[Optional]

Everyone loves an underdog...

But the Aussies are getting a bit over-excited down under.

http://www.speedcafe.com.au/2011/02/...s-for-daytona/



And Kesolowski is already shooting his mouth off.

@MartinTruexJr56 Martin Truex Jr.
Thanks everyone. Stuff happens, its plate racin. Looking forward to a great run tomorrow. Im out.

@keselowski Brad Keselowski
Always get a chuckle out of those drivers that say plate racing is a crap shoot. how come certain teams/drivers always win then? #poorexcuse

[dew22]

Everyone loves an underdog...

But the Aussies are getting a bit over-excited down under.

http://www.speedcafe.com.au/2011/02/...s-for-daytona/



And Kesolowski is already shooting his mouth off.

@MartinTruexJr56 Martin Truex Jr.
Thanks everyone. Stuff happens, its plate racin. Looking forward to a great run tomorrow. Im out.

@keselowski Brad Keselowski
Always get a chuckle out of those drivers that say plate racing is a crap shoot. how come certain teams/drivers always win then? #poorexcuse

Maybe someone should notify Brad K that it's a crapshoot between the top teams and drivers

[Optional]

Sounds like Brad has already changed his tune.

@keselowski Brad Keselowski
Got wrecked by 'pack racing' today, guess that's y I like 2 car tandems... Felt gr8 about our car. What else can u do?

Although he was partly right the first time. 4 Nationwide openers in a row to Smoke.

[thericker7]

Hope he can find a good partner to tandem with.

[Mr Nuts]

This could be the year that young Trevor Bayne makes a huge impact in NASCAR. He is definitely a young up-and-comer!!

Nailed it on the head! This kid looks good

[wezdaboss]

trevor looked good at daytona all week...hope he does well again in phoenix...ima jump on tha bandwagon he was in tha field 40 to 1 at daytona and i hit big so i became a trevor fan quick..lol

[Optional]

IndyCar trying poach their old drivers...

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Former open-wheel driver A.J. Allmendinger says he might be open to racing in IndyCar's season finale in Las Vegas for a chance at $5 million.

Allmendinger, who switched to NASCAR in 2008, says while driving in the Oct. 16 race is an unlikely scenario, the prize money would be good incentive to give it a try.

IndyCar announced last week that it will allow up to five qualified drivers from outside the series a chance to win $5 million if they're able to win the race.

Allmendinger, Juan Pablo Montoya and Tony Stewart have been mentioned as drivers who might give it a go because of their backgrounds in open-wheel racing. Former IndyCar champion Sam Hornish Jr., who lost his Sprint Cup ride this season, also could be a possibility.

Montoya said it would be logistically impossible since NASCAR races in Charlotte that same weekend. Stewart said he'd love to give it a shot, but it's unlikely since it would take three or four races of preparation to have a chance at winning, just like running at the Indianapolis 500.
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press


This doesn't sound like it will get any NASCAR drivers, but I like the sound of a motor racing Superbowl.

8 IndyCar teams v 8 NASCAR teams. Each team supplies 1 driver and 2 cars. 150 laps in the IndyCars and 150 in the Stock Cars.

Would be more interesting than the all-star race imho.

[Optional]

I know it seems like a small issue for Americans watching American racing, but this really sucks donkey balls for the other billion odd race fans worldwide.

"Comcast Idiots Prevent Indycar.com from streaming practice/races online this year" ... with no plans to do it themselves. Simply to protect rights and try and drive more Americans to signup for Versus.

A series with more than 50% international drivers, no TV broadcast outside the US borders, and now no legal online streaming.

http://dalyplanet.blogspot.com/2011/...-disaster.html




On a brighter note. Here come the Aussies... The late model team Ambrose announced just a few weeks back kicks ass first time out.

"Saturday’s inaugural run of Marcos Ambrose Motorsport resulted in an impressive 2nd place finish for Australian Late Model stock car driver George Miedecke. Rebounding from an 11th place qualifying start, Miedecke’s #9 JELD-WEN Australia sponsored car was the fastest car on the track at the first UARA Stars Touring Series event at Hickory Motor Speedway, America’s most competitive ‘Late Model’ championship."

http://www.facebook.com/notes/marcos...87522684622734

[Optional]

It was the best streaming setup of any sport I've ever seen.

