The Outside Groove

As Race Fans, We Take So Much For Granted

2011-10-21T20:21:00.012-04:00

No matter what racing series they are in, each and every driver takes the greatest of risks when they strap themselves into their car on race day. Their family and loved ones watch, anxious, that they don’t pay the ultimate price in such a hazardous profession. The second the green flag waves leaves room for anything to go wrong. All it takes is the simplest of errors to cause a tragedy. Many racers across many series have lost their lives doing what they love the most. Last Sunday, the IZOD IndyCar Series lost one of its biggest stars, two-time Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon.

The loss is one that hit home for so many people. In fact, it hit home for more than just the IndyCar community. The entire racing community was stunned by his tragic passing. On Sunday, nobody watched the IndyCar drivers get into their cars knowing that it would be the last race Dan Wheldon would run. Nobody even expected that such a horrific incident would occur. A day that was supposed to end in triumph with a champion being crowned turned into a day that left the racing community trying to comprehend how a life could be cut short so unexpectedly.

No, I’m not about to start talking about changes that could be made to prevent such a tragedy from happening again. And I’m not going to point fingers or go over hypothetical what-if scenarios.

Instead, I want to talk about how what happened Sunday should open our eyes as fans of such a dangerous sport.

When it comes to NASCAR, I feel we’ve been desensitized to the fact a driver can lose their life in a race. The NASCAR community hasn’t faced that kind of tragedy in years due to the safety measures that are now in place. Sure, we’ve seen some bad crashes over the past few years such as Carl Edwards getting airborne at Talladega in April 2009, the crash involving David Ragan and David Reutimann at Watkins Glen that left Reutimann’s car going airborne in June of this year, and most recently, the hard hit that Jimmie Johnson took Saturday night during the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Thanks to the HANS device, the SAFER barriers, and many other safety features that NASCAR has mandated, the drivers were able to walk away with no serious injuries.
We take it for granted that if our favorite driver doesn’t win the race, then they’ll get the win next time. Sunday taught us that that may not be the case. There may not be a next time. So, this is my request for all of you race fans.

No matter who your favorite driver(s) is(are), cheer for them during driver introductions if you’re at the track. Don’t be afraid to show your support. Stand up and cheer as though your driver just took the lead when they gain a position during a race, even if they only moved from last to second to last. Applaud the pit crew when they make flawless stops. Cheer the crew chief when he makes a split second decision that sends the team to victory lane.
If you call yourself a fan of a driver, it shouldn’t matter in the end where they finished. All that should matter is they did finish the race and will be racing again the next time around. Now, it’s okay to be upset when your driver doesn’t get the finish you think they might have deserved. Just don’t forget the picture. Things can look grim for your favorite driver, but things could always be so much worse. If your driver does crash during a race, don’t get mad he won’t get a good finish. Be thankful if they walked away from it. Don’t ever let the negativity overshadow the fact they survived the crash.

Now, I know every race fan has that one driver they pull for above all the others, and there are some drivers they dislike. Then there are the drivers that we aren’t exactly fans of, but we don’t dislike them either. They kind of fall into a neutral category. I’ve noticed that’s the case for many of the drivers who drive for the underfunded teams. Drivers like J.J. Yeley, David Gilliland, Joe Nemecheck, and Michael McDowell just to name a few.

The underfunded drivers normally don’t get the loudest crowd reaction during driver introductions. Personally, I cheer for those guys too during intros if I’m at the track. I encourage you all to do the same next time you’re at the track. Cheer for every driver because you just never know if that could be the last time you will see them walk across the stage.
After a race, if you have the chance, find some way to show your favorite driver(s) that you’re proud of them no matter where they finished. I’m very active on Facebook and Twitter so I always try to send a message to each driver I cheer for after a race to let them know just how proud I am of them for the hard work they put into finishing the race. I’m not a fan who takes any race for granted, though. Not anymore.

I treat every race as though it could be my favorite drivers’ last. Why? Because I know that there’s always the chance it very well could be. Do I want to believe it? No, I don’t. But I accept that reality because last year, I was witness to a crash that truly opened my eyes to the dangers
involved in auto racing.

