes. Somehow, in his 300th start, Denny Hamlin won the race.  Danica Patrick led several laps also.

As is the norm, several contenders got caught up in various cautions and had dismal point days, and as you imagine, that trickled down into the Conway NASCAR League standings.

Team Taser, channeling Awesome Bill from Dawsonville running laps of 212 MPH, blistered the CNL field winning the week going away with a super strong score. Second place Luckydog, was 22 points behind Taser!  JR Racing, KDog Racing and ME Racing rounded out our top five.

Team Taser strengthened his point lead, now 104 points, which is stout to be sure for this juncture of the season.  No Ones Beatch, Glynn, Cosmo and Burke round out the top five.  We may already be nearing the point where Taser will need one of his top drivers to have problems on a couple of weeks.

The standings saw major shakeups in the aftermath of our trip to The White Knuckle Highway. 

Gaining big were JR Racing, KDog Racing, Luckydog, BAHL, SPC Racing, BMF Lugnut Merriweather, ME Racing,  Pup N Suds Racing and Lisa Las Vegas.

Losing ground in the garage area were Pamela's Pistons, Little Circle Burner, Slim Shady Racing, 88 AMPS, O Racing, Chief Racing and Ricky Racer.

Due to Mothers Day this weekend, we will race on Saturday night from Kansas Motor Speedway. With the hometown KC Royals almost out of the pennant race already, it should be a big crowd in greater Kansas City.

The 5-hour Energy 400 Benefiting Special Operations Warrior Foundation is schedule to put the field under green at 7:46PM.  Ryan Blaney will be making a start for Roger Penske in the #12 Ford.

Happy Mothers Day to all and Good Luck!

Week 9 Commentary

It was a rough evening at Richmond International Raceway.

While Joey Logano, who freely admits he has been junk at RIR his entire career, won the race, it was an evil evening for many.  That list included Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer and Tony Stewart, who usually dominates at Richmond, where he collected his first career victory.

ORacing won the week, followed by Cosmo, Chief Racing, Burke and No Ones Beatch.

Gaining positions were ORacing, Boris head Racing, The Blue Deuce, Chief Racing, Ricky Racer and Daily Habit.  Into the wall with tire issues were OShea Racing, Mama's Boy, Team Wolf, Lil Boy, Team Hot Stuff, Pup N Suds and BAHL, who finished shotgun on the field looking for golf balls at the Wingshack charity golf tournament.

Team Taser continues to show the way.  No Ones Beatch, Glynn, Burke and Man In Black Racing round out the top five.

This week we hit the old Indian burial ground at Talladega Superspeedway in Sweet Home Alabama as we run the Aaron's 499 on Sunday afternoon. It will be wild, with the green flag scheduled to drop at approximately 1:20PM.

Stand On It!

Week 8 Commentary

The Lady in Black left her mark on a number of racers Saturday night, but Kevin Harvick negotiated the track too tough to tame and bright home the checkered flag passing Jimmie Johnson to get the win.

In the Conway NASCAR League, Smokes Fury won the week.  Cosmo D was second, followed by Pamela's Pistons, Lisa Las Vegas and No Ones Beatch.

While many of our racers lost ground, a handful of our race teams had a dismal evening.  Among those were Ricky Racer, The Blue Deuce, Luckydog and 88AMPS.

There were driver who edged upward, but Smokes Fury, Cosmo D and Fitz Racing are noted as having scored big moves.

Team Taser continues to show the way, followed by Glynn, No Ones Beatch, Man In Black Racing and Burke.

It is Easter weekend, so we know the good ole boys will not be racing on Sunday.  In recent years, we have run on Saturday evening before Easter, but that will not be the case this year.

The next points race is a week from Saturday, April 26th, at Richmond International Raceway.  The Toyota Owners 400 is set to go green at 7:14 PM of FOX.

By the way, ratings have been very poor for NASCAR this season.  Maybe the slew of young drivers, eliminating rides for many of the longtime favorites, is not as popular as NASCAR thinks.

Happy Easter and we will see you at RIR.

