High gas prices vs. this race fan going to watch NASCAR at New Hampshire Motor Speedway once or twice a year.

Last weekend, before heading up to Loudon for the Cup Series race, I wrote a preview article for last weekend’s Lenox Tools 301 covering Kevin Harvick, his #29 Shell RCR racing team and his two teammates Clint Bowyer and Jeff Burton and there history at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, after writing that article, I received an interested and yet revealing comment that read:

“Great Article for the entire race weekend. I live in Connecticut and usually try to go to one of the two Loudon races every year and unfortunately this is my first year I will not be going and of course it is due to the high cost of gasoline. It really kills me to miss something that I truly enjoy watching in person and have to settle for sitting in front of my TV, it is just not the same.”

While I was shocked with the comment, I really shouldn’t have been, this is not the first time I have read a comment like this before on the internet and yet it seems to be a common theme with racing fans right now."

I feel for any race fan who has to choose to stay home over taking in a race, whether it’s a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, a Nationwide Series race, a Truck Series race, a Modified race, a IRL, ALMS, NHRA and etc. or just a trip to your local short track due to high gas prices and while this past weekend my father and I did take in our first of hopefully two trips this year to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for last Sunday’s Lenox Tools 301, keep in mind that there is a big difference from this trip to the normal every year trips to Loudon, this time, we were invited as bloggers by Shell to the race to write a second feature on Kevin Harvick and his #29 Shell RCR racing team which you can read here, however, if we were not invited by Shell, the question now is, would we have gone as race fans?

Yes and no, while I have been a race fan, mainly NASCAR since the early 1990’s (thinking 1992), I have never sat in the grandstands for a Cup Series race, both of my Cup Series races have been in Kevin Harvick’s pits via Shell, however I do go up to New Hampshire Motor Speedway once or twice a year for either the Friday practice and qualifying with the Camping World East Series race or on Saturday for Cup Series final practice (happy hour), along with the Modified Tour race and either the Nationwide Series race or Truck Series race and I have done this since before 1999.

The cost is less on those two days and I love watching the modifieds in action, there’s nothing like it and then to top it off with either the Nationwide or Truck Series race is great, it’s a long and exciting day at the race track. My father and I do plan on going back up in September on Friday or Saturday for that very reason even with $4 gallon gas prices and we drive a Jeep Liberty up there which is a 2 and ½ hour ride with $2 tolls one way, but you never know considering food prices and extra money… it’s over $60 to fill the gas tank.

So besides covering Kevin Harvick on race day, what else happened and what about photos? While we were up in New Hampshire, there was so much that happened during the day… starting with walking through the garage area, you couldn’t help but notice the crowds around Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s garage stall, Tony Stewart’s, Jeff Burton’s, what a busy place. In walking around, several teams have little picture cards of the drivers in front of the haulers, the Harvick one was a three photo hologram, nice touch. We also noticed the #7 car of Robby Gordon, his team was wrapping his car with his new sponsor Camping World, interesting sight.

The pre-show of the Motorcycles was a welcome treat, I was even able to snap a few photos in the process of watching it and they even had a band, too much bass for me, I prefer country music, you know Garth Brook, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, just to name a few. One thing that NASCAR really needs to do, is start these races at 1pm, this race after 2pm on the east coast is stupid, the entire race would have been run, yes, all 301 laps would have been finished before the heavy rains came. This is not the first time this has happened and it will not be the last time.

During the race, I ended up sitting on Kevin Havick’s pit box from just after the first pitstop just before lap 70 to the end of the race (around 200 laps total), during that time, I had my camera in hand, taking several photos, what a view, the only picture I couldn’t get was Harvick’s pitstop as I didn’t want to take photos of their operations on top of the pitbox including what was on the computers…that was my own call. I saw the Montoya/Busch wreck on TV, that was funny, Montoya totally took him out and then Busch’s car came back and hit him, that’s funny stuff right there, couldn’t have happened to two more hated drivers in the garage area, nice touch.

After the rains came, and a sight of the lightning behind the grandstands, I quickly climbed down from the pitbox, not the place to be with lightning in the area. We ended up taking shelter in the media center, interesting, Michael Waltrip showed up two minutes later after the race was called, he did an interview with a radio station I think, what did I do, I walked over and got a cold drink and watched the interview, I was only seven feet away, listening to the interview, Mikey, we were in the right place at the right time at the end of the race, then he and the 3rd place driver had their interviews with the rest of the media, unique sight to say the least.

Finally, we left to exit the infield tunnel and then all hell broke loss, since the driveway in front of the tunnel and out to the road was full of fans and was that was for at least one hour or more, we decided to exit were the fans exit via the back road behind the speedway, mistake, we sat in line for 2 hours and get this listening to the Garth Brooks “Ultimate Hits”, both CD’s with over 35 tracks, by the time we left, the 2nd CD had already started over. At one point, we were in a downpour and I though hail at one point. Once we exited the parking lot on to Rt. 106, it took us 2 and ½ hours including stopping for gasoline $57 and food at McDonalds. What a day, SMI needs to fix the parking, there’s no reason for these hold ups on the NHMS grounds.


All photos were taken by me (Brian Vermette) at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this past Sunday (June 29, 2008) throughout the garage area, pits and during the race. (All photos are copyrighted.)

Enjoy, last Sunday was incredible.

- Racedriven

From the Garage to the #29 Pitbox: Shell’s Hot Pass was the perfect spot to watch the race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

All photo were taken by me (Brian Vermette) at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this past Sunday (June 29, 2008) throughout the garage area, pits and during the race except for the pitbox photo which was taken by my father (8racingfan.com) of me sitting on top of the #29 pitbox.

