NASCAR News 2006

[joeguy]

I heard about this today while getting ready for work during my work, sleep, work weekend I have.....sad that he got hooked on that crap, he is in for a struggle the rest of his life I think.........wouldn't surprise me if we hear he has sucked on the end of a magnum by the end of the year.

[Google]

 

[SonicAD]

Originally Posted by Unklescott

Here's some more info on the above story.
.

I feel really bad about this... I don't think he should be banned for life, but he certainly needs to be given more help. IF he can get over it, and stay clean for a few years, I think they should allow him back in.

[Unklescott]

This is cool.

03-15-2006 03:00pm - Wife’s surprise announcement at fundraiser stuns veteran NASCAR driver as she hands him helmet to the Aaron’s Dream Machine

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 15, 2006) – Aaron Rents, Inc., the nation’s leader in the rental, sales and lease ownership, specialty retailing and rental of residential and office furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories, today announced that for the first time ever, Darrell Waltrip will take the wheel from younger brother Michael Waltrip to race the No. 99 Aaron’s Dream Machine at the upcoming NASCAR Busch Series race at Martinsville Speedway on the evening of July 22, 2006.

NASCAR fans familiar with the Waltrip brothers and their long-standing relationship with Aaron’s Sales & Lease Ownership know that for years, Michael Waltrip has famously and repeatedly turned down older brother Darrell’s requests to drive the Aaron’s Dream Machine. However, in a surprise announcement made during the final moments of a Darrell Waltrip Roast benefiting the Boys’ and Girls’ Club of Tennessee, Darrell’s wife Stevie dramatically handed the three-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Champion one of Michael’s racing helmets along with her permission to drive the No. 99 Aaron’s Dream Machine during the Martinsville race.

Despite the fact that Darrell Waltrip completed what he called his “One and Done” race this past October in the No. 12 Toyota Tundra at Martinsville, the driver jumped to his feet to accept the helmet and express his thanks at the opportunity that had eluded him until this point.

“I can’t believe it,” said Darrell Waltrip. “The Aaron’s ad campaign has been a lot of fun for me over the years, but I seriously thought I would never get to race that car. I really appreciate Michael and Aaron’s and, of course, my wonderful and supportive wife Stevie, for giving me this opportunity. Like they say, Dreams Come True at Aaron’s!”

President of Aaron’s Sales & Lease Ownership Ken Butler stated, “When we let the fans vote on whether or not to let D.W. race the No. 99 Aaron’s Dream Machine, the response was definitely in favor of letting him drive it. Now we can bring this very successful campaign and very important partnership with the Waltrip family full circle for Aaron’s. I have a great respect for Darrell Waltrip and what he has accomplished in his career, including his 13 previous Busch series wins. We are honored to have him represent Aaron’s behind the wheel in Martinsville.”

The race scheduled for July 22 will mark the first time since 1994 that the NASCAR Busch Series has run at the .526-mile oval Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia. In another first, the race will be held at night, under special lights brought in just for the event.

Darrell Waltrip wasn’t the only attendee who had a dream fulfilled at last evening’s roast. The Boys’ and Girls’ Club of Tennessee anticipates exceeding its fundraising goal of $150,000 from the event.
Rest of story: http://www.michaelwaltrip.com/news.p...664b25a6a06ac3

[Unklescott]

Former Truck Series champ out of truck after Friday's race at AMS
By Ryan Smithson, NASCAR.COM
March 17, 2006
04:57 PM EST (21:57 GMT)
HAMPTON, Ga. -- Bobby Hamilton has never been one to wear his emotions on his sleeve, but even he had a hard time holding back tears when he announced on Friday that he has been diagnosed with neck cancer.

But Hamilton retained the tears -- and his humor.

"It's called head-and-neck cancer. I don't have anything wrong with my head, but [Ken] Schrader said a lot of people would doubt that," said Hamilton.

Hamilton, 48, will begin radiation and chemotherapy treatment on Monday at Vanderbilt Medical Center in his hometown of Nashville, Tenn. He had a tumor removed from his neck on Feb. 8, and said Friday his blood count is normal.

