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Category: Motorsports

The new guy at Hendrick will be the old man

Will Mark Martin make the anticipated announcement on Friday in Daytona that he's joining Rick Hendrick's super team next season?

What a lineup: Jeff Gordon, Jimmy Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin. No weak links in that chain.

Last week Casey Mears was out. On Tuesday, DEI announced Aric Almirola will drive the No. 8 car full time. That same day Rick Hendrick said there will be an announcement on Friday at Daytona about who will drive the No. 5.

Seems pretty obvious.

And what will the deal be? Another part-time driving gig while mentoring the Hendrick/JR Motorsports young guns, Landon Cassill and Brad Keselowski? Or will it be a fulltime final shot at the Cup Championship Mark Martin has narrowly missed before?

I remember watching Mark Martin run ASA when he was a kid. I know, I'm like the guy in the TV commercial wearing the T-shirt with a picture of a youthful Martin. But guys my age remember Mark Martin when he was considered a child phenom -- and now he's a mentor to future stars.

Did you see the full page spread on Keselowski in the July issue of NASCAR Illustrated magazine? It's one of those pop culture tidbit columns with interesting sound bites from the Rochester Hills native's suddenly very interesting life. The one I liked best: "I live on Dale Jr.'s property. He encourages loud parties, as long as he's invited. And the rent can't be beat, except that he constantly steals from my fridge."

Like global warming, silly season is here to stay

The let's-make-a-deal-wheel that spun last year into a month's long silly season was thought to have been whirled by Earnhardt's long-slow trip from DEI to Hendrick. It was supposed to have been an anomaly caused by a superstar's move. But it looks like this is going to be the norm in NASCAR with accelerated expectations from a season shortened by a third under the Chase format.

Practically speaking, we were halfway through NASCAR's "regular season" by the June race at Michigan International Speedway. Casey Mears is feeling the sting of those accelerated expectations. Are the days of second-half performers like Tony Stewart over?

Nah! Stewart, wherever he winds up, still has the power to draw sponsors. And that's a huge key.

Stewart played the game, saying he was possibly interested in the Hendrick ride himself. But I just don't see Tony as a Hendrick guy. He's not a Penske guy either. Some say he's still playing for a better deal from Joe Gibbs, but in football you are supposed to lead the league in some kind of stats category if this is your contract year. And Stewart is: Laps led and bad luck.

Stewart is openly talking now about his negotiations for a share of Haas CNC racing, but if that was a done deal we'd have heard about it.

Stewart is a huge piece of the silly season puzzle, but Tim Tuttle at SI.com has it all figured out. Actually, Tuttle's lineup makes sense: Mark Martin to Hendrick, Martin Truex to Penske, Ryan Newman to Haas CNC as Stewart's driver and teammate, Joey Logano in the No. 20, Casey Mears to the fourth ride at Richard Childress Racing or back to Ganassi where he broke into Cup racing.

And then the bad news

When Chip Ganassi has to fold a team the alarm bells should be ringing in the Daytona Beach NASCAR executive suites. Dario Franchetti came to NASCAR because I think he and his wife wanted a safer, longer-term future in motor sports. So when an Indy 500 champion with a movie star wife can't attract sponsors, there's trouble for everyone in NASCAR.

John Fernandez, who lost his job Tuesday as a team director at Ganassi, said, "If you look at what's going on in the sport, you've got three teams dominating: Hendrick Motorsports, Roush Fenway and Joe Gibbs Racing. For organizations like Ganassi and Penske and everybody else ... it's very difficult."

Which team is next on the chopping block? The Wood Brothers? Yates? DEI which will likely be a two car team next season? Petty Enterprises just bought time with a financial partner.

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Category: Motorsports

Vote for Carol and maybe she'll take me to Bristol

Let's all vote for pace car paint scheme number 4, the one with the flames and send a reader of this blog to Bristol.

Carol Hall is a NASCAR fan from Rockford, just north of Grand Rapids over in West Michigan. Her entry in Sharpie's design the pace car contest is among the finalists from the hundreds of other fans who entered to decorate the Chevrolet Impala that will pace the August race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

If she wins, Carol gets two tickets to see the night race under the lights in Thunder Valley.

So be nice to Carol and maybe she will take me with her.

