Never let a good thing go by not grabbing on for the ride! On Saturday night in the Carquest Auto Parts 300 Nationwide Series race on Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. Mike Bliss used this idea to take advantage of superior fuel management and mileage to take the lead and then Mother Nature did the rest. As three short laps after Bliss took the lead the rain began to fall and NASCAR officials decided to pull the red flag out, making Bliss the official winner with thirty laps remaining in the scheduled 200.

Mike Bliss takes his second NASCAR victory

This is Mike Bliss’s second victory in the Nationwide series, his first win also happened at Charlotte on October 15, 2004. Bliss managed to keep his car in one piece along with Gaughan and stay out on the track longer than the other drivers and this turned out to be the deciding factor. His fuel management and track management skills allowed him to give team owner James Finch his second win of the month, Brad Keselowski drove to victory for him in the Sprint Cup race at Talladega in April, and will certainly give him and the team confidence heading into the main part of the Nationwide season.

This result is probably a surprise to the other drivers, and many may think he kind of stole the race, but good timing and car management are important and essential to winning in NASCAR. Bliss actually had a pretty good car during practice runs and he managed to work his way into the top ten, so fuel mileage was only a significant element in the win, not the only determining factor.

The fastest cars and hottest drivers lately, Kyle Busch and Brian Vickers, finished third and fourth respectfully, and Kyle Busch was even heard commenting that Bliss definitely stole one today. Mike Bliss after hearing the comments of Busch, mentioned that this was interesting coming from a driver who wins all the time, and who the other drivers tend to shy away from.

What will happen next in the Nationwide series? You can find out on Saturday at 2 PM on CBC or MRN radio as the NASCAR pulls into the Dover International Speedway to run the Heluva 200. Kyle Busch will certainly be there to defend his points lead and the field will be gunning for him as always, and I am sure Mike Bliss will be hoping for Lady Luck to smile on him again.

“Image: Newscom”

The rules and regulations inherent in NASCAR competitions are many and never ending; depending on the events before, during and even after a race, the final results can suddenly change due to the huge book of rules and regulations by which NASCAR races are governed.

David Stremme starts first in today's Sprint Showdown being held at Lowe's Motor Speedway

NASCAR officials had to really go through the book on Friday as qualifying for Saturday’s Sprint Showdown was washed away due to light rain that was falling on the track and they still needed to determine the grid order for today’s Sprint Showdown.

Just how would they determine the grid order in cases where qualifying rounds have been cancelled due to Mother Nature, in this case the order was determined using each drivers qualifying order, which was determined randomly. This leaves the No. 27 of Kirk Shelmerdine on the pole position for the Sprint Showdown, but unfortunately for Kirk NASCAR looked in their rule book and have ruled that he must start at the rear of the pack at the start since he wasn’t able to present himself for the pre-race inspection.

The rule book has been consulted and a ruling given, so which driver will start on the pole position of the Sprint Showdown? When the race starts for real today the No. 12 Penske-Dodge of David Stremme will be in the front of the field, something that was a pleasant surprise for David when he was told as he was driving home yesterday, he was so happy he came back to have a few laughs with the media.

This bit of luck is something that could turn out to be significant for Stremme, since the top two finishers in the Showdown advance to the All-Star race, and starting in the front can be a major advantage all other factors being equal. In addition, the longer he can stay on the track and in the front the more information he can get to help him when he gets through this preliminary race and to the All-Star race.

The official starting-grid for today’s Sprint Showdown at Lowe’s Motor Speedway will see David Stremme in the front after the pace car pulls off the track and penalties are enforced on Kirk Shelmerdine and Carl Long. He will be followed by Dave Blaney, Scott Riggs, Martin Truex Jr., David Ragan, Sam Hornish Jr., Max Papis, and A.J. Allmendinger.

