(WOMR file photo)

Let’s see where do I start?

Now that Michael Waltrip Racing has let David Reutimann go, and replaced him with a partial season of Mark Marin, Michael Waltrip , and a variety of other drivers fill up the schedule, MWR has decided to change the MWR . . . → Read More: The Changes, They Are A Coming!]]>

(WOMR file photo)

Let’s see where do I start?

Michael Waltrip Racing:

Now that Michael Waltrip Racing has let David Reutimann go, and replaced him with a partial season of Mark Marin, Michael Waltrip , and a variety of other drivers fill up the schedule, MWR has decided to change the MWR #00 car number to #55.  The number commemorates Charlie Loudermilk’s founding of Aaron’s, Inc. in 1955.

Richard Childress Racing:

Changes are in the offing here as wall.  Longtime crew chiefs Gil Martin and Shane Wilson have taken new assignments within RCR.  Martin has been named director of team operations, reporting to director of competition, Kent Day.  Meanhwile, Wilson has tapped to become the crew chief of the RCR #29 Budweiser Chevy with Kevin Harvick as his new driver.  There will be further assignment changes with the RCR organization in the next few weeks.

Penske Racing:

On this past Monday, Steve Addington, who was the crew chief on #22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge driven by Kurt Busch, announced that he was leaving Penske Racing effective immediately.

Stewart-Haas Racing:

It was announced that Darien Grubb would no longer be the crew chief for Tony Stewart’s #14 Home Depot Chevy.  There was no formal announcement as to the possibility of Grubb’s repositioning within the organization at this time.

There is also some speculation that SHR is courting Stewart’s former crew chief, Greg Zipadelli.  The speculation is that SHR is offering Zipadelli the job of becoming their new director of competition, replacing Bobby Huchins who departed  SHR in the late summer.  There is also talk that SHR wants to hire Steve Addington to become the new crew chief for the #14 SHR Chevy.

Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing:

Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates announced that Chris Heroy has been named crew chief of the #42 Target Chevy with driver Juan Pablo Montoya. Heroy takes over the role effective immediately in preparation for the 2012 season. Heroy joins Earnhardt Ganassi Racing from Hendrick Motorsports where he began in 2004, most recently as lead engineer on the # 5 car for six of the previous seven years. The other year he held the same role on the #88. In addition, he was paired with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson as crew chief in a number or their Nationwide Series races during the 2011 season. Interim crew chief Jim Pohlman, who took over the #42 team at the end of July, will remain with the organization.

Roush-Fenway Racing:

There was an announcement of multiple layoffs at RFR.  The rumors are the number of layoffs could be as high as 125. Prior to today, RFR employed about 440 people. Roush Fenway is expected to reduce its NASCAR Sprint Cup car count from four cars to three next season, with the #6 driven by David Ragan likely to be shuttered, or part-time at best. At last report, the team is also without sponsors for the #17 of Matt Kenseth. The team may also reduce the size of its NASCAR Nationwide Series operations from three cars to one or two.

This is, most likely, just the tip of the iceberg for movement within the NASCAR community this off-season!  Stay tuned for more of “the 2011 silly season”!

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!

(photo courtesy Harold Hinson)

Every since Michael Waltrip started up his own race team, MWR, it appears that there has been something missing that would take MWR to the next level.  The organization has only won two races, both of them by David Reutimann.  That team has been very erratic, and so . . . → Read More: It’s Official, Bowyer Moves To Michael Waltrip Racing]]>

(photo courtesy Harold Hinson)

Every since Michael Waltrip started up his own race team, MWR, it appears that there has been something missing that would take MWR to the next level.  The organization has only won two races, both of them by David Reutimann.  That team has been very erratic, and so has the  Martin Truex, Jr. race team.

Friday, at the Kansas Speedway, Michael Waltrip announced the signing of Clint Bowyer to drive the MWR #15 5Hour Energy Drink Toyota beginning in 2012.  Bowyer is a  former Nationwide champion, and a multiple winner at the Sprint Cup level for Richard Childress Racing.  Is this the piece of the puzzle that has been missing for MWR?

