NASCAR Notebook: Budweiser Shootout
Barry F. Hess
February 09, 2007
NASCAR Notebook: Budweiser Shootout
Preseason Thunder
After over 100 days without the sounds of the engines roaring to life and air-guns zipping on pit road the 2007 NASCAR season is set to kick off this weekend with the annual Bud Shootout Saturday night followed by Daytona 500 qualifying on Sunday.
Before 2006 was over it was said that 2007 would be a year chocked full of excitement, intrigue and some of the most competitive racing the sport has ever seen and by all accounts those predictions were dead on the money before the first lap has even been completed.
With the inception of Toyota, the first foreign manufacturer to compete in NASCAR, all eyes will be on the seven drivers who made the leap of faith and signed with one of the three Toyota Cup teams this season.
And they won’t have to wait very long to find out how the new models can compete against Ford, Chevy and Dodge.
Three Toyotas are included in the 21-car field for Saturday night’s Shootout, including the pole sitter and two time Shootout winner Dale Jarrett.
Though the pole position for the 70 lap Shootout is not the same as starting on pole at the Daytona 500 it is still an advantage for the three-time Great American Race winner, whether his untested equipment and pit crew are up for the challenge is a whole other story.
However, let us not forget Jarrett’s debut with Robert Yates Racing and the No. 88 Ford, a win in the Shootout followed by a win in the 500, will history repeat?
Unlikely but possible.
Speaking of unlikely that is exactly the word used to describe Denny Hamlin’s chances at not only winning last year’s Shootout but making a run at the Nextel Cup Championship as well.
A Shootout win, two trips to Victory Lane at Pocono and spot inside the Chase for the Nextel Cup later and Hamlin came within hairs of becoming the first rookie to ever win the Series title.
Now that the cat is out of the bag can Hamlin, who will start in the very last position, continue the red hot streak he started back when he made his debut for Joe Gibbs Racing late in 2005?
With one of the better restrictor plate programs in recent years look for Gibbs’ No. 11 FedEx Chevy to make a run toward the front after the mandatory pit stop.
Whenever the Nextel Cup Series travels to Daytona there is always one man you have to keep you eye on, Jeff Gordon.
The rainbow warrior has six total wins at the Daytona International Speedway and he will look to make it lucky number seven Saturday night as he starts from 11th position.
After returning to the Chase in 06’ look for Gordon to begin his season with a bang in an effort to drive his way to a fifth Nextel Cup title in his illustrious career.
With Hendrick power under the hood of his No. 24 DuPont Chevy the Shootout is the perfect stage for Gordon to set the tone for what could be one of the best seasons in his career.
Prediction : After finishing the season stronger than any driver on the circuit, including Series champ Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart enters 2007 with somewhat of a chip on his shoulder.
Stewart surprisingly missed the Chase last year and comes into the Shootout having already won the event in back-to-back fashion in 2001 and 2002.
Look for Smoke to drive as aggressive as ever with no threat of losing points, not that that ever stopped him anyway, as he prepares for yet another shot at one of the few achievements he has yet to obtain in his successful career, a Daytona 500 win.
Drop Stewart onto any race track in any scenario and he is a threat to win the thing but add the determination and focus that has him dreaming of doing donuts all the way to Victory Lane next Sunday in the big one and he will be hard to stop Saturday night in the 70 lap race for the checkered flag.
2007 Budweiser Shootout Starting Grid
Row 1 Dale Jarrett Scott Riggs
Row 2 Borris Said Brian Vickers
Row 3 Greg Biffle Kyle Busch
Row 4 Ken Schrader Jimmie Johnson
Row 5 Ryan Newman Mark Martin
Row 6 Jeff Gordon Jeff Burton
Row 7 David Gilliland Tony Stewart
Row 8 Kasey Kahne Bill Elliot
Row 9 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Elliot Sadler
Row 10 Kurt Busch Kevin Harvick
Row 11 Denny Hamlin
The Beginning of the End for DEI
With the 2007 season set to begin Dale Earnhardt Jr. should have a lot to smile about.
The No. 8 Budweiser Chevy returned to the Chase last season after a disappointing 05’, the reunion between Junior and cousin/crew chief, Tony Eury Jr. earned him a win in Richmond as well as 16 additional finishes inside the top 10 and his revised restrictor plate program should give him as good a chance as anyone to walk away with next weekend’s Daytona 500.
But Junior’s familiar charming smile and easygoing attitude have been nowhere in sight as of late as he battles with his stepmother and principal owner of the company his father founded for a new contract, which he has expressed as recently as yesterday he wants at least 51% control of.
Junior has voiced to anyone who is willing to listen, which is basically every journalist this side of Russia who covers motor sports, his displeasure about how his father’s company is being run and the changes he feels he can make to give the company an extra boost.