Last March, I was in the stands at Bristol Motor Speedway for the Scotts 300 and after that race, they had a race that included NASCAR legends such as David Pearson, Larry Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Charlie Glotzbach, and more. First, during the Scotts 300, there was the big wreck in turn two involving Colin Braun and Steven Wallace. Braun, who slowed down to avoid hitting Brian Scott after he had spun, was hit from behind by Wallace. The contact caused Braun’s car to spin, lift up, and land with the right side on the left side of Wallace’s car. The two cars, locked together, slid down the high-banked turn on fire. By that time, my heart was in my throat. Luckily, both drivers were okay.

It was what Bristol referred to as the legends race following that Nationwide Series race that I finally came to terms with the fact drivers can and will get seriously hurt if a crash is bad enough. I don’t even remember what lap it happened on. All I know is when it did happen, I honestly believed I had just watched someone die. Larry Pearson spun coming off of turn two, and Charlie Glotzbach could not avoid him. Glotzbach hit Pearson square on the left side. It was like something out of a Hollywood film. The sound of squealing tires drowned out all other sounds. Sheetmetal flew everywhere. I had never been witness to anything like that at Bristol. Glotzbach, who was injured, was taken to the care center immediately.

The impact initially knocked Pearson out. The second his car came to a stop, Nationwide Series pit crew members (I can’t remember whose team they were from) leaped over the pit road wall and ran to Pearson’s car before the safety crews had even made a move. I watched, frozen, as a stunned silence fell over the track. Minutes passed by painstakingly slow, and I stood in the stands wondering if I was going to see a miraculous survivor pulled from the wreckage or if I had just witnessed the ultimate tragedy in racing. My cousin Gauge, who was five-years-old at the time, was with me that day. I’ll never forget when he pulled on the hem of my shirt and motioned for me to lean down so he could whisper to me. With such innocent eyes, he looked at me and quietly asked, “Is that man dead? Is that why they haven’t gotten him out of the car yet?” It was then that I prayed harder than I already was that Pearson was okay. I hated to think that my cousin’s first time at the racetrack would end with him knowing he had watched a man die.

Even when Pearson was extricated from the car and laid on the stretcher, I still wasn’t sure if he was alive. Heavy silence blanketed the track, and the track announcer wasn’t saying much. Then, just as the stretcher was being loaded into the ambulance, I saw it…. Pearson’s left arm raised in an attempt to let the crowd know he was alive. Applause erupted from the fans still in attendance when the realization sank in that Pearson was okay. Well, ‘okay’ being a relative term at that point.

Sure, I know the cars Pearson and Glotzbach were driving that day did not have all the safety measures that NASCAR stock cars have, but that is beside the point. My point is that a bad crash like that can happen when you least expect it.

Every fan has a driver (or multiple drivers) that they really do not like. It is just part of what being a race fan is about. There are some fans out there who will say they hope the driver they don’t like crashes. Then there are the fans who joke about drivers who seem to be accident prone on a weekly basis. That bothers me, but that isn’t what really gets me.

It’s the fans who cheer when a crash happens that get me.

I was at Charlotte on Saturday night for the Bank of America 500 when Jimmie Johnson crashed coming off turn two. The impact was one of the hardest I’ve seen at that track in a while. The sheer speed at which he hit the wall caused the back tires of Johnson’s car to lift off the ground.
When it happened, I jumped up, my heart racing, and hoped that he was okay.

All the while, so many of the fans around me, who had made it clear from the start of the race they did not like Johnson, were on their feet cheering when he spun out. Then they were still cheering when he hit the wall. I just looked around at all the fans cheering the wreck and wondered how they would feel if he had been seriously injured in that crash.

If there is anything I hope you take from reading this blog post it’s that you should never cheer when a crash happens. That crash could claim the life of a driver, or multiple drivers depending on the severity of it. Whether or not you dislike a driver involved in the crash should not matter. The bottom line if that a driver could their life in that very second. So, to those of you who cheer when your least favorite driver is involved in a crash, I ask that you take a second to think about that. Would you want to look back later and know that you had cheered a person’s death? I know I wouldn’t.

We don’t like to think of the fact drivers can lose their lives during a race, but that thought haunts the furthest corners of our minds every weekend we watch them climb into their cars. It’s always there, waiting to come to light when tragedy strikes like it did on Sunday evening. In the end, we never know when it could happen. All we know is it can and sometimes will happen.