"I have always been sort of a survivor," said Hamilton, who emerged from a difficult Nashville upbringing to become a four-time winner in NASCAR's top division. "I was on the street when I was 13, 14 years old, ending up doing what I did and got a chance to race with the best racecar drivers in the world."

Hamilton considered racing while undergoing treatment, but when he starting studying the side effects, he changed his mind. He will instead focus on treatment and promoting cancer awareness.

"I want to use what little bit of celebrity status I have left and try to promote the awareness of this disease," Hamilton said. "Out of respect for everyone I race against, I didn't think it was fair for my competitors to even think there was a problem."

His son, Bobby Hamilton Jr., will drive the No. 18 Dodge for the remainder of the season, but the elder Hamilton said that he is aiming to return to racing by November. He will continue to attend races as a truck owner.

"I am going to have to be in bad shape not to be there," said Hamilton. "I feel out of place if I am not around it. It is going to have to be about death for me not to be there, and I don't foresee that happening."

Hamilton Jr. will step into the truck next month at Martinsville.

"The situation to come back home and race is exciting, but the way the situation turned out just sucks," said Hamilton Jr. "It is not what we want to experience, but it is what we are dealt with."

Ironically, Hamilton went to his dentist with wisdom tooth pain last fall, but even after the tooth was removed, the swelling in his neck didn't recede. As a result, Hamilton credits the tooth pain with saving his life.

Despite the grim diagnosis, Hamilton was defiant, labeling himself as a "survivor, not a victim," and he said that he will do everything possible to show up at the track as a truck owner.

"I will be back. I am not quitting. I am not that damn weak," he said.
http://www.nascar.com/2006/news/head...cer/index.html

That's too bad. Bobby is from the same neighborhood as me back in Nashville. I hope everything works out for him.

[joeguy]

good luck Bobby and way to go Darrell


is it me or is it strange Stevie let him return on the smallest track in Nascar?

[Ilikai]

smallest and slowest track, cant flip a car there. Sorry to hear about Bobby, hope he comes through ok

[Unklescott]

Veteran says he's through worrying about what people think of him
By David Newton, NASCAR.COM
March 28, 2006
05:08 PM EST (22:08 GMT)

Jeff Gordon says the person that NASCAR fined $10,000 on Tuesday for shoving Matt Kenseth after Sunday's race at Bristol Motor Speedway is closer to who he is than what fans have seen.

Gordon, also placed on probation until Aug. 30, 2006, took a two-handed jab at Kenseth on pit road when Kenseth approached him to explain the bump that sent the four-time Nextel Cup champion from third place to 21st on the final lap.

It was the first time in Gordon's 14-year Cup career that he has been fined for conduct. His team was fined in 2000 for an equipment violation and he was fined twice as an owner for violations on Jimmie Johnson's car involving crew chief Chad Knaus.

"For many, many years I've been so reserved from controversy,'' Gordon said. "For years, I was so concern with, 'What is this person going to think? What is that person going to think?' I was more caught up in that than being true to myself.

"What you see today is a truer Jeff Gordon and who I really am.''

Gordon said he chose to avoid controversy early in his career because he came from an open wheel background and didn't grow up in the Southeast where many drivers came from at the time.

"I felt I had to do extra things to be accepted,'' he said. "Now that I've established myself, I'm older and I understand life a little more, really the way to enjoy life and enjoy racing more is to be me.''

That doesn't mean Gordon condones shoving Kenseth, who like himself has a reputation for racing clean. He placed part of the blame on NASCAR, saying he was told to park on pit road near Kenseth's car instead of driving to his hauler as normally is the case for those outside the top five.

"[Matt] said it best, that it probably wasn't the best time to walk over to me,'' said Gordon, referring to a comment by Kenseth after the incident. "I told NASCAR had I been thinking more clearly at the time without being so angry, I'm sure I wouldn't have shoved him.''

Gordon added there appears to be more incidents off the track lately because NASCAR isn't doing enough to temper aggressive driving on the track.

"If somebody intentionally runs into somebody on the track, it seems it has to be so obvious for NASCAR to take action that it usually doesn't happen,'' he said. "Yet off the track, they're easy to jump at it.''

