The usually outstanding NASCAR pilot Jeff Gordon has been suffering of a bad luck streak lately and this Sunday he got caught in an eleven car crash halfway through the UAW-Ford 500 at Talladega Super Speedway. Gordon has won four times the NASCAR Championship but this time he ended up 36th. This is his second consecutive ending near the bottom of the field.

Gordon and his team handled to put his damaged Chevrolet #24 again on track to at least make up a few places and earn a few additional points in the race. But according to Gordon “…it just doesn’t seem meant to be for the DuPont Chevrolet”.

Last Sunday Gordon was leading a race-high 27 laps before the crash on lap 138 of 188. The famous pilot fell from the 6th position to the 7th with six races remaining for the Nextel Cup Championship. At the end he only lost 27 points to the series leader.

Jeff Burton was fifth before he had to pit with a flat tire just 11 laps from the end. He finished in the 27th place.

Brian Vickers was the eventual winner of the race. He knocked Jimmie Johnson into leader Dale Earnhardt on the last lap and both pilots spun off the track. Earnhardt, whose current position in the points is sixth ended up in the 23rd place and Johnson in the 24th and eight in the points.

The pilot Matt Kenseth finished second. Batesville’s Mark Martin finished eighth and Kevin Harvick finished sixth.

Denny Hamlin started the day in second place but he earned 18 points on Burton although he fell all the way to fifth place after being involved in two crashes and at the end he finished in the 21st place.

After Hamilton found out about his condition he competed in the first three truck races of the season, with a top finish of 14th spot in the Atlanta Motor Speedway, before handing over the wheel to his son, Bobby Hamilton Jr. He then started chemotherapy and radiation treatment. In August he decided to return to work, after the doctors got good results back from his CAT scans, at the Bobby Hamilton Racing unit in Mount Juliet. However, minuscule cancer cells lingered on the right side of his neck.

He was very passionate and grateful towards his career in general and especially to Nascar. A few words from Hamilton regarding his condition were the following, “Cancer is an ongoing battle, and once you are diagnosed you always live with the thought of the disease in your body?, “It is the worst thing you could ever imagine.? “I love what I do; I love this business,” “NASCAR has been good to me, and I just don’t feel comfortable when I am not around it.”

Hamilton participated in all top three divisions of Nascar and made 371 starts and won four times in what is the current Nextel Cup Series. Some of his wins include the 2001 Talladega 500 and the 2004 Craftsman Truck Series Champion. His greatest year was in 1996 when he ranked in the ninth spot for in the point?s rankings and also by winning his first race Cup that same year in Phoenix.

During the years between 1989 thru 2005 he drove in the top-level of the NASCAR series producing winnings of $14.3 million and racing within the 20 top-five finishes. He developed into a full-time driver-owner in the truck series in 2003.

Hamilton was a very well appreciated and loved person not only by his family and friends but also by fellow members of Nascar.

The popularity of NASCAR has skyrocketed, making it one of the most watched televised sports in the U.S. today. For fans and spectators, the thrill of watching drivers maneuver the track at speeds that often exceed 200 miles per hour offers excitement beyond compare. For those in the industry itself, the ?behind the scenes? action is also fraught with victory and defeat, which makes for a thrilling ride.

Few who enjoy the sport from the outside realize just how much preparation, innovation and time is spent preparing engines, transmissions and the car bodies themselves for the long racing season. Technicians work tirelessly to adjust, refine and perfect every aspect of a car?s performance while maintaining strict adherence to NASCAR regulations. Pit crews train together in order to maximize their speed and accuracy while minimizing the risk for serious injury to both themselves and the driver they will assist. All in all, their combined efforts are more likely to determine who will finish the season with the most points than anyone behind the wheel.

These are no ordinary mechanics by any standard. Most diagnostics and pit crew personnel receive specialty training at facilities designed for those interested in working within the sport. These facilities, such as the NASCAR Technical Institute run by the Universal Technical Institute in a joint partnership with NASCAR, cater to both the industry itself and those who wish to be a part of it. Additionally, most graduates undergo extensive training developed by the respective racing teams they become a part of.