Worked perfect most of the time, with multiple angles and in car that you could switch around fast.

[Optional]

Kimi Raikkonen set for NASCAR debut


Kimi Raikkonen is set to make a surprising move to NASCAR this year.

According to the Turun Sanomat newspaper, the 2007 Formula One world champion and current world rally driver will compete with the ICE1 Racing team in the Craftsman Truck series before moving up to the Nationwide and Sprint Cup series.

The date of his oval racing debut is yet confirmed.

According to the paper, Raikkonen will be joining forces with Foster Gillett, who will be a major partner of the team.

The ICE 1 team was formed this season for Raikkonen’s rallying activities, and has since spawned a Motorcross World Championship arm.

A long-time NASCAR fan, Raikkonen said he is excited at the prospect of oval race competition.

"I’m really looking forward to get there to familiarise to the world of NASCAR," Raikkonen told Turun Sanomat.

"I have been following it for a long time. I know, it’s a very tough and open, top racing series. I just love the American spirit of racing. It feels just great to get involved with that. Obviously, it will be very challenging and great fun for me."

Foster Gillett is the son of global sports magnate George Gillett, who controlled Richard Petty Motorsports until late last year.

American website Auto123.com reports that Ray Evernham, Gillett’s former business partner at RPM, was ‘astounded’ by the news of Raikkonen’s new deal.

"I really don’t know why Kimi would partner with people who continually fail with sports franchises," said Evernham.

"I don’t know how they could leave with so many unpaid bills and return to the sport."

Evernham claims he is owed $19USD million from his previous dealings with the Gilletts.

http://www.speedcafe.com.au/2011/03/...-nascar-debut/

[Optional]

I can only guess the Gilletts are great salesmen. And/or Kimi has heard an explanation for the Petty problem he trusts more than Ray Everham's version.

Foster's Dad was shafted in England and forced to part with his soccer team at a huge loss causing the NASCAR team problem. If that is the only thing Gillett did wrong, and the only bad thing Evernham can pin on Gillett, then personally I think Ray needs to go suck his dumby anyway. (I do feel sorry for Ray losing millions in the deal himself, but hey, that's life and that's business)

[Optional]

And yet another Formula 1 name moves to NASCAR. Pity it's the second big name that's come over after his career was ending there by a cheating scandal. :\


Briton Mike Coughlan, the former McLaren Formula 1 Design Director, is now working in NASCAR as the director of vehicle design for Michael Waltrip Racing in Cornelius, N.C.

The British-born engineer suspended from McLaren after the infamous 2007 “Spygate” scandal after Ferrari engineer, Nigel Stepney, passed on secret design documents to him.

http://www.auto123.com/en/racing-new...g?artid=129631


This guy is so good he could be a game changer for MWR though.

[Optional]

V8 Supercars will compete in the United States from 2013, competing at the new Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. Following Speedcafe.com’s breaking story on Monday, V8 Supercars has announced a five-year deal to race at the yet-to-be-constructed race track.

http://www.speedcafe.com/2011/07/01/...ric-usa-event/


I really really hope this means the talk about a V8 support race for NASCAR at The Glen was genuine too!

Now those guys could bring some road course ringers to the party!

[Optional]

From another report saying they should make it a 2 driver per car race;

Leigh Diffey, former V8 Supercars commentator and now a lead caller for Speed TV in America, says that the twin 200km format would attract a lot of interest from America’s finest NASCAR, IndyCar and sportscar stars.

"They (V8 Supercars) have seen the Gold Coast 600 format become so popular, that I think that if the series chooses to go down that road with the Circuit of the Americas event, they’d have an overwhelming amount of interest from the best drivers we have in the ‘States," Diffey said on Speed.com.

"If they were to do an interesting format like they do at the Gold Coast, and invite guys like Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Juan Montoya, Jimmie Johnson and run down the list of the IndyCar guys and sports car drivers, I think you’d give fans of all forms of racing a perfect reason to head to Texas to watch V8s.