We see other companies and teams doing what it takes and making the right moves and I just want to be at the same situation as I see other drivers in,” said Junior. “What's important to me is give me a good race car, don't give me any mess other than that. Just give me a good race car, make it run fast, give me guys I enjoy working with and going to the race track with. I'll do whatever you need me to do with the sponsors and everything else, just don't make everything a hassle and don't make everything a pain and you'll have my dedication and everything else you need as far as my being a driver goes.”
Junior’s forthcoming comments over the last several weeks has many wondering if 07’ will be the last year he drives for DEI and if so how will that effect the way he drives as he looks for his first Series title since joining the Cup level full time back in 2000.
Much has been made of Earnhardt’s relationship with his father’s second wife, Teresa, who as owner of DEI does not even attend most races and is said to be less than thrilled about the thought of Junior’s majority ownership of the company.
Junior’s less than heartwarming words about his stepmother and boss have surly added fuel to the fire.
The relationship that we have today is the same relationship we had when I was six years old when I moved into that house with Dad and her,” Junior explained at a press conference two weeks ago. “It's always been the same. It hasn't gotten worse over the last couple years or last couple months. It's always been the same, the way I felt about her then is the way I feel about her now.”
Though he refuses to badmouth his stepmother outright it has been reported that the two are not even in the same room during this lengthy negotiation process because of the animosity between them.
With a huge sponsor like Budweiser likely to follow Junior anywhere he goes and the fact that it would be next to impossible to replace the amount of cash both they and Junior himself bring to DEI the smart business decision is obviously to work out a deal to ensure he stays with the company that bares his name.
And while it appears to most on the outside Junior has all the leverage in this deal don’t be surprised is Teresa Earnhardt is looking for a new driver in 2008.
She is deadest against giving her stepson majority control of the company she owns and considerers him to be just a driver that works for her and nothing else.
I haven't talked to Teresa… I figured if anything needed to be said, she'd call me up and say it. But you know, my and her relationship definitely factor into my decision to drive there.”
It’s hard to believe someone who owns a race team but doesn’t care enough to go to the actual races doesn’t have someone whispering in her ear that losing Junior would be career suicide and probably put DEI out of business within five years but if things stay on this current course there may be no way around that solemn scenario.
Both sides of this argument have tremendous egos and neither wants to be the first to give, which most times leads to the worst possible ending imaginable.
But while Junior can go on to any race team and any manufacturer and be successful a DEI world without him would be, as Tony Stewart recently put it, nothing but a museum, a sad thought considering the history and tradition that company has brought to NASCAR since the late Dale Earnhardt himself first started the company.
2007 Predictions
Rather than starting off the season with the popular Random Thoughts segment of the Notebook I decided to devote this space toward a few 2007 predictions I think are pertinent.
In the end none of us know how this season will play out but after careful consideration I have formulated the following hypotheses that nine months from now will either make me look like a genius or a certifiable, either way it will be a fun road along the way!
After an impressive ending to the 2006 season look for Evernham Motor Sports to become a dominant team with the likes of Roush Racing and Hendrick Motor Sports. The addition of Elliot Sadler, who will drive his first full year, as well as the always improving Scot Riggs will compliment the already superior squad led by Kasey Kahne. Look for the trio of Dodges to compete for the checkered flag each and every week and don’t be surprised if all three are poised to make a run at a championship after heading into the Chase.
After Jack Roush enjoyed back-to-back championships with Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch the Cat in the Hat saw all five of his drivers qualify for the Chase in 2005. 2006, however, was hardly the way Roush envisioned.
Not only did three of his drivers miss out on the Chase but he lost veteran, Mark Martin, to Ginn Racing and the high expectations he had for Jamie McMurray fell by the wayside before the circuit hit Bristol in the Spring. But look for the Roush-cateers to rebound in 07, mainly Biffle and McMurray. Look for all five drivers to be in position to qualify for the Chase come Richmond and don’t be surprised if the Killer Bees make another serious run at a second Cup title.
The season has not even started and already Toyota teams are buried in a very large hole. The inception of the Car of Tomorrow has forced an extra work load the teams just didn’t plan for. While most teams are likely to be an afterthought by the time Homestead comes around look for Dave Blaney, of Bill Davis Racing, to be the most competitive Toyota in the field. His No. 22 CAT team has handled the heavy work load better than any Toyota team by far, including Michael Waltrip Racing where money grows on trees and is used as a substitute for toilet paper in all the bathrooms.
Now that Robbie Gordon has Yates/Roush power under his hood look for the wild driver/car owner to make a serious run at one on the 12 positions available in the Chase.