For pit crew personnel in particular, the physically demanding aspects of the position require a great deal of stamina. Every active racing team on the circuit today incorporates physical conditioning as part of their training in order to increase stamina. Long periods of inactivity are intermittently infused with moments where the crew must work as a cohesive unit, and with not a moment to spare. Additionally, they must be at the ready through every lap, from the first to the last.

For those who develop and diagnose performance standards for the cars, minute adjustments and constant testing are commonplace. From the timing belt and air intake to the aerodynamics measured in wind tunnel testing, their mission is to give their car, and consequently their driver, every possible advantage. The efforts they make can mean the difference between a pole position or starting the race at a disadvantage.

So while fans of NASCAR are familiar with the victory lap and hoisting of the trophy, there is a quiet celebration among the unknown faces that comprise the racing team which spectators will likely never see. Without question, a win for the driver is also a win for the combined efforts of those who helped make a trip through victory lane possible.

Charley Strickland moves his former American NASCAR team to Mexico?s own NASCAR Mexico (formerly Desafio Corona) racing league. His move is one of revolutionary impact for the second most popular sport in Latin America. Falling just a few million behind soccer, the DC already has over 4 million viewers- an impressive number that promises to nearly double with the addition of an American team.

Having used the last few races of the 2006 season to break in his crew and get accustomed to racing in Mexico, Strickland intends to place his former NASCAR driver, Blake Mallory behind the wheel and start with the September 24th, 2006 race in Puebla, Mexico. Leasing a car from the existing team of Rafael Vallina, (www.spartac.com) Strickland intends to participate in most of the remaining races of the year, while ultimately preparing for a promising 2007 season.

As for NASCAR Mexico itself, they are preparing for their newfound popularity amongst the English speaking countries, starting with the immediate translation of their website (www.desafiocorona.com) into English and preparations for American media inquiries. They?re also enjoying a new wave of interest from both American and Latin sponsors who recognize the difference between a $5 million dollar NASCAR sponsorship and the few hundred thousand required to sponsor a DC team. ?Not a bad price tag for a spot next to FedEx and Sky Satellite on international television,? explains Miguel Garcia, partner in the luxury real estate agency, La Punta Realty and potential sponsor for Strickland.

Even more promising to sponsors, Strickland has been approached by a well known production company from Guadalajara and is considering their proposed reality TV pilot to be broadcast in the U.S. and Latin America. While Strickland hasn?t signed anything yet, he explains that he?s intrigued by the project where he and his team would be followed religiously while they prepare for their first racing season, negotiate with sponsors, and deal with all the challenges of racing in a third world country.

Preparations are beginning for the 50th running of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 17. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway catalogued as the most important and prestigious race on the NASCAR Calendar is around the corner and the annual season opening is already in action.

The Budweiser Shootout, a non-points All-Star race featuring the previous season’s pole winners and past Budweiser Shootout champions which kicked off a week before the big day of the season shows a record of 23 racers this year. The shootout is very famous in the United States; however, nothing is more important than the NASCAR?s Superbowl or Daytona 500 usually held the second Sunday of February and always associated with the Presidents Day weekend.

Winning Daytona 500 is the perfect chance to shine on the sport’s biggest day. It’s also the biggest payday each year. The winner’s share this year likely will top $1.5 million. But the drivers aren’t thinking about the money because it is all about a place in history since winning this event makes you the most valuable player in NASCAR since fans remember Daytona 500 winners more than Cup champions.

In fact, Daytona 500 TV audience has been the highest for any auto race of the year. Actually, the 2006 Daytona 500 attracted the sixth largest average live global TV audience of any sporting event that year with 20 million viewers. People who normally don’t watch NASCAR will tune in and watch the Daytona 500, just like people watch the Kentucky Derby or the Masters.

There are already three drivers leading the pack as early favorites to win the 2008 Daytona 500. Defending Nextel Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports Teammates Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are all listed as favorites to win the 50th running of the Great American Race.