I've seen the Cup and Nationwide cars race on that cement bull ring at the bottom of what looks like a football stadium on steroids. It's an amazing experience that every true NASCAR fan should experience.

It's something I should experience, again, sitting right next to my friend Carol Hall.

So hit this link and vote for Carol. And, maybe she'll remember me when the tickets arrive.

Real NASCAR fans write into their wills their rights to buy tickets each season at Bristol. Economy be damned, Bristol will sell out. Always will. Even the spring race sells out every year -- and I've thrown snowballs in Bristol on race day in March.

Carol is a stock car racing fan who trained to be a dietician, not a graphic artist. So you can imagine her joy to learn that her design is among only five finalists Sharpie picked to put on its web site for your votes. If we give her the most votes, Carol goes to Bristol. And maybe... well you all know my hopes for an exciting evening in Tennessee with Carol.

She's been e-mailing everyone she knows, even me, to ask: "I am hoping you will vote for me, even if you like the other entries better."

Don't you think honesty is a fine quality in a woman? But come on, how hard is it to vote for the one with flames? None of the other designs includes a flame job.

The contest is open until July 16, so vote early and vote often. I just hope the Sharpie people aren't tracking IP addresses because this laptop is going to show up on entry No. 4 a lot. To vote requires an e-mail address. I just love those free e-mail services. You can sign up for as many of those babies as you want.

OK, so I'll probably never pry that spare ticket out of her husband Dan's hands, but you can't blame a guy for trying. We are talking about Bristol!

And if we help Carol win, we all can be proud that not only the design of that Impala came from the Motor State, the paint job also was dreamed up by a woman who actually has the same reading habits as you.

If you are interested in entering NASCAR-related contests, like Carol, check out Jayski's awesome contest list page. There are amazing opportunities and all you need is a little luck -- and a lot of friends if you're Carol Hall.

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Category: Motorsports

Some sudden clarity in NASCAR's silly season frenzy

When the silly season pot really starts to boil like it has since NASCAR's Sprint Cup teams departed the home of most of the manufacturers at Michigan International Speedway two weeks ago, sometimes it forces quick resolutions to the rumors. Several important mysteries were cleared up today.

Greg Biffle announced at New Hampshire Motor Speedway today he thst signed a three-year deal to continue in his current ride with Jack Roush.

Jayski is reporting Clint Bowyer has renewed with Richard Childress Racing for another three years.

The Richmond Times Dispatch was told by Indy Car driver Dan Weldon that he's not coming to NASCAR.

But Casey Mears is out at Hendrick after this season -- which opens the door to the wildly rumored scenarios involving Mark Martin in the No. 5 car as a part time driver and mentor to the young guns in the Hendrick and JR Motorsports stable, Landon Cassill and Rochester Hills' Brad Keselowski.

A decision about 2009 plans will be announced later, according to Hendrick Motorsports.

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Category: Motorsports

Silly season exploded after NASCAR's stop in Michigan

Did you notice how the week after NASCAR visited Michigan, the rumors started to fly about driver moves, team and sponsor shakeups?

Charlotte may be the heart of NASCAR, but Detroit still is its head. There were a lot of meetings here between corporate powerbrokers, team owners, drivers and sponsors.

Suddenly, Tony Stewart's long rummored negotiations to return to Chevrolet by gaining at least partial ownership of Haas CNC Racing are being reported by NASCAR insider Jayski as a "done deal."

And that news is tipping the rest of the domminos.

Jim Peltz of the Los Angeles Times reports that the rumors were flying when NASCAR reached Sonoma last week after the stop in Michigan. "Speculation is reaching a fever pitch over which NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers might change teams next year," Peltz wrote.

Here's a summary and none of this is confirmed:

Tony Stewart leaves Joe Gibbs Racing a year before his contract expires to become co-owner and driver for a team that gets powerful Chevrolet engines from Hendrick Motorsports. Apparently Stewart's representatives have been in talks with numerous sponsors about the deal, including and Old Spice and Office Depot which gets replaced on Carl Edward's Roush Fords next season by Aflac.

Gibbs appears to be grooming teenager Joey Logano in teh Nationwide series to take over the No. 20 Toyota Cup seat, but sponsor Home Depot is making noises about stepping away from due to sagging sales.

There also are suddenly plenty of experienced drivers and sponsors who appear to also be on the move.