Week 7 Commentary

I will say it has been an interesting season so far.

The rain delayed Duck Commander 500, run Monday afternoon, was no exception.  Heck, even jet dryers damaged some cars with air as the field went green under caution while work continued on the track.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., who many of our racers had, made an error regarding rare conditions, crashed the car, caught on fire and finished shotgun on the field.  His goings on damaged Jimmie Johnson as well.  Kevin Harvick, newly positioned over at Stewart Hass, looks like wreckers or checkers so far in 2014.

Joey Logano, who has been strong so far this season, collected his fourth all time win and first of 2014, taking the checkered flag at Texas Motor Speedway.

With most of us at work, I suspect few saw the race. I caught much of it on radio, and have come to one conclusion.

While the lovely Wendy Venturini does fine work reporting from pit road, the gang over at Performance Racing Network, who had coverage of the race, fails miserably to cover the action as well as Motor Racing Network.  It got painful to listen as some points.

The Blue Deuce won the week, followed by Burke, Luckydog ( who was pining for a good run), O Racing and 88 AMPS.

Moving up were Burke and Luckydog, The Blue Deuce, Cosmo, ORacing and Team Hot Stuff.  Several tumbled, inclusive of Eagles Nest, Punch, Chief Racing UFW, ME Racing, Big Boy, Fitz Racing, CF Canes, Ricky Racer and Team Wolf.

Team Taser continues to show the way, with Glynn, Burke, Man In Black and 88AMPS rounding out the top five.

We had two teams roll picks, and we will eliminate duplicates and re-adjust the point totals.  The above commentary addresses the scores as adjusted.

This week we go Saturday night racing at Darlington Raceway, the track to tough to tame, as we run the Bojangles' Southern 500.  A classic to be sure, the Lady in Black will be a handful for these drivers.  The field is scheduled to go green at 6:45PM, so get those picks in.

Good Luck to all.

BAHL

Week 6 Commentary

The tight confines of the famed Martinsville Speedway produces some mighty fine short track racing, but also gets the tempers flaring.  We witnessed some of that between former champs Brad Keselowski and Kurt Bucsh, who ended up taking the checked flag after passing Jimmie Johnson.

O Racing collected a much needed win, out dueling OShea Racing, Eagles Nest, ME Racing and Fox Racing.  A couple of rookies in the top five; nice!  A slew of racers tied for sixth.

Some wild swings were recorded in the point totals as we closed out segment one.  Slim Shady, OShea Racing, Little Circle Burner, BAHL, SPC Racing and ME Racing.  Four drivers ran into some serious hardship, including Cosmo and Pup N Suds, and UFW Chief and Pup N Suds, who lost 17 and 21 spots respectively.  WOW!

Team Taser continues to show the way, followed by Glynn and No Ones Beatch, who are tied for second.  These are the winners of Segment One. Man In Black and Team Wolf rounded out the top five.

Segment One Winners

1.    Team Taser
2.    Glynn
2.    No Ones Beatch.

Winnings for second and third place will be combined and split.

We begin Segment Two, and as such, THE BOXES HAVE CHANGED as the circuit travels to Texas Motor Speedway for the running of the Duck Commander 500.  Yes, the gang from Duck Dynasty is sponsoring the race, so it should be a big time.

The field goes green  at approximately 3:16PM on Sunday.  For those who have run into some bad luck to start off the season, the new box set provides new opportunities to advance win some prizes, so stand on the gas!

BAHL

Week 5 Commentary

In the Nationwide race on Saturday Kyle Busch was unable to overcome Kyle Larson running high and wide at Fontana.

However, in the Auto Club 400 Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, it was Rowdy Busch who held off rookie sensation Larson to collect the win in a race in which many leaders had issues, none more noteworthy than Jimmie Johnson, who led the most laps.

There was controversy before the race even got started.

Denny Hamlin
Photo/Sports Illustrated

Denny Hamlin was having headaches, and was not cleared by NASCAR to race.  That was just fine with Hamlin, as his attention appropriately became his health.  Hamlin spent some time in the hospital, and his health does appear to be somewhat of a concern.  Hamlin, a new father, and his Joe Gibbs Racing team eagerly await results from test performed on Sunday.  We wish Hamlin the best.

