Carl Edwards Should be Parked for Intentionally Wrecking Brad Keselowski

With 3 laps to go Brad Keselowski was running in 6^th place Sunday afternoon at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Carl Edwards was running 39^th. That’s when Carl Edwards intentionally made a hard right turn into the left rear of Keselowski’s Dodge sending Keselowski into a flying spin and a hard landing on his roof.

“It looked like it could have been a payback from the No. 99 on the No. 12, said NASCAR’s vice-president of competition Robin Pemberton. “We talked with Carl after the race and we have an understanding about it and we will talk internally again as a group Monday or Tuesday of this week and make any decision on if there will be any other actions that we will take.”

When NASCAR Chairman Brian France  told drivers earlier this year that NASCAR “is a contact sport”, he was definitely not not sending a message that it was okay to intentionally wreck another driver at the end of a race.

Hard racing does not mean you can take out another driver. Especially when you are 156 laps down, like Edwards was.

Keselowski could have been seriously injured or killed in the crash. The roof of his car was caved in on both sides, and the A pillar, the post in front of the driver that supports the roof, was severely damaged.

The flying car of Keselowski didn’t miss the catchfence by much. Edwards put the fans safety in danger as well.

Carl Edwards was parked following the incident, but since he was already 156 laps down his finishing position wasn’t affected. He has not been punished at all yet.

So will NASCAR park Edwards? “We’ll let you know either Monday or Tuesday. We’ll meet as we normally do the first of the week at the R&D Center as a group,” said Robin Pemberton

After the wreck Carl Edwards said “People gotta have respect for one another, and I have a lot of respect for people’s safety.” Well Carl, all I can say is your actions speak louder than your words.

What’s more, Edwards may have affected the outcome of the race. Kurt Busch was leading at the time of the wreck, but Juan Pablo Montoya was closing. Would Montoya have caught Busch if Edwards had not caused the caution? We’ll never know. But we don’t need an intentional wreck at any time – especially with 3 laps to go.

I say park Edwards for a race. Carl, don’t even bother showing up at Bristol. You can watch the race at home on TV.

What do you say?

Dale Jr Takes the Pole

Dale Earnhardt Jr was the fastest qualifier tonight at Atlanta Motor Speedway grabbing the pole position for Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 500.

“It’s really, really fast you just gotta hang on,” said Earnhardt of his pole run. “When you can do it and do it right it’s pretty cool.”

Earnhardt turned a lap of 28.761 seconds at 192.761 to earn the top spot. He was he was .07 seconds faster than 2^nd place qualifier Kyle Busch.

It was the fastest qualifying lap ever in a NASCAR COT.

The pole was the 9th of Earnhardt’s career, and the first since 2008 at Texas, 68 races ago.

What do you think about Dale Jr’s fast qualifying run?

What Dale Earnhardt Jr Likes About Las Vegas

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Dale Earnhardt Jr Gives $1 Million to Victory Junction Camp

NASCAR’s most popular driver has pledged $1 million to pay for a new theatre at Victory Junction Camp.

The Randleman, North Carolina camp plays host to children with serious illnesses. It was founded by Kyle and Pattie Petty in memory of their son Adam.

Dale Jr’s donation will be used to build The Dale Jr. Corral and Amphitheatre.

“There are many reasons why we wanted to get involved with Victory Junction and build this amphitheater, and it starts with the tremendous impact the camp has on these kids,” Earnhardt Jr said.

Mr. Earnhardt will be on hand March 27, 2010 to break ground on project during The Dale Jr. Foundation Physical Disabilities Weekend at Victory Junction.

“Adam and I met each other at an early age, and from that point on our lives and careers were virtually parallel,” said Dale Jr.  “He was as genuine as they get and a great friend.  If I can play a small part in helping Kyle and Pattie keep his dream alive, it doesn’t require a second thought.”

The amphitheatre will allow children at the camp to not only be entertained, but participate in the entertainment.

Is Dale Jr a good guy or what?

Photo Courtesy Hendrick Motorsports

Jeff Gordon Hands Victory to Jimmie Johnson

Jeff Gordon was pretty upbeat following Sunday’s Shelby American at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – despite the fact that a late race pit call cost him the win.

“It was a great day for us, dominating performance. The car was awesome, everything was good,” said Gordon. “The fact that we lost the race, now Chad looks like a genius.”

Can he really be all that thrilled after leading 219 laps?

Gordon’s crew chief cost him the race. Why did Steve LeTarte call for only 2 tires?

Gordon proved that he could drive to the lead over and over Sunday. When he overshot his pit stall and had to re-start in traffic he quickly regained the lead.