It’s Sunday, race day at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the Lenox Industrial Tools 301, oh yeah, I love it, it’s 8am and my father and I are checking in at the press credentials office to pickup our press passes. (A hot pass to the garage area and pits, a media parking pass and a press pass to the media center and racetrack, and one incredible seat on top of the #29 Shell-Pennzoil Richard Childress Racing Pit box for the race day is what makes up Shell’s Best Seat in the House program on this Sunday.)

I’m not much for parking in the infield media parking, so again we parked in the overflow parking outside and up from the tunnel. While we are walking through the infield tunnel, the three RCR racing teams which include last year’s winner Clint Bowyer, the fall 2000 Cup race winner Jeff Burton and the fastest car in practice, qualified 3rd and the winner of the Sylvania 300 back in 2006 Kevin Harvick, are already hard at work in the garage area since around 7am making the final preparations on their racecars.

Each race team normally uses a two or three-page check list with each team member assigned a particular task to do, from setting up the frontend, checking the engine, transmissions, rear-end gears and etc, checking each nut and bolt, and once finished marked with that team members initials as complete. In walking through the garage area, it didn’t take me all long to find all three RCR race teams, the #31 Lenox Tools Chevy of Jeff Burton was in the second set of garage stalls, the #29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevy was in another garage just after the claw (inspection station) and the #07 Jack Daniels Chevy was either two or three garage stalls down from the #29 car.

All three RCR race team crews had their cars inside their garage stalls, one thing that will make just about anyone walking through the garage area jump, is when the racecars are brought outside the stalls, the rear-ends are put up on jack stands, the engine is running and they hit the gas, the rear tires are spinning, humming at full song, you can hear it all over the garage area, but try standing a couple feet behind the car, what a high pitched sound, that’s cool.

While walking through the garage, I could help but notice just how many things each crew member has to do besides working on the racecar and on Sunday in New Hampshire, mist or light rain was just adding to that list. After checking out the #29, #31 and #07 Chevrolet’s, yes, for some reason I am a Chevrolet man, at least when it comes to NASCAR, we began to head out on pitroad, where all three teams where currently setting up the pit stalls. Bring out those pitboxes, what a setup, open it up, lift the seats in to position, check the air lines, clean the pit stall or in on this day, dry the pits with a blower and yes, a leaf blower, nice touch and lay out the tires behind the pitbox.

Meanwhile, in the garage area, once each team is done setting their cars, it’s off to three inspection stations, we sat next to the third inspection station that was on pitroad, what a sight in itself, up goes each car, just another step. Ironically enough, the first two cars in the third inspection station on pitroad was the #07 and the #31, the #29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet came out not too long after. From there, it’s simply just putting your car on the grid on pitroad and you get ready for driver intros and the green flag (believe me, not that simple.)

The drop of the green flag is next… at this point we are standing at the #29 Shell-Pennzoil Pitbox, headsets on and getting ready to turn them loose. Green Flag is in the air, one help on pitroad is the Sprint-Nextel vision screen behind me where I watched Kevin Harvick go from his starting spot of 3rd to take on the lead on lap 5. From here on out, I was watch the man himself Kevin Harvick and his #29 pit crew including his crew chief Todd Berrier. Just after the first pitstop of four-tires and two cans of fuel, it was my turn to get on top of the pitbox, sitting next to some of the Shell guys, including what looked to be a father and son.

What a sight on that pitbox, there’s nothing like it, you can see the entire front straightaway, most of the pit stalls, pitboxes, the tires laid out and thousands of people walking on pitroad, not to mention the sold out 101,000+ race fans that invaded on New Hampshire Motor Speedway. On the pitbox, I sat in one of the back seats, behind the two pit crew members, the crew chief Todd Berrier and Kevin Harvick’s wife DeLana. Above the front seats are five monitors, two timing and scoring, a Directv Hotpass which had the #31 Jeff Burton covered and two TNT broadcasts (I think), I watched three screens, the Directv Hot pass, the TNT broadcast and the Sprint-Nextel Vision screen behind me.

I watched the crew chief Todd Berrier while I was up on the pitbox, he reminds me of Chad Knaus (#48 crew chief) who follows his racecar around, Todd does mostly the same, walking to the back to see the monitor and his racecar and back to the front. If you notice the picture on the right, my father took that of Berrier, next to Berrier are two guys in the back seat, first is a guy in the white shirt and next to him is another guy in a dark blue shirt with black headset on, that’s me in the blue shirt by the way…

I watched Kevin Harvick all day long, he drove mainly in the top 5 and top 10 most of the race, leading 54 laps, that’s cool, the pit stops during the race where quick and amazing all day including a four-tires, fuel, a trackbar and widget adjustment, boy hats off to the pit crew guys, that was fast from what I saw above. Sadly though, it would be the final pit stop of two tires and fuel which I thought was the right call and still think was the right call, while other cars either got fuel only or stayed out on lap 271, but Kevin Harvick wouldn’t have the chance to get back after it as another caution would came out for another wreck and it rained…hard. The race was called on lap 284 and Kevin Harvick and the #29 team finished 14th, they had a great run all day long, but the 14th finish didn’t do it justice. After the lightning off in the distance, I was jumping off the pitbox and heading to the media center, for our day with Shell that was it.

What an incredible day, I would like to first thank Kevin Harvick, Richard Childress, the entire #29 Shell-Pennzoil RCR Race team and RCR Racing for leading my father and I in for the day, also I would like to thank Shell, Edelman PR, Sam Brown for leading my father and I take in Shell’s Best Seat in the House for a second time and a special thanks to Judy and a nice women in the media center, who fixed the little problem we had. See yeah!

