Indy recap and thoughts about the race on Sunday

Dale Jr did pretty well on Sunday, dispite how screwed up the race was - he started 11th and finished 12th. Congrats to his teammate Jimmie Johnson on his win for Lowe's and Hendrick Motorsports.
This coming Sunday, it's finally here, and I'll be there.
The Red Cross Sunoco Pennsylvania 500.


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So who's fault was it? I sure don't think NASCAR had anything to do with it. Goodyear brought in a tire that was fit to use with the old car. They figured that rubber would lay down on the track like always, just like it did with old car. Keep in mind, the new car has a lot more weight added to it. Plus that, this is the first year the COT has been used at all race tracks. So of course there's gonna be glitches and things that need to be worked on to make it better. I know I was either pretty young, or not even born yet when the old car was introduced. I'm sure teams complained and had problems with it too.

I have to give credit to all the pit crews, they worked extra hard, and not being used to having that many pit stops had to have exhausted them by the end of the race. They worked their tails off and I'm proud of them for that.

I have to give credit where credit is due. Mike Helton and his staff went above and beyond the call of duty to make sure that the race was run fairly and safely.
Last but not least, credit goes to the drivers themselves. They didn't know what was gonna happen from turn to turn, much less from the back straightaway to the front straightaway (just ask Mike Waltrip, sorry I had to bring that up Mikey). The drivers made the best of a bad situation. All in all, it's one of the more nail-biting and exciting races I've watched in a while.

I talked to Jr and Josh on Unrestricted!!!

That was the single most awesome thing I have ever done in my entire life. Well, the next best thing would be to meet Jr, but that was so awesome!!!! Both of them were so personable, even over the phone!! If you listened in, I was the girl that asked Jr what his favorite paint scheme has been between the 8 and 88 cars. For those of you who didn't, I'll tell you what happened. First I already kinda knew that they might not pronouce my name right. That's cool, I'm used to it. Anyway, I told them about going to Pocono for the first time on Sunday and Jr asked me where my seats are so I told him I'm down right as they come out of Turn 3. I told them about my Dad going with me and that we're leaving at 6am which I'm not used to. Josh told me to drive safe and Jr told me to drink 3 amps and I'd be good to go. So then I told them that I listened to their show last week (they were talking about gas prices) and told them that I passed the gas station on my way to work and gas was down 20 cents. Josh said the gas companies just like their show and don't want them to know it. Lol. So then I got to ask my question, and that was "Out of all the paint schemes from the 8 and 88 cars, which is your favorite?" Jr had to think for a moment. So I said, "Yeah, I had to ask the difficult question." Then he answered and said that one of them was the Elvis car from last year and the Gray Ghost from this year." So then I told him my two favorites, which are the Elvis one and also the Retro Mountain Dew car. He said "Really? You like that one? You don't like the gray ghost?" I told him I like that one too, and that it's also a favorite. So they said thanks for calling and thanks for the question and that was it. Thanks Jr and Josh, I'll never forget tonight and maybe I'll call again some other time.

New version of Dale Jr's got The Fever

Updated paint schemes of Jr's

Yes there are a lot of paint scheme's that Jr has had between the 8 and 88,
but these are the cars that have won him races. Check 'em out!!

(These aren't any particular order, just so you know)2007 NASCAR® NEXTEL Cup Series
#5 Retro Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (COT car)
Dale Earnhardt Jr's first test for HMS was in
this car on Oct. 29th at Atlanta Motor Speedway.


2007 NASCAR® NEXTEL Cup Series
debutd on Mar. 25th 2007 at the
Food City 500 - Bristol Motor Speedway
#8 COT Budweiser Chevrolet (Car of Tomorrow)


2006 NASCAR® NEXTEL Cup Series
#8 Chevrolet - Budweiser - 1 Win



2005 NASCAR® NEXTEL Cup Series
July 10th - USG Sheetrock 400 - Chicagoland Speedway
#8 Chev. - Budweiser - MLB All-Star Game - Race Winner!



