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The Reality of Racing Motorcycles on the Edge

I had the opportunity Saturday morning to ride BMW’s new S1000RR.  Needless to say, the experience was exhilarating - with 192HP, 4-mode ABS/Traction Control and weighing in at a mere 403 pounds dry, the German Superbike is not only the most powerful and technologically advanced factory motorcycle on the road today, but it is also the closest thing to a street-legal race-bike you can buy, followed closely by the Aprilia RSV-4 Factory and the hyper-exclusive, insanely-expensive Ducati Desmosedici RR.

Now, I’m not going to tell you a whole lot about the bike itself – I’m not nearly talented enough as a rider to be able to push a machine like that far enough to compare the finer points of the S1oooRR to the afore-mentioned competitors. All I can say is that everything it does – from acceleration to braking to cornering – it does fast. Incredibly fast. And with a ferocious nature that makes it feel as much like riding on top of a fighter jet as a motorcycle.

But I didn’t bring up the new Beemer to tell you how exciting it is – I brought it up because my experience on a machine like that gave me a new-found respect for what the riders in MotoGP and WSBK do every race weekend. It is hard enough to ride the street version of a Superbike at its limits – but to ride a full-on race version competitively on an international level takes an iron-cast will, ice-cold nerves and is damn near impossible for anyone but a select few.

But they do it. Riders like Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa take these machines right up to the very edge of their capabilities – and they make it look easy. Lap after lap, race after race – they handle these untamed machines with what appears to be the same level of ease we use to drive to work every day.

In fact, I think they make it look a little too easy – and we as race fans take it for granted. Clad in armored leather suits and dark-visored helmets, the best riders in the world look like Titans on the track; taking turns at 50-degree lean angles, backing into corners with the rear tire hanging out, sliding across the tarmac after a low-side crash then popping up as if nothing ever happened – it is enough to make you think that the best riders in the world are invincible.

But they are not.

We have become all too familiar with the reality of racing motorcycles on the edge the past few weeks, as two talented young riders – Peter Lenz and Shoya Tomizawa – lost their lives in support races during consecutive rounds of MotoGP action.

There will be some that point to these tragic events and say that there is something wrong with motorcycle racing and that things needs to be changed. You won’t hear that argument from me. The riders in these premier events are far more aware of the dangers of motorcycle racing than I ever will be, and it is a risk that they willingly take on for the sport they love.

No, my point is two-fold; one – to pay homage to the bravery of these two riders, as well as others who have lost their lives competing, and two – to remind fellow fans that, even though we sometimes think of them as indestructible ‘aliens’, the riders we enthusiastically watch every weekend are very much human, and they are risking more than just their reputation and their place in the standings every time they hit the track. That is something we should not only realize, but also respect and admire.

Other motorsports just add to the aura of invincibility – safety advancements in NASCAR, F1 and IRL give drivers the ability to walk away unscathed from the most violent wrecks. Truth be told, there have been plenty of advancements in motorcycle racing, as well – but no level of technical innovation can change the fact that the bike and rider are two separate entities – and unlike the four-wheel sports, the machine has no physical mechanism to protect the rider when things go sideways.

But like I said before – that is a risk that motorcycle racers take – and it is a risk that all of us as riders willingly take whenever we hop on a bike.

So when you are riding on the street – make sure you are prepared. And when you are watching the race – make sure you appreciate the talent on display, because what they are doing – and the risk they are taking – is something to be admired.

Wilson’s NASCAR Notes – Top Stories from Atlanta Weekend

Miss anything that happened in NASCAR over the weekend? You don’t need to waste time scouring the ‘net and reading pages and pages worth of information: here are the biggest stories in NASCAR from the weekend of racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and I won’t just tell you what happened – I’ll tell you what I think, too!

Stewart Smokes ‘em in Atlanta

The Story: Tony Stewart dominated the second half of the Sprint Cup series race Sunday night in Atlanta – leading a total of 175 laps. Despite struggling on restarts, the No.14 team did a fantastic job in the pits helping Stewart keep track position, and in the end Tony drove away from Carl Edwards and the rest of the field – grabbing his first victory of the season, as well as his first Cup win in almost a year.

Wilson’s Take: Everyone says that Tony is a second-half driver, and once again, Smoke proved them right. The No.14 team got off to a downright miserable start – he was 16th in the points after Charlotte, and at that point, simply making the Chase was in doubt. This win in Atlanta caps of an impressive comeback that has seen Smoke move all the way up to fourth in the points. Does he have enough momentum to compete for the championship? Well, he faded a bit over the final 10 races last season, so it remains to be seen how he’ll fare in the Chase this year. For now, though, Stewart has to be considered one of the top contenders for Jimmie Johnson’s crown.

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Bowyer Takes Control in Race to the Chase…Sort of

The Story: Despite having a bit of an up-and-down night, Clint Bowyer fought his way to a seventh-place finish Sunday in Atlanta – making him the highest-finisher among the drivers fighting for the 12th and final spot in the Chase. With only Richmond left to go before the championship field is set, Bowyer now has a comfortable 117 point lead over 13th place Ryan Newman. Newman was the only other Chase hopeful to finish in the top-10 Sunday, coming in eighth. Jamie McMurray, Mark Martin and Kasey Kahne all finished 15th or lower.

Wilson’s Take: It is good to see someone actually stepping up to take control of the final Chase spot. I know Nascar.com is jumping on the bandwagon now, but I’ve been saying it for weeks – nobody seems to genuinely want 12th. Fortunately, Bowyer has conjured up back-to-back top-10 finishes at just the right time, but the fact of the matter is – Clint left the door open, and nobody stepped in to take his place. Over the last five races, Bower’s average finish has been (even with those back-to-back top-10 tallies) 14.2 – he left plenty of points on the table. Sure, McMurray and Newman both averaged slightly better at 13.2 and 12.2, respectively – but that was hardly enough effort to make a dent in Bowyer’s lead. And don’t even think about Martin or Kahne – when their Chase hopes were on the line, they racked up average finishes of 19.6 and 17.4. That’s sad. Bower stepped up the last two weeks to defend the spot – now let’s see if they can take it up another notch for the Chase.

