Joey Logano Gets 1st Win

Joey wins first NASCAR Sprint Cup Race: Joey Logano, driver of the #20 Home Depot car, won his first Sprint Cup race today in the rain-shortened Lenox Industrial Tools 301 in Loudon, New Hampshire. Good for Joey, Gibbs Racing, and Toyota. The Gibbs team was 1-2 yesterday in the Nationwide race with Kyle Busch finishing first and Joey finishing second. Let's see, what was I doing at 19? Watching stock car races, working summer and part-time jobs, going to college, trying to figure out how I would eventually make a living. Joey reminds me of pilots I see flying commuter planes I ride on. I often want to ask if the pilots have driver's licenses but then I realize that they don't need to have driver's licenses to fly planes.

As I said earlier, the double file restarts in NASCAR are exciting, and will change the results of races, especially as they come later in the events. Good rules change!

Lenox Industrial Tools 301 Underway at Loudon, New Hampshire

The Lenox Industrial Tools 301 is underway at Loudon, New Hampshire. Jeff Gordon is leading early in the race. Gordon and Kurt Busch have been running neck-and-neck so far. Tony Stewart fell back after starting on the pole.

The double-file restarts after cautions have been exciting. These restarts bring our the lead-lap cars a lot closer to the leader. Pretty cool, good rule change by NASCAR.

Kyle Busch won the Nationwide Series race yesterday at Loudon. I watched the last twenty or so laps. Nice day for the Gibbs team, with Kyle finishing first and Joey Logano finishing 2nd.

Just restarted the race and Kurt Busch took the lead when the green flag dropped. Looks like one of the more exciting Loudon races so far.

Full Weekend--Sprint, Nationwide, and Camping World Trucks

Sprint Cup and Nationwide teams are in Loudon, New Hampshire, this weekend while the trucks are in Memphis. Exciting weekend. You've got the MemphisTravel.com 200 in the truck series Saturday, and the Nationwide Camping World RV Sales 200 also on Saturday. Haven't looked, but bet the truck race is a night race. And then Sunday, it is the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 for the Sprint Cup boys. Hope the weather holds out for all these events and we have some good racing to watch!

Go Tony! And Dale Jr., how about it--time to win!

Richard Petty and Beer Sponsors

I had forgotten about Richard Petty and his aversion to beer and alcohol sponsors on his cars. He has never had one! He is in a bit of a pickle now with Kasey Kahne and the Budweiser #9, a car, number, and sponsor he inherited when his team and the former Evernham teams merged earlier this year. He says his momma would never put up with a beer or alcohol sponsor on one of his cars. He is reconciling the current dilemna by not allowing Budweiser on the two original Petty cars he brought to the team. I'm sure he is okay with cashing those Budweiser sponsor checks though.

Richard did have glass of red wine after Kasey won in Sonoma Sunday, saying that is why he likes to go to Napa and Sonoma! Good for Richard, a glass of red is always good for you now and then, like every day!

Kasey Kahne Wins At Sonoma

The number 9 Budweiser car wins in wine country. Good for Kasey Kahne and Richard Petty Motorsports. It has been ten years since a Petty car has been to Victory Lane. It is still unclear how long Petty can keep a team afloat but this helps them a lot, for now.

Tony the Tiger had another very good race, finishing second. Sure is looking like another championship season for him. Will be interesting to see how the rest of the season goes.

Mark Martin Wins At Michigan

1. Mark Martin wins at Michigan: Mark Martin won at Michigan after watching Jimmy Johnson and Greg Biffle run out of gas in the last two laps. I told my friend Tom my prediction was Ryan Newman or Jr. would win, but that whoever won, gas mileage would be the key--always is at Michigan. Martin could never win mileage races with Roush--they weren't the mileage kings. Hendrick has now won two mileage races in a row--Pocono and Michigan. Good for Mark!
2. Johnny Benson seriously hurt in SuperModified race: Johnny lost his truck ride early last week and was seriously hurt Saturday night at Berlin Speedway in Grand Rapids, MI, in the second lap of a SuperModified race. He is in serious but stable condition. Let's all pray for a full recovery for Johnny--he is one to the best guys in NASCAR.
3. Joey Logano wins at KY: Joey held off Kyle Busch to win the Nationwide Race at Kentucky Speedway, where he won his first NASCAR series race last year. Good for him, good for Gibbs, and good for Toyota at their home track.

GM/Chevy Pulls Support from Nationwide and Camping World Series

General Motors, aka Chevy for NASCAR purposes, announced today they are pulling support from the Nationwide and Camping World series. Not surprising. Heard this morning that GM stock has been delisted from the New York Stock Exchange.

Makes one wonder what is next but expect at least a reduction of GM support for the Nextel Sprint Cup series as well. Could this mean that teams will have to rely mostly on their own resources and those of their sponsors? Could be very interesting, and even take racing back to its roots where one-team cars can compete with the bigger teams, and the bigger teams will get smaller. Tough part is this has to mean fewer jobs in Charlotte area.

Tony the Tiger Wins at Pocono--1st Win As Owner/Driver

Tony Stewart won the Pocono 500, his first win as an owner/driver. Pretty cool. Last 20 or so laps of the race was all about saving fuel by going slow. Good for Tony. No one expected his new team to be able to compete, let alone win. He sits comfortably on top of the points race, and his second team car driven by Ryan Newman is also in the top ten in points. Pretty amazing.

Was really special to see Tony's dad lean in the car to give him a big hug after the race.

Double File ReStarts in NASCAR--Great Mid-Season Rule Change

See this article in USA Today, http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/nascar/2009-06-04-double-file-restarts_N.htm. Great rule change, no more lap cars on inside on restarts. Just like Saturday night at the local short track, two-by-two restarts, lap cars in the back. Should make for great racing, closer finishes.

Dave