Clearly that is what everybody at MWR, Toyota and new sponsor 5-Hour Energy is hoping in hiring a driver whom many firmly believe is one of the top wheelmen in the garages. They are hoping that Bowyer will help the team reach the Chase next season and then do well once in those playoffs.

Clint Bowyer is extremely optimistic about the prognosis for MWR in 2012.

“I see a young, aggressive team,” he said. “Great backing with Toyota behind them in a down market. I see a young, energetic sponsor in the same boat. Both of them are pushing forward. They’re spending.  I see this as an opportunity to catch up, period. I think that there’s no question MWR has done a great job with marketing for their sponsors and keeping sponsors. Better than anybody in the garage area.”

“I see their performance improving week in and week out, so I had to work my butt off to make sure I was on top of them before I walked into this deal here. I just see this as a wonderful opportunity for me to prove myself to everybody. I mean, when you go into RCR (Richard Childress Racing) that has already won many championships and had the success Richard’s (Childress) had, you’re just kind of another guy there. If we can go on and put them in the Chase and continue to move forward with MWR, you’re going to build your brand even better.”

Bowyer was to become a free agent after the current season, 2011. About three months ago, he said, he was approached by 5-Hour Energy about being his sponsor in 2012.

Bowyer said he approached RCR about staying with that team with 5-Hour as his primary sponsor but no deal could be worked out.

Asked about that Friday, Bowyer said, “We’re not here to talk about that.  We’re here to talk about the future and it just didn’t work out.  It was a shame.  Like I said, I owe a great deal to Richard (Richard).  It was just a few miles down the road I was standing in a body shop when that man called me.  I will never forget that day and I owe a lot to him for that, but I also owe him this opportunity as well.”

As it stands, RCR’s lineup next season will consist of Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton and Paul Menard. Also, presumably, waiting in the wings is Austin Dillon, Childress’ grandson who has been impressive in the Camping World Trucks Series.

MWR was more than willing to put Bowyer in one of its rides and on Friday, the deal became official.

“I think timing is everything,” Bowyer said. “It’s so weird how all of this has happened. The minute one door closes, it’s like somebody is looking after you and just kind of putting me on this path. As one door would close the other one would open and it was almost like the very next step. It didn’t matter who you were talking to, there was a closed door and an opened door and it just kind of led to this. I truly feel like this is where I’m supposed to be and I think that is a great thing.”

What is your thoughts about Bowyer moving over to Michael Waltrip Racing?

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!

(WOMR file photo)

There have been a few rumors floating around the Sprint Cup garage involving Clint Bowyer, Richard Chilress Racing, Richard Petty Motorsports, and Michael Waltrip Racing.  There was the news, last week, that Richard Petty Motorsports had offered Clint Bowyer a contract for the 2012 season.  Then just as quickly . . . → Read More: Clint Bowyer Moving To Michael Waltrip Racing?]]>

(WOMR file photo)

There have been a few rumors floating around the Sprint Cup garage involving Clint Bowyer, Richard Chilress Racing, Richard Petty Motorsports, and Michael Waltrip Racing.  There was the news, last week, that Richard Petty Motorsports had offered Clint Bowyer a contract for the 2012 season.  Then just as quickly as that news emerged, RPM let it be known publicly that it has rescinded that offer to Clint Bowyer.

This weekend, at Chicago, the emerging news from the garage area is that Michael Waltrip Racing is in negotiations possibly enticing Clint Bowyer to move over to their company in a third race team.  Additionally, there is news that Steven Wallace’s primary sponsor, 5Hour Energy, is leaving his race team, moving into the Sprint Cup series, and now the rumor is that 5Hour Energy is attaching it’s product to the future of Clint Bowyer.

Further fortifying this rumor was the comment coming from Rusty Wallace confirming that 5Hour Energy was leaving his company and expressing interest in moving up to the Sprint Cup level.