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Is Busch a “Dirty Driver”? Todd Bodine Thinks So

The Story: Kyle Busch found yet another way to stay firmly planted in front of the spotlight after Friday night’s Truck Race in Kentucky – and he didn’t even really have to do anything to earn the attention. Todd Bodine won the race, and in Victory Lane, thanked Kyle for being a ‘dirty driver’ and spinning him out so he could get off pit-schedule with everyone else and use fuel mileage to take the checkered flag. Busch, hearing the accusation on TV, then went to victory lane and confronted Bodine. After a few heated words, both drivers went about their business, but traded verbal barbs in the media in both Kentucky and Atlanta.

Wilson’s Take: I know Kyle has a reputation for pushing guys around on the track, but in this instance, Bodine was simply stirring the pot with no real evidence – the two never touched when Bodine went around. Kyle was passing on the outside, and Bodine -digging hard on the low side – pushed up the track just enough that the air got taken off his rear spoiler by the passing No.18 truck – causing Bodine to spin. Trucks had been pushing up the track like that from the low lane the entire race, and Bodine is plenty experienced enough to know that the air would come off his spoiler if he got too close to Busch – he simply over-drove that particular corner, and paid the price for it – the fact that he blamed Kyle for it was simply a mental game, nothing else. It is hard, though, to play mental games when the other driver isn’t competing for your championship – Busch is just out there to win races, that’s all.

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Atlanta’s Two-Race Schedule Goes Out with a Bang

The Story: For their 50th anniversary and final year (for now) with two races, we got to see vintage Atlanta – with good side-by-side racing, and more than a few engines going up in a haze of smoke and fire as teams tried to use every last RPM at the 200-mph track….

Wilson’s Take: …and we also saw why Atlanta is only going to be hosting one race next year – as an overwhelming number of fans on the frontstretch came to the race dressed as empty seats. Come one Atlanta – you’ve got to step up a little more than that – when Darlington lost the Southern 500, the fans packed the stands to show NASCAR and the track owners they still cared – where were the fans Sunday night? I’d expect a lackluster crowd for California’s last two-race event, but not Atlanta’s – this is a track with history, speed, and great racing – and I am disappointed the local fans didn’t come out to support it a little more.

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Wilson’s Race Report – Atlanta Post-Race Podcast

Smoke gets back to Victory Lane! Tony Stewart talks about his first win in almost a year, plus – Kyle Busch stirs things up in the Truck series – The Shrub talks about his post-race run-in with Todd Bodine – all in Wilson’s Race Report!

Fantasy NASCAR Picks – Atlanta: Emory Healthcare 500

The final off-week of the year is over, and it is time to get down to business as the last few hopefuls continue to battle it out for a spot in the Chase Sunday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

It is too bad that Atlanta is losing a race next year, because this place is fun – it is fast, high-banked and has been the scene of many great NASCAR finishes. It is also competitive, too – seven of the top-12 drivers in the standings have won in Atlanta – five have taken the checkered flag here multiple times. And that isn’t even taking into account non-chase contenders like Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Kasey Kahne, who are always strong at the 1.54 mile oval.

With so many competitive drivers here, there is no question we’ll see some great racing – but it sure makes things difficult when it comes to picking your fantasy team. I’m here to offer some help, though: here are my best-bet picks for your fantasy NASCAR team this weekend in Atlanta:

Five-year averages are listed next to each driver (including the first race of 2010, so 11 races total), including Average Running Position (ARP), Average Finish (AVG), and Driver Rating (RAT).

Atlanta Favorites

1. Kurt Busch (ARP: 14.7  AVG: 17.7  RAT: 97.0): The averages don’t tell the entire story with the drivers in this week’s “Favorites” category, and Busch is a prime example – his 11-race averages look thoroughly…well – average, yet he has won two of the last three races at the high-banked oval, finished sixth or better in three of the last four, and hasn’t finished worse than 11th in the past seven races. If that isn’t enough to convince you to ignore the stat line, Kurt has also led 14.1% of the laps run here over the past five and a half years. That’s 509 laps up front – 127 more than his closest competitor in that category (Jimmie Johnson). The elder Busch brother is coming off a ninth place finish two weeks ago in Bristol, as well as his win in the March Atlanta race – he’s a three-time winner here, and should be in the mix Sunday night.

2. Carl Edwards (ARP: 14.2  AVG: 16.4  RAT: 99.4): Like Busch, Edwards is a three-time Atlanta winner, and also like his former teammate – the stats line doesn’t really reflect how good Carl is here. A pair of dismal finishes the past two races down south (including being parked in March for wrecking Brad Keselowski) have skewed his averages, but prior to his cold streak, Edwards was fantastic at the 1.54 mile oval – with finishes of seventh or better in six of seven races, including one of his wins. Plus, Carl is one of the hottest drivers in the garage right now – he’s finished sixth or better in six of the last seven races heading into this weekend, moving from 12th in the standings all the way up to fourth during that span. Run with the hot streak and make sure Edwards is in your lineup.

3. Kasey Kahne (ARP: 15.4  AVG: 18.2  RAT: 93.3): It is a little more difficult to make a case for Kahne – after all, he is 16th in the points right now – but he has been one of the hottest drivers in Atlanta recently. Kasey has finished seventh of better the past three races at the high-banked oval, including his second career victory. Kasey hasn’t exactly been tearing up the track this season, but he has been a consistent contender at intermediate tracks – five of his eight top-10 finishes this year have come at 1.5 and 2-mile ovals. This is his kind of track, and Kasey is the defending race winner – look for him to be in the mix Sunday.

Safe Picks for a Solid Atlanta Finish

1. Jeff Gordon (ARP: 10.7  AVG: 10.2  RAT: 101.8): The last of Gordon’s four career Atlanta wins came all the way back in 2003, but that doesn’t mean he has lost his touch at the Georgia track; Jeff has been reassuringly consistent here, with top-10 finishes in seven of his last nine races, and his 1543 championship points scored over the past 11 Atlanta races is third only to the other two drivers in this category (Kenseth and Johnson). The No.24 team has been a bit off their game the past couple of races, but there is no reason to think he won’t be a factor this weekend. Will he finally get that first win of the season? That’s difficult to say, but he should score a lot of fantasy points, regardless.