The news associated with Hamlin broke after our selection boxes locked, with Sam Hornish announced as his replacement for the race.

We select drivers, not cars in the league.  Therefore, all who selected Hamlin will get no points in that box.  A similar situation happened with AJ Allmendinger a couple years back at the Coke Zero 400.

Before everyone gets worked up about the decision, understand that 41 of the 43 league members had Hamlin.  The two who did not are nowhere near the leaders at this time. 

One was Dr. Jerry Punch, who is no fan of Hamlin.  If Hamlin were the only racer racing, Punch would gladly take a zero for the week.  As such, given Hamlin is really a no brainer in the box he is in, Punch has given away more points already this year than he got by going with Casey Mears this week.  The Blue Deuce had Marcos Ambrose.

Some of our contestants take in all pre-race media and make selections at the last minute.  Some have exhaustive research, some pick car makes and others their favorite drivers.

Had the driver change occurred before the locking of picks, any last minute changes would have been accepted.  Once the picks are locked, you got what you got.

An event like what happened Sunday with Hamlin is very rare.  Keep in mind moving forward, we pick drivers, not car numbers.  Had Hamlin started the race and had Hornish take over, even after only one lap, those who had Hamlin would have gotten the points. That was not the case on Sunday.

Thankfully, it really had no affect on anyone, except the two drivers who did not have Hamlin. For the record, I had Denny Hamlin.

Punch won the week, followed by Daily Habit Racing, The Blue Deuce, Team Taser and CF Canes.

Gaining were several drives, including CF Canes, SPC Racing, Punch, Boris Head Racing, 88AMPS, Team Wolf and Daily Habit Racing.

Losing the draft were Mama's Boy, Luckydog, Team Hot Stuff and BAHL, the only racer to lose over 10 spots. So much for my great start.

The top five remained the same, with former champion Team Taser leading No Ones Beatch, Man In Black, Burke and Glynn.

The last race with the first box set will be this Sunday at Martinsville Speedway as we run the STP 500. Who will win a grandfather clock?  This is perhaps the most successful track for Denny Hamlin, but will he be able to race?

Stay tuned. The field goes green at 1:13PM.

Good Luck

Week 4 Commentary

It was a lengthy day due to rain at Bristol last weekend, with Carl Edwards getting the win.

Burke showed the way in the Conway NASCAR League, winning the week.  Chasing him were CF Canes and Team Wolf with Pamela's Pistons, Fitz Racing, Man In Black and Blind Squirrel Racing tied for fourth.

The standings saw some sizable shifting.

Pamela's Pistons, CF Canes, Burke, Luckydog, Team Wolf, Fitz and Pup N Suds gained big, while BAHL, 88 Amps, OShea Racing, Smoke's Fury, Little Circle Burner, Big and Lil Boy, FLYNC5 and WTC Racing all hit the wall.

The top five also got shaken up.  Team Taser is in the lead, with No Ones Beatch, Man In Black, Burke and Glynn rounding out the top five.

This week we are in California for the running of the Auto Club 400 at California Auto Club Speedway.  The green flag is scheduled to drop at @3:16 PM.

Good Luck to all!

Week 3 Commentary

Lucky in Las Vegas.

With Dale Earnhardt Jr. running out of fuel on the back straightaway, Brad Keselowski bolted by to pick up the win in his #2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion.  Junior limped across the start finish line second, but both drivers have three top 5 finishes to start the season.

Former champion Team Taser tied with Jr. Racing to win the week in the Conway NASCAR League.  Defending champion Glynn was third, followed by Luckydog and ME Racing.

Making big moves on the apron were SPC Racing, Team Wolf, Jr. Racing, OShea Racing, ME Racing and former champion Luckydog.

In the garage area were Little Circle Burner, Fitz Racing, Blue 7 Racing, CF Canes, Punch and  Eagles Nest.