During a Friday morning interview on Sirius Satellite Radio, Rusty Wallace confirmed that Five-Hour Energy was leaving his Nationwide team next year for Sprint Cup and was shopping itself as a package deal with Bowyer. “I hear they’ll run about 20 races,” Wallace said. “They’ve been with me for over four years and put a lot of money in our team and been awesome partners of mine, but they want to move to the Cup series, and I’m not in the Cup series. They aligned with Clint Bowyer because he was out of a ride with Childress.”

Putting all this information together, it appears that Michael Waltrip Racing, Clint Bowyer, and 5Hour Energy are trying to put a deal together that will put Clint Bowyer into a third race team for MWR.

If this rumor comes to fruition, Clint Bowyer moving on to MWR, that will leave the driver seat open in the RCR #33 Chevy.  There is also another underlying rumor that Richard Childress is interested in putting his grandson, Austin Dillon, into a partial schedule in the RCR #33 Cheerios Chevy.  This move would coincide with Dillon’s transition into the Nationwide Series, from the Camping World Series with RCR.

Veeeery Interesting!

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!

(photo courtesy Greg Ellman-Pool/Getty Images)

Clint Bowyer and the Richard Childress Racing’s #33 Cheerios Chevy team emerged from the smoke and the appeals board, losing the appeals process.  That means that both the driver and the owner will be docked 150 points, firmly placing that team at the bottom of the twelve . . . → Read More: Bowyer Looses Appeal]]>

(photo courtesy Greg Ellman-Pool/Getty Images)

Clint Bowyer and the Richard Childress Racing’s #33 Cheerios Chevy team emerged from the smoke and the appeals board, losing the appeals process.  That means that both the driver and the owner will be docked 150 points, firmly placing that team at the bottom of the twelve drives in the Chase for the Cup.  Additionally, both the crew chief and the car chief will be suspended for the next 6 races, not to mention the $150,000.00 fine for the crew chief of the #33 Cheerios Chevy race team.

The appeal was heard, and the opinion issued Wednesday afternoon by the National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel.  The ruling came after a five-hour deliberation.

Childress said he will appeal further. He will take his appeal to the chief appellate officer, who is John Middlebrook, a former General Motors executive.

The penalties was levied by NASCAR after they found that Bowyer’s car, which won the Chase-opening race at t New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sept. 19th, was found to be 60-thousandths of an inch high in a rear quarter panel.

Though the car passed pre-race and post-race inspections at New Hampshire, it was confiscated and taken to the NASCAR Research and Development Facility in Concord, N.H.  There, under more intense scrutiny, the problem was found.

Bowyer and the Childress team had argued that the spec failure was the result of being bumped from behind by other cars after the race and/or when a tow truck pushed the car – which had ran out of fuel during celebratory burnouts after the race – to victory lane.

Childress reportedly brought an expert witness into the appeal process. His name was Dr. Charles Manning and works for Accident Reconstruction Analysis in Raleigh, N.C.  Apparently, that was not enough to convince the panel or raise a reasonable doubt.

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!

(photo courtesy Leon Hammack)

Austin Dillon’s remarkable rookie season rolled on Saturday night as he took the lead with 35 laps to go and went on to win the Smith’s Food and Drug Stores 350 Camping World Truck Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

This was the second win for the . . . → Read More: Austin Dillon Wins At Las Vegas]]>

(photo courtesy Leon Hammack)

Austin Dillon’s remarkable rookie season rolled on Saturday night as he took the lead with 35 laps to go and went on to win the Smith’s Food and Drug Stores 350 Camping World Truck Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

This was the second win for the Richard Childress Racing #3 Bass Pro Sports Chevy Silverado Truck team in the 2010 season.  This victory was the only bright spot for RCR this week, in light of the huge penalty levied against RCR’s #33 Cheerios Chevy Sprint Cup team after their Louden, N.H. victory  last Sunday.

Here is the unofficial results from the Smiths Food and Drug Stores 350 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Saturday night.

The black #3 is back in the winning column!  What are your thoughts of the black #3 back in victory lane?