2. Matt Kenseth (ARP: 12.9  AVG: 8.9  RAT: 96.5): Kenseth has never won in Atlanta, but if you are looking for consistency – he’s your driver. Matt has finished fourth or better in five of the last eight races here, and has fared no worse than 12th over that same span. His average finish of 8.9 is the best among Cup drivers over the past five years, and he is second in points scored during that run (1585). Kenseth hasn’t been as hot as teammate Carl Edwards over the past few months, but the No.17 team looks far more like a contender than they did at the beginning of the season.

3. Jimmie Johnson (ARP: 7.8  AVG: 9.1  RAT: 109.5): I know, Johnson has struggled the past two months, but his stats here are simply too good to ignore. In 18 career races at the 1.54 mile oval, Johnson has 11 top-10 finishes, nine top-5 tallies and three wins – with an average finish of 10.8. Hie recent numbers have been even more impressive, leading the series over the past 11 races in Average Running Position (7.8), Driver Rating (109.5), Quality Passes (374), percentage of laps in the top-15 (89.4%) and Championship points scored (1634), as well as being second to Kurt Busch in laps led (382). Enough stats for you? Johnson may not be dominating right now, but there are plenty of reasons to start him this weekend. But if you think the risk on Johnson is too high, I’ll give you an alternative:

Bonus Pick – Kevin Harvick (ARP: 18.2  AVG: 17.1  RAT: 81.1): If you’re nervous about Johnson – give Kevin Harvick a shot this week. His stat line is pretty dismal, but here are two things to consider: Childress Racing is far better than they have been the past few seasons, and Harvick has actually been really solid in Atlanta lately, with top-10 finishes in four of his last five. Of course, being first in the points doesn’t hurt, either. Harvick is a medium-risk pick, but if his recent performance counts for anything – he could offer a big fantasy payoff in the end.

Atlanta Underdogs

One of the most difficult things to do when picking a Fantasy NASCAR team is filling those last few slots – either “C List” drivers in category leagues, or low-budget drivers in salary leagues. Here are a few drivers that could present a good value for your team this weekend:

1. Paul Menard (ARP: 24.5  AVG: 20.4  RAT: 60.6): Believe it or not, Menard has been halfway-decent this year in the Cup series – he is in front of David Ragan, Marcos Ambrose and Brad Keselowski in the points, and is just behind A.J. Allmendinger, who everybody (expect Richard Petty) has been raving about. And he’s looked even better in the Nationwide series. Menard finished fifth in the March Atlanta race, and while he’s not likely to repeat that performance, there is potential to finish higher than most people would expect. A good sleeper pick.

2. A.J. Allmendinger (ARP: 21.9  AVG: 14.6  RAT: 69.2): The Dinger finished sixth in the first Atlanta race, and has been having (for him) a solid season. He’s been off a bit the past few weekends, but his AVG finish at this track is encouraging, especially compared to his ARP, and Ford has looked a lot racier, of late. I still like Menard a little bit more this weekend, but you could do worse than A.J., for sure.

3. David Reutimann (ARP: 26.5  AVG: 27.3  RAT: 61.0): Rootie gets the call here not so much because of his fourth-place Atlanta finish in 2009, but because intermediate tracks have always been his best – with 15 top-10 finishes and both his career wins coming at mid-sized ovals. Reutimann hasn’t exactly taken off in the wake of his win at Chicago earlier this season, but he is coming off a solid second-place run at Bristol, and that momentum could carry him to a good finish this weekend.

From a fan’s perspective, Atlanta promises to be a great race. For fantasy NASCAR owners, this could be a stressful weekend – but it is also a chance to put some distance between you and the other teams in your league if you make the right choices. This week’s strategy is all about balance – if you pick one or two hot drivers and then mix in a few that have been historically consistent – you can maximize the number of points your fantasy NASCAR team scores.

Two Laps Down: The Northern Knock-Down-Drag-Out

Because sometimes crazy and genius are just a few steps apart, Scotty Wazz (from the Face Off Hockey Show) and I share our views on NASCAR each week in Two Laps Down. Here is the e-mail transcript of this week’s conversation:

—–Original Message—–

From: Scotty Wazz
Sent: Monday, Aug 30th, 2010
To: Todd – “Wilson!”
Subject: The Northern Knock-Down-Drag-Out

Oh boy, Mr. Toddrick,

The race in Montreal could be up there as one of the best of the season….and it was a road-course in the Nationwide Series in Canada. But if nothing else, the NAPA 200 was an example of how a driver can dominate, but it’s really the machine that determines how you finish. Marcos Ambrose dominated the first part of the race, then he loses power in his car– and his sway arm breaks. Carl Edwards picks up the lead and takes control, then his sway arm breaks. Robby Gordon takes over the lead and it looks like smooth sailing, but thanks to the G-W-C, he runs out of gas in overtime, leading to Boris Said’s first NASCAR win.

That said, the big question: what is up with all these part failures? In addition to the leaders– Patrick Carpentier, Andrew Ranger, and some of the one-off guys all retired due to their equipment breaking. Was the track that tough or were teams not setting up their cars right?? Also, with the one-off teams, is the Nationwide the best place for these guys?? It’s bad enough that the Cup Series drivers are coming to take some seat time for the younger kids (this week aside, it seemed), but is this a good place for one-offs, or should the younger guys get more time in this different environment?? This always seems to be the debate when all the ringers show up at road course races.

And TB, while the Cup Series was off, there was plenty of drama among some of the lower end cars that makes you wonder about how these teams operate. J.J. Yeley was given the boot by Whitney Motorsports. He let his fans know by via Twitter and it seems he may have found out through a Facebook posting that his replacement would be Michael McDowell. Yeley went so far as saying that @$$-kissing does get you places….which could create an interesting situation in Atlanta, but who knows. Whitney is actually switching from Dodge to Chevy along with the driver switch, which peeved Yeley, as well—J.J. said he wished that he could have been able to use the new equipment and get some power that they didn’t have in the Dodge, which he says caused him to miss races by the smallest of margins. Don’t feel bad for Yeley, who will be in the #36 Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevy for Atlanta.