Just before Sunday’s IndyCar broadcast ended, Marty Reid signed off by saying ‎"Many people ask me why I always sign off 'Till we meet again.' Because goodbye is always so final. Goodbye, Dan Wheldon."

Indeed. Goodbye is final. Godspeed, Dan Wheldon. You will be missed. My sincerest condolences go out to his family, his loved ones, and everyone in the IndyCar community. May God watch over them and guide them through this darkest of times.

And may we all never again take any race for granted. You just never know when you’ll be left saying goodbye to one of your racing heroes.

Austin Dillon Visits Bristol, Gives Some Lucky Fans a Ride Around the Track

2011-07-06T00:11:00.001-04:00

Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

Richard Childress Racing driver Austin Dillon, who pilots the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet Silverado in the Camping World Truck Series, came to Bristol Motor Speedway to help promote special ticket package that is available at the track for the O'Reilly Auto Parts 200/UNOH Perfect Storm 150 double header to be held on August 24, 2011. The $33 package includes a ticket to the Wednesday races, a No. 3 Bass Pro Shops hat, and an exclusive Q & A session with Dillon in Bristol's Hospitality Village prior to the race.

Dillon signed autographs, hung out with fans in the Bruton Smith Building, and even did a little work in the ticket office on Tuesday afternoon. Since the Camping World Truck Series is headed to Kentucky Speedway this weekend, the No. 3 team's transporter made a side trip to Bristol as well. Fans who visited the track Tuesday were able to get an up close and personal look at the very truck that Dillon will be running at Kentucky.

The No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet being loading into the team's transporter outside the Bruton Smith Building at Bristol. (Whitney Richards/The Outside Groove)

As part of his visit to Bristol, Dillon gave rides to fans who purchased the ticket package that afternoon. It's not every day that fans have the chance to ride around "The World's Fastest Half-Mile" with an up-and-coming NASCAR star. On Tuesday, I was one of those lucky fans. To me, that ride with Dillon truly was the ride of a lifetime because I have always wanted ride around the track with a NASCAR driver. Finally, I can check that off my to-do list!

Fans rode with Dillon in a Chevrolet Silverado. Sure, with it being a street legal truck it didn't go near as fast as a race truck can around the half-mile speedway, but doing close to 90mph in turns that are banked between 24-30 degrees can make anyone appreciate just what those drivers do when they get behind the wheel on race day. Can you imagine going close to 130 mph with thirty-five other drivers? (Camping World Truck Series races consist of 36 drivers instead of 43 like the Nationwide Series and Cup Series)

Dillon in the Chevrolet Silverado in which he gave fans a ride
around Bristol. (Whitney Richards/The Outside Groove)

So, how does a lap around Bristol with a Camping World Truck Series driver feel? Absolutely awesome! It's something I won't soon forget! Below is a video I took while riding with Dillon. He talked extensively about the grooves on the track and just how hard it is to get slowed down when coming to pit road. I really learned a lot from him on Tuesday during those few short laps.

Through the Eyes of a Ragan Fan: Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway

2011-07-05T03:53:00.001-04:00

David Ragan celebrates with his crew after winning the
Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway
on July 2, 2011. (Geoff Burke/Getty Images)

Any David Ragan fan can tell you that Daytona International Speedway has always been one of his best tracks. Knowing how well he runs there, I was beyond excited for the 2011 season to begin. I knew that Ragan would get his first Cup Series win in 2011, and I had the feeling that it would come in the Daytona 500.

February 20, 2011 is a day that will forever be burned into my memory. With just two laps left, Ragan was penalized for changing lanes on the previous restart while leading the race. That penalty cost him the potential win and left me completely brokenhearted. To see him come that close to winning and have it all taken away in a matter of seconds was one of the worst feelings I have ever had as a NASCAR fan.

I had many sleepless nights after that, and I can only imagine how hard it was on Ragan. Somehow though, I knew deep down that when the Cup Series returned to Daytona in July, things would work out the way I felt they should have in February.

When I was in Charlotte on Memorial Day weekend for the Coca Cola 600, I had the chance to speak with Ragan’s mother Beverly. I told her, “I believe David will get his first win at a night race. If it doesn’t happen tonight, it’ll happen at Daytona in July.” I refused to believe otherwise, never giving up hope that I would be proven right.