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!

(photo courtesy Leon Hammack)

It appears that Kevin Harvick has his team mates back.  It also appears that Harvick didn’t take to kindly to Denny Hamlin’s assertion that Harvick’s team mate, Clint Bowyer is a cheater! Additionally, it appears that Harvick didn’t like the accusation from Hamlin that Richard Childress Racing, as . . . → Read More: Harvick Has Team Mate Bowyer’s Back]]>

(photo courtesy Leon Hammack)

It appears that Kevin Harvick has his team mates back.  It also appears that Harvick didn’t take to kindly to Denny Hamlin’s assertion that Harvick’s team mate, Clint Bowyer is a cheater! Additionally, it appears that Harvick didn’t like the accusation from Hamlin that Richard Childress Racing, as a whole, are cheaters!

The Richard Childress Racing driver, Harvick, and the Joe Gibbs Racing driver, Hamlin, mixed it up both on the track and in the garage area Friday morning.  The mix up resulted in some cosmetic damage to the race cars, and some bruised egos.

The incidents occurred a day after Hamlin called Bowyer, who was penalized by NASCAR after the car he drove last weekend did not pass inspection on Tuesday, and the RCR team cheaters.

Early in a 45-minute practice session, as their cars were building speed on the track, Harvick bumped into the rear of Hamlin’s car, and Hamlin responded with a tap of his own.

Later, in the garage, they exchanged words, and had to be separated by NASCAR Sprint Cup series director John Darby.  After the war of words, neither Hamlin nor Harvick would talk to the slew of reporters, who had gathered in the garage area after the word got out about the confrontation.

Additionally, it was announced Saturday that the appeal for the Bowyer penalty will be heard on Wednesday afternoon.

Would you cover your best friend’s back, your team mate’s back, or your brother’s back?  Did Hamlin call out the wrong dog?  Harvick can be a pit bull!  The RCR boys might be the wrong team to call out for a good old fashion alley fight!

What is your take on the Harvick-Hamlin feud?

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!

On Friday afternoon Jimmie Johnson secured the pole position for the AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway.  The four-time and reigning champion’s fast lap was at 155.736 mph. The pole was the third of the season for Johnson, who has won five races in 2010.

“This is . . . → Read More: Johnson Wins The Pole For The AAA 400]]>

(photo courtesy Al Bello/Getty Images)

On Friday afternoon Jimmie Johnson secured the pole position for the AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway.  The four-time and reigning champion’s fast lap was at 155.736 mph. The pole was the third of the season for Johnson, who has won five races in 2010.

“This is certainly a step in the right direction for momentum,” Johnson said. “Last weekend we ran much better than where we finished. It stinks that we finished where we did but there is nothing we can really do about it and to come out this weekend and qualify on the pole just starts the weekend off on the right foot. And it really creates a good situation for us in the race having that first pit stall.

“Track position is very, very important here. It seems to be more important as each weekend and each year goes by. We just learn more about the cars and make them more equal and the aero deficit that you’re in being one position back; just one position back is enough to keep you from running the lap times you need to.

“So, it’s all small little steps now and track position is one of the few big steps left in our sport. And the best way to get that track position is by qualifying on the front row or up front, and we did that. Hopefully we can maintain that track position throughout the race and have a good finish.”

Here is the official starting lineup for the AAA 400 at Dover Sunday.

PS As Saturday’s first Sprint Cup practice session started, Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin had an on-track run in.  That on track run-in spilled over into the garage area and those two drivers and crew chiefs were involved in a very heated discussion.

It is speculated that Harvick was standing up for his team mate, Clint Bowyer.  Both Kurt Busch and Denny Hamlin had lambasted Clint Bowyer’s team regarding the RCR fines and penalty from Louden last week.

Is Kevin Harvick fueling a feud with Denny Hamlin?

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!

(photo courtesy Gregg Ellman-Poole/Getty Images)

After the smoke had cleared Sunday at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, it was Clint Bowyer who “smoked” his competitors!