- Racedriven

Sights set on New Hampshire Motor Speedway for RCR Driver Kevin Harvick as the Race to the Chase begins.

Photo taken by me (Brian Vermette) at New Hampshire last September on pit road before the start of the Sylvania 300.

With the road course in the Sonoma Valley in the record books, now it’s the Magic Mile’s turn, New Hampshire Motor Speedway will play host to two important races this season and this weekend’s race marks the start of the Race to the Chase, a 10-race strength covering all four types of racetracks from the superspeedway in Daytona next weekend, the famous yard of bricks at Indianapolis, the 2-mile high banks of Michigan, the historical road course in Watkins Glen, the 90+ degree heat night race at California Speedway and the good old short track action under the lights at Bristol and finally ending up at the final cut-off race for the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship at Richmond.

For Richard Childress Racing, all three of his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have visited victory lane at least once their Cup Series careers from Jeff Burton leading all 300 laps back in the fall of 2000, NASCAR fans may remember that race for three simple words, can you say “restrictor plate racing” on the “Magic Mile”, nevertheless, he passed polesitter Bobby Labonte and never looked back all day long, to the most recent RCR winner Clint Bowyer, who was the dark horse driver going into last year’s Chase races gave everyone something to talk about when he started from the pole and dominated the race to pickup his first Cup Series career victory, what a performance.

However, when it comes to RCR drivers not only running well, but visiting victory lane in New Hampshire not only in the Cup Series, but in the now Nationwide Series, one driver stands out, Kevin Harvick, he seems to be right at home on the flat-track with first a runner up finish to Carl Edwards in 2006, a race that I was watched in the grandstands at the start/finish line where Carl Edwards got out to a good lead after a pitstop, while Kevin Harvick who was faster at times over Edwards was running him down, but couldn’t caught him in the closing laps, that was a good battle for the victory and then last year, Harvick did one better by not only starting on pole (3rd pole at NHMS, 4th if you count the rain out in 2003), but this time nothing would stop him as Harvick won the race over none other than Carl Edwards.

While Kevin Harvick has had good success in now the Nationwide Series on Saturday, he has had his fair share of success on Sunday in the Cup Series races with winning from the pole in the Sylvania 300 back in 2006 driving the #29 Reese car to victory. Last year at now NHMS, he finished 8th in the July race and 17th in the September race.

For the September race where his teammate Clint Bowyer won, I was sitting on top of his pitbox (courtesy of his sponsor Shell) and he was running up in the top 10 (around 7th place or so) most of the day with somewhat an interesting handling racecar and if it wasn’t for that blown right front tire, he would have finished somewhere in the top 10 easily.

On that very day, I had the privilege courtesy of Shell and Edelman PR of doing a raceday feature on Kevin Harvick from the final prep work in the garage, thru the three inspection bays (at least from what I saw) to how he did throughout the race, which was called “From the garage to the pits: The Best Seat in the House in New Hampshire.” I never know just how much goes on race morning, from making sure the motor is tuned just right, to the little changes to the setup and just what the pit crews have to do before, during and after the race in such a tight area.

I can’t begin to describe just how tight it is down on pitroad during a Cup Series race and for those crew member to only check tire pressure, but to go get fuel each time and return a used set of tires to the garage area, the traffic on that little road behind the pits is even worse than what’s on pitroad, hat’s off to the crews too.

Now going into Sunday’s Lenox Tools 301 at NHMS (yes that’s an extra mile – would have made a difference last year), these next 10-races for RCR Racing are huge, not just to keep Jeff Burton who is 2nd in NSCS points -103 back from the leader “Shrub” and his teammate Clint Bowyer who is 10th in NSCS points -484 behind the leader in the top 12, but these races are huge for the Shell driver himself Kevin Harvick, who now finds himself 13th in NSCS points and in a fight to get back in the top 12 before Richmond, but never count Harvick out and with his stats at New Hampshire, what a perfect place to start.

For this blogger/writer, this Sunday in New Hampshire, I will have the privilege courtesy of his sponsor Shell and Edelman PR of not only doing a second feature on Kevin Harvick and the entire #29 Shell RCR Racing team, but following all three RCR Sprint Cup Series drivers in their quest to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship, but make no mistake, Kevin Harvick is the man on Sunday I will be watching and I am looking forward to sitting up on Kevin Harvick’s pitbox as he goes for another victory at the “Magic Mile”.

And if you are going up to New Hampshire as a fan this weekend, we all know how high gasoline and diesel prices are right now, so be sure to check out this article called “How to stretch a gallon of gasoline” before you go, it just might help. Good luck to Kevin Harvick and his teammates Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer on Sunday, see yeah at the race.

- Racedriven

Should NASCAR consider one Cup date per track for the future NASCAR Cup Series Schedule?

Now let me state the obvious, I am a huge NASCAR fan that has been watching the sport since the early 1990’s, I’ve watched drivers like Jeff Gordon make his first Cup Series start at the 1992 Hooters 500 in Atlanta, while at the same time, same race, watched Richard Petty in his last race. Since those days in the NASCAR, there has been a lot of changes to the NASCAR landscaping which has included not only adding several racetracks, but also the removal of North Wilkesboro and Rockingham just to name a few.

In recent years or even recent weeks, the talk has been centered around not only NASCAR vs. the Kentucky Speedway with them wanting a Cup date while NASCAR saying that that market already has several dates, but shortening the schedule which brings up many new issues and now with souring gasoline and diesel prices, NASCAR and track owners are finding themselves with empty seats, but yet at the same time, higher television ratings which I’m not surprised with considering the racing at most tracks have better this year and people just can’t afford it.