Although the team and driver both deny the rumors, Casey Mears is said to be leaving the Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 and could be headed for Richard Childress or Penske Racing. Mears has his defenders who say he wasn't given enough time at Hendrick.

Mark Martin, who has been a staunch defender of the sagging reputation of Dale Earnhardt Inc., is now said to be a possible replacement for Mears at Hendrick, where his part-time driving deal would allow for the mentoring and Cup introduction of Rochester Hills' Brad Keselowski and Landon Cassil.

Angelique Chengelis of The Detroit News has done the math and concluded Martin is definitely leaving DEI.

Aric Amirola could then take over the No. 8 at DEI, except the U.S. Army sponsorship also appears to be headed elsewhere. Regan Smith's No. 01 car appears to have no sponsor for next season, and Martin Truex still hasn't been signed by DEI to a new contract.

Truex might go to work for Stewart in the second Haas CNC car -- and rob DEI of another major sponsor by taking Bass Pro Shops with him. Stewart already has a relationship with Bass Pro through sponsorship of his short track teams. UPS also is rumored to be joining this effort when it leaves Micheal Waltrip Racing next year.

Did I say something about Penske earlier? Well, that means, yup, Ryan Newman apparently has threatened to leave if the performance of the cars dosen't improve. Newman also has been mentioned as Stewart's possible second driver, and he has been mentioned as Stewart's possible replacement in the Gibbs No. 20 car. David Reutimann, Reed Sorenson and Penske test driver David Stremme all have been rumored as possible replacements in the 12 car.

The talk of Reed Sorensen leaving Ganassi Racing seems to be fueled by the continuing rumors about Ganassi's Indy Car driver Dan Weldon defecting to what would become an all-open-wheel stock car team with Dario Franchetti and Juan Pablo Montoya.

Mears, Newman, Reutimann and Scott Wimmer all have been rumored as possible drivers for Richard Childress's fourth car that will run unde General Mills Sponsorship that leaves Petty Enterprise's No. 43 next season. Making things a little more complicated, there's even talk that Clint Bowyer may be out of his ride at Childress at the end of the season and you can add his name to those in speculation to take over Hendrick's No. 5.

Before you reach for the asprin bottle, there's no confirmation that any of this is actually going to happen. Remember a few weeks ago that Jamie McMurray was almost certainly leaving Roush, and now that talk has quieted.

New Ford racing boss

Ford Motor Company announced Thursday that Brian Wolfe will replace Dan Davis as head of the company's racing programs when Davis retires on Aug. 1.

Davis ran the racing division for 11 years.

Wolfe is a hometown boy and amateur drag racer. He lives in Plymouth and still owns the 1969 Ford Fairlane CobraJet he bought when he was 15. He's an engineering graduate of University of Michigan-Dearborn.

New boss announced at Toyota too

Lee White will become president and general manager of Toyota Racing Development (TRD) on July 1, replacing Jim Aust, who retires at the end of this month.

This is the technical development side of Toyota's motor sports effort in the US. White will be responsible for engine development, manufacturing, chassis design/development, team/manufacturer relationships, manufacturer/sanctioning body relations and engineering support for Toyota teams participating in NASCAR, USAC, NHRA, Grand-Am and Off-Road competition.

Aust's additional responsibilities as head of motor sports activities for Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc. will be handled by Ed Laukes. Laukes had been corporate manager of motorsports marketing in the U.S.

Dave Illingworth, TMS senior vice president, chief planning and administrative officer, said in a company news release today that the division of duties is evidence of Toyota's expansion and growing sophistication in the sport.

Aust had a financial background, but became involved in Toyota's U.S. motor sports efforts including sports cars and Indy Cars in 1998. He guided the Japanese manufacturer into the All-American world of NASCAR in 2004.

White's appointment probably raised the temperature in Jack Roush's shops, where the Cat in the Hat has expressed his dislike of his former employee. Roush called White "an ankle-biting Chihuahua" earlier this season after White complained that the oil reservoir lid was deliberately knocked off Carl Edward's car to give him a winning aero advantage at Atlanta. ESPN reported White responded by saying he was a big boy and could take any insult Roush dished out.

Must see TV Sunday morning

ESPNs Outside the Lines examination of the lousy economy's impact on NASCAR will reveal some shocking truths like the falling ticket sales at tracks and the enormous cost of transporting the series back and forth across the country with the rocketing cost of fuel.

