For Martin, watching Ryan race an emotional ride (NASCAR.com)
September 29, 2009
Forget all the jokes about Ryan Truex coming up the ladder to kick his brother's butt—whether it's in a Nationwide or a Sprint Cup Series ride.
By the time he gets there—with dad, Martin Truex, plotting every single step—Ryan's elder sibling, Martin Truex Jr., won't know whether to play big brother, father or competitor.
Heck, he might even have to retire before his little brother—about 12 years younger than he—even gets there.
Because whatever the path, the emotional stress will be inscrutably incredible; even as Truex Jr. holds his 2010 Cup ride with Michael Waltrip Racing at arm's length as he finishes 2009.
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"I had to get up on top of the truck [in the East series garage], I just couldn't stand it anymore on top of the pit box—I had to see what was going on," Truex Jr. said when he finally appeared in the infield media center with the championship entourage. "It just kills me."
It's nothing like when "Little Martin" was just a kid, watching his father and uncle Barney from countless dusty short-track infields—when life, and even racing, was nothin' but a party.
"There's no comparison at all, and I'm not sure why," Martin Jr. said, as he sat quietly in the middle of the media center, watching Ryan field questions from national media corps. "But for some reason when I watch [Ryan], I don't know, it's like I'm a parent, and I want to get on the radio and tell him—because I've been in all these positions.
"When I watched my dad, I loved to go to the races and watch him—but it wasn't like I knew what he was doing out there—I couldn't help him. And when I'm watching Ryan I constantly want to help; but you've got to refrain from putting your two cents in."
Mind-numbingly nerve-wracking? It certainly is. But last Friday evening in Dover—the joy was almost indescribable.
Ryan, just 17, clinched the family's first Camping World East title; after his father and brother had both won series races before him. It was the first championship of any kind for Michael Waltrip Racing.
And as it became official with the youngest racing Truex's eighth-place finish in the Sunoco 150, what had become a virtual all-star team gathered at the MWR pit stall as the race's final laps wound down, exploded in celebration.
Mikey himself was there, along with MWR executives Ty Norris, Cal Wells and Bobby Kennedy. Crew chief Mike Greci, who'd had prior East success with the Truex family, not to mention his championship pedigree with his own cars, was biting his lip as he watched the laps wind down surrounded by a bunch of others, like Clyde McLeod, with DEI backgrounds.
The Truex family was well represented, including uncle Barney, who'd had plenty of time behind the wheel of Modified stock cars banging wheels with his younger brother—forecasting what the family has to look forward to in stock-car racing's biggest big time.
But you wanna talk about pins and needles? Young Truex's car had smoked ominously for the last 30 laps of the race—but the crew never really told him much about what it was, and definitely not to worry about it.
"Big Martin" Truex, the hard-racing father who gave up his driving career in its prime to cultivate Martin Jr.'s climb from karts to Modifieds to the East series, and ultimately to back-to-back Busch Series championships and now in his current role as a Cup regular, was nearly beside himself after he got down off the pit box.
"Man!" he exclaimed. "This was way, way more—a thousand times more nerve-wracking then anything I ever did behind the wheel. This is just crazy.
"But it's the most joyful thing you could ever do."
And missing through all of this was "Little Martin," though as we found out later, he was a bundle of nerves atop his brother's hauler. Martin Jr. was the devoted older brother who, with his success, had underwritten a lot of his little brother's racing, once he confessed that he wanted to give the sport a try.
And "try" he has. In just his first full season in full-size stock cars, he had excelled to the point of winning a title, in what may be the most-heated developmental series in the country. The next day Greci could only shake his head when he was cornered in Dover's Nationwide garage and asked, again, how much beyond his expectations Ryan Truex's achievements had been.
In a nutshell, the achievement was immeasurable.
And so it puts his dad—who'd said earlier in the summer that he was going to inch his youngest son along, a step at a time, to see "if he can really do this, and if at any point we figure out he can't, that'll be it"—along with Norris seeking a major Nationwide program for 2010.
On Sunday, Norris said Truex would defend his East series title, but that MWR was ardently seeking to "get sponsorship in place to run at least a half schedule with Martin and Ryan splitting time in the car. We want to try Ryan in as many as seven races, and Martin has said he'd like to do as many as eight to 12 Nationwide races."
And it won't get any easier, though the brothers will continue to spend way more time together—and nerves aside, that's definitely good.
"We've spent more time together this year, through racing, than we have for years," Martin Jr. said. "With him living with our parents, and being so much younger than me we haven't spent a lot of time together the last six or seven years; and up until two-and-a-half years ago, he didn't seem all that interested in racing."
And now, in a rush, it's all changed.