I can say from personal experience that in this household, my father and I normally go to New Hampshire Motor Speedway twice a year (either Friday or Saturday, I like the Modified Tour), however when it comes to this year, 2008, we are limited to going just once a year which for this year will be at the end of this month (June 29th) for the Lenox 301, I have also read more and more from fans saying the same thing while others are saying they will be there everytime, so what should the future schedule look like?

The idea floating around in NASCAR not only among fans, but the media and other personalities is to shorten the Cup Series schedule by only having one Cup date per racetrack… That isn’t a bad idea, NASCAR fans really want to see a mix of types of tracks and not just cookie cuts tracks which are 1.5 milers, so here’s what could be the future NASCAR Cup Series schedule though the eyes of this NASCAR fan.

The one Cup date per track would be great and I am all for it, however the rule needs a couple of exceptions, like what? What about Daytona, Charlotte, Richmond, Bristol, Martinsville, Texas (because there are no Cup dates within a reasonable distance away), New Hampshire (because New Hampshire is the only racetrack in New England and it has good attendence) and Las Vegas all have two dates. Wait what about Talladega? There would be two races in Alabama, one at Talladega Superspeedway and the other at Dale Earnhardt Jr “signature” track at the Alabama Motorsports Park in Mobile, AL which is a 7/10-mile lighted asphalt D-shaped oval with progressive banking on turns (Good addition to the schedule).

Now this would mean the rest of the schedule would be one date per track including Watkins Glen, Pocono, Dover, Atlanta, Phoenix and etc. and in turn, this would make room for tracks like Iowa Speedway, an existing track up in Seattle or even Portland Raceway as well as maybe Kentucky (even though the market would still be pretty full). Like I said, a mix of types of tracks and not just cookie cuts tracks which should include three superspeedways, three road course and one Canada race (maybe Circuit Gilles Villeneuve or in Alberta).

What about the Chase to the Cup series Championship races? I’m thinking something like: New Hampshire, Atlanta, Talladega, Kansas, Charlotte, Infineon Raceway (or another road course), Martinsville, Texas, Iowa, Homestead-Miami and with the exception of New Hampshire because they have a good date there, it would be in no particular order, but don’t put Atlanta in November, I don’t know what the weather is there.

So the idea is out there and from where I sit, this would work pending that each venue is updated regularly and does well in ticket sale. As far as tickets goes right now, just put them at a reasonable price so a family of four will be able to afford it.

- Racedriven

Speedway Expo kicks off the 2008 Northeast racing season, but how was it?

Image taken by me: Tony Stewart's 1980's Hearse at the Unique Whips booth.

There isn’t a year that goes by that up here in the Northeast that we don’t have a Motorsports expo of some kind that kicks off the next racing season, in the past, the show was called Racearama, that was held mainly at the Big E in Springfield, Massachusetts, last year it was the first annual Speedway Expo and this year, it was no different with the second annual Speedway Expo, however unlike the last year's, this past weekend’s wasn’t much to really talk about.

Before we even got on the road, we already had a problem, we had to try and find two $5.00 off admission coupons at an Sunoco station that carried them and believe me when I say it, only Springfield stations might have them, no such luck, all out, you think considering we are on there mailing list and have a Sunoco credit card, it would be easier, nope, full admission for both my father and I, $15 each, plus $5 parking fee, great $35 dollars plus tolls, food at McDonalds (yeah twice eating there) and of course gas at $3.15 a gallon.

So what was and wasn’t on there? Well since we were forced to go Sunday Morning, Will Castro from Unique Whips with Tony Stewart’s Custom black hearse was on hand, what a creation, I’ve never seen anything like it, we passed it three times because of its location and we walk around twice, they had the Sunoco OCC built Chopper, nice one there, very detailed, that must be fast, but those spokes are tiny and three #40 Matt Kobyluck Mohegan Sun Resort Chevrolet Monte Carlo, yeah I said three including one at the newly renamed New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s booth. At the third booth, the guy asked me if he wanted him to move for picture of the #40 car, my reply, no need, this is the third time I had seen it at this show and already have several photos, he said, yeah, Kobyluck’s team got requests for three show cars.

Well, with that said, I ask to the organizers, were was more of the NASCAR Modifieds and the Camping World East Series Cars including last year’s East Champion and winner of the Toyota Showdown in California Joey Logona’s car, how about more racing collectibles, I’m just saying, where was everything?

All in all it was an interesting show, but having to pay full admission, parking fee and not having a lot there in a smaller space, it wasn’t worth it and since we got there just after 10am, we were home before 1:30pm with a little over a hour drive, go figure, good Cup series race, second place for Dale Jr.. I’ll think about going next year.

Image taken by me with my Kodak EasyShare DX6490:


Left: Rear view of Tony Stewart's Unique Hearse, Right: Sunoco Orange County Chopper.


Left: Todd Szegedy's No. 2 Wisk-Snuggle Modified Tour car, Right: #4 Modified Tour car and #40 Matt Kobyluck Mohegan Sun Resort Chevrolet Monte Carlo East Series Car.

Hopefully I will have more photos soon, but check out that hearse with the blue led's on.

- Racedriven

Should fans be thinking about Jimmie Johnson winning a 3rd straight Cup Series Championship now and if not, what then?

This past Monday on the season premiere of NASCAR Now, I couldn’t believe it when they asked “Will Jimmie Johnson win his third straight Cup Series Championship?” why? Why would you ask that, when did it become Richmond in September… This would be one of the last things I’m thinking about going into the new NASCAR season.

What about the fact that the Budweiser Shootout is this Saturday night or that the Gatorade Duel is next Thursday or even the fact that the 50th running of the Daytona 500 is a week from Sunday, yeah what about those.