Look for Tony Raines and the No. 96 team to make a vast improvement in their second year at the Cup level. A position in the Chase may not be in the cards but that team will compete for top 10 finishes more than not in 07’
Preseason Thunder
After over 100 days without the sounds of the engines roaring to life and air-guns zipping on pit road the 2007 NASCAR season is set to kick off this weekend with the annual Bud Shootout Saturday night followed by Daytona 500 qualifying on Sunday.
Before 2006 was over it was said that 2007 would be a year chocked full of excitement, intrigue and some of the most competitive racing the sport has ever seen and by all accounts those predictions were dead on the money before the first lap has even been completed.
With the inception of Toyota, the first foreign manufacturer to compete in NASCAR, all eyes will be on the seven drivers who made the leap of faith and signed with one of the three Toyota Cup teams this season.
And they won’t have to wait very long to find out how the new models can compete against Ford, Chevy and Dodge.
Three Toyotas are included in the 21-car field for Saturday night’s Shootout, including the pole sitter and two time Shootout winner Dale Jarrett.
Though the pole position for the 70 lap Shootout is not the same as starting on pole at the Daytona 500 it is still an advantage for the three-time Great American Race winner, whether his untested equipment and pit crew are up for the challenge is a whole other story.
However, let us not forget Jarrett’s debut with Robert Yates Racing and the No. 88 Ford, a win in the Shootout followed by a win in the 500, will history repeat?
Unlikely but possible.
Speaking of unlikely that is exactly the word used to describe Denny Hamlin’s chances at not only winning last year’s Shootout but making a run at the Nextel Cup Championship as well.
A Shootout win, two trips to Victory Lane at Pocono and spot inside the Chase for the Nextel Cup later and Hamlin came within hairs of becoming the first rookie to ever win the Series title.
Now that the cat is out of the bag can Hamlin, who will start in the very last position, continue the red hot streak he started back when he made his debut for Joe Gibbs Racing late in 2005?
With one of the better restrictor plate programs in recent years look for Gibbs’ No. 11 FedEx Chevy to make a run toward the front after the mandatory pit stop.
Whenever the Nextel Cup Series travels to Daytona there is always one man you have to keep you eye on, Jeff Gordon.
The rainbow warrior has six total wins at the Daytona International Speedway and he will look to make it lucky number seven Saturday night as he starts from 11th position.
After returning to the Chase in 06’ look for Gordon to begin his season with a bang in an effort to drive his way to a fifth Nextel Cup title in his illustrious career.
With Hendrick power under the hood of his No. 24 DuPont Chevy the Shootout is the perfect stage for Gordon to set the tone for what could be one of the best seasons in his career.
Prediction : After finishing the season stronger than any driver on the circuit, including Series champ Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart enters 2007 with somewhat of a chip on his shoulder.
Stewart surprisingly missed the Chase last year and comes into the Shootout having already won the event in back-to-back fashion in 2001 and 2002.
Look for Smoke to drive as aggressive as ever with no threat of losing points, not that that ever stopped him anyway, as he prepares for yet another shot at one of the few achievements he has yet to obtain in his successful career, a Daytona 500 win.
Drop Stewart onto any race track in any scenario and he is a threat to win the thing but add the determination and focus that has him dreaming of doing donuts all the way to Victory Lane next Sunday in the big one and he will be hard to stop Saturday night in the 70 lap race for the checkered flag.
2007 Budweiser Shootout Starting Grid
Row 1 Dale Jarrett Scott Riggs
Row 2 Borris Said Brian Vickers
Row 3 Greg Biffle Kyle Busch
Row 4 Ken Schrader Jimmie Johnson
Row 5 Ryan Newman Mark Martin
Row 6 Jeff Gordon Jeff Burton
Row 7 David Gilliland Tony Stewart
Row 8 Kasey Kahne Bill Elliot
Row 9 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Elliot Sadler
Row 10 Kurt Busch Kevin Harvick
Row 11 Denny Hamlin
The Beginning of the End for DEI
With the 2007 season set to begin Dale Earnhardt Jr. should have a lot to smile about.
The No. 8 Budweiser Chevy returned to the Chase last season after a disappointing 05’, the reunion between Junior and cousin/crew chief, Tony Eury Jr. earned him a win in Richmond as well as 16 additional finishes inside the top 10 and his revised restrictor plate program should give him as good a chance as anyone to walk away with next weekend’s Daytona 500.
But Junior’s familiar charming smile and easygoing attitude have been nowhere in sight as of late as he battles with his stepmother and principal owner of the company his father founded for a new contract, which he has expressed as recently as yesterday he wants at least 51% control of.
Junior has voiced to anyone who is willing to listen, which is basically every journalist this side of Russia who covers motor sports, his displeasure about how his father’s company is being run and the changes he feels he can make to give the company an extra boost.