"It's difficult, because I get way too into it," Martin Jr. said, chuckling. "Like I said, there's so many things I know I could help him with, but at the same time, I realize and understand there are certain things that go on, on the race track and in the sport that you have to learn yourself. You can tell someone a million times, but until they feel it, they're not really going to 'get it,' exactly."
And for the fans, next year watching the Truex brothers both "getting it" and getting after it, will be way more joyful than it'll be nerve-wracking, guaranteed.
Kyle Busch Victory Watch
20082009Cup Series84Nationwide86Truck Series35Wins: Through Dover
Dover was a rough one for Kyle Busch, as he faded in Saturday's Nationwide race in which he was the defending champion; and then had an abysmal day in the Sprint Cup car on Sunday, bouncing off the wall a couple times before he ended up way behind in 31st.
The only plus in Busch's chase to eclipse his 2008 record total of 21 wins (8 Cup, 10 Nationwide, 3 Truck), is that he has plenty of opportunities left to do it; like another doubleheader this weekend at Kansas Speedway. Plus, he didn't go storming off at Dover, even though both days' races were plenty disturbing to his incessant quest for wins.
Right now, Busch remains at 15 wins: 4 Cup, 6 Nationwide, 5 Truck. Kansas is the type of track on which Busch thrives, so stay tuned to see if he can get back in Victory Lane.
The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.
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Kansas Speedway boss excited about track's future (NASCAR.com)
September 29, 2009
Jeff Boerger has been presiding over since it was little more than a gleam in the eyes of International Speedway Corp.
With the next race in the 2009 Chase to the Sprint Cup to be held at the track that held its first race in 2001, Boerger talked about his hopes to build a casino overlooking the track, how his passion for hunting helped him land his job at ISC, and what kind of youth basketball coach he is.
Q: Can you give us an update on the possible future construction of a casino at your speedway?
Boerger: It's an exciting time to be at Kansas Speedway, not only because of the race coming up but because we have a lot of exciting opportunities on the horizon—especially working with our new casino partner in Penn National Gaming. They're the top industry leaders within the gaming field, and we're the top motorsports company in our field—so it's a good match. We are proposing to the state of Kansas for Phase 1, roughly $400 million to build a casino that would overlook the race track in Turn 2.
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That creates not only a lot of excitement for Kansas Speedway, but it's going to create a lot of revenue and economic impact and wealth for the state of Kansas and our region. The process that we're currently going through, the Kansas Lottery and Gaming Review Board will make their decision in December. But we like our chances. We've partnered with our competitor, so there is only one application left in this process. We're very bullish on not only gaming within our region but on working with our new partners to help make it happen.
Q: Assuming you get approval, when would you expect ground to be broken on the casino and when would you expect it to be completed?
Boerger: Again, we're not taking anything for granted. But if we are chosen, the construction period will start most likely in 2011; we'll be open most likely in 2012.
And then we're not only hoping to begin construction of the casino project, we're also going to petition NASCAR for a second Sprint Cup event along with building a road course that would have the capability of hosting a Grand Am event. So as we continue to move forward, there are a lot of developments that we're getting into that are very exciting. At the end of the day we believe it not only will drive revenue for our shareholders but it also will generate revenue for the state of Kansas and create jobs, tourism, and a lot of positive things for this area.
Q: So what do you figure the odds are for you guys getting all this done?
Boerger: I like our odds. Because we're the only [casino applicant] and because of all the upside that our project brings to the state of Kansas, I'm very optimistic and confident that we'll get this done. But again, we have to go through the process and we've got to get everything out in front of the review board to make sure they're comfortable with what we're proposing. We're excited about the Hollywood [casino] brand; we're excited about the scope of the project. … We just think we can enhance the entire region as far as tourism.
Currently we draw about 10 million folks on an annual basis. That's including Kansas Speedway, and all the development that has occurred around the race track. We are the model in the country now as far as how you develop around a sporting facility. We've heard from folks all over the country who would like to match what we've been able to do in terms of development here in Kansas. It's truly been a public-private partnership with the state. It just continues to grow and get better each and every year.
Q: With all that going on, what do you like to do to unwind away from the track?
Boerger: My first love is my family. I love hanging out with my wife [Beth] and kids [son, Jake, and daughter, Kate]. I'm a guy who loves coaching his son's basketball team. I've got 9-year-old twins who are very active, and we do a lot of stuff.
My other passions are hunting and fishing here in Kansas. Before the race track came to the state of Kansas, the highest tourism attraction was pheasant hunting. Obviously we blew that away. But there are a lot of pheasant out here in north central Kansas. I do a lot of pheasant hunting, quail hunting, all kinds of bird hunting. Turkey hunting, but I've also gotten into deer hunting, as well.
Probably my favorite passion, though, is going all over the state of Kansas to go bass fishing, as well as walleye fishing. It's a lot of fun and the funny thing is that's how I really got started with this company.