2005 NASCAR® NEXTEL Cup Series
#8 Chevrolet - Budweiser - 1 Win!



2004 NASCAR® Busch Series
Aug. 27, 2004 - Food City 250 - Bristol Motor Speedway
#81 Chevrolet - Menards - Race Winner!





2004 NASCAR® Busch Series
Feb 14th - Hershey's Kisses 300 - Daytona Int'l Speedway
#8 Chevrolet - Oreo / Ritz - Race Winner!

2004 NASCAR® NEXTEL Cup Series
#8 Chevrolet - Budweiser - 6 Wins!








2003 NASCAR® Busch Series
Feb. 15th, 2003 - Koolerz 300 - Daytona Int'l Speedway
#8 Chevrolet - Oreo / Ritz - Race Winner!


2003 NASCAR® NEXTEL Cup Series
#8 Chevrolet - Budweiser - 2 Wins!



2002 NASCAR® Busch Series
Sept. 6th, 2002 - Funai 250 - Richmond Int'l Raceway
#8 Chevrolet - Looney Tunes (Gossamer) - Race Winner!

2003 NASCAR® NEXTEL Cup Series
#8 Chevrolet - Budweiser - 2 Wins!





2001 NASCAR® NEXTEL Cup Series
Oct. 21st, 2001 - EA Sports 500 - Talladega Superspeedway
Race Winner and No-Bull 5 Winner!
#8 Chevrolet - Budweiser

2001 NASCAR® NEXTEL Cup Series
Sept. 23rd, 2001 - MBNA Cal Ripken, Jr. 400
Race Winner! - Dover Downs Int'l Speedway
#8 Chevrolet - Budweiser


2001 NASCAR® NEXTEL Cup Series
May 19th, 2001 - All-Star Race - Lowe’s Motor Speedway
July 7th, 2001 - Pepsi 400 - Daytona Int'l Speedway
Pepsi 400 - Race Winner!
#8 Chevrolet - Budweiser / MLB All-Star Game



2001 NASCAR® NEXTEL Cup Series
#8 Chevrolet - Budweiser - 3 Wins!

2000 NASCAR® NEXTEL Cup Series
May 20th, 2000 - Won the All-Star Race at Charlotte.
#8 Chevrolet - Budweiser - 2 Wins!

2006 NASCAR® NEXTEL Cup Series
June 30th - Winn-Dixie 250 - Daytona Int'l Speedway - Win!
Aug. 19th - Carfax 250 - Michigan Int'l Speedway - Win!
#81 Chevrolet - Menards

2007 NASCAR® NEXTEL Cup Series
Sept. 8th 2007 - Chevy Rock & Roll 400 - Richmond Int'l Raceway
#8 Elvis Tribute Budweiser Chevrolet

2004 NASCAR® NEXTEL Cup Series
Feb. 7th, 2004 - Budweiser Shootout
Feb. 12th, 2004 - Gatorade 125 - Race Winner!
Feb. 15th, 2004 - Daytona 500 - Race Winner!
Daytona International Speedway
#8 Chevrolet - Budweiser Born on Date

This one didn't win, but it's still important enough to include in here.
2006 NASCAR® NEXTEL Cup Series
May 1st - Aaron's 499 - Talladega Superspeedway
#8 Chevrolet - Budweiser - Dale Earnhardt Tribute

July 4th, 2003 - Winn-Dixie 250 - Daytona Int'l Speedway
#8 Chevrolet - JR Motorsports DMP - Race Winner!


d

This car featured a Budweiser 2000 Olympic Games
paint scheme, it appeared at Bristol on August 26th, 2000.
#8 Chevrolet - Budweiser / 2000 Olympic Games

2002 NASCAR® Busch Series
Feb. 16th, 2002 - Daytona 300 - Daytona Int'l Speedway
#3 Chevrolet - Oreo / Ritz - Race Winner!