Larry Camp, a motor sports marketing expert told ESPN, "Before, let's say five years ago, a top echelon team, you were looking at $10-15 million. All of a sudden, now, I'm told, because of driver salaries and all the other factors that affected the cost of going racing, that top tier team now is $24-30 million."

Doug Yates, owner of Yates Racing, said, "We could see six or so teams shut down if they are not funded. Nobody is going to run this out of their own pocket for too long, myself included, so it is a serious situation."

The show is scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN at 9:30am and on ESPNEWS at noon.

Category: Motorsports

Honoring Kalitta

All Gillett Evernham Motorsports Dodges will carry a decal in New Hampshire this NASCAR Sprint Cup weekend honoring NHRA driver Scott Kalitta. Kalitta, a Mt. Clemens native, died last Saturday from injuries suffered in a racing accident.

Category: Motorsports

Kalitta Motorsports makes statement

Kalitta Motorsports issued a statement Wednesday morning about driver Scott Kalitta, the Mt. Clemens-native who died last Saturday from multiple injuries suffered in a qualifying accident at Englishtown, N.J. He was 46 and is survived by his wife, Kathy, sons Corey, 14, and Colin, 8, and his father, Connie.

"Scott Kalitta was our champion, our hero and our friend. He was a son, a father, a husband, a cousin, a friend, and a racer. He, along with his father, Connie, and cousin, Doug, was a cornerstone of Kalitta Motorsports that cannot be replaced. His passing last Saturday has left not only our team but the entire NHRA drag racing community reeling. The outpouring of support from our competitors, friends, and race fans has been immeasurable and for that we are tremendously grateful.

Scott's legendary career on the race tracks throughout the world proved that he was unequalled as a racer, but his magnanimous personality is his most endearing legacy. He was tough as nails, but with a heart of gold.

Kalitta Motorsports will carry on and continue to race because that's what we do, and we feel certain Scott would want us too, but we obviously will never be the same, nor should we be.

Scott will always be with us in everything we do as a team and as individuals. His spirit shall forever remain indelible and untarnished."

Some comments from his family and friends"

Connie Kalitta, Scott's father, drag racing legend and team owner:

"I certainly appreciate everyone's thoughts, prayers and support in this most difficult time. Losing a family member is always tough, but losing my son has been incredibly hard. Scott was a great racer and a great son, but most importantly, he was a great husband to his wife, Kathy, and a wonderful father to his boys, Corey and Colin. Scott died doing what he loved to do, and I am very proud of what we accomplished together both on the track and off."

Doug Kalitta, Scott's cousin and driver of the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster:

"Words just don't seem to do Scott justice. He was so much bigger than life, and we all thought he was invincible. He loved being in a race car, and he was a great driver. We grew up together, and I really can't imagine my life without him in it, but we will come together as a family and as a team and carry on in his honor."

Dave Grubnic, driver of the DHL Top Fuel dragster:

"Scott was more than just my teammate. He was always there for me whenever I had a problem, regardless of the nature. He was a great racer and a champion, and I was proud to be his teammate. Scott Kalitta was my friend, and he will be deeply missed. My sincere and heartfelt condolences go out to Scott's wife Kathy, his sons Corey and Colin, Connie, Doug, and the entire Kalitta family."

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Category: Motorsports

The healthy response to Kalitta's death is learning what went wrong

What is the proper response to what happened to Mt. Clemens native Scott Kalitta?

The Web is alive with every possible opinion, from shock to sympathy to anger. People are upset with the video replays. Some can't get enough and some want to close their eyes.

But the healthiest response is a firm resolve to seeing that this never happens again. And, the only way we motor sports fans can help is to demand to know what went wrong.

Unfortunately, that's not how it usually goes. There's a tendency to claim privacy and appropriateness as an excuse to close down access to the findings of these investigations. The favorite excuse is, "Out of respect for the family."

This paternalism can turn out to be nothing more than a sham to protect the sanctioning body and race track owner rather than the real victims. Just ask the parents of Pat Tillman how they feel about the seven failed investigations of the U.S. Army's fictional hero story to cover up his friendly fire death in Afghanistan.