As yet, Jimmie Johnson has the fastest speed in the first Daytona 500 practice; he posted it this morning going 186.285 miles per hour while rookie Carpenter was the fastest in the afternoon going 186.150. Patrick Carpentier was the quickest driver in the second practice session for the 50th Daytona 500. The Valvoline Dodge driver lapped the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway tri-oval in 48.348/186.150 mph.

For the second consecutive time, Greg Biffle managed to advance in the final section of the Camping World RV 400 Sprint Cup race at Dover International Speedway taking the victory and overcoming the leaders and favorites to win this particular competition. Biffle certainly surprised many of us with his brief running to grasp the title.

Changes to NASCAR Points System in 2007 Move Emphasis to Race Victories

A shake-up of the points system used in NASCAR races will award an extra five points to race winners, beginning with the 2007 season events at Daytona 500.

The changes, announced by NASCAR in January ‘07, were devised to shift emphasis onto drivers winning races rather than merely getting by through consistently finishing within the top ten, a habit that was threatening to dull enthusiasm for the sport.

Referring to the point system changes in a statement, NASCAR CEO, Brian France, said “Winning is what this sport is all about. Nobody likes to see drivers content to finish in the top 10. We want our sport, especially during the Chase, to be more about winning.”

Each race victory will now result in 185 points, an additional five points over victories achieved under the previous point system.

To gain an understanding of how an extra five points can increase the competitiveness of NASCAR racers, just calculate the points in an example race scenario.

A race victory will net the driver 185 points. Five point bonuses can be achieved by leading a lap and for leading the most laps. In a good race, the winning driver could potentially be ahead of his closest rival by 25 points in just one event.

The effects of the changes will be most prevalent during the Chase for the Nextel Cup.

In previous years, the drivers eligible for the Chase were the 10 drivers with the highest number of points after the final race in the season and any other drivers whose point tally was within 400 points of the highest scoring driver.

Following the 2007 changes, only the twelve highest scoring drivers will be eligible for the Chase and will be positioned to start the race based on points scored for each victory in the season. Starting from a level 5000 points each, ten points will be awarded to drivers for each previous victory and the driver with the highest overall score will hold the best start position.

The decision to base Nextel Cup Chase competitors’ start positions entirely on their previous race victories of the season is a sure-fire way to bring competitiveness for the number one finish back to NASCAR races.

Nascar was always criticized for the lack of safety ordinances in its races. But since 2001 after a series of accidents killed many peak drivers, including the ill-fated last-lap wreck of Dale Earnhardt, Nascar had to disengage and modify its position on this. It has now begun to bring in safety devices and accessories.

The Seat

The Seat has evolved over the last few years. The seat in a racing car is designed to contract and distribute the impact over a greater part of the body in case of a wreck. The rib cage is one area where the force of a crash can get centered. Another area is the shoulder. This will contract the impact and it will not get centered on one particular area, which can often be fatal.

Harnesses

Now Nascar has updated its norms, and the HANS device is now mandatory. Earlier, the Hutchens device was all that was required. But since the accidents, the norms have converted.

The Seat Belt

A very fundamental accessory when it comes to the safety of the driver. In Nascar, the six-point seat belt is utilized. In this system, two straps come over the drivers shoulder and two come over the waistline. One strap even comes up between the legs of the driver.

The Restrictor Plate

This is a very important accessory that reduces power on the racing circuits. This is placed in between the carburetor and the intake manifold. It confines air flow and subsequently power as well. Since this add-on was made mandatory in high-speed racing circuits like Daytona, the speeds have reduced considerably.

Today, in order to see high speeds, the spectator has to go to certain race courses where the restrictor plate is not required. In such race courses, high speeds like 230mph have also been achieved. But the restrictor plate has become a mandatory part in most race circuits by Nascar.

Barriers

The new S.A.F.E.R (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) barriers have been put in across most Nascar race courses. This will absorb a lot of zip from the car in case of a crash. This is much better than a concrete wall, which does not absorb any energy at all. There are some other types of softer walls and barriers as well. Cello-foam barriers are also very popular. The PEDS system, which involves the use of small cylinders inside bigger ones, is also a popular form of barrier.