Q: How was that?
Boerger: I worked for an organization called the Kansas City Area Development Council, the regional economic development group. When ISC started this process to try to expand into the Midwest, I was fortunate enough to work on the project through that organization—and that's where I met Grant Lynch, who is a big outdoorsman [as well as vice president of ISC Strategic Projects].
At one of our meetings, we had talked about going pheasant hunting. And one thing led to another after that and he eventually asked me if I'd like to go work with them at ISC, and I said yes. The outdoors is really what brought Grant and I together, and in turn brought me into ISC. So I was fortunate in that regard.
I've also been fortunate in that I've been involved with the project from Day 1 on the recruitment side all the way up through now on the operation side. So it's been fun not only to watch Kansas Speedway grow, but to watch the entire area grow around it. It's been phenomenal.
Q: Getting back to family matters, you said you coach your son's youth basketball team. What kind of coach are you?
Boerger: We've been fairly successful. My kids love the sport. Being from Kansas and the tradition that Kansas has in basketball, from the Jayhawks winning a couple national championships since I've been around, it's been enjoyable to take the kids to watch the Jayhawks play. I graduated in '88 when they won their first championship.
But Jake's team has done very well. … Last year our record wasn't what I expected, but that was probably because of the coaching.
Q: So are you a Bobby Knight-type on the bench?
Boerger: No, I'm pretty calm. Obviously with kids that age, it's all about the basics and helping them grow up. You really can't yell at an 8- or 9-year-old, in my opinion, and teach them what you want to. It's all about teaching them the basic skills and that's what we concentrate on, so maybe they can take it to the next level. I played ball in high school, but they may need someone else to start coaching them if I can't turn our record around.
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Chicago to offer additional ticket purchasing options (NASCAR.com)
September 29, 2009
Chicagoland Speedway has unvieled a new ticketing model that will offer fans more choices in time for the upcoming 2010 season.
Since opening in 2001, Chicagoland Speedway has sold Track Packs that included tickets to every race during two event weekends. Fans will still have the opportunity to purchase this season package, but now will have other options to choose from, as well. In addition to a Track Pack, NASCAR race weekend packages, August race weekend packages, and single-day tickets to the Camping World Truck Series race and the IndyCar Series race in August will be available for purchase.
In 2010, a Track Pack will once again include admission to six races over two event weekends, while a NASCAR weekend package allows fans to attend the Nationwide Series race on July 9 and the Sprint Cup Series race on July 10.
An August weekend package includes tickets to the ARCA Series and Truck Series races on Aug. 27, as well as tickets to the Indy Lights and IndyCar series races on Aug. 28.
Track Packs, NASCAR and August weekend packages, as well as single-day Truck and IndyCar series race tickets go on sale Dec. 7. For more information, call 888-629-RACE (7223) or log on to www.chicagolandspeedway.com.
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Debating the pros, cons of possible schedule changes (NASCAR.com)
September 29, 2009
According to reports, NASCAR is looking at two possible changes for the Sprint Cup Series schedule. One would be to go to more two-day race weekends, eliminating Friday's on-track activities. The other would be to have more consistent start times for races.
There are positives and negatives to both, and Bill Kimm and Jason Schoellen weigh in on what they like and don't like about each one. And while the possibility remains that both could happen in 2010, if you could choose only one, which would it be?
Read both sides of the argument and then weigh in with your take in the Comments section below. And don't forget to vote for whose argument you agree with more in the poll at the right.
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Your Turn: Martin, Jr. in the crosshairs (Yahoo! Sports)
September 29, 2009
It’s that time of week again – the time for you to sound off on all things NASCAR.
If you’ve got an opinion you’d like to share – and the more diverse the opinion, the better chance you have of getting published – you can be a part of Your Turn by emailing us your rants right here.
We’ll kick things off with Mike Bartley from Springfield, Ill., Abe Lincoln’s hometown, with this rant about athletes coming out of retirement:
Mark Martin is the Brett Favre of NASCAR. Make up your damn mind if you wanna retire or not. Just like Brett I hope his career goes down the [toilet]. The last time we saw this much indecisiveness was when Ross Perot was running for Prez. Its crap like this that’s gonna make me quit watching NASCAR entirely.
Craig Van Kirk from Arkansas didn’t appreciate Dale Earnhardt’s criticism of David Reutimann:
Following an accident at New Hampshire, Dale Earnhardt Jr. said David Reutimann needs to “polish up his craft.” (Getty)
Who is Junior to talk about a lack of talent. Reutimann has more wins, more top 5s, more top 10s than junior with a race team that is not equal to Hendrick. Junior is the problem with his team. He’s done a fabulous job of cashing in on his name. Perhaps he should put more energy into being a top notch driver. But he doesn’t need to. He’s Mr. Popularity who makes a fortune for being mediocre
David from Denton, Texas, chimes in with this rant on Jeff Gordon’s crew chief and the 10 tracks in the Chase:
Who was the last Driver/Crew Chief Combo under the old scoring format to score more points (5,455) than Gordon/Letarte in 2007? If you can answer that then you know Gordon/Letarte are the perfect match since the modern era 1974. If you can’t answer that then you probably think that the Chase was a good idea.