However, as Wednesday’s Sun came up there was a recurrence of smoke causing a huge upheaval in the Sprint Cup garage.  Even though Bowyer’s car passed the . . . → Read More: The Smoke Has Cleared In Louden]]>

(photo courtesy Gregg Ellman-Poole/Getty Images)

After the smoke had cleared Sunday at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, it was Clint Bowyer who “smoked” his competitors!

However, as Wednesday’s Sun came up there was a recurrence of smoke causing a huge upheaval in the Sprint Cup garage.  Even though Bowyer’s car passed the pre-race and post-race inspections at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, NASCAR took Bowyer’s car to the NASCAR R&D Center in Charlotte for a very extensive post race inspection.  When that inspection concluded, NASCAR levied a very big fine to the RCR #33 Cheerios Chevy.  The resulting fines were, 150 driver points, 150 owners points, Bowyer’s crew chief fine $150,000.00, and both crew chief and car chief suspended for six races.

Richard Childress Racing has notified NASCAR that it will appeal those fines, therefore the fines and penalties will not be assessed until the appeal is heard.

That fine has had a very large impact on the Chase standings, Bowyer fell from second place after his victory to the bottom, 12th place 185 points behind the leader.  More importantly, that fine has put all the race teams on edge, additionally it  has caused a certain level of discomfort from within.  All of this has been the topic of conversation as the race teams rolled into the Dover garage area Friday morning.

A very defiant Clint Bowyer addressed the media Friday morning at the Dover Media Center, expressing his concerns regarding the fine.  Bowyer posed several questions and quite possibly a plausible explanation for the infraction.  Bowyer’s more plausible explanation was that the 2 ton wrecker that had to push his race car to Victory Lane quite possibly bent the rear bumper.

We now know that the infraction was having one rear quarter panel too high.  The measurement of the infraction is .060 of an inch equals 1/16 of an inch, the width of a quarter!  It is questionable that 1/16 of an inch really gave that team ANY aerodynamic advantages at New Hampshire Motor Speedway to the RCR #33 Cheerios Chevy!

What is your take on the huge fine levied at Bowyer and the whole RCR #33 Cheerios Chevy race team?

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!

(photo courtesy Greg Ellman-Pool/Getty Images)

NASCAR has lowered to boom on Clint Bowyer and his Richard Childress Racing #33 Cheerios Chevy race team after a thorough post race inspection at NASCAR’s R&D center in Charlotte Wednesday.

While scoring his first win of the 2010 race season in Louden on Sunday, that victory . . . → Read More: NASCAR Penalizes RCR And Bowyer]]>

(photo courtesy Greg Ellman-Pool/Getty Images)

NASCAR has lowered to boom on Clint Bowyer and his Richard Childress Racing #33 Cheerios Chevy race team after a thorough post race inspection at NASCAR’s R&D center in Charlotte Wednesday.

While scoring his first win of the 2010 race season in Louden on Sunday, that victory pulled Bowyer to within 35 points of Chase leader Denny Hamlin.  Although NASCAR has never stripped a race winner of his victory, the 150 point penalty has, in effect, done just that!  On Sunday the Clint Bowyer victory elevated him from 12th place in the standings, to 2nd place.  However, the 150 point penalty that was assessed on Wednesday has plummeted him right back to his original starting point, 12th place!

As is usual for NASCAR after the race, they take the winner’s car and a couple of randomly picked cars to the R&D center in Charlotte for a more detailed inspection.  It was the detailed inspection that caught the eye of the NASCAR’s inspectors.  However, NASCAR  has not revealed the nature of the infraction that led to the untimely penalty for the RCR #33 Cheerios Chevy race team.

In a statement issued early Wednesday evening, team-owner Richard Childress team said he would appeal the penalties. In doing so, he gave a bit of an explanation of the source of the problem.