So in light of that question, what might fans be thinking about going into the new season:

First, Dale Earnhardt Jr. driving for Hendrick Motorsports with a new number, sponsors and mostly new team., the only things that stayed the same was his crew chief Eury Jr., a couple members of his crew and he’s driving a Chevrolet. As a Dale Jr. fan, I am hoping for a good season and that that Hendrick equipment that has won the last two championships will stand up. I’m not making any predictions here, ok many one, a victory.

Second, The Car of Tomorrow becomes the 2008 full season car and no matter what fans say, NASCAR isn’t getting rid of it and we are stuck with it. I have heard that teams have worked with it to make it turn left better. However, I hope it makes racing better all season long and yes even from Atlanta to Martinsville and all out to Sonoma road course. I just wish it looked better.

Third, What about the Open Wheelers coming in, I mean you have former IRL Champion & Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti (with wife Ashley Judd – thanks 4ever3 for reminding me) driving the #40 Dodge for Ganassi Racing, former IRL & CART standout Patrick Carpentier driving the #10 Dodge for GEM, former F1 stand out Jacques Villeneuve driving the #27 Toyota for Bill Davis Racing (heard on SPEED, not full season deal yet with sponsor?) and of course the driver who made news for getting owner points from teammate Kurt Busch, Sam Hornish Jr. will drive the #77 Dodge for Penske Racing.

Predictions for the Open Wheelers, its too early to tell with the exception of Daytona, California and Las Vegas testing and I would have to say they will struggle for the first half of the season at least until they really get the stock car experience they need first. They all should have been starting off in the Truck Series or Nationwide Series for at least one full season if not two.

Four, How will Toyota do this season considering they signed Joe Gibbs Racing with two-time Sprint Cup Champion Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin and new comer Kyle Busch.? I have to say, second year out of the gate and I see them winning at least one race and contending in the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship. The question now is, who will be the first driver to win for Toyota? Thinking Stewart or Busch, yes Kyle Busch.

Fifth, what about the Nationwide Series? Should this series be named the Nationwide GS Series? GS stands for Grand Sport. That’s round one, the series needs a name like Truck or Cup. Second is a better car, pony cars maybe the answer or Sport Compact cars like the Cobalt SS, Focus, Caliber SRT4 and Scion tC (Toyota Matrix). That’s enough for now, I’m still thinking and I will have a column on it soon.

Sixth, The television package – mainly ESPN/ABC, All I got to say is all fans should be able to watch there races live and I mean watch them on television live even if the race goes over the schedule time frame – I’m talking to some of those ABC affiliates who decided to leave the race despite the fact that the race wasn’t over. The Daly Planet has a great article on this that everyone should read. That’s enough for now, I’m still thinking and I will have a column on it soon.

Seventh, oh boy, will the Hendrick Motorsports domination continue? Don’t be surprised if between the four drivers, they win 18 races (around half the cup series schedule), I know I wouldn’t be.

Eighth, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, what its future going to hold, Cup dates? A possible NHRA date? A redesign of the speedway? Lower ticketr prices, what? I really don’t have the answer for this one, all I can say is late June will be interesting when I go up for the Nationwide Series race and the Modified Tour race.

Ninth, will Juan Montoya spin out his new teammate Dario Franchitti going for a victory or will it be the other way around. Its always a big question mark to see who will challenge Juan Montoya next or who will challenge him.

And with all that said, finally number ten, who will be in the top 35 in owners points going into Martinsville and who be out? Drivers to watch on the bubble include Kyle Petty, Sam Hornish Jr., and Paul Menard to name a few. Time will tell.

As for the Jimmie Johnson winning his 3rd straight Cup Championship? If he does, it will be huge, however he has to deal with his over two teammates – Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. plus maybe other teams including Gibbs Racing…

- Racedriven

From the garage to the pits: The Best Seat in the House in New Hampshire.

A garage and pit hot pass, media parking, access to the media center, victory lane and one incredible seat high atop the #29 Shell-Pennzoil RCR Racing Pitbox for the day is what makes up Shell’s Best Seat in the House for the Sylvania 300 at the New Hampshire International Speedway last Sunday.

This is just the experience that this NASCAR fan and blogger took in for the first chase race and what an experience it was. It’s a day like no other for this blogger with a walk though the infield tunnel and up into the infield and down though the parking and campers right into the Cup Series garage area were the seen is a buzz with activity that all leads up to the huge 300 lap race. Walking though the garage with passes and camera in hand and Cup cars being prepared, there it is, the #29 Shell-Pennzoil RCR Chevrolet in its small garage being prepared with its race setup and testing every nut and bolt including once raising the rear-end and supporting it with jack stands and running the engine in drive to test all componients, what a sweet sound that V8 engine is and then its gone, off to the first of three inspection stations.

From there Down around the garage to the what is referred to as the claw to check the templates and then though the height stick and finally on to pitroad for final inspection before placing the car in its starting position on pitroad, meanwhile the rest of crew is going between the hauler, the garage and down pitroad setting up the pitbox and laying out the numerous sets of tires used all in preparation for this one race. During this, the driver is busy off on media and sponsor appearances though out the speedway including up in the suites.

All this time, I explored first in the garage area grabbing photos of the crews working on the cars and then it’s off for a tour of the media center. It’s interesting walking though the media center checking out all of the broadcasts, writers, announcers and more and on the way out getting lunch and an ice tea. Finally on pit road for what is going to be a long exciting day.

Once on pitroad and I’ve grabbed photos of some pit boxes and the 43 car starting lineup, the crowds in the grandstand started to fill-in and its finally 1:30pm. It’s driver intros and just as soon as it’s over with the trales, stage and trucks disappearing, all of the drivers are in there cars. As of the now, pit road is so crowded with thousands of people with hot passes and the #29 crew filling up tires once more, filling the fuel cans and laying out four tires and two cans of fuel for the first pitstop.