Maybe Gordon and LeTarte thought Jimmie Johnson was on a 2 tire strategy as well, but Johnson ended up taking 4 tires.

“I had no doubt in my mind we could hold him off with four tires,” said Gordon. That makes it even more puzzling as to why he only took 2 and virtually handed the race to Johnson.

“Between the two cars, the 48 and the 24, whoever got out front at the end of that race was going to win the race if you had equal tires. I mean, we were very, very equal. They were better at certain stages of the run, but he couldn’t pass me,” said Gordon.

I don’t know if there was any communication between the 24 and 48 teams, but the 4 fresh tires are what won Johnson the race.

“You got to give ‘em credit where credit’s due. They’re very strong, a very good team,” said Jeff Gordon of the No. 48 team.

Chad Knaus just plain out-strategized Steve LeTarte on pit road.

“It came down to pit stops,” said Jimmie Johnson.

So what are Jimmie’s plans for the next race? “We’ll just come back this week and take the trophy again,” said Johnson.

So do we even need to have a race in Atlanta Sunday, or do we need to just write Jimmie Johnson’s name in the record book?

Photo Courtesy Nascar Media

Jimmy Spencer thinks he knows what is wrong with the No. 88 team.

Jimmy Spencer knows what is keeping Dale Earnhardt Jr out of Victory Lane. He knows why the 88 is not winning Championships and contending for wins.

Do you want to know what Jimmy Spencer said?

Spencer has a new show on SPEED called What’s The Deal.

Last night on the show Jimmy Spencer said “I don’t believe it is the 88 team. I believe it is Junior himself.”

You can take that for what it’s worth. It comes from a man with 2 career wins in NASCAR’s Cup Series.

Do you agree or disagree with Spencer’s opinion? Post your thoughts here and I’ll forward them on to SPEED

How Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr are Making it Look Like Last Year All Over Again

It looked like 2009 all over again at Fontana Sunday. Jimmie Johnson could do no wrong, while Dale Earnhardt Jr couldn’t catch a break.

Can this be a good sign for NASCAR?

When Earnhardt broke an axle it was mass confusion in the pit box. Crew chief Lance McGrew wasn’t even sure there was a replacement axle in the war wagon.

Brian Vickers broke an axle last year at Atlanta. Vickers’ crew changed the axle without losing a lap. That move was a key reason why Vickers was in the Chase – and Kyle Busch was not.

Why did it take the No. 88 pit crew 12 laps to make a similar repair?

Jimmie Johnson was on the other end of the lucky horseshoe. He was on pit road when a caution came out and was within less than a second of going a lap down. Not long after that he was leading.

Johnson was challenged by Kevin Harvick in the closing laps until Harvick scraped the wall with his No. 29 Chevrolet. After that all Johnson had to do was cruise to the checkered flag.

Do you want to watch the 2009 season all over again? Can this really be good for NASCAR?

Photo Courtesy Hendrick Motorsports

California Dreamin’ NASCAR Style

A preview of the Auto Club 500 at Fontana.

NASCAR’s California roots go pretty deep. The 1951 equivalent of NASCAR’s Sprint Cup series was known as Grand National, and they ran 5 races in the Golden State that year.

NASCAR founder Bill France wanted to spread NASCAR from its southern roots to the West Coast. In his words, “From sea to shining sea.”

From 1970 to 1981 NASCAR’s first race of the year was not in Daytona Beach. It was on the road course at Riverside, California.

The 2 drivers with the most momentum from the Daytona 500 are winless at the 2 mile California track. But both Jamie McMurray and Dale Earnhardt Jr are optimistic heading into California.

“It’s much easier to go there after you run good somewhere else,” Dale Earnhardt Jr said. “You know, I look forward to seeing how we are as a team.”

But if history is any indication Jimmie Johnson should have the advantage. Johnson has an average finishing position of 2.8 over the last 3 years at Fontana, with 3 wins.

Auto Club 500Race Facts

The Race: Auto Club 500

The Place:

Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, Calif.

(2-mile oval)

The Date: Sunday, Feb. 21

The Time: 3 p.m. (ET)

Race Distance: 500 miles/250 laps

TV: FOX, 2 p.m. ET

Radio: MRN and Sirius NASCAR Radio

Channel 128. (Local: KFRG-FM,

KVFG-FM, KXFG-FM.)

2009 Polesitter: Brian Vickers

2009 Winner: Matt Kenseth

Pre-race day schedule (all times

local): Friday—Practice, 12-1:30 p.m.

Qualifying, 3:40 Saturday—Practice,

11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. and 12:45-1:50.

9 Years Ago We Lost Dale Earnhardt

Please share your thoughts about Dale.