“Image: Zuma Press”

On Tuesday, Scott Speed and Paul Menard made headlines after being announced as drivers on two Sprint Cup cars. Speed was rumored to take over for A.J. Allmendinger in the No. 84 Red Bull car and Tuesday it was finalized. Menard moves from DEI to Yates Racing and will bring over his Menards sponsorship.

Menard was one of two drivers at DEI that had a full sponsor, but he will be taking that with him to Yates. Now, only Martin Truex, Jr. is left at DEI with a full sponsor. Menard has gone 68 career races with reaching the winner’s circle and posted only one top 10 finish in his career at DEI. Menard’s first race for Yates will be in 2009.

Speed will be joining the NASCAR Sprint Cup series after running in the Craftsman Truck Series. Speed will begin running the No. 84 car on Oct. 19 at Martinsville. Speed was able to run a test on the Red Bull car at Lowe’s Motor Speedway last week. However, Mike Skinner will run the next two races in the No. 84 car, including at Lowe’s Speedway, before Speed takes the wheel.

The winless streaks by drivers such as Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick have ranked amongst some of the biggest stories so far this season. They came into this week’s race at Watkins Glen as some of the odds-on-favorite to win, but alas, Kyle Busch shut the door on those plans yet again. This week’s “List of the Week” will feature the 10 longest winless droughts amongst the drivers inside the top-20 in points.

10. Matt Kenseth - 22 races - Last Win: Homestead-Miami Speedway, Fall 2007
9. Jeff Gordon - 27 races - Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Fall 2007
8. Greg Biffle - 29 races - Kansas Speedway, Fall 2007
7. Tony Stewart - 36 races - Watkins Glen International, Summer 2007
6. Jamie McMurray - 40 races - Daytona International Speedway, Summer 2007

5. Martin Truex Jr. - 45 races - Dover International Speedway, Spring 2007
4. Kevin Harvick - 57 races - Daytona International Speedway, Spring 2007
3. David Ragan - 60 races - No NSCS wins
2. Brian Vickers - 68 races - Talladega Superspeedway, Fall 2006
1. Elliott Sadler - 141 races - Auto Club Speedway, Fall 2004

NASCAR officials confiscated and impounded the no. 1 DEI Chevy driven by Martin Truex Jr. on Thursday afternoon when the car failed multiple attempts during the opening day inspections, as the roof failed to meet the inspection templates. The incident forced Truex to miss out on the first practice session after the team was unable to beat the roof into submission and NASCAR mandated that the team unload their backup car. Crew Chief, Kevin Manion, then decided to change the engine on the backup car, costing Martin valuable time on the track. Now, with rainy skies hovering over the Daytona infield, practice will be at a premium for this weekend’s Coke Zero 400, and there’s a very good chance that Truex will not have the opportunity to touch the track until the field is ready to qualify for the race.

“Somebody made a big mistake,” said Truex. “Shouldn’t happen in this level of auto racing, but people make mistakes. We’ll go on.”

Vice President of DEI, Johny Story, was less diplomatic about the situation. When asked about the situation, he replied, “The car fit our templates when they left the shop. Then they got down here, and apparently the greenhouse was too narrow for NASCAR’s liking. We worked on it as much as possible, but the more you work on it - well, basically we weren’t able to get it fixed.”

NASCAR is expected to examine the car at their R&D Center in Concord, NC sometime next week, and a decision as to whether or not any fines and penalties will be assessed are likely to be made at that time. This is the fourth time that NASCAR has impounded cars during opening day inspections since the introduction of the Car of Tomorrow. Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson were each penalized 100 points, fined $100,000, and the Crew Chiefs were suspended for six weeks at Infineon Raceway last year for altered front fenders. Robby Gordon was then caught with an illegal nose cover prior to the Daytona 500 this year, but he appealed the penalty, and lost no points as a result. The Haas CNC Racing cars of Scott Riggs and Johnny Sauter were impounded by NASCAR at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in May for wing-mount violations, and each of those drivers were penalized 150 driver points.