Gentelmen start your engines as I take position in the #29 pit just as the green flag flies. Once the first caution flies (which was the competition caution at lap 35), it was the first of many pit stops for the #29 team. However the #29 crew and driver had a lot more going on this day besides just running a race, as it was the first chase for the Nextel Cup Championship, they were also on Directv Hot Pass and were the ABC-ESPN In-car race reports. Shortly after the first pit stop, I would climb the latter on the #29 pitbox right behind the crew chief Todd Barrier. I only stayed up on the pitbox for a short, but it was worth it as the Shell pit was busy with a potential sponsor. Once on top of the pitbox, you can see the entire frontstraight, down into turn 1 and 2 and on the opposite side turns 3 and 4.

What a pitbox, a total of seven TV screens with five being up top with live timing and scoring, Directv and ABC’s NASCAR coverage. In front of me was Todd Barrier and on the other side was a crew member and Kevin’s wife DeLana with one working lap times and the other working pit strategy.

Unfortunately while driving in the top 10, Harvick cut a tire down and had to pit early, but rebound for a while. Once again the #29 pit crew fired off four tires and fuel in less than 14 seconds and Harvick’s off. From what I got to hear on the scanner, Harvick and his crew chief were busy with trying to fix the frontend turning problem for some of the race and being ABC’s in-car reporter.

Following lap 200 it was time for the last pit stop and once again four tires and fuel in less than 14 seconds. Unfortunately Harvick would finish 17th, first car a lap down while his RCR teammate Clint Bowyer dominated the entire field and leading the most laps to capture his first Cup Series victory. In celebration, Clint smoked everyone with huge donuts and off to victory lane.

All in all, what an incredible experience for this huge NASCAR fan and blogger, oh yeah did I mention my father who is also a blogger came with me and as we headed out though the infield tunnel and outside the speedway, we left as we came in with huge smiles.

I would like to thank Shell-Pennzoil with there Best Seat in the House program including Sam and Judy, Shell’s PR company Edelman PR, driver Kevin Harvick, owner Richard Childress and the entire #29 RCR Racing team for letting us be in the pits, we both had a great time and what an experience.

Sights set on New Hampshire for first Chase to the Nextel Cup Championship race on Sunday.

Picture taken by me last June at NHIS Saturday event.

The sights are set on tomorrow's NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race in Loudon, New Hampshire for the Sylvania 300 as it's the first Chase for the Nextel Cup race.

Congrats to Clint Bowyer on grabbing the pole for the 300, the other chase contenders are starting well throughout the field including Martin Truex jr. will lineup second right behind Bowyer with 3rd is Kurt Busch, 4th is Jimmie Johnson, 6th is Tony Stewart, 8th is Kevin Harvick which he is also the defending winner of this race, 11th is Carl Edwards, 12th is Kyle Busch, 14th is Denny Hamlin, 18th is Jeff Gordon, 23th is Jeff Burton and last, but could be the spoiler for the championship starting 30th is Matt Kenseth. Let's hope for a better start then last year.

Tomorrow's race also marks something big for this racing fan as I will be attending my first Cup Series race and what a place to do it at, I have been going to New Hampshire International Speedway since the late 1990's (1998-1999) but for mainly either Friday's action with the Nextel Cup qualifying and a Busch East event or Saturday's action for Cup practice followed by the Modified Tour and either a Busch Series or Truck Series race. All I can say is I'm excited and look back here next week for my post article on taking in the NASCAR experience.

Looking beyond as next week promises to be huge for NASCAR with two big announcements, first on Tuesday is Kasey Kahne's sponorship announcement which should be Budweiser, the speculation is Bud Light will be on the car, who really knows, either way Budweiser made a good choice after departing as Dale Earnhardt Jr's sponsor at season's end.

Specking of Dale Jr., on Wednesday in Dallas, TX, he is set to make his final announcement on his move from DEI to Hendrick Motorsports next season of his sponsor and car number. Speculation is that the number could be either #81 or #88 with his sponsor being a PepsiCo product - Mountain Dew and Amp Energy Drink for half the season and National Guard on his car for the other half of the season. There is even more out there that DuPont will be involved in someway. Anywhich way, on Wednesday morning, everything hopefully will be made official.

Well I'm off to NHIS to the race.

Taking in NASCAR in New England last Saturday at NHIS

What a day last Saturday at New Hampshire International Speedway, taking in what is referred to as the NASCAR experience. Going twice a year to New Hampshire for NASCAR is just what a vacation should be, a day long trip up and back for a couple of hours to watch the Modifieds and the Busch Series live in action.

I have to say driving up was a lot better on Saturday than once thought it would be and so was parking. This time around we got there somewhat early and grabbed a parking spot down by the entrance which means that we would have to walk what I would say a good mile just to get the tickets and then a good mile down in back for collectibles and we all now that’s one hot items after another.

Finally one can rest and just in time for the Nextel Cup Series Final Practice (11:30am) and with scanner in hand, that’s fun. I mostly listened to Dale Jr’s radio and boy he wasn’t happy with his car during that practice session, it just kept going tighter and tighter in the corners.

Specking of the Car of Tomorrow, this was my first time to see the COT in person and in action and you know it is interesting, but ugle, the rear wing to me isn’t even the problem, but I can’t say the same for the frontend, that spliter and the weird look is just not what you want to see. I will say walking around the speedway, I really didn’t see the COT showcar anywhere for me to take a close up view of it and pictures weren’t all that possible neither.