“We feel certain that the cause of the car being out of tolerance by sixty thousandths of an inch, less than 1/16 of an inch, happened as a result of the wrecker hitting the rear bumper when it pushed the car into winner’s circle,” the statement said. “The rear bumper was also hit on the cool down lap by other drivers congratulating Clint on his victory. That’s the only logical way that the left-rear of the car was found to be high at the tech center. We will appeal NASCAR’s ruling and take it all the way to the NASCAR commissioner for a final ruling, if need be.”

During a teleconference Wednesday afternoon, NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton said that the Childress team had been warned after the race at Richmond International Raceway two weeks ago that its cars had been coming up very close to tolerances.

The team was warned again, he said, after the race in New Hampshire. The inspection at the R&D  Center found the car to have exceeded the allowed tolerances.

“No,” Pemberton said, “the cars (at Richmond and New Hampshire) weren’t the same, but it was in the same area of the car in the body measurements that we talked to the 33 about or RCR about. It was in the same area.”

In his statement, Childress insisted the car was legal when it left the shop for New Hampshire.

“It doesn’t make any sense at all that we would send a car to New Hampshire that wasn’t within NASCAR’s tolerances. I am confident we fixed the area of concern and the New Hampshire car left the race shop well within the tolerances required by NASCAR,” Childress said.

The NASCAR officials said that the size of the penalty was based upon what Red Bull Racing was docked a couple years ago for a similar offense. They warned teams that in the future, even larger penalties could be imposed under similar circumstances.

Pemberton was asked if he thought the problem gave the car a competitive advantage.

“I don’t think that’s for us to decide. We’re into the rules and regulations part, and the car didn’t meet specifications, and that’s the bottom line,” he said.

So, in effect, this penalty has really put a huge dent in the effort of the RCR #33 Cheerios Chevy’s attempt to win the 2010 Sprint cup championship.

What do you think about this penalty for Clint Bowyer and the #33 team?

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!

(photo courtesy jayski.com)

It is official, Budweiser will be the primary sponsor of the #29 RCR Chevy in 2011.  The announcement, complete with its trademark Clydesdale horses, was made at the Richard Childress Racing shops, located in Welcome, N.C.

“Budweiser is one of the most respected sponsors in our sport,” said . . . → Read More: This Bud’s for Harvick!]]>

(photo courtesy jayski.com)

It is official, Budweiser will be the primary sponsor of the #29 RCR Chevy in 2011.  The announcement, complete with its trademark Clydesdale horses, was made at the Richard Childress Racing shops, located in Welcome, N.C.

“Budweiser is one of the most respected sponsors in our sport,” said Harvick. “They do a lot to market their teams and the sport in television broadcasts and away from the track. I’m looking forward to driving the #29 Budweiser Chevrolet, taking it to Victory Lane and winning championships.”

The 2011 season will mark Harvick’s 10th full year in NASCAR’s top series. In 2001, he earned two victories en route to a ninth-place finish and Rookie of the Year honors. Harvick has 14 Sprint Cup Series wins, 72 top-five and 145 top-10 finishes, with major points victories coming in the 2003 Brickyard 400 and 2007 Daytona 500.

Since the introduction of the season-ending “Chase for the Sprint Cup” format in 2004, Harvick has made the Chase three times and on two occasions finished a career-high fourth in the final point standings. He is also the two-time and defending champion of the Budweiser Shootout (2009-2010).

Bud will be on the side of the # 29 car for the 20 points races and two special events beginning in 2011.

Budweiser had sponsored Dale Earnhardt Jr. until he moved to Hendrick Motorsports in 2008. The St. Louis beer maker then switched over to the car of Kasey Kahne and RPM’s #9 Dodge/Ford.

But with Kahne set to move to Red Bull Racing next year and Hendrick Motorsports the year after, and Harvick’s deal with long-time sponsor Shell to move to Kurt Busch’s #22Penske Racing Dodge, there had been speculation about the future of Bud in the sport.

The speculation ended this morning.

So the first piece of the sponsorship puzzle has now fallen into place.  Who will replace Budweiser at RPM?  Who will fill the seat of the #9 RPM Ford?

Stay tuned for the rest of the story as it unfolds.

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!