2003 NASCAR® Busch Series
April 5th, 2003 - Aaron's 312 - Talladega Superspeedway
#8 Chevrolet - The E Concert - Race Winner!

1999 NASCAR® Busch Series
Commemorating the close of the 20th Century, this specially
designed car featured a brilliant blue metallic paint scheme.
Dale Jr. took 2nd place at Homestead on Nov. 13, 1999!
#3 Chevrolet - AC Delco

1999 NASCAR® Busch Series
This car debutd on Nov. 6, 1999 at Phoenix.
Dale Jr. clinched his 2nd Busch title in this car!
#3 Chevrolet - AC Delco / Superman

1999 NASCAR® NEXTEL Cup Series
This car debutd on May 30, 1999 at Charlotte.
Dale Jr. and the car made four more appearances at
New Hampshire, Richmond, Michigan and Atlanta.

1996 NASCAR® Busch Series
June 22, 1996 - Myrtle Beach Speedway
#31 Chevrolet - Mom N Pop's & Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet
This is the first Busch Series car that Dale Earnhardt, Jr. raced.

1998 NASCAR® Busch Series
Dale Jr. won his first Busch Championship in this car.
#3 Chevrolet - AC Delco - 7 Wins!

1999 NASCAR® Busch Series
Dale Jr. won his second Busch Championship in this car.
#3 Chevrolet - AC Delco - 6 Wins!

A ton of thanks to my friend Ro for finding the die cast pictures
and also to dalejrpitstop.com for additional pictures and info on all cars.

You are awesome in every sense of the word Ro!!
Thanks again!!

Working on next post, so here are some random thoughts.......

I'm working on a new post, which will take a little longer than I thought to complete and post. Did any of you watch the new Shifting Gears? I did and Hammerhead Entertainment once again did an awesome job of showing us Jr in a different light. I'm trying to find pics of Jr's firesuits for a post - if any of you come across any, please let me know. Thanks!! If you have a question you think I could answer, or a thought or something. Leave a comment for me. If I can't answer your question, I'll do my best to find someone who can. I think that's all for now, hopefully this next post won't take a long time to complete and it'll be up before you know it!!!

The big boys have the weekend off

Finally, the boys get a break from racing. Well, some of them. I know a few ran in the Nationwide race, (oh yeah, and Shrub ran the truck race this weekend.) Anyway, back to the racing next weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Brickyard 400. And then the week after that, the boys are back a Pocono Raceway, and I'm so excited, because I'm going!! I'll post pics if I get any good ones and give you a full report when I get back!!

The results are in......

We have a tie!!!
The #88 Mountain Dew Chevrolet and the
#88 National Guard Citizen/Soldier
3 Doors Down
Chevrolet.
Both ended with 4 votes (33%)

...........in 2nd is the
#88 National Guard Defending Freedom
with 3 votes (25%)....

.....and last but certainly not least, the #8 Budweiser ELVIS Chevrolet
came in with 1 vote (8%)

(A new poll will be up soon, so check back often!!)

Jr and His Gang (aka pit crew) featuring Me and My Gang by Rascal Flatts

If there's any songs that you like that you'd like me to use, let me know. I like to use songs that have a theme to them, if you haven noticed. Example: My Wish was about Jr's future --- Me and My Gang is about the bond that Jr and his new pit crew have formed and are continuing to form as they get to know each other better.

Jr's results from Chicagoland

Well because of rain Thursday night, qualifiying was cancelled and so NASCAR started the field according the rule book. Jr started second running well until the first green flag pit stops. He struggled for the most part all race long. To me it seemed that the car would start to loosen up, and right about that time, it would be time for him to pit or a caution would come out. After a long battle where he mostly ran between 20th and 30th, Jr finished 15th. Despite the long hard battle Jr fought all race long, he is still 2nd the point standings. The Sprint Cup boys have off next weekend, and then it's off to Indy!!