The main reason for going up on Saturday was to watch the Modifieds in action, but this one just had a bad flavor to it, they just couldn’t stop wrecking and one driver just dominated what green flag laps they had. If that wasn’t enough, NASCAR cut the race by 15 laps because it was so-called getting to close to the Busch Series race. It left me wanted me in action.

Now the opposite can be said for the Busch Series race, the opening introduction had to campers out front on track and there was also the 10 minute wait after that, but once this sprint race got underway, it wasn’t bad. There were cautions and even a red flag, but for me I, after 4 hours of sitting in the grandstands under the hot sun, I was cooked. I ended up watch and listening to race from under the grandstands for about 100 laps just to cool off including during Eric in the #0 Hefty crash sending him along the turn 3-4 riding the safer barrer walls and coming back down on all four.

In the end, the battle for the victory was heating up, but Carl Edwards just couldn’t do anything with Kevin Harvick with the laps remaining and Harvick won leading most of the laps, what a performance by Kevin Harck and his first Busch Series New Hampshire victory from what the track said. That’s hard to believe considering how domanate he was last year and in years past.

I even managed to buy a new CFS 1/24 diecast on my way out of none other than Mark Martin’s #01 U.S. Army Car of Tomorrow and what a look that has. My father bought the MA version of Tony Raines #96 COT, boy what a difference between manufacturers. Luckly for me, after a long day I got home just in time for the Truck Series race on television and to rewatch the Busch Series race that I so called Tivoed.

What a day and I’m now getting over the sunburn, I can’t wait til NASCAR returns in September, I might just be taking in my first Cup series race on that Sunday, now that’s cool. See Yeah!

Taking in the NASCAR Experience Saturday at NHIS

Well here we are, the beginning of the chase for the championship and to me that means my second and final trip of the year to New Hampshire International Speedway for Saturday's Nextel Cup Series Practice, the second to last Busch East Series race of the year and the Craftsmen Truck Series 200 lapper. Here we go...

This time around, we decided to change a couple of things from going up in July, we decided to leave a little earler to beat traffic and find a different place to park. Leaving alittle earlier was better with a shorter commute time than normal as too the traffic on Rt. 106 was lighter than normal with the expextions of a couple of closs calls. One we got to the speedway, we decided to park in what is called the "H1 lot", whicgh is located further back from the speedway which is down at the exit and the corner gas station. I think it is the Shell Station. From there, it is a longer walk than parking behind the backstrenght, but I had an open mind going in. The walk took us from durt to a paved road straight through the campers section that came out right across from the skool booth. Long, but not bad.

By the time we went through the trailers and speecking of the trailers, the Ford Racing Trailer had an interesting diecast, a Stage III Roush Mustang 1/18 in Black or Red for $60. I had to think abou that one. Beside that, I wanted to see what was in the other trailers. After that...

We sat down in the stands and watched the last 10+ minutes of the Final practice for the Nextel Cup Series.

Noon Time....

The first of two races were about to start, the Busch East series and from the drop of the green flag, this race was a nightmare, with nothing but caution after caution with little green flag racing in between. This arce would be shortened because of time restrictions of the TV coverage for the NASCAR Craftsmen Truck Series race set to start at 2pm. Althoughtout this race, I was listen to a scanner, which was on the #44 Sean Caisse with crew chief and car owner Andy Santerre plus the spotter high atop the roof behind me. The traffic during race was almost always on between the spotter and driver Sean Caisse. Unfortunity, Sean Caisse's Power Steering was giving him problems from the green locking up on him and at one point lockup and sent him spinning. That sent him to the back and with more trouble to come. For Caisse, his heated battle with Matt Kobyluck once again came back out with both of them going into turn 3 early on and making contact with Kobyluck pinching him down, making contact with Caisse's car sending Kobyluck into the wall. Caisse said he backed off, but it was to late. This was not over...later in the race, Kobyluck would find Caisse once again for the simply payback. Kobyluck returned the hit with once off of turn 2 and then again going into turn 3 sending Caisse into the wall and Kobyluck to the trailer, parked by NASCAR. From there, the radio traffic was very intense, alot of it I can't repeat. Caisse would battle back to finish 14th, that run it with Kobyluck and the power steering may have just cost the #44 Caisse the championship. Caisse was the class of the field and might have won or came close too it.

In the end at 1:35pm, it was called 15 to go, it was "Kelly Moore surviving a caution filled race to win at NHIS". Race distance was 102 laps of the originally scheduled 125 lapper.


On to the Craftsmen Truck series 200 lapper...I enjoyed this race, it had cautions every now and then, but nothing like the Busch East race, During thuis race, I listened to Johnny Benson's radio and the Radio broadcast, plus acouple of minutes of the TV broadcast. Johnny doesn't say much on the radio, you will here the spotter from time to time, and may be the crew crief, but what restrant. Mark Martin would be the odd man out with ahving to nurse a beat up truck to finish 10th after bring the jack around the racetrack under the truck. THis race belonged to Johnny Benson, he was unstopable, after making pit stops, Johnny found himself back a litte ways in the field and after battling Bodine for several laps, with around 50 to go, made a clean pass asn setting his sights on leader Kyle Busch. Benson ran him down and made the pass. All I can say is "Johnny Benson cruises to his four victory of the season, what a race." He is still in it for the Truck Series Championship.

Finally, on the way out, I purchased the Stage III Roush Mustang 1/18 scale Black edition, I like it. Anyway, we walked back through the campers to the durt path back to our car. Once there, it took us less than five minutes from pulling out of the space to getting onto Rt. 106. Much better than in July with a three hour wait. I will parking in that area again next June/July. Maybe I will finally take in my first Nextl Cup Series race. July or September I am in, either way, I will be going up in both June/July and September as I always do every year.

See Yeah!