As I sat in my aunt’s living room on Saturday night, anxiously awaiting the start of the race, I turned to her and said “David’s going to win tonight.” I don’t think she believed me at first.

The race began, and immediately, Ragan paired up with teammate Matt Kenseth. To me, seeing those two work together was a testament to the trust and respect that Ragan had gained from Kenseth because it wasn’t too long ago that Kenseth was comfortable even being near Ragan during a race, no matter which track it was. (In 2008, the two of them had many run-ins. None were ever intentional. Just a result of being at the wrong place at the wrong time.)

Anyone who knows me (and if you read my post from Thursday) knows that Ragan is my favorite driver and Kenseth is my second favorite driver. Watching those two work together made me so proud to be a fan of both of them. The funny part is I realized immediately that the duo was faster if Ragan was out front. They could make up ground quicker with Kenseth pushing, but as the laps wound down, a decision was made that Ragan would push Kenseth to the end.

That right there left a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. It just couldn’t happen that way. And it didn’t. A late caution caught the duo before a switch could be made, and Ragan was ahead of Kenseth. It was then that Kenseth made the call that he would push his teammate to the end. It took two green-white-checkered attempts for them to take the checkered flag. It was the second one that really sealed the deal for them. Since Ragan was the leader, he was told by Kenseth to choose the inside line so they would be lined up for the restart. Kenseth told Ragan “You’re one of the best in the business [at Daytona]” before the race resumed and that he was with him to the end. The green flag waved and for a second, it looked as though they might not be the two drivers out front as they lost a little ground. Withing a few seconds, they powered their way back to the front, with a fast-approaching tandem of Kasey Kahne and Joey Logano right behind them.

David Ragan crosses the start/finish line ahead of teammate
Matt Kenseth to win the Coke Zero 400. (Mike Erhmann/Getty Images)

However, there was no stopping Kenseth and Ragan. The race ended with the younger Roush Fenway Racing driver taking the checkered flag to earn his first Sprint Cup Series win. He had found the redemption he had so desperately needed at Daytona.

Now, here’s where those of you reading this will start to laugh… On the final restart, I closed my eyes and covered my face after they made it to turn one. My nerves couldn’t take it, and I was so afraid that something would go wrong. When my aunt yelled at me, “Ragan’s going to win!” I looked at the television once more as they came off turn four. There are no words to describe the pure joy, the excitement, and the relief I felt as I watched Ragan cross the finish line first.

I had said for months that the perfect race would be for Ragan to win and Kenseth finish second. On Saturday, the perfect race happened. Only, I never imagined that Kenseth would be the reason Ragan earned his first Cup Series victory.

Now Ragan is currently a wild card for the 2011 Chase due to that win. Sure, anything can happen and he might not make the Chase, but just knowing the team has that chance is a wonderful feeling. Crew chief Drew Blickensderfer has said that the team's main goals for the summer were to win a race and try to earn a spot in the Chase. Ragan is also locked into the 2012 All-Star Race. While there are many questions about sponsorship for the team for next season, one thing is for certain: Ragan can hold his head high, knowing that he has finally proven to so many others what I’ve known all along…. He has the talent to run with the best in NASCAR. After all, it was a former Cup Series champion who pushed him to the win on Saturday.

Congratulations to David Ragan and the No. 6 team on their victory at Daytona! And many thanks to Matt Kenseth and the No. 17 team who worked so hard to help Ragan out! Without them, the outcome could've been a lot different!

Heroes and Heartbreak: Choosing A Favorite Driver Hasn't Been Easy

2011-06-30T02:51:00.005-04:00

The No. 6 UPS Ford of David Ragan and the No. 17 Ford of Matt Kenseth
on pit road prior to Coca Cola 600 qualifying at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

In any sport, every fan almost always finds a team to cheer for above all others. It’s no different in NASCAR. Some fans choose a favorite driver simply because his car has their favorite number on the side. Others choose a driver based on their sponsor. A few choose their favorite driver because he is from the same state they are from. For me, it was none of the above.

As a kid, I spent many weekends at my grandparents’ house. They had a television, but it did well to pick up the local TV stations. Luckily, it did pick up the local FOX and ABC affiliates, which meant most Sundays and the occasional Saturday were spent sitting in the living room of my grandparents’ trailer watching NASCAR races. That was in the late 90’s.