Earnhardt Jr. not interested in buying father's racing team

By David Newton

JOLIET, Ill. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. wanted at least 51 percent of Dale Earnhardt Inc. last season before he opted for a fresh start at Hendrick Motorsports.

If the company were up for sale now?

"I don't mean this in a bad way, but I would not have any interest in purchasing it," Earnhardt said following Thursday's first practice at Chicagoland Speedway. "I would not have any interest in purchasing any race team, just to have the ownership."

The subject was broached because of an Internet report earlier in the week that claimed DEI owner Teresa Earnhardt had commissioned the investment banking firm Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. to locate a buyer or financial partner.

DEI president Max Siegel refuted the report, saying the company is not for sale.

Earnhardt first learned of the report while chatting online with former DEI teammate Martin Truex Jr.

"I didn't know what the hell he was talking about," he said. "Where's it coming from? You tell me."

Earnhardt said if there was a good time to sell it might be it now.

"I didn't ever feel like she would be interested in selling the company," he said of his stepmother, Teresa. "I don't think that is in Teresa's character to give that company up. She feels that strong about it. She felt that strong about it a couple of years ago.

"But maybe she sees the trend and some of the other things that are happening with other owners. Maybe she's changed her mind."

Qualifying for Chicagoland cancelled

Hey there, well, another qualifying run was cancelled due to rain. Actually from what I saw on SPEED, they looked like some pretty nasty storms. Yikes!! Anyway, since NASCAR goes by the book, Jr will start 2nd on Saturday night.

Navy leaving Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s No. 88 Chevrolet at season end

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Add Dale Earnhardt Jr. to the growing list of car owners searching for sponsorship.

The Navy is leaving the No. 88 Chevrolet in the Nationwide Series at the end of the season, forcing Earnhardt to search for funding for the flagship car at JR Motorsports.

"We were informed last week that our sponsorship with the U.S. Navy will not renew at the end of the year," team spokesman Mike Davis said Tuesday. "It's been an exceptional partnership since 2005, and we look forward to a strong finish to the season as Brad Keselowski and the No. 88 Navy team contends for a NASCAR Nationwide Series championship."

Keselowski gave the Navy its first NASCAR victory last month with a Nationwide win at Milwaukee. He's second in the series standings, and trails Clint Bowyer by 202 points.

The Navy has been sponsor of Earnhardt's first car as a NASCAR owner since the formation of JR Motorsports. Last year, he merged his operation with Hendrick Motorsports and now fields two cars out of his new shop in Mooresville.

The second car, the No. 5, has been driven by multiple drivers and has used multiple sponsors all season. Mark Martin drove that car to Earnhardt's first win as a car owner at Las Vegas in March.

Sponsorship woes are affecting many NASCAR teams in this economic downturn. Just last week, Chip Ganassi shuttered his No. 40 Sprint Cup Series team driven by Dario Franchitti because of a lack of funding.

Several other teams have stopped coming to races - the number of cars that attempted to qualify for Saturday night's Sprint Cup race at Daytona was down eight from the 53 who attempted to make the season-opening Daytona 500. Of those, six lacked full sponsorship.

By current count, only 24 Sprint Cup teams have secured full sponsorship for 2009 and the numbers in the Nationwide Series are likely much gloomier.

Winn-Dixie 250/ Coke Zero results for Dale Jr

Dale Jr had a pretty good night last Friday night. He qualified 5th in the Delphi #5 Chevy and finished 3rd. Saturday night, Jr led the most laps, which earned him enough points to pass Jeff Burton and Jr now is 2nd in the Sprint Cup Series. WAY TO GO JR, KEEP IT UP!!! Jr qualified 3rd, and finished 8th.

Dale jr. Helping sing 'dont be cruel'

If you hear the person singing the loudest.... yeah, that's JR!!!