[Optional]

Bathurst 1000 live on Speed this year, 6th-9th October.

http://www.speedcafe.com/2011/09/08/...oast-coverage/

This is the Australian equivalent of Daytona... probably even more important to fans here. Winning this race is almost as big as taking the championship, bigger to a lot of people.

It's the Daytona of road courses too... no other track in the world is as good, not Nurburgring, not the old Spa, nothing.

Even if you think you hate stock cars on a road course this one is worth a look!




I usually camp in front of the TV for about 20 hours over the weekend.


First lap of last years race;

[WolverineFan]

I'll have 2 check it out

[Optional]

Another Aussie link story

Commodore to be the new Chev for NASCAR?

http://smh.drive.com.au/motor-news/r...314-1v0gw.html

[dew22]

Another Aussie link story

Commodore to be the new Chev for NASCAR?

http://smh.drive.com.au/motor-news/r...314-1v0gw.html

What's a "rumour?"

Thanks for the link....

[Vegas39]

What's a "rumour?"

Thanks for the link....

[Optional]

What's a "rumour?"

A synonym for scuttlebutt.

You wouldn't rib me if you realized how many words I Americanize when posting just for you guys! (two in that sentence!)

[yisman]

Plate racing is a crapshoot, but yeah, certain teams still don't have a shot.

In each NASCAR race, only 25 drivers really have any sort of chance, and maybe 10 or so have a good chance.

I think I'm going to bring back my underdog offers that I did last year.

[yisman]

:O this thread is over a year old.

Random factoid:

Did you know that in the '90s there was some kind of event called the 'Busch Clash'?

[Optional]

:O this thread is over a year old.

Random factoid:

Did you know that in the '90s there was some kind of event called the 'Busch Clash'?

This thread will probably go for a few more years yet

No, do tell, what is the Busch Clash?


This is what turned me into a racing nut as a kid. Listen to the sound of this car

Driver is Dick Johnson (who drove in a couple of Watkins Glen NASCAR races in the 80s) in his arch nemisis' car, the late great Peter Brock (Richard Petty of Australian racing)



Start at the 6min mark to hear the sweetest racing car sound ever produced.

[5mike5]

[Vegas39]

This thread will probably go for a few more years yet

No, do tell, what is the Busch Clash?


This is what turned me into a racing nut as a kid. Listen to the sound of this car

Driver is Dick Johnson (who drove in a couple of Watkins Glen NASCAR races in the 80s) in his arch nemisis' car, the late great Peter Brock (Richard Petty of Australian racing)



Start at the 6min mark to hear the sweetest racing car sound ever produced.

Busch clash now known as Bud shootout

[Trident]

Start at the 6min mark to hear the sweetest racing car sound ever produced.

This is what a real car sounds like.

[Optional]

^^^ Agree Trident, I was wrong. But I never got to see a Can-Am race or even hear them on TV when they were running. So those small block Aussie V8s were the only things that 'real' racing sounded like to me.

I actually saw a couple of F5000 races just 3 or 4 weeks ago at a classic/historic race meeting. (open wheel version of the Can-Am cars)

They sounded amazing.

[Trident]

^^^ Agree Trident, I was wrong. But I never got to see a Can-Am race or even hear them on TV when they were running.

I never saw them when the series was racing but have seen them numerous times at Portland International Raceway where they hold Historic Races every year. They are some of the most amazing cars ever to hit the track.



Here is a clip of a local couple who race matching Lola's




Not only can you see every imaginable type of Race Car out there they even have a race for retired Cup cars.

[5mike5]

this is what a real car sounds like.

damn!!

[Optional]

I never saw them when the series was racing but have seen them numerous times at Portland International Raceway where they hold Historic Races every year. They are some of the most amazing cars ever to hit the track.

Here is a clip of a local couple who race matching Lola's

Not only can you see every imaginable type of Race Car out there they even have a race for retired Cup cars.

Sounds just like the Phillip Island Classics every January down here in Australia. Just love seeing all the different machines. Spent 3 days at the classics, and just 1 day at the F1 grand prix a week later this year. :-)

[Trident]

Glad to see they have the greatest Can Am car to ever race down under.