Like just about everyone else in the sport of NASCAR, I am anxious to see what the bankruptcy filing by Chrysler and its most recent comments about not repaying the American taxpayers for the $7 billion in federal loans it took to stay financially afloat for the past few months is going to have on auto racing.
We already know that American automakers lie to the public, so why should the people supporting NASCAR believe they are being told the truth about Dodge’s continued participation? I don’t know if anyone else caught this little slip of the tongue but Kasey Kahne said there was talk of the new Richard Petty Motorsports switching to Toyota. That was just one of the reasons why the team wasn’t using the much-improved engine that Dodge created for the Sprint Cup teams.
As a NASCAR fan, I want to see the sport grow and do well but I think we are about to get a rude awakening. Even if the economy comes out of its slump by the end of the year, as Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke alluded on Monday, it might take NASCAR years to recover fully.
The automakers are strapped for cash and, honestly, when you can buy a Japanese car that performs better, gets better fuel mileage, is more reliable and safer than its American-built counterpart, why wouldn’t you pick a Toyota or Honda over a Chevrolet Impala or Ford Fusion?
And each time one of those foreign cars is sold, it takes money out of NASCAR. Still, when I drive to Charlotte next week for the Sprint All-Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600 the following weekend, it won’t be in an American-built car. Why? Because mine gets 41 mpg.
If I could have found an American-made vehicle that had that type of fuel mileage and that I knew would last longer than the number of payments I will be making on it, then I would have bought that car.
I think the auto companies have come around; I just hope it is not to late and there stubbornness over the years doesn’t end up killing a sport that we all love.
Now that I am off my soapbox, lets talk about the race at Richmond International Raceway, last week. The action was great and it was cool to see Kyle Busch win on his birthday. You could see it coming and when he got out front, you knew the only way he was going to lose the lead was if someone wrecked him.
And what about Tony Stewart? Back-to-back second place finishes. He is on a roll and I expect a win to come pretty quick for either him or Ryan Newman.
Now, I am biased but a lot of people said early on that Stewart didn’t have a chance this year because he was opening his own team and it would take time.
Guess what? So far, he is proving you all wrong and I knew it from day one. StewartHaas Racing is essentially an extension of Hendrick Motor Sports, so why wouldn’t he do well right out of the gate? Those guys have a pretty good history over there — seven series championships between two drivers. This was a no-brainer and it’s nice to see an owner/driver doing so well.
Looking ahead to this week, it’s back to the sport’s Southern roots at Darlington Raceway a.k.a. “The Lady in Black.” If you are new to the sport and don’t know the reason behind the nickname, just watch the race and notice as the white retaining wall changes colors throughout the weekend.
That’s about it for this week. There aren’t a lot of rumors, which is par for the course a week out from the All-Star Race. I expect that we might see some changes to some crew chiefs and others for the Coca-Cola 600 in two weeks. One of those changes may finally come at HMS with Dale Earnhardt Jr. seeing a different face on his pit box. Who knows for sure? The one thing that has been consistent with that team is that they aren’t working well together. Aside from a good finish at Talladega, they haven’t been spectacular. And they surely aren’t living up to all the hype from when Junior made his big switch.
One thing that will be different in Charlotte is the trophy they will present for the winner of the 50th Annual Coca-Cola 600. According to NASCAR media Web site, the trophy is a spectacular one-of-a-kind piece of art.
“More than 120 man-hours of work went into the design and construction of the finished piece of artwork that weighs 225 pounds,” the release states. “The trophy is 18 inches wide and 31 inches tall. The base was cut from black Oscuro marble and the center was bored out to relieve weight and accommodate the vertical portion of the trophy. The first World 600, 50th Coca-Cola 600 and Lowe’s Motor Speedway Fifty Years of Firsts logos are engraved across the front of the base.
“In the center of the base sits the familiar prize that winners of the Coca-Cola 600 have received since 1981. The piston was cast in Everdur bronze and plated with 22-carat gold. Surrounding it are 10 monolithic columns of fine crystal that were hand-etched with the winners’ names and dates from the past 49 Coca-Cola 600s. The name of the winner of the 50th Coca-Cola 600 will be added to both a crystal column and the marble base.”
The media was told it was priceless but for the winner of the race its worth a lion’s share of the record $6.4 million purse that will be awarded.
Be sure to check out www.kickinthetiresnet. I have been updating more frequently and will be posting a lot while I am in Charlotte, N.C., over the next two weeks. That’s it for now. If you want to watch this week’s race, check it out on FOX on Saturday night.