Gordon took offense to a comment by Jeff Burton that he made a conscious decision to wreck Martin Truex Jr. -- an incident in which Burton was caught in -- earlier in the race and that he expects special treatment on the track.

"We have drivers who think it's OK for them to do something, but it's not OK for somebody to do it to them,'' Burton told reporters during a Monday Car of Tomorrow test at Bristol. "Jeff Gordon's a perfect example.''

Gordon said there was no conscious effort to wreck Truex Jr.

"Martin completely checked up in front of me,'' he said. "The problem is I was an inch off his rear bumper when it happened. He did not have any time for error.

"Jeff Burton is mad because he got caught up in the wreck. I didn't see it being any different than when he got into [Scott Riggs]. He didn't mean to get into [Riggs], but people checked up in front of him.''

NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said Gordon's fine was consistent with past violations of the same nature, reminding Tony Stewart was fined no more than $10,000 for his first three incidents,

"A lot of people are going to say it should have been more, saying we fined Tony $50,000 [in 2004],'' Hunter said. "But Tony had a string of fines leading up to the $50,000.''

Gordon also admitted missing the Chase for the Nextel Cup last season has somewhat changed his approach to driving.

"I kind of heard a lot last year that maybe I wasn't being aggressive enough on the racetrack,'' said Gordon, who is seventh in points heading into Sunday's race at Martinsville [Va.].

" . . . I'm looking at last year and what as a driver I could have done differently or better at times to get us in the Chase or be in position to win more races. I felt like there were times when I could have been more aggressive.''

Gordon said sometimes that aggression carries over off the track like it did at Bristol.

"I guess that's maybe the Jeff Gordon that has evolved over the years,'' he said. "In the past I've reserved a lot of my emotions.
http://www.nascar.com/2006/news/head...ine/index.html

Now that's something very hard to imagine...Jeff Gordon being a hard-ass.

[joeguy]

well if your going to be a hard ass, you best leave your helmet on like he did......

[glennajo]

I thought it was awesome that he finally showed some backbone. I rewound it three times just to watch the look on Kenseth's face. It was priceless!

[veejer]

Maybe this should go in Current Events. Feel free to move it, Unk.

These sorts of tactics by a "legitimate" news organization are really annoying. Stick to reporting the news, not instigating it.

I'm glad they didn't get anything to report from Martinsville.

NASCAR rebukes NBC for Dateline tactics
The Associated Press
April 7, 2006
01:52 PM EDT (17:52 GMT)


CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- NASCAR's governing body called a network television news magazine "outrageous" on Wednesday, saying it tried to provoke anti-Muslim reactions from spectators at last week's race for a story about growing U.S. sentiment against Islam.

NASCAR said NBC's Dateline NBC confirmed it was sending Muslim-looking men to a race, along with a camera crew to film fans' reactions. The NBC crew was "apparently on site in Martinsville, Virginia, walked around and no one bothered them," NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said Wednesday.

"It is outrageous that a news organization of NBC's stature would stoop to the level of going out to create news instead of reporting news," Poston said.

"Any legitimate journalist in America should be embarrassed by this stunt. The obvious intent by NBC was to evoke reaction, and we are confident our fans won't take the bait," he said.

NASCAR grew out of the rural southern U.S. and its history of modifying street automobiles to outrun authorities in transporting illegal alcohol. Because of its southern origins, NASCAR has been cricitized for its fans displaying numerous flags of the Confederacy from the Civil War in the 19th century, an emblem many associate with racism.

Dateline NBC also has been criticized in the past. In 1992, it aired a critical story about fuel tanks on a brand of pickup trucks, using video of the tanks exploding on impact. However, the network later apologized for using toy rockets to ignite the explosion.

NASCAR is in the final year of a broadcasting agreement with NBC Sports.

"Dateline is looking into this story," NBC said in a statement. "We were intrigued by the results of a recent Washington Post/ABC News poll and other articles regarding increasing anti-Muslim sentiments in the United States.

"It's very early on in our newsgathering process, but be assured we will be visiting a number of locations across the country and are confident that our reporting team is pursuing this story in a fair manner," it said.

http://www.nascar.com/2006/news/head...ine/index.html