It took seven months, but NASCAR succumbed to public pressure and presented an adequate report about the death of Dale Earnhardt. The sanctioning body has been on a genuine drive to improve safety ever since.

NHRA is conducting a review, but so is the New Jersey State Police traffic fatality unit -- which probably gives us all a better chance of finding out what really happened.

This isn't about being inappropriate or voyeuristic. There's no difference between being killed a little or a lot. What happened to Scott Kalitta was spectacular because he was traveling at 300 miles per hour. That was his job. It was a racing accident. Now, let's all learn something from it or as funny car pilot Ron Capps says, Scott would be really angry.

I've never liked the cliche, "He died doing what he loved." You can bet Scott Kalitta would have retired again -- permanently this time -- if he'd known that was going to happen. He'd be home now at Snead Island, Florida with his wife, Kathy, sons Corey, 14, and Colin, 8.

His 70-year-old father, the legendary "Bounty Hunter" Connie Kalitta, whose four-car race team is based in Ypsilanti near Willow Run Airport where his family also operates a sometimes risky air charter and freight business, would be planning for the next race instead of a funeral.

There's much to learn here: Are the NHRA's safety precautions enough considering how fast these machines have become? Are the shut-down areas and sand traps at the end of the strips enough when most of these tracks where built 20 or more years ago when the cars were more than 50 miles per hour slower?

NHRA has suffered nine deaths at national events since its founding in 1955. Four men have died in top fuel cars, three in funny cars and two in pro stock. The last was Darrell Russell in 2004 at St. Louis. The last funny car driver to die at a national event was Jerry Schwartz in 1969 at Dallas.

But funny cars have been especially dangerous lately. Eric Medlen was killed testing last year at Gainesville, Fla. John Force was severely injured last September in Dallas. Force started the Eric Medlen Project that is resulting in new larger "safety cages" to contain and protect the drivers. Because Force wanted to make sense of Medlen's death, we found out Medlen died from brain injuries that were the result of being rattled inside the tight-fitting cockpit during a severe tire shake.

Kalitta's car reached a top speed of just over 300 miles per hour and plunged off the end of the track in New Jersey at an estimated 250 miles per hour. The parachutes that haven't changed in size for years despite the increasing speeds didn't open properly. That's putting a lot of faith in a non-redundant system where failure means gruesome video getting posted on YouTube.

Investigative results are needed to clear up myths. Early reports said Kalitta was thrown from the car. That appears now to have been wrong. Firefighter interviews indicate they removed him from the car and he was pronounced dead later at a hospital.

Other reports that said he hit a cement wall at the very end of the track also appear to have been in error, perhaps based on the ESPN video's camera perspective that gives the false perspective of the track looking far shorter. Former driver Don Prudhomme has said however that Kalitta's car "broke into a million pieces" when it hit a cement-filled metal pole that was near the edge of the sand trap to support netting designed to catch a runaway car like Kalitta's.

Obviously, it's a problem when your safety equipment kills people. The use of multiple wooden posts for catch fencing ended at Formula One events after Mark Donohue died after a practice mishap in Austria in 1975 where one hit him in the helmet.

If the tracks themselves are just too outdated to handle 330 mile per hour speeds, you might want to get to an NHRA National event this summer before the sanctioning body is forced to slow down the awesome nitro classes. In these days when the economy is hurting ticket sales, the cheapest and quickest safety fix won't be ordering millions of dollars in track improvements. It will come in horsepower reductions.

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Category: Motorsports

Some things are meant to be, like Earnhardt's win at MIS

BROOKLYN, MI -- The fates chose Michigan International Speedway as the place where Dale Earnhardt Jr. would finally win his first race in two years, where he would win his first points-paying race as a driver for Rick Hendrick. Where the yellow flag would fall in time for the gas fumes to last just long enough and where the rain would hold off until minutes after the checkers fell.

The collision of circumstances were amazing. It seemed like more than just sudden good luck to thousands in the grand stands who watched his crew push the out-of-gas racer to victory circle.

Earnhardt himself said afterward that he was preparing for what he hoped would be at least a 10th place finish as his car coasted out of gas and competitors passed him. He would not have won if the green flag had dropped again.

In the main grandstands the crowd chanted 'Junior, Junior," as the driver and his crew celebrated.