Truex is currently 14th in the points standings and sits only 71 points behind 12th place, Kevin Harvick. A penalty of 100 or 150 points would drop him to 18th in the standings as they sit now, not to mention that the points he accrues in the Coke Zero 400 will likely suffer as well as a result of a lack of track time.

Okay, so they’re actually pretty good friends and probably the furthest thing from being rivals with one another, but still. It’s pretty abnormal for Smoke to run this deep into the season without a Sprint Cup win to show for it, but so far in 2008, he’s managed to do just that. Of course, the racing Gods haven’t really seemed to help Stewart out much in that department, either. What … a pit road speeding violation during the last round of stops at Pocono … the cut tire at Charlotte … the late race wreck at Talladega … the mid-race wreck at Vegas … and, of course, the last lap pass at Daytona … all races that Stewart could have won - but, didn’t.

But, wait … I believe there’s two more, the most recent of which came this past Sunday at Infineon Raceway at the Toyota Save/Mart 350. With only a small handful of laps remaining and Stewart 2nd and Kevin Harvick in 4th, Harvick got into the turn to fast and clipped the no. 26 Ford of Jamie McMurray. McMurray then got into Stewart, once again taking a winning opportunity out of Smoke’s hands, though he did somehow manage to come back for a top-ten finish.

That wasn’t the first time that Harvick took the race out of Harvick’s hands this year, though. When the series ran at Bristol back in March, Harvick was racing Stewart for 2nd place in the last five laps of the race when Harvick got down on the apron going through turn 2, and he climbed up the track and got into Tony, sending him from 2nd to 14th just like that.

Despite attempts from the media, Stewart refused to show any angst towards Harvick following the incident at Sonoma this past Sunday, and all indications are that the two are still on good terms. But, of course, anytime they feel that their friendship has hit a rough patch, I’m sure Kevin will be more than willing to wax Tony again. Eeeewww.

David Gilliland almost got it done on Sunday at Sonoma, and we’ve seen a few impressive runs from unlikely candidates earlier in the year. But, following up on a 2007 that brought us a handful of first-time winners in the Cup Series, I find it surprising that we’ve yet to have even one this season. So, it got me to thinking, that’s led us to this week’s “List of the Week”, in which I will rank the five likeliest candidates currently driving in the Cup Series to become the next first-time winner:

5. David Reutimann - Running in his second full-time season for Michael Waltrip Racing, Reutimann still lacks the consistency that it takes to win in this sport. However, he does seem mature and poised enough to strike at any time. His best run to-date was 10th this past May at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

4. David Gilliland - Gilliland took over the no. 38 car at Yates Racing with high expectations, but those have yet to come to fruition. In his third full season in the Cup Series, David has amassed only 2 top-five’s and 4 top-ten’s, but his unexpected 2nd place run last weekend at Infineon could re-energize this team.

3. AJ Allmendinger - In his two seasons in Cup, he’s failed to qualify for almost as many races as he’s run, and it was beginning to look as though the kid didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell for success at NASCAR’s premier level. But, when Team Red Bull replaced AJ with veteran Mike Skinner inside the no. 84 machine earlier this season, it seems to have paid dividends, and Allmendinger has since responded with some very stout runs, though the finishes haven’t necessarly been indicative of such good runs.

2. Travis Kvapil - He’s had a rough go of it in his quest to become a Cup Series regular, and things haven’t gotten much easier as he and Yates Racing struggle on a weekly basis to attain sponsorship for the no. 28 car. Yet, here they sit with 3 top-ten finishes on the season, and they’re 18th in points. Travis has handled himself well on a variety of tracks, and could be ready to strike at any moment.

1. David Ragan - Most people didn’t expect Ragan to improve as quickly as he has, but he’s been knocking on the doorsteps of the Chase field nearly all season long, and has run surprisingly well at many points during the season. He has 2 top-five’s and 4 top-ten’s on the season, but perhaps most impressive is his 9 top-15’s. His no. 6 team has helped him build a model of consistency week in and week out, and it will eventually payoff with some trips to Victory Lane.