Compression barriers were also used in earlier times. This involved the use of soft materials like tires over the walls and then covering it up with a soft surface. This guaranteed that the walls came back to their original shape as soon as the impact was over.

They say that racing is in your blood. For most of these drivers, it is all that they have ever done?tinkered with cars since their boyhood. That may justify the reason why it is extremely tough to walk away from the most competitive form of auto racing in the United States. Several NASCAR superstars of the 1980?s and 1990?s are having a difficult time walking away from the sport. When you look at some of the drivers that are returning in 2009, whether it is on a full-time basis or just part-time, it is rather surprising considering that NASCAR has supposedly evolved into a young man?s sport.

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Bill Elliott announced his retirement from full-time competition following the 2003 season. Nevertheless, he continued to compete on a part-time basis in 2004 with Evernham Motorsports. When Elliott walked away from the No. 9 ride in 2003, he was on top of his game, winning at Rockingham in the final month of the season. In 2005 and 2006, he continued his partial schedule, driving for Evernham Motorsports and Front Row Motorsports. The performance was not there, and ?Million Dollar Bill?, or ?Awesome Bill from Dawsonville? was a mere field filler. In 2007, Elliott began driving for the Wood Brothers in select races, hoping to facilitate the team from a performance standpoint. With Elliott behind the wheel, the venerable No. 21 Ford improved, but it was nothing dramatic. Elliott returned to the Wood Brothers in 2008 for a partial schedule. In 2009, Elliott is expected to compete in at least twelve races

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It is good to see Elliott at the racetrack, and he will always be a legend, but you cannot help but question how his sticking around has affected his legacy. When you think of Bill Elliott, you want to think of his super speedway dominance in the mid-1980?s in the red Coors Ford Thunderbird, or him turning a lap that surpassed the 212 miles per hour mark at Talladega in the pre-restrictor plate era. You do not want to remember Elliott as the driver that used up his past champion?s provisionals, and was lapped by the leaders ever fifty laps. Terry Labonte is another name that comes to mind when thinking of drivers that seem to be having a difficult time hanging up their helmet. He relinquished his full-time ride with Hendrick Motorsports following the 2004 season, but remained with the organization to run a partial schedule in 2005 and 2006. Since stepping away from a full schedule, Labonte has driven for Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Hall of Fame Racing, and Petty Enterprises. Labonte will drive for the upstart Prism Motorsports in the 51st running of the Daytona 500. He recently admitted that he is interested in adding to his workload in 2009

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?I wouldn?t mind running eight, ten, or twelve races, something like that. It would depend on who it was. I?ve got to know them. I had a blast last year. It was actually fun,? said the two-time champion. Of course, you have the irresolute Mark Martin. Now fifty years old, Martin announced his ?Salute To You (fans) Tour? in 2004, as the 2005 season was supposed to be his final season. When Kurt Busch asked for his release from Roush Fenway Racing in August of 2005, Jack Roush needed another driver, and nobody available was more qualified than Martin. He agreed to return to the No. 6 Ford for one last season

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The problem with Martin was the fact that he was still ultra-competitive, qualifying for the Chase for the Championship in 2004, 2005, and 2006. He still wanted to race against the world?s greatest drivers. He signed with the now defunct Ginn Racing to compete in a limited schedule in 2007, and stayed with the team in 2008, even though Ginn Racing was absorbed by Dale Earnhardt Incorporated. In fact, Martin replaced the mega-popular Dale Earnhardt Jr in the No. 8 Chevrolet

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When Martin raced, he was competitive, nearly winning on several occasions. By the summer of 2008, he decided to return to full-time competition, but this time he will endeavor to win the elusive title with Hendrick Motorsports, in the car that, ironically, Terry Labonte used to drive. Martin?s success at the half-century point in his life is reminiscent to Bobby Allison, who was still contending for wins up until a career-ending injury at Pocono in 1988. Allison was fifty years old at the time of his devastating injury, and could have possibly raced until he was in his mid-fifties. Unfortunately, Bill Elliott and Terry Labonte are hanging on a little longer than they should, similar to Darrell Waltrip and Richard Petty. Well, at least the two stock car luminaries are still having a blast

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