On the same day, Formula One driver Jarno Trulli, wandered on the infield at MIS without being recognized by NASCAR fans. This is a millionaire celebrity in Europe, but only the media-types stopped the shaggy-looking Italian wearing decidedly European designer jeans and T-shirt.

In the fourth turn for the last several laps, regardless of loyalties or the color of the hats or T-shirts, Nikki Raper, of Newport, believes everyone around her sensed the historic moment and was rooting for Earnhardt.

"I think everyone was a Junior fan for that moment," said Raper, who was wearing a brown No. 88 hat for her favorite and now retired driver, Dale Jarrett. (My mother's favorite driver too, Nikki.)

Everyone but Brittany Yensch, 9, who still wanted a Ford to win and had her eye on Matt Kenseth -- teammate of her favorite driver Carl Edwards. You see, not only does Edwards drive a Ford, but he's nice and he does a back flip when he wins.

There are those who felt NASCAR may have given its favorite son a little help to get the monkey off his back. In the press room after the race, Matt Kenseth and Kasey Kahne both wondered why Earnhardt was allowed to pass the pace car under the yellow. Kenseth said "the leader" kept getting up some speed, then shutting off his engine to coast and save fuel and blocking the other cars in line -- a hint at another rules infraction about maintaining a safe and consistent speed. About passing the pace car Kahne said, "I just didn't think you could ever do that."

Kenseth also complained that an officials stood in front of his car during a pit stop, delaying him and knocking him from the lead back two places. And Kenseth finished third.

But, come on! It was Michael Waltrip and Patrick Carpentier coming together in the tri oval that caused the caution flag. Am I going to hear next that that was fixed too?

"It's been a long time coming. Now he has his victory and he can concentrate on the championship," said Don Dupuis who had come to the race from Windsor, Ontario, Canada with three friends -- all of them wearing green Dale Earnhardt Jr. shirts. "Today was a big day. NASCAR needed this."

So what is it about Dale Earnhardt Jr. that makes him so popular -- even in Canada?

"I never was an Earnhardt Sr. fan," said Canadian Jeff LeBlanc. "I relate to Junior because he's down to earth, but he's a totally different driver from Senior. He's not like his father at all. He's easy to like. His dad wasn't so nice."

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Category: Motorsports

The party at MIS went late and started early again today

BROOKLYN, MI -- The yahoos started at 6 a.m. And when I say yahoos, I mean the special breed of NASCAR fan camping all around me this weekend at Michigan International Speedway.

Their echoing rebel yells began about sundown like wolves calling out and hearing responses from across the speedway's 9,000 campsites.

I'm not sure how, but those yells stared up about again about 6 a.m. These are long ball hitters!

The party began on Thursday here when the first campers lined up before gates opened at 8 a.m. They've established a temporary city that appears in the Irish Hills twice a year. They came in elaborately rigged retired school buses, with railed platforms on top. Thay came in half-million motor coaches.

I joined them in my little red popup camper in the Graves Campground across U.S. 12 where track management has heavily invested in improvements. There's a huge new restroom and shower facility that rivals the best of what I've seen in other campgrounds.

"All this is new," Thomas Welch of Romulus said. Welch and his wife Paula are my neighbors in a newly developed area with electrical hookups.

"It's not exactly camping," said Michael Isminger of Lincoln Park. "We've got Dish TV and high speed internet in the trailer."

We all attended the free Sammy Kershaw concert Saturday evening where I learned something important about live country music and the power of Mardi Gras beads. Kershaw has amazing aim when he throws those things to particularly deserving female fans out there in the crowd.

Our campground, where many of the track's staffers also stay, was peaceful overnight by comparison with the famously more party-intensive infield. The post-concert fun included some motor homes with sound systems that rivaled the concert stage.

They missed quiet time of midnight, but not by much. I slept very well.

Because it's Father's Day, I was joined by my son, Geoff, who is serving as my photographer tody. But the terrible economy has thinned this crowd that normally numbers about 150,000. The campground was probably half-full. I also understand an hour before the race that the unthinkable has happened -- there are still tickets available.

"My dad, he's not here this weekend," said Thomas Welch. "He's retired (Charles Welch worked for GM) and with the cost of fuel and everything, well he can only do so much. He's bummed and so am I."

The campground space costs $300 with electric hookups and $170 without. Individual tickets low in the main grandstand cost Welch $85 each. Gasoline to haul the travel trailer from Romulus probably cost $60.