Now, I bring that up because it makes you wonder how these smaller teams are doing business and if it’s the best for the sport. Here we have Whitney not really letting their current driver in on an engine switch, then we have David Stremme, who earlier in August left Latitude 43 Racing after he said owner Bill Jenkins had not met financial obligations in his contract, which is something this week’s winner Boris Said said he also had problems with when it came to Jenkins. The saga of BAM Racing continued after Robby Gordon Motorsports cut ties with BAM and is suing sponsor Warner Music for lack of payment and breach of contract. With all this going on, is there going to be a time where NASCAR has to step in and maybe take a look at the ownership of one team before it gets taken over by another, especially when it comes to driver’s contracts, if nothing else?

I think it’s time to bring back some Gas-N-Go, where we touch on some of the other topics of the week:

-Remember last week we talked about RPM, it seems they’re sticking with the two-car system in A.J. Allmendinger and Marcos Ambrose. Good idea or bad idea??

-Regan Smith re-signed with Furniture Row Racing for the #78 next season. I’m surprised the #78 is still running, but remember when he and Aric Amirola were supposed to take DEI into the next generation?? Wha happen??

-Max Papis is heading to the Truck Series next year and I know we touched on it in years past, but shouldn’t some more inexperienced drivers, especially those from open-wheel racing, be going through the system from the bottom up, rather than the fast track to the Cup Series??

I’ve rambled on enough; take it over Brett Hull lookalike.

~SW

—–Original Message—–

From: Todd – “Wilson!”
Sent: Tuesday, Aug 30th, 2010
To: Wazz
Subject: RE: The Northern Knock-Down Drag-Out

Hey Wazzman,

If only I could use that Brett-Hullness to my advantage somehow….

By my count, there were at least 19 drivers that could have been categorized as either road-course experts or one-off starters Sunday…nearly half the field – I’d agree that was a little excessive.

Now, if all those ringers had produced some great, clean, exciting road racing, then there would be nothing to debate – but all of the ‘experts’ were running into each other and wrecking just as much as the Nationwide regulars typically do, so the only improvement we saw in the racing action was at the front of the field. Of course, the ringers at the front were those that have a lot more NASCAR experience, so that was to be expected.

That being said – the fact that so many dedicated road-racers were getting eaten up by Montreal is a testament to just how tough the track is. It is far more of a traditional road course – fast straights…hard on the brakes…quick, tight corners – then do it all again. Sonoma and The Glen are much more forgiving to stock cars, and I think that’s why we saw so many cars get beat up during Sunday’s race. That, and the curbs in Montreal – the rumble strips were so tall, that whenever anyone cut a corner, they would scrape the bottom of the car – I’m pretty sure that is why both Ambrose and Edwards broke suspension parts. I think it is a fun track, but it definitely favors the finesse of a dedicated road racer as opposed to a full-time NASCAR driver.

I’m glad you mentioned Yeley and Whitney Motorsports, because that brings up an interesting question about ‘Start and Park’ teams. Looking at Yeley’s stats this year, he’s completed a whopping 45% of his laps run (and if you take out Charlotte and Sonoma, that number goes down to 30%), so whether they run Dodge or Chevy, it appears that they are a start and park team. Now, Sunday night I was listening to an interview with Todd Bodine, and he said he thinks start-and-park teams are fine, for two reasons – one: they fill out the Cup field, and two: those teams are using the start-and-park to bank up money so they can be competitive later on.

What do you think of that? I think it is a bunch of B.S., frankly. Sure, the start-and-park teams do fill out the field, but what difference does that make? And how many teams have successfully used start-and-park money to build up a competitive organization?

But that brings me to Furniture Row and Regan Smith – like you, I am shocked they are still in business, but I give them credit for actually trying. Nobody would think twice if they threw another washed-up driver behind the wheel, ran 15 laps each week and collected an easy paycheck. But they are actually making an effort – taking a chance on a young driver (and former ROY) and using Earnhardt-Childress engines. It’s a start, and who knows – maybe they will have a little success. I know their chances will be far greater than any of the start-and-park teams that Bodine was defending.

So, to hit you back on the Gas-N-Go:

- I think a two-car team at RPM isn’t the best idea – I think they need a veteran presence, but who? I can’t think of who is available that would fit the mold. I’m not saying he would be the answer, but do you think they should be keeping Elliott Sadler?

- I talked about Smith above, but as for Almirola – he’s better known for people mis-pronouncing his name than his driving skills…although he does appear to be the driver of choice in the garage when it comes to baby-watch fill-in duty. Talk about a bad move – if Almirola hadn’t gotten miffed about that whole Denny Hamlin Nationwide fiasco and stayed at Gibbs – he might be in the 20 car right now.

- There are always exceptions to the rule, but yeah – I think it would benefit just about any driver to work their way up from the bottom – even if they just do half a season in Truck and half in Nationwide before they come to Cup – people like Dario Franchitti and Jaques Villeneurve probably would have had a better shot at success (I know JV did some truck stuff, but it was only a couple of races). That is one of the reasons I’ve defended Danica Patrick this season – she may or may not be successful, but at least she is trying to work her way up, instead of assuming she can just hop in a Cup car and start winning.

So what do you think – Does Bodine have a point about start-and-park teams? Should RPM be keeping Elliott? Is Danica doing things the right way? Most importantly, should Almirola just go ahead and change his name to Eric Amarillo? What say you?

Todd.

—–Original Message—–

From: Wazz
Sent: Monday, Aug 31st, 2010
To: Todd – “Wilson!”
Subject: RE: The Northern Knock-Down Drag-Out

Hey Wilson,

You know, it’s quite something when it comes to Todd Bodine (whose bobblehead still lives on, mind you) talking about the start-and-park guys, because of what he went through when he was in the #26 Discovery Card Ford back in the day. It’s one thing fill out the field– that’s fine, and we don’t have to listen to everyone talking about the economic downturn in sports. Plus, once they park it, there will be one less guy in the way for when the race actually gets interesting. However, I don’t know how he can say whether or not these teams are actually building up for the future. There might be the odd team that succeeds, but the amount of these start-n-park cars just popping out of nowhere recently is astounding. And for some reason, I think most of the time these are just used as tax write-offs and nothing more. I don’t think we’ll see half these teams, like Latitude 43 or Whitney Motorsports, in the next five years. Granted, I’m sure I said about this BAM Racing, and yet– they’re kinda kicking around.