Glynn, continuing his strong performance from 2013, has taken the lead with Team Taser tucked under the back bumper.  BAHL surprisingly remains third, with No Ones Beatch falling to fourth. Man In Black is in fifth.

This week, we find ourselves in Bristol, Tennessee for the running of the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.  Bristol is a fan favorite; where rubbin is racing and tempers flare.  This is the first short track race of the season, so team will be in learning mode much of the weekend. 

As we reported over on or Facebook page, qualifying has been modified due to driver complaints regarding safety.

We also reported on our Facebook page some months back that a college football game will be played in the infield of Bristol Motor Speedway in 2015 between neighbors as the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Tennessee Volunteers have inked a deal.  Coaches Frank Beamer of Va. Tech and Butch Jones of Tennessee will be grand marshals for the race and will give the command to start engines.

The field is scheduled to go green at approximately 1:13PM EST on Sunday.  Don't be late; things happen in a hurry at Bristol.

Keep the fenders clean and good luck!

BAHL 

Week 2 Commentary

After dodging rain drops at The World Center of Racing, the good ole boys headed out to Avondale to run the The Profit on CNBC 500(k) at Phoenix International Raceway.

We had a new style of qualifying, which I did not get a chance to see any of.  What did you guys think if it?

Kevin Harvick seemed the fastest in all the practices but did not make the top qualifying group.  Brad Keselowski was our pole sitter when the field was put under green.

A handful of racers had the field covered, with over half the field a lap down at the checkers.  Kevin Harvick and his #4 Chevrolet SS was a car for the ages, leading the most laps and keeping the rest of the field, including a hard charging Dale Earnhardt, Jr., at bay.

Little Circle Burner won the week in the Conway NASCAR League, followed by teammate Blue 7 Racing with BAHL, Ricky Racer, 88 AMPS and FLYNC5 tied for fourth.

No Ones Beatch retains command of leaderboard; however, is now tied with defending champ Glynn.
BAHL is third, Team Taser fourth and Mama's Boy fifth.

Big movers gaining spots were Little Circle Burner, Blue 7 Racing, CF Canes, FLYNC5 and BMF Lugnuts.

Among those running a lap down this week were SLim Shady Racing, OShea Racing, KDog Racing, WTC Racing, Blind Squirrel Racing and ORacing, who rode Kurt Busch right into the garage area dropping a mind boggling 16 spots.

It is still early, and racers are struggling for friction waiting for the tire pressure to rise up.

Three more races in this segment, and this week we are in Las Vegas for the running of the Kobalt Tools 400.  Jeff Burton is on the entry list, so we look forward to welcoming him back for 2014.

The flag is scheduled to drop at 3:16PM on Sunday.

Good Luck!

Week 1 Commentary

 

With a seemingly capacity crowd of rain soaked fans looking on late into the night at The World Center of Racing, fan favorite Dale Earnhardt, Jr. snapped a 55 race drought by winning his second Daytona 500 a decade after winning his first.

 

After a six and a half hour rain delay, which back in the day would have cost a small fortune for our limo travelers, the race track enhanced the racing as the fans witnessed a 500 for the ages on the high banks.  Amidst the excitement surrounding Earnhardt's big win, it is noteworthy that the rookie class performed quite well.  There were the normal amount of big crashes, and yes, Danica Patrick got taken out in action that was not her fault.

No Ones Beatch won the week with a strong effort, beating Man In Black to the finish line.  2013 Glynn is off to a great start again, scoring third, with BAHL and Team Taser rounding out the top five.  Rookie OShea Racing grabbed a top finish, but incredibly, three racers already find themselves 100 points out of the lead.  They had better call Ray Evernham for some consult.

We have a much smaller group this year as we anticipated.  A mega team of 11 racers last year dropped down to five this fall.  Five racers went bankrupt and were deleted, although we will be attending their hearing as creditors.  Three originals, Budah, FFP and Oiler, were unable to focus each week and placed their race equipment in the barn.  Our racers from Tampa town reduced their team numbers as well.

