Pit Road Post

UPS Drives Toyotas

In a move which is sure to send shockwaves throught the garage, UPS is trading in the Ford and driving away in a Toyota. Michael Waltrip Racing announced today that Dale Jarrett is bringing his sponsor with him when he straps in the Toyota in 2007-2008.

"I guess I have become sort of synonymous with UPS and those brown trucks you see just about everywhere you go," Jarrett said

If that isn't the understatement of the year I don't know what is. Doesn't Dale Jarrett own UPS? No word on whether UPS will be switching the entire fleet of UPS trucks to Toyotas.

Wally's World is Back

It's been a while since Wally Dallenbach has been competitive (if ever) on the Nascar circuit, but just in time for him to brag about it when NBC resumes their broadcasting this weekend, he goes and wins the Pikes Peak International Climb Open Wheel Division.  OK, it's not even equivilant to an ARCA win, with such notables as David Donner, Gary Ediger, and Jimmy Keeney being beaten out by Wally this past week.  But I'm sure we'll hear about it on Wally's World soon.

How To Spot Casual NASCAR Fans

Steve Hunt wrote a great article for Laidbackracing.com:

1.The only track bar they know about is the tavern at the local horse racing facility.

2.To them, infield is only associated with baseball or the Kentucky Derby.

3.They can tell you which driver they like but not why they like them.

4.They think The Lady In Black is an off-Broadway show.

5.They wonder what the big deal is about moving a race from Rockingham to California since Hollywood is the center of the universe.

6.NASCAR Nation is set for a season pass on their TIVO.

7.Usually, at least one them wears anything designer to the track. The only designers we should see at the track are Levi Strauss and Chase Authentics.

8.They know that Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s dad was a driver but can’t tell you much else about the man considered the greatest driver in NASCAR history.

9.Who exactly is this Ward Burton guy anyway?

10.What is the big deal about Mark Martin retiring? Hasn’t he been around a long time?

Read the rest here

Dick Cheney To Attend Pepsi 400

Vice President Dick Cheney is scheduled to attend Saturday's Pepsi 400 in Daytona. We wonder if the local hotels are aware of the vice presidential requirements as disclosed by The Smoking Gun?  "The document is provided to hotels where Cheney will be bunking and lists how the Republican pol's "Downtime Suite" needs to be outfitted. While the vice president's requests are pretty modest (no extract-the-brown-M&M demands here), Cheney does like his suite at a comfy 68 degrees. And, of course, all the televisions need to be preset to the Fox News Channel (what, you thought he was a Lifetime devotee?). Decaf coffee should be ready upon his arrival along with four cans of caffeine-free Diet Sprite. And when Cheney is traveling with his wife Lynne, the second family's suite needs an additional two bottles of sparkling water. Mrs. Cheney's H2O should be either Calistoga or, curiously, Perrier, a favored beverage of French terrorism appeasers... "

The Pit Road Post also wonders whether the standard Nascar "Leave Your Guns At Home" rule will apply this weekend.

Moonshine Company Sponsoring Shelmerdine

I couldn't be happier for Kirk Shelmerdine, former Dale Earnhardt Sr. crew chief, who lived his dream of racing in the Daytona 500 earlier this year.  I hope he got some big bucks from Catdaddy Moonshine (talk about getting the sport back to it's roots) so we can see him in a few more shows.

Jeff Gordon Engaged

Not that I care, but I hope, for his sake, that he's getting a pre-nup.

Lesa France Kennedy Helps Christen Goodyear Blimp

In a spectacular event held today at its Wingfoot Lake Airship hangar, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company christened its newest blimp. After more than a year of construction and testing, as well as two months of operational flights bearing only its FAA designation N2A, the new blimp finally received its name - - Spirit of Innovation - - during a gala christening event attended by more than 6,000 spectators, dignitaries and Goodyear employees. Lesa France Kennedy, president of International Speedway Corporation and a member of NASCAR’s Board of Directors, christened the Spirit of Innovation along with Lynn Keegan, wife of Goodyear Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bob Keegan, during the official ceremony. More

The Pit Road Post would like to apologize for running the incorrect photo with this story.

Rusty Wallace hosting new reality TV show

SceneDaily reports that Rusty Wallace will host "Nascar Angels," a reality TV show that will begin airing this fall.

The show, which will feature top NASCAR competitors showing deserving families a look behind the scenes of NASCAR, is scheduled to debut Sept. 12 on various networks, including ABC.

NASCAR: What You Should Know

From YouTube

Will Ferrell named Chicagoland's grand marshal

SCENEDAILY

Chicagoland Speedway officials have announced that actor Will Ferrell will serve as grand marshal for the July 9 USG Sheetrock 400 Nextel Cup Series race at the Joliet, Ill., track.

Ferrell stars as fictional NASCAR driver Ricky Bobby in the Columbia Pictures film "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby," which opens Aug. 4.