Furniture Row is sticking to it, though. They’ve gone through the likes of Joe Nemechek and Kenny Wallace before going with youth in Smith. However, Smith is going to have the issue of not really having a veteran mentor to learn from. Whether or not that is going to make or break Smith, I have no idea– but I’m sure it would help him a lot, because while he’s been hanging around the series since 2008, it’s not like he was groomed to be a top-tier guy in the whole Earnhardt-Ganassi merger, which saw him pushed out and put into that #78 car. It’ll be interesting to see how he’s treated and if he’s given the ability to run wide open and if he has the power to get to the front and make some noise. As far as Amirola, I back the Eric Amarillo or even Eric Armadillo movement.

Speaking of the lack of a mentor, I don’t see why Elliott Sadler shouldn’t be kept in the fold at RPM, aside from the turmoil they have dealt with this year and threatening to take him out of the ride and all of that. Sadler has been around and would be a valuable tool to learn from for Allmendinger and Ambrose. That said, with the past they’ve had, I think Sadler could also be a distraction if anything were “to go down”, as the kids say. However, it makes you wonder if RPM would be interested in someone like a Todd Bodine, who has the track experience and could be around to run a few races; or at least teach Allmendinger and Ambrose. It wouldn’t mean a full-time ride, just a couple here and there, and being a resource for the other drivers the rest of the time. A second crew-chief, if you will. Granted, that brings up the whole “too many cooks in the kitchen” question, but you can cross that bridge when you get to it.

When it comes to Danica– I definitely give her props for taking it slow and not only going through the Nationwide Series first, but doing the limited races, as well. But you have to wonder when and if she’s going to ever cut bait on the Indy Cars and go NASCAR full-time or if this is all a tease for nothing more than publicity. Plus, you have to wonder about the others lined up for the #7 Chevy, like Josh Wise and Landon Cassill. Does it make it easier that they get overshadowed by the hype machine that is Patrick, or do they each feel like they could be sole driver and she’s just jumping in as she likes? They’re trying to achieve the same goal as her, but in the end– they get held-back because of all of this.

One final thing about Montreal – seeing how beat-up even the winning car was, do you think there’s a chance that the Cup guys go up there to add another road course, or will this be a strictly Nationwide event? As much as NASCAR wants to get into other countries, they seem very reluctant to get their main series out of the US. Does most of that have to do with the contracts NASCAR has with these other tracks or are they gun-shy about getting into foreign lands?? If anything, you have to see these places as possible areas to get sponsorship and to extend the fan base. Sure, that means you really put pressure on drivers to compete more, but it could limit them dipping into the other series and maybe taking seat time away from up and coming drivers. I guess only time will tell if the main series, which has all the brand and driver recognition, will actually branch out.

Alrighty TB– bring us home. Can the Cup series expand outside of the continental United States and be successful?? Who would you put in a limited time spot for RPM’s drivers to grow?? If you’re dealing with Danica, how long before you tell her to make a decision on where she’ll focus her racing efforts?? Which would you choose Amarillo or Armadillo??

~SW

—–Original Message—–

From: Todd – “Wilson!”
Sent: Tuesday, Aug 31st, 2010
To: Wazz
Subject: RE: The Northern Knock-Down Drag-Out

Hey Scotty, and the infamous Todd Bodine bobblehead,

The question about the Cup Series – or NASCAR in general – going international is a good one. With all the talk about attendance numbers and TV ratings dropping, expanding the fan base to new areas is a logical solution. Heck, there is a group getting ready to build a new track in Austin, Texas to get an F1 race, and the Formula 1 promoters are all about it for that exact reason – they want a race here to expand their fan base.

Because of the advantages, I think that not having a Sprint Cup race in Canada is stupid. There are tons of Canadian fans – I’ve talked to people from Canada that drive all the way to Dover and Pocono (and further) just so they can see a race. Montreal has no problem selling tickets for a Nationwide event – a Cup race would go over even better. And it is so easy for the teams to get there – they don’t have to pack up the cars on planes or make all kinds of crazy arrangements. I think a good overseas plan would be difficult (but possible) to do, especially in this economy, but whether it is Montreal, Toronto or someplace else – Canada is a no-brainer.

But while NASCAR in Canada is an easy question, a veteran to lead the way at RPM is a tough one. Sadler would have been halfway decent, but that bridge has pretty much been burned. A guy like Bobby Labonte might have worked, but – oh…that’s right – that bridge was burned a few years ago (noticing a trend here?). Looking at the list of drivers, it is tough to pick out who might be a good fit – guys like Bill Elliott and Terry Labonte haven’t been relevant for years, and the pool gets even shallower after that. Mark Martin could be a possibility after next year, but he really didn’t do a whole lot in a development role for Regan Smith or Aric Almirola (I’m firmly in the Eric Armadillo camp, BTW). Maybe Bodine does make some sense…although it pains me a bit to admit that…

And I agree – Danica is going to have to choose NASCAR or IRL – and sooner, rather than later. While she is taking the right approach to entering NASCAR, she is not learning very quickly, and it seems like every time she starts to look comfortable, it is time to pack up and head back to the IRL for a month or two (where she’s not performing well at all right now). She’s got to commit to one or the other, rather than settling for being mediocre in both. If she doesn’t make a decision soon, she’ll end up with few options in either league.

So, to put a lid on it this week:

- Exciting racing this week at Montreal, and the Sprint Cup series should take note: it is time to seriously consider a race north of the border – the fans are there already, and the racing would be great.

- For some reason, the off-track drama this week surrounded the also-rans and the start-and-park teams. But at least the also-rans are trying hard, and if Todd Bodine thinks the start-and-park teams are good, more power to him, but we don’t really see it the same way.

- We still agree RPM could use a veteran to help A.J. and Marcos…but who?