The Highs and Lows Saturday at NHIS

This NASCAR fan's view at NHIS from behind the fence.

This past Saturday I got the chance to take a day trip to New Hampshire International Speedway to take in the days action. After a three hour car trip up from Massachusetts and getting there for 10:30am or so, I sat through the final practice section for the Nextel Cup Series. Beyond that, I watched a little of the Busch Series qualifying for the Busch 200, but the time it was over, I didn't not even know most of the line beyond who took the pole.

Once 1pm come around, those grandstands were packed...pictured above is Tony Stewart "Smoke's" #94 Modified.

The main event and the real reason that I went up to NHIS was the Whelen Modified Tour, anytime I get the chance to watch the modifieds in action at NHIS I will grab at the chance to and this time for the New England 100, I was not disappointed, the Modifieds put on a incredible show from start to finish. This past Saturday's 100 laper had a bonus in it, two Nextel Cup drivers, Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart, qualifyied mid-pack in a 42 car field. This was a great race almost from the begin for the regulars, Carl edwards climbed up to fourth or fifth before a earlier wreck with the wall somewhere out of view of my seat sent Edwards to the garage and retired from the field, he would finish 39th. For Tony Stewart, I watch him come up through the field twice after a two mid-race pitstops, with just under 10 laps to go, stewart was battling for second and trying to go for the lead when going into turn 3, he got hit and ended up in the grass and on the aprin to save his car, Stewart would end of finishing in the 9th position, but the race would come down to the regulars, just when the fans would see an incredible race for the victory, the caution flag came out and the race ended under under the yellow flag. What a shot in the air for the racing fans, no one in the grand stands was happy with that at all. It was announced that RON YUHAS had won the race and he even went to victory lane, but later on, it was JOHN BLEWETT, III being declaired the winner of the New England 300.

Official Results: 1. JOHN BLEWETT, III, 2. JAMES CIVALI, 3. REGGIE RUGGIERO, 4. ED FLEMKE, JR, 5. MICHAEL STEFANIK, one note, TED CHRISTOPHER finished 7th.

Again, the modifieds was the race that I wanted to see and for the most part except for ending the race under the yellow, the modifieds was great to see...see yeah in September.


Clint Bowyer in the #2 beats out Denny Hamlin in the #20 on an early pitstop.

As for the real main event to lots of people, the Busch 200 was up next, for the bUsch race, I didn't find this race as good as I found the modified race, sometime during the race, it was just boring with follow the leader as the Nextel Cup guy domanated the race. Kyle Busch, who started on the pole, got bowed during the introductions, lead in the early laps, before giving up the lead to Clint Bowyer, Bowyer lead through most of the race until he got caught out pitting under green with the caution coming out just a couple of laps later. the real action was in the final laps with Carl Edwards leading with 2 laps to o and Mr. Busch Series Kevin Harvick tried to close the gab, but just ran out of laps and Carl Edwards got redemption from crashing out of the Modified race as he held on to get the victory.

For both my father and I, the day was not over, we left the grand stands right after the checkered flap waved to go home, I was dead on my feet, 90+ degree temperatures, humid and partly to mostly cloudy, we still got roasted, of course we sat in the grand stands from 1pm (the start of the Modified race) until 5:30, when the Busch race ended.

Here's the low...the NHIS parking, we parked behind the backstraight around turn 3 and the traffic getting out was horrible, we idealed in the parking lot moving a 10th of a minute for 1.5 hours to 2 hours to squize out one gate two cars wide. This was a nightmare...NHIS needs to fix its parking, getting into the speedway along route 106N was bad enough on a two lane blacktop squeezed one more lane using the breakdown lane, but the parking, coming in, was lots of NHIS employees parking cars, but on the way out, there were no NHIS employees helpping us leave. I turned a great day trip into hell and we still had a three hour drive home. When I go in September, we will find a different place to park...that simple.

See Yeah!

"My Take" The NASCAR Experience at NHIS

Image taken by me at the Siemens 300 July 2004 at NHIS

Last Saturday, I went to the New Hampshire International Speedway as I do twice a year (subject to the weather and money) to take in the NASCAR Experience, at $45/person ticket price. A 3 hour drive up for a day at the track and a 2.5 hour drive back home at night... What a day, the schedule was Busch Series qualifying at 10am, Nextel Cup qualifying at 12:15pm and the NASCAR Busch Series New England 200 at about 3pm. Outside of the racetrack just beyond turn one was a Lowes stage with Jimmie Johnson signing autographs, a Chevrolet display, the Speed Stage, Crown Royal tent with 3 show cars & and couple other booths. Inside the track fences were the many souvier trailers including 5 trailers for Dale Earnhardt Jr...

Enough with the introductions, lets get to the action inside... the NASCAR Busch Series New England 200 were Kevin Harvick in the #21 took the pole for the race and once the green flag, it take long for the action to begin, including a red flag a couple laps in, but it was all Kevin Harvick for the first half of the race, but his car went away and it was #20 turn to lead, mean while the home town man MartinTruex Jr. pitted a total of 4 times and when it counted, it was Truex Jr. taking the lead with 11 laps laps to go, but the red flag would be shown 1 more time, after the green flag come back out, it was Martin Truex Jr. holding off a hard charging Carl Edwards to take his fifth victory of the season and a great victory celebration with the fans, a burnout against the wall under the flagstand and on to victory lane.

I always love to go to nhis every year and even though it was a hot sunny day and my father and I both roasted in the sun with real good sunburns, a great experience complete with many different showcars on display. I do have a couple of suggestions for nhis, but that is for another posting... if you are a race fan, you need to take in one of these experiences at any NASCAR racetrack, you will enjoy it. Next up is September, either Friday or Saturday... see yeah.