In 1999, just before my 9th birthday that June, I became a Dale Earnhardt fan simply because he was my grandfather Frank’s favorite driver. I cheered for Earnhardt every race I watched. Then, in 2001, the entire community was rocked to the core as Dale Earnhardt tragically passed away in the Daytona 500. NASCAR lost a legend, and I lost my favorite driver. My grandfather stopped watching NASCAR after that fateful day, and so did I.

For over a year, I didn’t watch a single race. Then, in October 2002, something compelled me to turn the race on. I honestly don’t remember much about the race other than it was at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and Jamie McMurray was filling in for Sterling Marlin. McMurray earned his first career win that night and surprised a lot of people. The excitement I felt that night watching McMurray win made me realize something about myself. NASCAR was my passion. And I had truly missed watching the races.

Now that I was a NASCAR fan again I was left with the problem of finding a new favorite driver. Of course, like so many of Dale Earnhardt’s fans, I chose his son as my favorite driver. Again, I was just twelve, and I really didn’t know too many other drivers so I went with who I knew.

So, how did I go from being a Dale Earnhardt, Jr. fan to becoming a die-hard fan of all of the Roush Fenway Racing drivers? It’s kind of a funny and unique story.

In 2003, I began to slowly understand more about NASCAR. Other drivers began to catch my attention, but Dale Earnhardt, Jr. still remained my favorite driver. In June 2003, I turned thirteen and received the NASCAR Thunder 2003 game for my Playstation. I spent hours playing that game (always playing as Dale Earnhardt, Jr. of course). Well, for a while, I did okay on the game, then I got to the point where I just plain sucked at it.

The weekend after my 13th birthday, I was watching the race, and the announcers started talking about Matt Kenseth. I knew nothing about Kenseth or Roush Fenway Racing. At that point, I couldn’t have even told you who the team owner was or who Kenseth’s teammates were.

Since the commentators were talking about how good Kenseth was, I decided to play as him on the game after that race. Lo and behold, I won in the game that night playing as Kenseth. And that’s how I chose Kenseth as my favorite driver. Well, that’s part of the reason. That black and yellow DeWALT paint scheme was just plain awesome to me so it kind of helped me change my mind about who my favorite driver was. When the 2003 season ended with Matt Kenseth hoisting up the championship trophy at Homestead-Miami Speedway, I realized I had actually made a great choice in choosing my favorite driver.

Of course, once I chose Kenseth as my favorite driver, his teammates became my top drivers as well. None ever threatened to take that top spot on my list from Kenseth until 2007. Once I became a die-hard fan, I really enjoyed picking a rookie to follow each season. And it just so happened that in 2007, Roush Fenway Racing had a rookie join the team.

Immediately, I knew David Ragan was going to be different from the other rookies I had watched in previous seasons. From his 5th place finish in the 2007 Daytona 500 to his near-win just this year in the 500, Ragan has pretty much stole my heart unlike any other driver. His southern charm and down to earth personality won me over the first time I met him in August 2010 at Bristol Motor Speedway. That day, I finally realized what so many of my friends had known all along...Ragan had replaced Kenseth as my favorite driver. He had actually replaced Kenseth as my favorite back in 2007, but I wouldn't admit it until last year. It was kind of hard for me to admit that the driver who had been responsible for me originally becoming a die-hard NASCAR fan had been replaced by his teammate.

Well, that’s the Cup Series side of things. What about the Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series? Hold on to your hats folks…this one is a crazy story too!

First, I’ll start with the Camping World Truck Series. I actually never really paid much attention to the series until 2008 when Colin Braun began driving the No. 6 Con-Way Freight Ford for Roush Fenway Racing. It was his rookie year. As that season progressed, I couldn’t deny that Braun had become my favorite in the series. When he began his second season, I knew a win was in his near future. Sure enough, that June at Michigan, Braun won, earning Roush Fenway Racing’s 50th win at that track. He went on to finish 5th in the standings. Then it was announced he would run the entire Nationwide Series schedule in 2010 for Roush Fenway Racing, driving the No. 16 Ford. You better believe I was ecstatic about that!