- Danica might be taking the right approach to entering NASCAR, but she has to choose, and choose quickly – otherwise she could lose out in both NASCAR and the IRL.

- Armadillo, FTW

Todd.

Wilson’s NASCAR Notes: Top Stories from Montreal Weekend

Miss anything that happened in NASCAR over the weekend? You don’t need to waste time scouring the ‘net and reading pages and pages worth of information: here are the biggest stories in NASCAR from Montreal and Chicagoland, and I won’t just tell you what happened – I’ll tell you what I think, too!

Who Said?!?

The Story: In a race that saw three different drivers fall out of contention while leading – Marcos Ambrose and Carl Edwards due to mechanical problems and Robby Gordon from running out of fuel – Boris Said and Max Papis ended Sunday’s Nationwide Series race at Montreal in exciting fashion, trading places twice in the last set of turns and coming to the checkered flag side-by-side – with Said taking his first Nationwide win by just .012 seconds.

Wilson’s Take: If you just kept your eyes on the front of the field, this was an outstanding show – five different drivers had a legitimate shot at winning, everyone of them a fantastic road racer – so it was fun to watch them work, and we got an exciting ending because of it. You go a little further back in the field, though, and things were really, really ugly. Montreal is a traditional road course – lots of hard breaking and sharp turns. It would have been a challenge for Cup drivers – for the Nationwide guys with less experience, it was a bit too much. There were about a dozen drivers that had the place figured out reasonably well, but the rest of the field was not ready for Primetime.

—-

Kyle Busch Keeps on Winning

The Story: Kyle Busch kept his winning streak alive, driving away from Camping World Truck Series point leader Todd Bodine on his way to the checkered flag Friday night at Chicago – Busch’s fourth consecutive win across NASCAR’s three series. The victory was Kyle’s fourth of the season in the Truck series and 17th in NASCAR for 2010.

Wilson’s Take: At the rate The Shrub is going, he’s going to need to build a sizable addition to his trophy room. He has a very good shot at winning 20 or more total races for the third straight year. Like him or not, the kid wins. A lot. It is impressive.

—-

Regan Smith: Two more Years with Furniture Row

The Story: Furniture Row Racing announced this weekend that they have signed 2008 Cup Series rookie of the year Regan Smith to a two year contract extension, putting him behind the wheel of the No.78 car until at least 2012.

Wilson’s Take: OK, I know that Smith is 30th in the points and nobody would consider him or Furniture Row Racing to be contenders, but here is what is so good about this move – Furniture Row is trying. I’ll elaborate later this week in Two Laps Down with Scotty Wazz, but the No.78 could have easily thrown a washed up veteran in the car and done the start-and-park each week – but they chose not to. They are sticking with a young driver, and they are letting him race (Smith has completed over 92% of the laps run this season) – they want to run well, and eventually they will…a lot faster than the start-and-park teams, at least.

—-

No Sponsor for Jeff Gordon?

The Story: With Dupont not renewing their contract as primary sponsor for Jeff Gordon’s No.24 car next year, the team is working hard to find an alternate name to plaster on the hood. The rumor in the garage for weeks was that Wal-Mart was about to come on board, but the latest reports say the retail giant has decided against sponsoring a race team – leaving Hendrick Motorsports to continue their search.

Wilson’s Take: Wal-Mart has been conspicuous by their absence at NASCAR’s highest level – especially considering how the sport directly targets a primary audience of theirs. If a driver and team of Gordon’s stature can’t lure them into the Cup series – I’m not sure anyone can. The big question is – where does Hendrick Motorsports go from here? It appears that instead of one major sponsor, they will have to go the same direction as many other teams and piece together the season using 10-15 race deals with multiple sponsors. One way or the other – it is safe to assume Hendrick will have someone on the hood of the No.24 car for every race next year.

—-

Wilson’s Race Report – Montreal Post-Race Podcast

Who Said?!? Boris Said wins a thriller in the Montreal Nationwide Series race – hear what Boris had to say about his win (and find out whether he cried or not), plus – the Cup series picks back up this weekend at Atlanta, and Jamie McMurray talks about his chances of making the Chase – all in Wilson’s Race Report!

Click ‘Play’ on the Media Player below to listen!

WSBK too much of a Challenge for Ducati??

Wilson’s Race Report – Montreal Pre-Race Podcast

The Nationwide Series goes international! Carl Edwards talks about just how difficult the road course at Montreal is, plus – not one, but two NASCAR champions still need a sponsor for next season – I’ll tell you who they are, and who might be on the hood of their cars, all in Wilson’s Race Report!

Click ‘Play’ on the Media Player below to listen!

Two Laps Down: The Shrub, The Spin and the Silly Season

I should take the opportunity to introduce those that aren’t familiar – my partner in crime on this Two Laps Down endeavor is none other than Scotty Wazz – host of the Face Off Hockey Show as well as the prolific hockey website The Strangest One of All. Now, before you start thinking “Hey, what’s a hockey guy know about NASCAR?” – the Wazzman and I used to host Pit Stop Radio for five years, plus we did a season of Two Laps Down over at Catchfence.com. It’s been too darn long since we’ve talked NASCAR, so for everyone’s entertainment (ok…mostly our own), we’re presenting another installment of our latest e-mail ramblings:

—–Original Message—–

From: Todd – “Wilson!”
Sent: Monday, Aug 23rd, 2010
To: Wazz
Subject: The Shrub, The Spin and the Silly Season

Hey Wazzman,

Talk about the right week to kick-off another run of Two Laps Down - Kyle Busch single-handedly gave us enough material to last the rest of the season – pulling off the trifecta, feuding with Brad Keselowski, taunting the crowd…to call it a circus-like atmosphere surrounding The Shrub this weekend is a bit of an understatement. It was more like the WWE, actually.

As for the driving itself – I don’t care who you are, you have to admit that winning the Truck, Nationwide and Cup races in the same weekend is pretty darn impressive, especially at a place as tough as Bristol. But that being said – how historically significant is this feat, really? True, nobody has pulled off the three-race sweep before, but is that because it is impossibly difficult, or because not that many people have actually tried it? Let’s face it; lots of drivers dabble in the Nationwide series, but few do it seriously – and even less run Truck races. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to downplay Kyle’s accomplishment, but while everyone in the media is making it sound like a historic milestone I am wondering if maybe it had more to do with opportunity than anything.