We see other companies and teams doing what it takes and making the right moves and I just want to be at the same situation as I see other drivers in,” said Junior. “What's important to me is give me a good race car, don't give me any mess other than that. Just give me a good race car, make it run fast, give me guys I enjoy working with and going to the race track with. I'll do whatever you need me to do with the sponsors and everything else, just don't make everything a hassle and don't make everything a pain and you'll have my dedication and everything else you need as far as my being a driver goes.”
Junior’s forthcoming comments over the last several weeks has many wondering if 07’ will be the last year he drives for DEI and if so how will that effect the way he drives as he looks for his first Series title since joining the Cup level full time back in 2000.
Much has been made of Earnhardt’s relationship with his father’s second wife, Teresa, who as owner of DEI does not even attend most races and is said to be less than thrilled about the thought of Junior’s majority ownership of the company.
Junior’s less than heartwarming words about his stepmother and boss have surly added fuel to the fire.
The relationship that we have today is the same relationship we had when I was six years old when I moved into that house with Dad and her,” Junior explained at a press conference two weeks ago. “It's always been the same. It hasn't gotten worse over the last couple years or last couple months. It's always been the same, the way I felt about her then is the way I feel about her now.”
Though he refuses to badmouth his stepmother outright it has been reported that the two are not even in the same room during this lengthy negotiation process because of the animosity between them.
With a huge sponsor like Budweiser likely to follow Junior anywhere he goes and the fact that it would be next to impossible to replace the amount of cash both they and Junior himself bring to DEI the smart business decision is obviously to work out a deal to ensure he stays with the company that bares his name.
And while it appears to most on the outside Junior has all the leverage in this deal don’t be surprised is Teresa Earnhardt is looking for a new driver in 2008.
She is deadest against giving her stepson majority control of the company she owns and considerers him to be just a driver that works for her and nothing else.
I haven't talked to Teresa… I figured if anything needed to be said, she'd call me up and say it. But you know, my and her relationship definitely factor into my decision to drive there.”
It’s hard to believe someone who owns a race team but doesn’t care enough to go to the actual races doesn’t have someone whispering in her ear that losing Junior would be career suicide and probably put DEI out of business within five years but if things stay on this current course there may be no way around that solemn scenario.
Both sides of this argument have tremendous egos and neither wants to be the first to give, which most times leads to the worst possible ending imaginable.
But while Junior can go on to any race team and any manufacturer and be successful a DEI world without him would be, as Tony Stewart recently put it, nothing but a museum, a sad thought considering the history and tradition that company has brought to NASCAR since the late Dale Earnhardt himself first started the company.
2007 Predictions
Rather than starting off the season with the popular Random Thoughts segment of the Notebook I decided to devote this space toward a few 2007 predictions I think are pertinent.
In the end none of us know how this season will play out but after careful consideration I have formulated the following hypotheses that nine months from now will either make me look like a genius or a certifiable, either way it will be a fun road along the way!
After an impressive ending to the 2006 season look for Evernham Motor Sports to become a dominant team with the likes of Roush Racing and Hendrick Motor Sports. The addition of Elliot Sadler, who will drive his first full year, as well as the always improving Scot Riggs will compliment the already superior squad led by Kasey Kahne. Look for the trio of Dodges to compete for the checkered flag each and every week and don’t be surprised if all three are poised to make a run at a championship after heading into the Chase.
After Jack Roush enjoyed back-to-back championships with Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch the Cat in the Hat saw all five of his drivers qualify for the Chase in 2005. 2006, however, was hardly the way Roush envisioned.
Not only did three of his drivers miss out on the Chase but he lost veteran, Mark Martin, to Ginn Racing and the high expectations he had for Jamie McMurray fell by the wayside before the circuit hit Bristol in the Spring. But look for the Roush-cateers to rebound in 07, mainly Biffle and McMurray. Look for all five drivers to be in position to qualify for the Chase come Richmond and don’t be surprised if the Killer Bees make another serious run at a second Cup title.
The season has not even started and already Toyota teams are buried in a very large hole. The inception of the Car of Tomorrow has forced an extra work load the teams just didn’t plan for. While most teams are likely to be an afterthought by the time Homestead comes around look for Dave Blaney, of Bill Davis Racing, to be the most competitive Toyota in the field. His No. 22 CAT team has handled the heavy work load better than any Toyota team by far, including Michael Waltrip Racing where money grows on trees and is used as a substitute for toilet paper in all the bathrooms.
Now that Robbie Gordon has Yates/Roush power under his hood look for the wild driver/car owner to make a serious run at one on the 12 positions available in the Chase.
Look for Tony Raines and the No. 96 team to make a vast improvement in their second year at the Cup level. A position in the Chase may not be in the cards but that team will compete for top 10 finishes more than not in 07’
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