However, that left me with a problem. Since Braun was moving up to the Nationwide Series, I no longer had a driver to pull for in the Truck Series. And to add to it, Roush had no drivers in the series anymore. So who was I to pull for?

As it turns out, another driver had already been catching my eye. That driver? Johnny Sauter. Don’t ask me why. He was a rookie in 2009 and was such an underdog. Truth be told, I have a major soft spot for underdogs! However, I found it ironic that Sauter would even become my favorite Truck Series driver since I had loathed him in previous years when he ran in the Cup Series. Still, he became my favorite driver in that series. Now his ThorSport Racing teammate Matt Crafton has become a close second. Of course, I also pull for James Buescher and Nelson Piquet, Jr. as well.

Switching gears to the Nationwide Series…I kind of had conflicting emotions as the start of the 2010 season approached. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. had come on board to drive the No. 6 Ford, replacing David Ragan. At first, I hated the idea of Stenhouse, Jr. being in that car. Call me crazy, but I honestly couldn’t get past the fact I still saw it as Ragan’s car. With Colin Braun in the No. 16, Roush Fenway Racing had two rookies ready to contend for top rookie honors and possibly the championship. Braun still trumped Stenhouse, Jr. as my favorite driver though. The season started with both Stenhouse, Jr. and Braun crashing at Daytona. Heartbreaking not only for them, but for me as well. Unfortunately, that race pretty much set the tone for most of the season for both of them.

Braun remained my favorite Nationwide Series driver until the race weekend at Bristol that March. I met Stenhouse, Jr. that Friday at Race Night. Believe it or not, I still wasn’t very fond of him. (I was still a little upset about him taking over the No. 6). However, I watched him smile and talk to every fan that was in line for his autograph signing. There was a little boy in front of me who probably was no older than seven years old. The boy turned to me, tugged my shirt, and smiled the biggest smile before he said excitedly “It’s Ricky! He’s my favorite driver!” When the boy finally got to where Stenhouse, Jr. was, he was jumping up and down from excitement. The boy’s dad asked if he could take a picture of the two of them together. Stenhouse, Jr., of course, said yes. The boy stood in front of the table, smiling as his dad aimed the camera their way. And that’s when it happened…the moment when Stenhouse, Jr. won me over. He told the man to wait, leaned over the table, and actually picked the boy up to sit him on the table. He draped his arm over the boy’s shoulders for the picture. The boy’s face lit up and he hopped off the table, running off and yelling to the world “I just met Ricky!” as his dad tried to catch up to him.

The No. 6 RickyVsTrevor.com Ford of Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. on
pit road at Nashville Superspeedway.

From that moment on, Stenhouse, Jr. has been my favorite Nationwide Series driver. I literally flipped out over his 3rd place finish in the July Daytona race in 2010. It had finally proved what I had begun to realize--he was a very talented driver. He ended the year as the Raybestos Rookie of the Year, and I’ve stuck with him since.

However, in 2010, I also experienced unbelievable heartbreak when it came to the Nationwide Series. When I received word that Jack Roush was releasing Colin Braun from the team, I was floored. Sure, Braun hadn’t really been that stellar, and for that matter, Stenhouse, Jr. hadn’t either. It deeply upset me to see Braun go. Of course, I wasn't the only Braun fan who was upset by that. His replacement was none other than Trevor Bayne. While some Braun fans resented Bayne for taking over the No. 16 Ford, I was content with him taking over that car. It didn't mean I was exactly happy about it, but I realized it wasn't his fault Braun was out of a ride. Bayne has now become a close second to Stenhouse, Jr. when it comes to my favorite Nationwide Series driver.

As for Braun, I am still a fan of his. He'll always hold a special place in my heart, and I miss seeing him on the track. He had a lot of potential in NASCAR, and I hate that one bad season and lack of sponsorship caused an abrupt end to that. I hope to see him back in NASCAR soon.

So there you have it. From tragedy to triumph and everything in between, I have had quite a time in choosing a favorite driver in each series. What a ride it’s been so far! Sure, I’ve had days when I’ve been mad at my favorite driver for various reasons only to be over it and cheering for him once again. But you know what? That’s what makes being a NASCAR fan so fun. Around every turn awaits another reason for me to realize just why certain drivers will always be my racing heroes.

