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NASCAR
It’s Not Raining …
Mar 15, 2008Well, what do you know?
The rain has momentarily stopped. The fans are back in their seats. And the track is nearly dry.
Will it hold up? We’ll see.
But as of 3:53 p.m. EDT, it looks like there’s going to be a race at BMS today.
Posted by Brian T. Smith Mayfield Smokes in NSCS Practice
Mar 15, 2008Jeremy Mayfield (No. 70 Chevrolet) made it through 10 practice laps this morning.
On the 11th, his engine started blowing out major smoke.
His car was eventually wheeled back to the infield.
Other than Mayfield’s smoker, it was a normal practice run.
As for the weather, the sun is out, the air is fine and the sky is relatively clear at Bristol Motor Speedway right now.
It’s supposed to be a different story, though, by the time the Nationwide Sharpie Mini 300 is set to begin at 2:30 p.m.
Still, the fans are here.
The stands are filling up and the walkways around BMS are clustered.
Should be a long day.
Kyle Busch Press Conference at BMS
Mar 14, 2008Courtesy of Toyota NSCS
Kyle Busch, No. 18 M&Ms Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Can you talk about your mind-set heading into this weekend’s race?
“It’s really no different than any other weekend—we’re just going to go out there and do the best we can. We’ll see what kind of car we have here at the beginning of practice with the new surface and everything—being with JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) this year versus the Hendrick (Motorsports) stuff last year. We won this race last year, but it was the old concrete and we didn’t run as well as we wanted to on the new concrete last fall. The 18 car seemed to be okay so that’s something to look forward to and we’ll try to see what we can get when we get out there. With our Nationwide stuff, we’ll see how we do with that. We’ve got Braun (Racing) this weekend with the Hass Avocados Toyota and we’ll see what we have in store with that as well.”
How significant was it for you to win the first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race for Toyota?
“I think Toyota is awfully proud to get into this sport and now have their first win. It makes them feel really special and makes them feel more at home being able to win here in the Sprint Cup Series. For us, it was pretty cool to be able to bring home that first win, not only for myself, but for the whole JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) camp. Of course for the 18 team too—to bring the history back to that car from Atlanta with all the success that they’ve had there—that was pretty cool at that track. It’s set in and it means the world to be able to win anytime. To get them their first win is cool. I’ve reach a few milestones—I believe I got Chevrolet their 600th win and Hendrick Motorsports their 250th—I don’t remember all the numbers. It’s pretty special overall.”
Is it flattering for you to hear others talk about you being the most talented driver in NASCAR?
“I get that question asked to me about every weekend now. It’s pretty cool to have people talking about my abilities like that and to have my abilities for people to be able to talk about—that’s pretty special to me. I just go out there and drive the wheels off anything that I can drive the wheels off. Whether it’s a go-kart, a Cup car, a Nationwide car, a truck or a late model car - it doesn’t much matter to me. I’m just going out there to have some fun and do what I can behind the wheel. Obviously my talents propel me forward to win races.”
What’s the most daring move you’ve made on the track and have any of them ever scared you?
“I’m not sure. To be honest with you, the most daring move I’ve ever made—I have no idea. I’ve made a few, but nothing’s really scared me. I don’t think I’ve ever been scared inside a race car. I believe the only time you’re ever scared is when you’re wrecking. Probably the only time I was a little frightened in the wreck at Talladega (Superspeedway) last year—that was probably the scariest thing I’ve ever had.”
Can you assess the progress on the new car?
“There’s been a lot of progress with the new car. This is the first time we’ve been able to bring it back this year to a track that we’ve raced with it before. We’ll see how it goes this weekend, but from the first race here to what we’re coming here with now—we’ve made a lot of ground with the car. It’s still an animal to drive—it’s hard to drive and it’s definitely making us earn our pay. That’s what we’re here for and that’s why we’re the professionals and the best in the world, supposedly, racing in the Sprint Cup Series.”
Can you talk about the relationship you have with the fans here at Bristol?
“The reception here has always been pretty bad for me. Probably because of another sibling of mine where he had some issues before coming into this race and then spun a guy out and went on to win this race—then the fans were all tweaked. I don’t know if those are the same fans that come here every year or what, but it seems that way. For me, I don’t really care whether they cheer or boo, as long as they are making noise. If I’m getting a lot of noise, then I’m happy
Do you feel like it is a no-win situation when it comes to showing your personality in the sport?
“You always have to worry about the backlash—that’s always out there and you’re always going to have that. You’re always going to have people talking about what you say, ridiculing what you say—whether it’s good or whether it’s bad. If you’re talking good about everything then you’re a ‘goody two-shoes’ and if you’re talking bad about stuff then you’re a ‘hard-ass’. I don’t know what else to say. The biggest part about it all is to just mind your p’s and q’s I guess and that’s pretty much what you need to do week-in and week-out, all the time. If you want to stir an uproar like (Tony) Stewart did then you’re going to do it. If you just want to be PC (politically correct) and do it right, then you’re going to say what Jeff Gordon has to say. That’s pretty much how I look at it. I’m just out here to do my job and that’s to race cars and what I talk about is what I talk about and normally I can back it up on the race track.”
“By the way, we are all whiners because we would rather be driving a Lamborghini to work than a Geo. That’s what we’d rather be driving out there.”
What is the perfect balance for a race here at Bristol?