Unlike football where every field is 100 yards long, tracks play to different drivers likes. If we would take the 10 tracks before the Chase and use those races as the Chase then we would have different Champions.
Jimmie Johnson is the Best Driver of the final 10 races of the season. He has proven that 3 times over. But he has only proven once that he is the best driver on all the tracks.
Will Rezac of Chandler, Ariz., wants to congratulate Kyle Busch:
When Kyle Busch wins the Nationwide series, I would love to be there to congratulate him on winning the trophy in the Pee Wee division. Sorry, the junior division. Okay, okay the developmental series. Okay so I really don’t know what the series is considered anymore.
Derek from parts unknown has this suggestion on how to give the regular-season points leader a homefield advantage:
Here’s my proposal for a bonus for the driver who leads the points at the end of the regular season: learn from other sports which give a home field advantage. Give the top driver from the regular season first pit choice for the remainder of the races, and then let the pole-sitter have second pit choice.
And finally, we’ll end things with this rant from Gary Crawford of Dallas:
What is the old saying, “there’s no cryin’ in baseball.” Well there should be no “Whining in NASCAR”, but then who would the announcers have to interview, not many I am afraid.
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Happy Hour: Intrigue abound (Yahoo! Sports)
September 29, 2009
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For the record, I thought Brad Keselowski was at fault in Saturday’s Nationwide race. That said, why is it that Cup drivers feel the need to pull out the “Cup” card whenever they tangle with a Nationwide regular?
Join Happy Hour Got a question or comment for Yahoo! Sports NASCAR editor Jay Hart? Want to be a part of Happy Hour? Email Jay
“A lot of it is he doesn’t have a lot of Cup experience, but that’s OK, he’s getting there,” Hamlin said after the race. “But once he starts to get out there on Sunday and see how to race, he’ll realize that in his younger years he didn’t do it the right way.”
Seems to me that the purpose of the Nationwide Series is to give drivers experience, and that if you want to race guys with Cup experience, you need to stick to the Cup Series.
More From Jay Hart Sports real Mr. Clutch drives a race car Sep 27, 2009 Storylines: Gordons not done yet Sep 26, 2009
Just sayin’.
Now onto the mailbag:
You snooze, you lose
Jay I predict this to be a very boring chase. I’m over it already.
AndrewIndianapolis
Seriously? You’re over the possibility of a 50-year-old legend winning his first title? You’re over the possibility of a driver winning four straight titles for the first time in NASCAR’s history. You’re over the possibility of a Juan Pablo Montoya becoming NASCAR’s first foreign-born champion?
Maybe it’s the sportswriter in me that roots for great stories, but for me this Chase is chock full of intrigue.
Advantage: Johnson?
As a fan of neither driver I very much agree with Greg Biffle about Jimmie Johnson having a distinct advantage at Dover because of the tire testing he did. It’s the same as someone getting to run an obstacle course a few times before any one else gets to see it, that guy also has a big advantage over all the rest. NASCAR should change this policy to make it fair to everyone.
Tom ClancySpring Hill, Fla.
Let’s get all the facts on the table. First off, there is a rotation of drivers who do tire tests for Goodyear throughout the season. Johnson just happen to draw Dover.
But as he pointed out prior to Sunday’s race, he wasn’t among those who tested at Indianapolis earlier this year and he wound up winning the race.
Second, the tire Johnson tested at Dover was not the tire Goodyear ultimately brought to Sunday’s race.
And third, Johnson won at Dover in the spring race, too.
“Even with the different tire, it seems we have ended up with the same setup we had here in the spring,” Johnson said prior to Sunday’s race. “At times, there is no doubt [the test] is helpful for me. There is no doubt that it is helpful for certain levels of engineering. It is nice to go to the track and get in the rhythm of things, but, we came back with the same stuff we had in the spring.”
Was the test an advantage for Johnson? Maybe, but that’s not going to be the reason why he’ll be a threat to win the title and Biffle won’t.
By the way, love your books.
Disadvantage: Kahne
Jay, this is more a comment on your article than a question. As a long Time Bill Elliott fan and a Kasey Kahne fan since he drove in the Busch series for Yates, I think Kahne is trapped.
George Gillett purchased Kasey Kahne’s Dodge team from Ray Evernham in 2007. (Getty)
You hit the nail on the head about the Gillett’s. Kahne stood a good chance of stardom and success under Evernham and I felt as soon as he sold his soul to the devil, Kasey was done. Look at what the Gilletts HAVEN’T accomplished! The Montreal Canadiens never won a championship under Gillett ownership. That’s unheard of.