------------

The photos are from my personal collection.

Whit's Picks: Michigan Results

2011-06-21T23:38:00.004-04:00

Denny Hamlin celebrates in victory lane after winning the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400.
Credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images

All eyes were on the Ford drivers on Sunday at Michigan International Speedway, but in the end, it was a Toyota driver who took the checkered flag in the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400. There were 21 lead changes in the race that lasted just over 2.5 hours. It was the shortest race so far this year, but that didn't mean it was short on excitement.

Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick were finally off probation following the incident between them at Darlington Raceway. While nearly everyone expected something to happen between those two, nothing did. Could Harvick be biding his time? After all, he did say Busch has one coming. Fan favorite Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who hadn't won a race since the race at Michigan on Father's Day in 2008 had a run-in with teammate Mark Martin late in the race, ruining his chances of a good finish. Young Landon Cassill, in the No. 51 Security Benefit / Thank A Teacher Today Chevrolet finished 12th, earning his career-best finish. Trevor Bayne, who returned to Sprint Cup Series action for Wood Brothers Racing after being out for over a month due to illness, finished 16th in the No. 21 Motorcraft / Quick Lane Ford.

Of course, the race might not have seemed that exciting to those who watched the race on television. The TNT broadcast lacked any enthusiasm from the commentators, and the network went to commercial more times than I can recall. But I digress.

On Friday, I shared with you my top 5 picks to win on Sunday plus 3 other drivers to keep an eye on. How did my picks do? Read on to find out!

1. Carl Edwards -- No. 99 Aflac Now Hiring Ford

Carl Edwards started 23rd on Sunday. He led a total of 30 laps and looked like he was in prime position to win the race after he stretched his lead to 1.3 seconds over second place. At least, he looked like the driver to beat until the caution came out late in the race for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. hitting the wall. Edwards pitted under that caution for right-side tires and fuel, but came off pit road third. In the end, Edwards finished 5th and stretched his points lead from 6 points to 20 over the new second place driver Kevin Harvick.

2. Matt Kenseth -- No. 17 Crown Royal Ford

Matt Kenseth qualified 3rd and finished 2nd. He led three different times for a total of 17 laps, and in the closing laps, gave it his all to run down Denny Hamlin for the win. Coming off turn four on the final lap, Kenseth's No. 17 Ford was completely sideways as he tried to catch Hamlin, but he managed to keep it under control. In the end, Kenseth had to settle for finishing as the runner-up, and is now 6th in the standings.

3. David Ragan -- No. 6 UPS Ford

David Ragan had been the fastest in the first practice session on Friday, meaning he was the last driver out for qualifying on Saturday. While being one of the last drivers out in qualifying is usually a good thing, it didn't make much difference for Ragan as he qualified 20th. Eight laps into the race, a caution came out for Jimmie Johnson spinning off turn four. The field pitted under that caution, and it was during his pit stop that Ragan's chances of a good finish went out the window. After an incident on pit road with Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Ragan had to pit again so his team could assess any possible damage. It was an uphill battle from there. With just a handful of laps remaining, Ragan was forced to pit for fuel. He finished 20th, dropping to 18th in the standings.

4. Greg Biffle -- No. 16 Red Cross Ford

Greg Biffle started 7th on Sunday, and on lap 13, he took the lead from Kurt Busch. Biffle led for a total of 68 laps on Sunday, but an untimely caution cost him. During a round of green-flag stops on lap 154, Biffle pitted for four tires and fuel. Just a few laps later, the caution came out before the stops had cycled through. Biffle got trapped a lap down, but was in the Lucky Dog position when the caution came out again 4 laps after the restart. He restarted 16th, and eventually worked his way back inside the top 10 until the caution came out with 10 laps left for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. hitting the wall. Biffle pitted for four tires and fuel while many of the front-runners made two-tire stops. He restarted 13th, but ultimately finished 15th. He is now 13th in the standings.

5. Denny Hamlin -- No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota

For the most part, Denny Hamlin didn’t make much noise on Sunday…until it actually mattered. Hamlin started the race from the 10th position, and from the drop of the green flag, the No. 11 Toyota’s handling wasn’t to the driver’s liking. Each pit stop saw the team making adjustments, and when then final caution came out, