Pit Road Post

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.

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.

News from The Smoking Gun

We're huge NASCAR fans here at TSG--stock car racing just appeals to our outlaw, anti-authoritarian nature. So imagine our dismay when we discovered that late NASCAR founder William France, Sr. was in bed with the man, specifically the FBI. Despite a 1946 bust for conspiring to violate wartime rationing laws, the Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the bureau's Jacksonville field office once sought to have FBI headquarters approve France as a confidential "SAC contact" since his business connections were of great value to Florida agents. While these FBI memos, released pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act request, do not record HQ's final decision, it's unlikely that France's prized "higher echelon" contacts went untapped. See more here

Microsoft's Nascar approach to security

When you're hot, you're hot - seems as though everyone wants to get on the Nascar bandwagon.  This story comes from Silicon Valley Sleuth.

Computers aren't exactly known for their appliance-like characteristics, and the ability to customize them is probably on of the device's main strengths. But customization and openness is a curse when it comes to security.

Microsoft on Wednesday is launching its OneCare performance suite in the US, and has come up with the perfect analogy: that of the race car driver. He too needs optimal performance and control, but doesn't want to be bothered with changing tires, refuelling and fine-tuning the engine.

The company therefore has "borrowed" a Nascar vehicle from the BestBuy retail chain and will have it compete in OneCare colours on Sunday 4 June at the Dover Speedway in Delaware.

Now let's hope that it doesn’t crash.

Infineon Raceway "Up in Smoke"?

Scene daily reports

Actor and comedian Chech Marin will be the grand marshal for the Dodge/Save Mart 350 race at Infineon Raceway June 25.

Marin, best known as one half of Cheech and Chong, will be honored throughout the race weekend, including during a June 23 banquet.

"This is a big honor for me, and I'm looking forward to coming out to Sonoma," said Marin, a native of Los Angeles. "I've always loved the Bay Area, and NASCAR is truly growing into one of the biggest sports in the country. It's a great way to spend the weekend."

Check out:

NASCAR Legislating Exclusivity?

Robin Miller reports on SpeedTV that Champ Car is accusing NASCAR of trying to sabotage a proposed race in downtown Phoenix next year in an effort to do away with all street racing in this country. And stock car racing's major sanctioning body claims nothing could be further from the truth.

"NASCAR and ISC have spent the past few weeks trying to undermine our proposed race in Phoenix and it's my understanding that NASCAR has hired 22 lobbyists to beat us up," said Kevin Kalkhoven, who co-owns Champ Car with Gerald Forsythe.

Jim Hunter, vice president of NASVAR communications said "NASCAR understands that in order to keep motorsports healthy and vibrant in North America, it is imperative that race tracks and race fans have a broad "product list" from which to choose."

However, recent comments byPhoenix International Raceway president Bryan Sperber to radio station KTAR-620 in Phoenix would suggest otherwise.
"It's a stupid Mickey Mouse, dinky-toy race," said Sperber. "Street races have proven not be successful and this thing has been developed under a cloak of darkness.

"Let's get out of this hokey street race and develop a strong relationship between NASCAR and downtown."

Nascar Car of Future Drives Like a Car

In another one of those "can you believe he just said that?" quotes, Jeff Burton admits that the Nascar Car of the Future drives just like, wit for it now - here it comes..."it feels like a car"

Imagine that, a car that drives like a car!

Full Story

More "Duh" Driver Quotes

There is no-one better than a Nascar driver at stating the obvious.  Quotes from post-Richmond interviews":

I think track position could have won us the race, or at least got us a top three."   Ryan Newman  (Doesn't it always?)

"I figured all I could do was keep my head down and go as hard as I could"  Greg Biffle (Shouldn't you always)

"I'm just glad to be back in Victory Lane. It feels really great.'' Dale Earnhardt Jr. (I'm sure Dale is not the only one that feels that way after a long winless streak)

"I knew the only rule was don't hit each other." Kevin Harvick after the Busch race. (I can think of a few others)

"They've put a lot of work into their Busch cars." Matt Kenseth about the Childress team (Unlike the other teams?)

NASCAR and WWE Similarities Arise Once Again

It has always been my position that WWE and NASCAR share more similarities compared to NASCAR and other "traditional sports." An incident at a hearing in New York about a new NASCAR track at Staten Island further reinforces that image.

The public hearing became out of control when opposition to the new track surfaced. Police had to be called in to close the meeting.

Full Story

Pit Road Post Scoops Chicago Tribune

I see the Chicago Tribune is reporting on a story yesterday about Nascar FANVIEW. This is interesting considering the Pit Road Post published a story back in February about the same thing.

Ok. We rock. We think so anyways.