*********************************************************************************

NOTE ABOUT BOXES (PLEASE READ)

Several competitors inquired about some of our boxes having very few drivers, where everybody was likely to select the same driver.  Although we have always used last seasons points for the first box set, even including racers who died or retired, this year there was such an enormous amount of turnover, it left a few of the boxes non-competitive.

As NASCAR does, we had to evaluate the option of making changes where and when necessary, and have done so in this case.  The following is a synopsis of the changes which will be in effect for the remainder of the first box set, or the next five races.

Boxes 1-6 remain the same.  Box 7 moved three drivers, who did not participate in Speedweeks and are not expected to have a ride anytime soon, to Box 8.  These drivers were replaced by the highest finishing racers at Daytona from Box 8 who have a full time ride.  Bobby Labonte, who finished 15th at Daytona, is expected to make additional starts for HScott Racing and was therefore left in Box 7.  Changes for other boxes, most notably Box 5, were considered but were rejected.

We apologize for making changes in mid-box, but the opinions expressed were overwhelmingly in favor of doing so.  Changes in this regard have been and will continue to be rare, but we reserve the right to offer the most competitive product we can for our participants. 

*********************************************************************************

Junior will be tired from all his media commitments, but we head across the country to Phoenix this week for the running of The PROFIT On CNBC 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.  No word if CNBC's Lary Kudlow will be the grand marshal, but he is certainly worthy.  Carl Edwards is the defending champion.

The green flag is scheduled to drop at 3:15PM EST.  Stand on it!

High Stakes on the High Banks

Speedweeks 2014 over at The World Center of Racing has begun.

A week from today, the week culminates with the 58th running of The Great American Race, the Daytona 500.

Come getcha some!

2013 CNL 2013 Recap

A good time was had by all as we gathered on Saturday, February 1 to enjoy some camaraderie and celebrate the 2013 Conway NASCAR League season at The Belle Isle Bayou.

Owner Andre allowed us free reign in the penny bar, and Berta took very good care of us.  We certainly appreciate the welcome, and the Bayou, with their slew of viewing screens, remains a top spot for eats, drinks and scenic views in our area.

We had a good group attend, and were very pleased to see our 2013 Champion Glynn, who made it over from Florida's eastern seashore to join us; and collect his healthy winnings. Glynn, a former champion, left no quarter for the rest of us in 2013.

Glynn now has two name plates on the Karl Wegner Plaque and is ready to defend his title in 2014.

Among those in attendance were Glynn, Me Racing, Chief Racing, Blind Squirrel Racing Luckydog, The Gas Man, BAHL, Punch, MMSH, ORacing, Cosmo Racing, GBR88, Pamela's Pistons and BMF Lugnuts.


Pictured in conversation from lef to right, Chief Racing, Glynn sandwiched in between the
husband and wife team of O Racing, CosmoD and BMF Lugnuts.

We look forward to another interesting season, so get signed up for 2014.  Ger with us during the week via email, the local watering hole or at the high banks.  We will also be at Budahville prior to The Great American Race to get you signed up,

Keep the shiny side up!

2013 Awards Party and 2014 Signups

The Conway NASCAR League 2013 Awards Party, featuring signups for the 2014 season, will be held Saturday afternoon, February 1, 2014, at 3:30PM at The Belle Isle Bayou.

Owner Andre has cleared some room for us, and we look forward to a nice afternoon.  We have an allocated amount set forth for draft beer and some mighty fine fixins as we celebrate the 2013 season and set our sights on 2014.

 

Please make plans to join us.

 

Please note that, unfortunately, we had a rash this past season of collection issues that resulted in a few racers having been removed from competition and banned from further participation. Although it sounds fun, I am a little too old to pull a Nick Barkley on these deadbeats.  Therefore, moving forward, all competitors will remain parked in the garage area until their entire entry fee is received.  There will be NO EXCEPTIONS, and everyone has over one month to prepare.  If we end up with a 30 racer dash; so be it.

 

We look forward to seeing everyone as we congratulate Glynn for his stellar 2013 performance and gear up for 2014.  The 56th running of the Great American Race is set for February 23, 2014!