“I think the perfect balance would be some good green-flag racing with a couple green-flag stops and yet still having some wrecks. I don’t know what our average caution is, but probably at least 10 cautions during the race would be about right for Bristol. With the racing that we have here—it’s pretty good racing here now with the three lanes, but you don’t see as much beating and banging for the one groove that we all had to fight for before because we can go anywhere now. It’s good racing, but there’s less contact and more room to maneuver around. I think the fans have their divided opinions and you’re never going to be able to please everybody for 500 laps around this place.”
Can you talk about Toyota and the JGR team and the success you are having?
“I think a lot of the success we’re having is due to the fact of Joe Gibbs Racing—they’re equipment is just as good as anybody else’s out there and that’s why I chose to come to this place when I did. The fact that we’ve been as successful as we’ve been has just been awesome. With Steve Addington (crew chief) and all these guys on the 18 car, working as hard as they do to help my success level be better. Then of course, (Tony) Stewart, he’s been getting better and Denny (Hamlin), he’s just been having some bad luck this year for some reason. He’s been fast at all our tests and been going really well and then something will just happen to him throughout the race. It’s just a bummer deal. I think JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) has been really well-represented with the Toyota brand and that we’ve been able to bring it up toward the front somewhat. Being the second year with the start-up teams like Red Bull and a couple others—those guys are getting better and that just makes Toyota look better.”
How important is it to spend time and celebrate with your team members in order to build this team to one of the elite in the sport?
“It’s about giving back to those team guys because they’re the ones that are putting in all the time and effort at the race track and at the shop. They’re spending time away from their families. For me, I’m away doing my deal and stuff like that, but I’ve just got my mom, dad and grandma at home—I don’t have a wife and kids and stuff like that I have to tend to. I can go out and do my own deal. For all of those guys, they brought out their wives, their girlfriends and they all came out—we’re probably going to have another team lunch next week or something like that and get everybody in the whole shop. It was just the 18 car that went out, but we’ll get all of Joe Gibbs Racing together and have lunch next week. It’s just cool to give back to those guys and show them that you appreciate what all they do.”
Tires: Rolling News and Kurt Busch’s Take
Mar 14, 2008Tires, tires, tires.
Goodyear and the tire situation are the main talk at Bristol Motor Speedway right now.
Tony Stewart’s comments following last week’s race in Atlanta created a storm, and seemingly every driver who spoke with the media on Friday morning was forced to answer tire questions.
How valid are the questions?
Based off the drivers’ diverse answers, very valid.
The general consensus is that Goodyear was backed into a corner. They had to address a situation, made a decision, and the decision was obviously met with mixed results.
Yet not every driver shares Stewart’s no-nonsense opinions.
Most of the drivers who spoke on the issue stressed that safety was the key, and that a medium ground was to be found somewhere between the tires that were used at the Daytona 500 and last week’s debacle in Atlanta.
Kurt Busch provided substantial insight. Busch turned a question on the state of the Car of Tomorrow into a referendum on Goodyear and its tires.
“You’re turning the wheel harder, you’ve got all this camber built in, it’s a heavier car – it’s a recipe for tire issues,” Busch said.
“Goodyear has to react. The CEO can’t get these phone calls from moms and pops watching NASCAR races, going, ‘Why are these tires blowing out? I have Goodyears on my SUV that I bought. Why are NASCAR race tires blowing out?’ So they have to react. NASCAR and Goodyear came back with a harder tire for Atlanta. Yes, was it a bit too far? I’m sure it was. Is there a compromise to find a middle ground? I’m sure this. Now, that’s a problem for them. The racing action. We want to see the action, we want to see the safety, and we want to see the fans go home and say, ‘I bought a ticket in Atlanta, Bristol, wherever, and it was a great race.’ And so, they’re doing the jobs that they can, and they’re giving us the best tires that they possible can to put on a good show, as well as not put the heat on themselves when there’s tire blowouts.”
Ryan Newman Press Conference at BMS (3/14)
Mar 14, 2008Highlights from Ryan Newman’s (No. 12 Alltel Dodge) press conference on Friday morning at Bristol Motor Speedway
On Goodyear and the tire situation:
They tried to hit a middle road with the two options they had. One felt really good, wasn’t going to last; the other didn’t feel so good, and was going to last too good. So, we worked with Goodyear and three teams that were there, we’re go back, do another tire test, hopefully a short, abbreviated test, so that we can prove the tires are ideal for the track.
On the new track at BMS:
The track is great – I like the old track better; don’t get me wrong – but the track is great, they did an excellent job to basically replicate what was there when the repaved it, in the essence that it’s super smooth, the transitions are the same, it’s got a ton of grip … it’s really fast. We ran a 28.12 on what was called the control tire and that’s, like, three seconds faster than the old race trim. So it was super fast. You really have to be on your toes. Turn two wall is about four foot taller now when you come off turn two … it just feels like it. Um, the track, everything drives the same, other than the fact that you can go up and flip a tire.
On coming back to BMS:
I thought they did an excellent job in making this a better race track. From my standpoint, it drives like a three-wide … like a Michigan, in a roundabout way. It’s a lot of fun to race. You can move around. It’s going to take some time for it to move up towards the wall. But it’s a three-groove race track, and any half-mile that is a three-groove race track is a heck of a race track.
