Pit Road Post

Todd Bodine Captures First Win of the Year

The first race of the year just wrapped up with Todd Bodine capturing his first victory of the year. This of course did not happen on a race track but instead in a bobsled on an ice track at the Verizon Sports Complex on Mount Van Hoevenberg in Lake Placid, New York. Bodine and nine other NASCAR drivers participated in the Chevrolet Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge today, an event set up to raise money for the US Olympc Bobsled Team.

Order of Finish:

1. Todd Bodine
2. Tim Fedewa
3. Kevin Lepage
4. Boris Said
5. Dick Trickle
6. Brad Noffsinger
7. Stanton Barrett
8. Steve Park
9. Geoff Bodine
10. Joel Kauffman

Todd was fastest on the track tody. Yippee. This is such a boring news story that I can't believe we are even reporting on it.  And for the record I must ask out loud, but Bobsledding? Who the watches Bobsledding? And it is an Olympic Sport? It is the only Olympic Sport where anyone can quit a day job one day and become a bobsledder the next. Sounds like another "sport" I a know of.

 

Hall of Fame Race Down to Three

It's official, NASCAR has trimmed the potential sites for the NASCAR Hall of Fame down to three after cutting Kansas City and Richmond from list of the potential candidates.

Now really, did anyone actually think Richmond and Kansas City had a chance at being the home of the NASCAR HAll of Fame?  Let's face it, there was as much chance as the Hall being in Kansas City or Richmond as there is the possibility of Bobby Hamilton Jr. winning a Nextel Cup race next year. It simply isn't happening.

The remaining cities in the hunt to be the home of the NASCAR Hall of Fame are Charlotte, Daytona & Atlanta. NASCAR is expected to have a decision within the next three months.

Kyle Petty Secures Primary Sponsor

The Charlotte Observer is reporting that Financial Heavyweight, Wells Fargo & Co have agreed to be the primary sponsor of the Petty Enterprises #45 for at least 12 races this season. Petty's previous primary sponsor Georgia Pacific left after the 2005 season.

In a twist of evil fate and by the end of these first 12 races, Kyle Petty and Petty Enterprises receive less media coverage (and hence less sponsor coverage) than 2005 and lose all sponsor participation. This prompts Kyle to toss his helmet at Robby Gordon in a fit of disgust when he realizes that Robby is the key to his future. Kyle and Robby form a super racing  team and go on to dominate the next 5 years of Nextel Cup Racing with the helmet toss becoming their signature move after each win.

 

Paul Tracy to drive at Daytona

Paul Tracy will be testing for Robby Gordon's Nextel Cup Team next week at Daytona International Speedway in hopes of participating in a partial 2006 Nascar season. Autosport Magazine is reporting that Tracy will handle the testing sessions for Gordon while Gordon returns from the Dakar Rally on Jan 15th. Robby Gordon was quoted in Autosport as saying "He'll get some more superspeedway experience. He can learn from my engineers, but at the same time it helps me because I need a driver who can drive and test as well."

What Robby was really saying was, Paul will be helping Robby  with his aim when tossing helmets. Paul has been instructed to go as fast as possible allowing for Robby to practice his patented helmet tossing as demonstrated last season with Michael Waltrip.

Meet Jeff Gordon

If you are a fan of Jeff Gordon then you better get your butt on down to Martinsville Speedway for the Virginia 500 Nascar Nextel Cup race scheduled for April 2, 2006. Jeff will be featured in the Pepsi Fan Zone and will answer questions from lucky people who happen to be there. The cost of admission to the Pepsi Fan Zone is $99. Fan Zone tickets may be purchased by calling 1.877.RACE.TIX.

For more information

Wow my day is turned into the best day of 2006 so far as we have already two Jeff Gordon Stories to tell in the Pit Road Post. I can't wait until the race season starts as I am sure we will have many Jeff Gordon stories to tell.

Terry Labonte Shifting Gears

Today Hendrick Motorsports announced Terry Labonte will appear in 10 races with the organization during his final year of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series competition.

“This is an opportunity for me to have a little more fun,” said Labonte, “I’ve been fortunate to do this for nearly three decades and I’m excited to go back to some of the places that have meant so much to me, my team and my family over the years.”

Ironically Labonte will end his career where it all began at Texas Motor Speedway on November 5th, 2006.

Read the entire press release courtesy of Hendrick Motorsports.

Jeff Gordon hosting Live with Regis and Kelly

Hey all of you Jeff Gordon Fans out there mark your calendars for Jan. 20th. Jeff is scheduled to  appear as  co-host on the popular daytime talk show "Live with Regis and Kelly."

Well hold me down and blow me down the river this has made my day!

Corvette Z06 Pace Car for Daytona 500

The 2006 Corvette Z06 is going to be the featured as the official pace car for the 2006 Daytona 500 on Feb. 19. The most important thing is that Jay Leno will drive the Pace Car.

Check out the full press release

Bill Elliot racing again

Not content with just sitting at home to watch the race, Two-time Daytona 500 winner and Nextel Cup Series veteran Bill Elliott is strapping in one more time this year at Daytona. He will drive the MB2 Motorsports Number #36 Chevrolet in the Feb. 11 Budweiser Shootout and the Feb. 19 Daytona 500.

Way to go Bill, you now have shown complete and utter disrespect for any car program by starting your career in a Ford, closing with a Dodge and now jumping to a Chevrolet. I predict it here first, that when Toyota enters the game Bill will drive for them.

Looking for people going to Daytona 500

Hey if you are going to be at the Daytona 500 and can contribute with some Live Blogging please drop me a line. I would like to capture the sites, sounds, and all the other fun stuff happening at each race through the eyes of us - the fans! If you don't want to or can't contribute stories that's fine, send us your photos and we will post them in the race weekend scrapbook.

Let me know if you want to help out by dropping me an email.