"A friend was getting ready to cross this off his list, but he's here," Welch said. "It's all worth it. This is a great time."

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Category: Motorsports

It's more than a race for thousands of infield campers

BROOKLYN, MI -- Jim Morris sat in a lawn chair near the center of the infield at Michigan International Speedway Saturday with no chance of seeing any of the Craftsman Truck race roaring all around him on the big two-mile oval.

The Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania resident had a beer in one hand a radio in the other and he watched some of his infield neighbors competing in a rousing game of bean-bag toss.

"I've got the radio on," he shouted over the din. "It's about the atmosphere. It's about relaxing."

His sentiments were echoed around the infield Saturday by thousands of race fans who came in half-million dollar motor homes like Morris or arrived with nothing more than tents, like Lesa and Dirk Beard of Ithaca.

They are divorced, but the prime camping site they have shared with friends along the backstretch guardrail for 13 years brings them all back together twice a summer. They hid together in their tents through Thursday night's thunderstorms.

"The rain is fine, but the wind sucks," Dirk Beard said.

The group of friends pays $250 every year to renew their site because they enjoy the races and the chance to commune with other race fans.

"It's the best," Lesa Beard said.

Some, like Carol Thieda, 44, of Clinton Township, have been parking on the infield at MIS for 20 years. It started with tents when her brothers brought her to the race. Now, she sits with friends on top of a giant motor home.

"Back then you could bring a van-load of people in here for $40. It's way more expensive now. We pay $300 every October to guarantee our same site at both races,then you buy individual infield passes too."

And then there's the cost of gas and food and drink.

"Since I started coming here I felt it was great. I love the racing. I love the people," Thieda said. "When I first came there were a lot less women then there are now."

She's at a loss to explain what is attracting the larger female crowd, which NASCAR claims is as high as 40 percent of its fan base. Is it the social fun? Is it the influx of handsome young drivers?

"No," her friend Lisa Hoder, of Chesterfield Township, said with a laugh. "Somebody has to cook for all these fools."

There were many forms of happiness among the campers on the infield Saturday.

Two bags of playground sand dumped on the grass in front of their travel trailer kept the Bird boys happy. Craven, 6, and Nathan, 4, had their toys and mom and dad Julia and Robert Bird of White Cloud relaxed in the shade. Mom and dad have been parking their trailer on the infield for eight years.

"This may be the last year that our little sandbox idea keeps these two entertained," Julia said.

For two guys from Ohio with a 1966 Ford school bus decorated with Red Dog beer logos, it's location, location , location -- and the party that follows into Sunday morning.

"Dude! Look at this," said a man who would identify himself only as Sancho. He swept his hand toward the panoramic view from the platform but atop the old bus. It is parked at the rail in the bottom of the high-banked first turn. The racing trucks seemed so close as they roared past. It took six years of upgrading their tickets to finally get one of the prized sites at the edge of the track.

"It's also about being with people who feel the same way," he said. "I could yell O-H right now and half the crowd would yell back I-O. The other half would yell F-U. But there isn't a person out here who wouldn't welcome you into their campsite tonight.

"Come back here tonight and watch watch happens. Then tell me about it in the morning because I'm not going to remember."

And the winner of the race was...

Oh, and Erik Darnell beat local boy Johnny Benson Jr. to the stripe by five one thousandths of a second. It was an amazing finish. The second closest ever in truck series history, according to NASCAR.

The truck series points leader Ron Hornaday and his crew were furious afterward at Kyle Busch for contact that turned Hornaday around on the last lap and put him back to 23rd place. Hornaday called for NASCAR to penalize Busch.

"That kid has just about done wore me out," an angry Hornaday said after the race. "I don't know if I have to give up this championship to teach him a lesson. I hope I don't hurt him because Joe Gibs lets him do this. I am ashamed for them... I guess it's an ego trip, and if he is going to wreck me every week, I guess we are going to have toi do it back to him."

But Benson was smiling even with second place.

"The fans couldn't have seen a better race," Benson said afterward.

The truck races always are good, which is why NASCAR keeps hoping the Car of Tomorrow that relied heavily on the truck aerodynamics package will turn the Cup series into the same competitive scene. So far, that hasn't happened.