The Gilletts are about the money and NEVER the sport. I would love to see Kasey at Stewart Haas Racing. He will never be a championship contender as long as the Gilletts or even Richard Petty have control of him.
John ThullMansfiled, Ohio
While I agree that Kahne needs a change of scenery, I do think it’s to NASCAR’s detriment that there are barely a handful of teams where he can reach his potential.
I don’t believe bundling up all the talent in only a few organizations is good for the sport. Just look back at the 2007 Chase, when the suspense of a potentially captivating playoff battle was stamped out by the lovefest that was Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon.
Richard Childress predicted a few years ago that the Sprint Cup Series would eventually be comprised of four or five “superteams” fielding all 43 cars. Childress tends to be a fortune teller in all things economical in the sport. Let’s hope he’s wrong about this or, before he’s proven right, NASCAR steps in to correct a potentially troubling trend.
This and that …
Jay: Can you please tell Juan Pablo Montoya to have a beer. He still has champagne bubbles floating around in his head. Did he really think that Mark Martin was going to just move over and let him win the race at New Hampshire? Would he not have done the same thing to Mark Martin if he was leading the race and Martin was running in second? It’s called “racing” not “follow the leader” like in F1. You’re in NASCAR now, Juan. Get with the program!
Sheri BradnamWelland, Ontario, Canada
Say what you will about Juan – and I’m still scratching my head over his post-race comments at New Hampshire – but dude has flipped the switch. He is no longer that Cinderella story who’s trying to hang around as long as possible. He’s a legit championship contender, more so right now than Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards.
I don’t think Montoya will win it this season, but I will give him serious consideration when making my prediction for 2010.
Jay, I have to agree with you on the Jeff Gordon comment last week. I am not or never have been a Gordon fan but for some unholy reason my 7-year-old son has decided that this is his guy. Last year when Hendricks came to test at the Milwaukee Mile my son had to go. He sat in the sun and heat just to get a glimpse of Jeff. When the engines stopped he would scream Jeff’s name and every time Jeff would turn and wave at him. Talk about making a little kid’s day. I have never been a fan but this guy is a class act.
Jeff DorowMilwaukee
Last call …
If you take the number of races Jeff Gordon has been in, the number of laps he has led, the races he did not finish, divide them by the number of other drivers, you will clearly see that Jeff should have 8 championships now.
William Small
Jay Hart is the NASCAR editor for Yahoo! Sports. Send Jay a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
Trulli recuperating but set to race in Japan GP (PA SportsTicker)
September 29, 2009
By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer
TOKYO(AP)—Jarno Trulli was too ill join Toyota teammate Timo Glock at a Tokyo media event ahead of Sunday’s Formula One Japan Grand Prix.
But the Italian is recovering well after succumbing to a fever during last weekend’s Singapore GP and will be ready to race Sunday, Toyota Motor Corp. senior managing director Tadashi Yamashina said Tuesday.
“We wanted him to take it easy,” Yamashina said at the event at a Toyota showroom, adding that the 35-year-old Trulli was expected in Nagoya on Wednesday morning.
Glock, who finished second at Singapore to equal Toyota’s best F1 finish, said he was determined to do even better in Japan and shrugged off concerns about possible rain.
“I love the rain,” he said, appearing on stage in his white racing gear. “I’m really looking forward to (Toyota’s) home race.”
Yamashina said Toyota had been preparing all season for the Japan GP at the Suzuka circuit, with modifications including rear suspensions that he hoped would boost the car’s efficiency.
“I believe in the car and I believe in our racers,” he said.
Yamashina acknowledged there have been worries about Toyota staying in F1.
The maker of the Camry sedan and Prius hybrid has posted its worst ever loss for the fiscal year that ended March 31, battered by a global slump and a surging yen, and is projecting more losses this fiscal year.
Yamashina said the team was still focused on winning F1 races.
The company was serious about cost cuts, he added, traveling economy class for some flights and cutting back on menu choices at the canteen.
“We will never give up and hope to someday stand at the center of the podium,” he said.
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Johnson talk a familiar storyline at Chase time (NASCAR.com)
September 28, 2009
Everyone knew he was coming and, to be honest, he didn't have that far to go.
He still isn't where he needs or wants to be, even though it seems as if he's already arrived. But when the only guy in front of him in the point standings has taken to referring to him by saying, "I'm pretty sure that dude's Superman," it only reinforces the feeling of inevitability that is beginning to envelop Jimmie Johnson's chances of winning a fourth consecutive Cup Series championship.
The question that begs to be asked is: would that be good for the sport?
Johnson won Sunday's AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway in dominating fashion. He led 271 of 400 laps, including the last 225 in the second race that comprises the 10-race Chase to the Sprint Cup.
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With eight races to go in the Chase, the three-time defending champ remains 10 points behind leader Mark Martin, a Hendrick Motorsports teammate who arguably is the most compelling story on the Cup circuit this season. Martin's comeback—a return to a full-time ride after two seasons of self-induced, part-time exile—has been nothing short of remarkable.
Johnson, one of the nicest guys in the garage, would not argue with that. But that doesn't mean he's about to step aside and let Martin or anyone else lay claim to what has been his for three years running, and Sunday served as the starkest reminder yet of that dogged mind-set that is so tough to beat.
And let's get this straight: no one is saying Johnson, whose crew chief, Chad Knaus, insists works harder than anyone else in the driver pool, doesn't deserve a fourth consecutive title. No one is saying that's not a good story in its own right.
But gee whiz, after three years of Jimmie, isn't a little diversity in order?
Who can knock him off?
Aside from Martin, it is beginning to look like there are only a handful of guys who truly stand ready to challenge Johnson's supremacy during these final eight races of the 2009 season.
But the fact that they are there at least is a compelling aspect that must be appreciated. No one is going to simply hand Johnson and his No. 48 Chevrolet team another title, and that alone makes the looming battles well worth watching even in a crowded sports environment that last Sunday included a Tiger Woods-Phil Mickelson duel in golf, and lots of entertaining regular-season action in the National Football League.
Sitting third in the standings after another strong fourth-place finish at Dover is Juan Montoya. But it's getting old saying he's going to reach Victory Lane on an oval sooner rather than later when, in fact, it's growing quite late. He's right there, but needs to step it up one more notch—the last, most difficult notch—to truly be regarded as a challenger.
And yes, Montoya will have to win a race to win the title. Consistency is wonderful, but Johnson and others are too good to allow a driver who doesn't get to Victory Lane at least once in these final races to overcome them.
Kurt Busch is fourth in the standings and has been right around there—or even a little better—virtually the entire season. Yet no one has really noticed him. Why? See the aforementioned comment about needing to win races. He won at Atlanta in Johnson-like dominating fashion in the spring, but will need to find that magic again at least once in the final eight to win what would be his second championship.
After Montoya, who is a mere 65 points off the pace being set by Martin and currently 55 behind Johnson, and Busch (75 behind Martin, 65 behind Johnson and 10 behind Montoya), there is a bit of a drop-off.
What about Tony?
Sitting in fifth, however, is a driver to watch. It's Tony Stewart, who was the points leader at the end of the 26-race "regular season" and sits 106 points behind Martin. Don't count him out, and what a compelling story he already has been in his first season as owner/driver for his Stewart-Hass Racing No. 14 Chevrolet.
No offense, Jimmie, but strong arguments could be made that having Stewart win his third title would do more for drawing interest to the sport than—ho-hum—Johnson winning yet another one.
The same could be said for Montoya winning. Simply having him contend is fulfillment of a NASCAR dream from the day Montoya decided to join the stock-car ranks—supposedly, hopefully, bringing a flock of Hispanic fans into the fold with him. If that hasn't exactly happened yet, maybe Montoya winning a championship—or at least contending for one down to the end—will do it.
Then there is Martin. He remains the best story of all at age 50 and, after all, he's still in the lead with eight to go even if Johnson all along loomed as the odds-on favorite.
Of the rest, while none have been mathematically eliminated as yet, the only ones who seem to have shown enough life to have even a remote chance of surging to the top by the end of the Chase are Denny Hamlin, who is in sixth and 108 points behind, and Jeff Gordon, who is in eighth and 122 off the pace.
But out there in front of them, and right on Martin's tail, lurks Johnson. What the driver of the famed No. 48 reminded them all of Sunday was that he won't make many mistakes from here on in, and neither will his team.
They'll all have to be better than that over the final eight-race stretch, and that's going to be a tall order. Let's hope that if Johnson eventually gets out front and can't be caught, enough of America will remain interested and watching.
The opinions expressed are those solely of the writer.
Joe Menzer is the author of "The Great American Gamble: How the 1979 Daytona 500 Gave Birth to a NASCAR Nation." Click here to purchase.
Related • •
Sprint Cup Series Standings Pos.+/-DriverPointsBehind 1.—Mark Martin5,400— 2.—Jimmie Johnson5,390-103.+1Juan Montoya5,335-654.+1Kurt Busch5,325-755.+1Tony Stewart5,294-1066.-3Denny Hamlin5,292-1087.—Ryan Newman5,290-1108.+2Jeff Gordon5,278-1229.—Greg Biffle5,262-13810.-2Brian Vickers5,249-15111.—Carl Edwards5,247-15312.—Kasey Kahne5,211-189
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Johnson delivers message to Chase field at Dover (NASCAR.com)
September 28, 2009
The man Mark Martin calls "Superman" was the master of the Monster Mile once again on Sunday, and unless somebody other than Martin is carrying a pocketful of Kryptonite, the 2009 Sprint Cup championship trophy may very well find a place on Jimmie Johnson's mantle beside the past three.
Johnson sent a clear message to the rest of the Chase field with a dominating victory in the AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway. He led 271 of the 400 laps, including the last 225, to close to within 10 points of Martin after two races in the 10-race postseason.
Actions speak louder than words, and Johnson's win reverberated through the garage area like a car stereo with the bass cranked up.
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"As far as sending a message, I hope it does," Johnson said. "I hope people talk about it. I hope people are worried. I hope people are talking about the fact that we tire tested and it was wrong. All these people can get wound up about stuff that really doesn't matter. And we'll keep our heads down, we'll keep our blinders on and we'll go to work.
"At the end of the day, all the talk means nothing. We've still got to show up at Kansas and run that race. That's what we do a really good job at, staying focused."
As Johnson's teammate, Martin has had the chance on a day-to-day basis to analyze what makes the driver of the No. 48 so good. And he's come to one conclusion.
"I had the opportunity to see up close, and I'm telling you, I see why he's so successful," Martin said. "He works harder at it than anybody else, I think, on the circuit."
According to crew chief Chad Knaus, Johnson has a commitment that few can emulate, especially the ability to stay hungry and focused despite so much success.
"There's a lot of people, when they get to the top, they're like, 'I made it. I got this big house and all this money. Let's go party on Monday,'" Knaus said. "And Jimmie does the opposite. He gets up at 8 o'clock on Monday morning and gets on the treadmill, watches what he eats and pays attention to detail. If you want to talk to him on the telephone, he answers the phone and doesn't call me back two days later. He's committed to his lifestyle.
"If you want to win races in this industry, in this day and age, you have to give that commitment, and if you don't, you're not going to win."
Not surprisingly, Knaus admits the points leader has the same mentality, one of the reasons why Martin may have the best chance at dethroning the three-time champ. And there's a mutual admiration society at the Hendrick shop, if Johnson's opinion is taken into consideration.
"There's no free lunch in this sport, especially racing Mark Martin," Johnson said. "You're going to have to earn every point. We closed up a little bit on him [Sunday] and there's eight more [races] to go."
Juan Montoya, who finished fourth, and Kurt Busch, who led twice for 99 laps before settling for fifth, are the only other drivers within double digits of the Hendrick duo, which is more than fine for Johnson.
"I'm excited to see we've gapped some of the other Chase competitors," he said. "That may not be exciting for the fans and everybody else, but the bigger gap we can put between us and those guys, and single out just a car or two to really have to worry about, the easier my job is. That's what I hope we can keep doing."
But with eight races remaining, nobody's poised to wave the white flag, particularly Martin, who has a win and a second-place finish in the first two Chase races.
"I think first and second's a great way to come out of the gate, but we've got a long way to go," Martin said. "Anything can happen. I still say there's 12 in it and 12 that can win it. It might be a challenge for a couple of the ones in the back right now, but you just don't have any concept at how much racing eight races is. It's a lot of racing. A lot of things can happen."
Still, Johnson's ninth win in the past 27 Chase races has to send cold shivers down the necks of the competition, especially since he's won at least one race at every track on the remainder of the schedule, save Homestead. Even Martin, who doesn't seem the slightest bit intimidated, realizes when Johnson's at the top of his game, he's faster than a speeding bullet … and all that other stuff.
"I don't think we were in his league [Sunday]," Martin said. "We missed it just a little bit.
"We were racing our guts out, no matter where we wind up and no matter how. That dude's still Superman in my book. He looked like it [Sunday]."
The opinions expressed are those solely of the writer.
Sprint Cup Series Standings Pos.+/-DriverPointsBehind 1.—Mark Martin5,400— 2.—Jimmie Johnson5,390-103.+1Juan Montoya5,335-654.+1Kurt Busch5,325-755.+1Tony Stewart5,294-1066.-3Denny Hamlin5,292-1087.—Ryan Newman5,290-1108.+2Jeff Gordon5,278-1229.—Greg Biffle5,262-13810.-2Brian Vickers5,249-15111.—Carl Edwards5,247-15312.—Kasey Kahne5,211-189
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Johnson again strongarms Monster for season sweep (NASCAR.com)
September 28, 2009
Pole-sitter Jimmie Johnson threw down the gauntlet in Sunday's AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway, but Mark Martin was up to the challenge.
With his fifth victory at Dover and second at the track this year, Johnson affirmed that his No. 48 Chevrolet team is a serious threat to win a fourth consecutive Cup Series championship.