*Credit photo to Newscom.

If you ask any driver or any team owner, they’ll be the first to tell you that every race is a big deal, and nobody can deny that. But, as I take a look at the starting grid for the Toyota Save/Mart 350 and then look at the points standings, when I combine that with everything that I know has already taken place in this crazy season, I can’t help but think that it especially holds true this weekend at Infineon Raceway, and it all starts right there at the top of the field.

Kasey Kahne has been on a helluva roll ever since he won the All-Star Race in Charlotte about a month ago. Of the four points races that have taken place since then, he’s won two of them and finished 2nd in another, with his only hiccup coming when he got caught up in the big pileup at Dover. Yet, the typical race fan would be quick to discount Kahne as a legitimate threat to win the championship this year, and would chalk it up as nothing more than a hot streak. Kasey must be privvy to these statements, though, because he didn’t let the fact that he’s never scored higher than 23rd at Infineon stop him from pacing the field during Friday’s qualifying runs and taking the pole for Sunday’s race. Now, with all of the momentum going in his favor, a win - or, even a top-five - could and probably would establish Kahne as the real deal … for this season at least.

The most disappointing team in 2008 has without a doubt been Penske Racing, where Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch are currently 17th and 19th in the points standings. Since pulling off their dramatic 1-2 finish in the season-opening Daytona 500, the duo has combined for only one more top-five and five more top-ten finishes. Looking to turn their seasons around, a stop at Infineon could be just what the doctor ordered. Both Newman and Busch rank amongst the series’ top-ten full-time active drivers at Infineon in terms of best average finishes, and both will be starting Sunday’s event from top-ten starting positions.

Perhaps the buzz of the town this weekend surrounds Marcos Ambrose, who will make his Sprint Cup debut when the green flag drops in Sonoma. Stepping inside of the no. 21 Ford for the Wood Brothers this weekend, Ambrose will be looking to use his road course expertise to turn a few heads at Sonoma in hopes of landing a ride in the series next year. He qualified 7th and led the final practice speeds, though he did lose control of the car about halfway through the practice session and ran into the tire barriers. There was a bit of damage sustained to the left side of the car, but the crew was able to repair the car, and there seems to be little concern over the mishap for Sunday.

And, of course every team owner in the garage will be expecting top results from their former open-wheel stars that have since joined the ranks of NASCAR full-time. Afterall, if these guys are unable to get the job on the road courses - the one place they’re expected to do well - then what kind of results should they really expect from their drivers on a weekly basis going forward? Just ask Dario Franchitti how secure he feels his job is now after the 2007 IndyCar Series champion failed to qualify for Sonoma. With that in mind, you can bet that fellow Ganassi teammate, Juan Pablo Montoya, will be looking to rebound from his 21st starting position and recapture some of the glory that helped him win this race last year. But, at least he doesn’t have it near as bad as Patrick Carpentier, whom has been rumored to be on the chopping block over at Gillette-Evernham Motorsports. Carpentier, a former IRL driver himself, will start Sunday’s race from the 37th position.

Road course racing has been on the receiving end of more than its chare of criticism from NASCAR fans over the years, and often finds itself on the losing end of such debates. Whether you’re a fan or not, though, one thing cannot be denied, and that’s the fact that this drama-filled season is sure to play a part at Sonoma.

*Credit photo to Newscom.

Welcome everyone to yet another rendition of your favorite weekend blogging series.  I’m joined here by Bruce Simmons from Bruce’s NASCAR Bits & Pieces, and the infamous Charlie Turner from On Pit Row for our weekly rendition of “Loose in Turn Three”.