Now, as for the verbal sparring between Busch and Keselowski, I don’t have to wonder about that – I like it. I think it is fun…it gets the fans railed up and keeps everyone talking. I was watching Wind Tunnel with *low voice* Dave Despain, and the volume of people who wrote or called in upset over the antics between Kyle and Brad was mind-numbing, but I say let ‘em go at it – it is boring when two guys have a run-in and then play nice (ala Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson) – I want to see a real feud every so often. Sure, it is a little cheesy in a professional-wrestling kind of way, but as long as nobody pulls a Jimmy Spencer, it’s all good by me.

I don’t want to forget the Silly Season – and I’d say that, other than the Kyle Busch Show, the biggest surprise of the weekend was the Brian Vickers press conference. I get a little queasy with all that surgery talk, so I’ll admit – it was really tough for me to sit through the whole thing…you gotta warn people when you’re about to go into that much detail. Red Bull kept the whole thing under wraps pretty well, too – that was some serious stuff Vickers went through – but the doctors say he should be ready to go in 2011…

…and that is great for everyone – not named Scott Speed. With Vickers back in the No.83 and Kasey Kahne presumably taking over the No.82, that leaves Speed on backup duty, and since the Red Bull guys aren’t popping out babies at nearly the rate they do over at Hendrick Motorsports – Scott will have a lot of time on his hands to play video games and paint his nails. Maybe they put him in a Nationwide car or Truck for a season? It is a possibility, I suppose, but not a very good one.

Assuming Vickers comes back, though, all of the sudden Red Bull is looking pretty racy for next season with him and Kahne. Brian was starting to make some real headway before he was sidelined, and with a teammate who has actually won a race before – it looks like they have the potential to be the No.2 Toyota team behind Joe Gibbs Racing. Do you think the Vickers-Kahne combo can take Red Bull to the next level, or will Kasey essentially phone it in, knowing that he is headed to that team of baby-making superstars over at Hendrick in 2012?

I promised I would keep things short, but I’ve already failed miserably at that – so even though there is more to talk about, I’ll turn the stage over to you, Wazzman.

Todd.

—–Original Message—–

From: Wazz
Sent: Monday, Aug 23rd, 2010
To: Todd – “Wilson!”
Subject: RE: The Shrub, The Spin and the Silly Season

Wilson, Oh Wilson,

That’s the thing with the two of us – we always know how to cash in at the opportunistic moment when things are getting good. Of course, if we were any good, we’d still be on the radio…

While I understand the point of the Cup guys pretty much sacking every series below them, I think Busch’s milestone is worth the hype. It’s not like it was a one-off for Kyle, he’s been competing in each series consistently enough to almost make him a regular in all three. Plus, you have to consider how tough that track is. The bullring in Bristol is a place where you’re lucky to finish with a running car, much less win all three races. The fact Shrub was able to beat and bang and go at any cost to win all three races at a place where you have to deal with the mental game as much as the physical game; it’s a testament to his ability. That said, I think that with the races being spaced out from Wednesday to Saturday could have helped a bit, and he definitely had great equipment — but you still can’t discount how grueling it really can be to do all three series at a track like that win them all. Even with the fanfare, though…win a Championship, Shrub; and give us all something to really praise you about.

I’m right there with you on the sparring between Busch and Keselowski, but the one thing I wonder is – if Keselowski is trying too much to be like Busch, it could be hurting his performance. I mean, Keselowski has already had run-ins with Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, and now Busch and he hasn’t been in the spotlight for too long. Is that a help or hinderance to make these many enemies in such a short time?That said, this kind of thing definitely make the sport a bit more interesting. Like you said, there’s no need to play nice, and if there’s some sizzle to a feud, it works out perfectly. The big thing is to not let it get too out of hand on the track, much like we’ve seen between Edwards and Keselowski in the Nationwide Series. And by “pulling a Spencer”, you mean looking lonely in the garage paddock eating a sub looking for someone to talk to??

The Vickers thing is very interesting, especially the secrecy of it all. I wonder if this were someone else, how under-wraps would it be?? Not to say Vickers isn’t a big name– but I guess he didn’t have a high enough status for people to do some digging and uncover this immediately. Plus, without him, it’s not like Red Bull Racing had been really ripping it up and getting attention with what’s might happen next season for them; so that helped cool any heat over Vickers’ possible return.

As far as Red Bull for next year, I find it interesting that Hendrick would give Kasey Kahne the freedom to run for another manufacturer; but I don’t think it will help Red Bull at all because he’ll only be there for a year and the organization will not have a vested interest in him like they do with Vickers or, to a lesser extent, Speed. Plus, I don’t know how good Red Bull is to anyone aside from Vickers. Look at how they treated AJ Allmendinger, and now he’s a star with Richard Petty Motorsports. I don’t think they’ll sink too much into Kahne if he can’t perform in the first seven races, because he’s gone in a year– why sink money and effort into a driver who’s on his way out, especially if he struggles?

Speaking of RPM, what do you think about Marcos Ambrose taking over for Kahne in the #9 Ford?? As much as I like Ambrose, do you think he can perform better in the equipment that RPM is going to provide to him?? As scrappy of a competitor as Ambrose is, I’m on the fence about him going there. Sure, he could perform well and do something magical with the #9. At the same time, I wonder if he’ll have a future with any team if he’s unable to deal well with this ride. I hope I’m wrong, but at the same time– I wonder with all the troubles Ford has been having, is this really the best place for a guy trying to make his mark on the sport??

Now, I could go on and on about how Kevin Harvick is making Budweiser and Reese’s Cups sound fantastic or how Max Papis is starting back at square one heading to the Truck Series for next year, or how Kevin Conway is not only leading the rookie points, but also could be an attribute to any team that picks him up because he’s got the sponsor already lined up….but I’ll pass it back to you– what say you about all of this, sir??