Martin, however, retained the lead in the series standings with a runner-up finish to Johnson, who led 271 laps in claiming his fourth victory of the season. Martin leads his Hendrick Motorsports teammate by 10 points after two of 10 races in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
Matt Kenseth ran third, his best finish since winning the second race of the season at Fontana in February. Juan Montoya came home fourth—his second consecutive top-five in the Chase—and Kurt Busch kept his hopes for a second Cup title alive with a fifth-place run as Chase drivers took nine of the first 11 spots.
Jimmie Johnson led 569 of 800 … NASCAR.com – Sep 28, 2:58 pm EDT Jimmie Johnson led 569 of 800 … NASCAR.com – Sep 28, 2:58 pm EDT
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Montoya climbed one position to third in the standings, 65 points behind Martin and 10 points ahead of Busch in fourth.
Jeff Gordon, , Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman completed the top 10. Greg Biffle (13th), Brian Vickers (18th) and Denny Hamlin (22nd) all lost significant ground in the Chase standings.
"It's just two races," Martin said. "I still say that there's 12 in and 12 can win. It might be a challenge for a couple of the ones toward the end of the back."
The 10th-place finish did little to satisfy Newman. Though he held the seventh position in the Cup standings, he now trails Martin by 110 points
"I'm happy that we're still validating in some people's eyes that we should have made it in [the Chase], but it doesn't really matter to me," Newman said. "We need to run better. We need to be up there with the 5 [Martin] and the 48 [Johnson]."
Johnson credited crew chief Chad Knaus with adjustments that improved his car after Saturday's final practice session.
"Chad made some great calls [Saturday] night to make the car more comfortable to drive," said Johnson, who earned the 44th win of his career to tie Bill Elliott for 14th on the career victory list. "It was really what I needed [Sunday]. We had plenty of speed in it. I just needed some comfort, and I had that.
"I was able to lead a lot of laps, but the few times we were back in traffic because of strategy, I worked my way up through there, and everything went well."
Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus also won their 15th Chase race. No one is better down the stretch and it's the main reason why the No. 48 team is going for their record fourth consecutive title.
Jimmie Johnson led 569 of 800 … NASCAR.com – Sep 27, 10:29 pm EDT
Martin said his car was slightly off, especially on restarts. Characteristically, he would drop positions on the opening laps of a green-flag run and regain them as the run progressed.
"We had a good-handling car on the long runs, but it was a handful on the restarts," Martin said. "I think we did really well by finishing second. We were just off a little bit, and it really showed itself on the restarts, but we were off just a little bit even on the long run, even though we would get where we could beat most of the crowd.
"We didn't hit it perfect, but as competitive as it is, I'm really proud of how well we hit it."
Johnson, who won for the fifth time at Dover to tie David Pearson for third on the all-time win list at the track, beat Martin to the finish line by 1.970 seconds. Richard Petty and Bobby Allison posted seven victories each at the Monster Mile.
The race was stopped for more than 23 minutes after a spectacular crash involving rookie Joey Logano following the first double-file start.
NASCAR threw a competition caution after Lap 25, setting up a restart on Lap 31. Before the field could complete the lap, however, a violent collision in Turn 3 sent Logano's car barrel-rolling seven times down the 24-degree banking.
Logano was unhurt, as were chain-reaction wreck victims Reed Sorenson, Martin Truex Jr. and Robby Gordon.
Hamlin came to Dover having scored more points than any other driver in the previous 11 Cup races, but the second race of the Chase was a disappointment. He fell three positions in the standings to sixth, 108 points behind Martin.
"We're definitely disappointed, but we didn't crash," Hamlin said, accentuating a positive aspect of an otherwise frustrating day. "We didn't have a 35th-place finish, but we just didn't have a car that was capable of running with any speed [Sunday]. We weren't really fast in qualifying. We weren't fast in all the practices. Our car just didn't have a whole lot of speed.
"We definitely came out here thinking we could win the race, just like any other weekend, but as soon as the green flag fell, I knew we were in trouble. It was just a bad day. The tire that we had was so loose that you had to overcompensate so much with the chassis that it just didn't make for good racing, at least from my standpoint."
• Press Pass: Jimmie Johnson | |
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Sprint Cup Series Standings Pos.+/-DriverPointsBehind 1.—Mark Martin5,400— 2.—Jimmie Johnson5,390-103.+1Juan Montoya5,335-654.+1Kurt Busch5,325-755.+1Tony Stewart5,294-1066.-3Denny Hamlin5,292-1087.—Ryan Newman5,290-1108.+2Jeff Gordon5,278-1229.—Greg Biffle5,262-13810.-2Brian Vickers5,249-15111.—Carl Edwards5,247-15312.—Kasey Kahne5,211-189
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