This week here at Do You NASCAR, we’re going to determine what effect - if any - the big penalties handed out by NASCAR to Haas CNC Racing will have on Tony Stewart’s future in the sport. Over at the Bits & Pieces, with Pocono now in the rearview mirror (temporarily), we talk about whether it’s time for them to repave the track, and On Pit Row, Charlie poses an interesting potential solution to reviving some of the races at the “less popular” tracks.

So, sit back and buckle up tight. Three questions, three voices, and three different answer … we’re about to get Loose in Turn Three!

Assuming that he was seriously contemplating the move, do the recent penalties awarded to Haas CNC Racing deter Tony Stewart from pursuing future ownership with that organization?

TZ: I really think it does. Granted, Stewart’s highly regarded as a guy that can drive the wheels off virtually anything, but we’re seeing a trend in NASCAR where drivers’ careers seem to be tapering off at an earlier age than they had in the past. With Joe Gibbs Racing - or really any top-tier team - Stewart can still contend for championships, but it would be a real challenge for him to find a high level of success with any below average team, just as it would be difficult for any driver. He can find ownership otpions with a number of organizations, so with the financial blow that the team’s just been dealt with - not to mention a tarnished image - I just don’t see this as an appealing offer for Smoke anymore.

Bruce:  I don’t think a little thing as a fine / penalty would deter anyone if they were serious about a perspective team.  A plan is a plan, regardless.  As far as a tarnished image, any press is good press, so it would be a turn-around fairy tale story if Tony went there.  It would be an incredible “human-adversity” story the media would eat up.  Would he really go there?  Probably not.  It’s not an impossibility.  Look at when Mark Martin went to the 01 car.  It was a total surprise that they put him up at the front more than anyone ever expected.  But I can’t see him going to Haas.  He’s said in the past that he’s going to finish out his career at Gibbs.  Now we’ll see if that was just company talk or real loyalty.

Charlie:  If none of those Haas cars are in the top thirty five in owner’s points at season’s end - and with the penalties, they probably won’t be - then the Haas CNC team is worth much less than it was when both cars were top thirty five. That might be a key reason for Stewart to put on the brakes in a purchase bid. The fact that the Haas team tried to push the rules won’t - in itself - be a negative. That’s the job of the crew chief - get an edge where ever you can. The owner’s concerns are not necessarily the same. You need some cars in the top thirty five.

Follow the rest of this discussion:
- If NASCAR retains two races at the facility, (And I don’t see why they won’t) do you think the track management should at least repave the track or is there something they can do to change up the action?

- Would requiring race tracks that host multiple races, to have different race lengths for each race resolve the complaints of those who want to take races away from the Poconos and Californias?

*Credit photo to Newscom.

Image details: Coca-Cola 600 Practice served by picapp.com

The NASCAR Commission announced on Tuesday their ruling on the appeal from Haas CNC Racing and their decision to uphold the penalties handed out for violations incurred at Lowe’s Motor Speedway for the Coca Cola 600. During practice for the race, NASCAR officials confiscated both of the team’s cars - the #66 driven by Scott Riggs and the #70, which at the time was driven by Johnny Sauter - for violations of the upper rear wing mounting points.

NASCAR docked both drivers 150 driver points and car owners, Jack Custer and Margaret Haas, 150 owner points. They also suspended both Crew Chiefs, Bootie Barker and David Skog, as well as both Car Chiefs for the duration of six races and fined each Crew Chief $100,000. NASCAR has also kept both of the cars that they confiscated at Lowe’s and has sent them to their R&D Center in Concord, NC.

Haas CNC was not appealing the infractions themselves, but rather the severity of the penalties, which is regarded as the most severe penalties in the history of the sport. It has been a trend in NASCAR over the past two seasons that they continue to hand out stiffer and stiffer fines and penalties the more teams continue to get caught with such infractions, particularly pertaining to any alterations to the body of the car itself, which is something NASCAR was very adament about when they first launched the Car of Tomorrow program. This should send a loud and clear message to the teams in the NASCAR garage area, and it’s not likely that we’ll see Haas CNC making any further alterations anytime soon.