~SW

—–Original Message—–

From: Todd – “Wilson!”
Sent: Tuesday, Aug 24th, 2010
To: Wazz
Subject: RE: The Shrub, The Spin and the Silly Season

Hey Wazz,

There is no question that Kyle picked the toughest track to pull off the trifecta – I give him major props for that, although I am still not sure three-wins-in-a-weekend is something that will elevate him into best-of-his-era status, only because nobody else has really made a concerted effort to win all three – at least not as often as Kyle.

But you’ve got a point that Kyle deserves credit for racing anytime, anywhere – and I actually think he’ll have a much better chance of securing his place in the NASCAR history books in a bigger way – with wins. After Bristol, Kyle now has 78 career wins across all three series. At age 25. That is impressive. But, like you said, all those wins have only produced one Nationwide championship, and if Kyle really wants to be known as one of the best, he’s got to find a way to stop falling apart in the Chase and bring home a Cup championship – otherwise he’s on the road to becoming NASCAR’s version of Dan Marino…and they even both wear helmets – go figure.

Now, on to Keselowski – I think you are totally right – in the quest to be one of NASCAR’s ‘bad boys’, he forgot that you have to back it up with results. Talking tough after dumping Carl in the Talladega race was fine – he won. But since then, he has kept the attitude, but forgotten about the racing. And if he doesn’t start worrying about what is going on behind the wheel, he may find himself out of a ride eventually. He’s 40 points behind David Ragan right now, for Pete’s sake, and it isn’t like Kurt Busch is struggling in with the same equipment. I’d vote for Brad as the biggest disappointment so far this season – I expected a lot more.

As for Marcos going to RPM – if only he would have Kahne as a teammate, I think the move would be great. That’s not the case, obviously – but I still like this one. I think the chassis will be on par with what Ambrose had with the No.47, but the big bonus will be those Roush-Fenway engines – we’ve seen what they have done for Allmendinger, already. It would be better if he had a more experienced teammate to help him learn the ovals, but I still think the situation could work out well for Marcos, and certainly his Mikey Waltrip-like sponsor-friendliness will help RPM.

I think the best situation would have been for Marcos to go to RCR, but he doesn’t bring the kind of bankroll that Paul Menard and his dad do, I suppose, so that was out of the question from the beginning.

Budweiser and Reese’s – that an even more fantastic combo than Kyle Busch with M&M’s and Pedigree! And here’s the kicker – the word is that Harvick beat out Tony Stewart for the Budweiser sponsorship…and that Old Spice may do a limited Cup/Nationwide deal with Harvick since they are leaving the No.14, too. The Old Spice thing is just talk, but based on the way Smoke’s attitude-o-meter completely went off at Bristol when he was asked about sponsorship for next season, I’d say there is probably some truth to the rumor.

And speaking of sponsorships – still nothing yet for Jeff Gordon – what’s up with that?

I’m rambling again, but I will turn it back over to you with a quick Kevin Conway overview: he’s finished a grand total of three races this season on the lead lap (two of those on road courses), he might sit for the final 12 races of the year – and he’ll still handily win the Rookie of the Year title – how does that happen?

Do you share my rosy outlook for Ambrose? Has Stewart scared everyone away? Can anyone buy a ride….or even a ROY trophy? Take it to the house, Wazz-man.

Todd.

—–Original Message—–

From: Wazz
Sent: Tuesday, Aug 24th, 2010
To: Todd – “Wilson!”
Subject: RE: The Shrub, The Spin and the Silly Season

Hey Wilson,

It’s definitely an upgrade for Ambrose, but like you said– if Kahne were still around, it’d be the perfect situation. The parts and development that RPM have will benefit Ambrose, especially the motors. But you bring up the veteran presence, or lack thereof, at RPM– is Allmendinger the lead guy now?? If so, then I think that RPM could be in a bit of trouble. As great as it is to have Richard Petty owning the team, he can’t be out there driving for them and I foresee a lot of growing pains with this team. Especially without a veteran in the #19 car, it will be very interesting to watch RPM and see how they react to learning the ropes together.

As far as Jeff Gordon (with his black SS and the navigation) goes, if you believe what you hear– Wal-Mart will be on that car, and it is surprising they weren’t in the sport already. You’d think they would have been in long before Target, but Target is the main brand you think of in NASCAR when it comes to “big box” stores. Even if it isn’t Wal-Mart, with the amount of sponsors Hendrick has on their teams combined– something will happen, especially with the Gordon named attached.

Now, as far as Smoke goes– I really don’t know what is going to happen with him. While he’s in the top-ten on the standings, how much do you think the ownership side is wearing on him when it comes to being a driver/owner? But Smoke is another guy with a big name and multiple championships– he’ll get something together. Isn’t it interesting we’re seeing more and more split-sponsor cars? That either means a lot of companies that want in so badly they’ll go in with another company (RE: Reutimann’s Domino’s/Burger King on the 00 a few seasons ago) or there’s simply not enough money going around to sustain a full season.

When it comes to Kevin Conway, you can buy a ROY and a ride– it seems that he’s close to signing with Robby Gordon Motorsports for the rest of this season and next. That’s an interesting way to go about things, but it looks like ExtenZe has a stake in Conway and they’ll go anywhere with him and air their weird infomercials at 3am on Spike TV. What does this say about the rookies coming up, though, when Conway hasn’t done jack and still is in the race for ROY? We’ve seem to hit a lull in talent, but you have a lot of guys coming up like Michael Waltrip Racing’s young guns Trevor Bayne and Ryan Truex that should be here sooner rather than later– which is something we’ll probably touch on next week.

Now, what did we learn:

-Kyle Busch performed amazing feat at a tough track. He’s very good driver and can win at any track. That said, win a Cup Series championship, and then you can be called “great.”

-As great as Brad Keselowski is at verbal sparring, actually shutting up the competition by beating them will do more than anything you can say to or about them.

-Brian Vickers’ story is great, even if it makes us a bit squeamish when the details are put out there.

-You can win a ROY with a sponsorship that’s not really FDA approved.

-Sponsorship is a fickle thing, even if you’re a past champion.

Now, I’m going to have some Budweiser and Reese’s Cups for my next meal, just to see if Kevin Harvick is onto something.

~SW

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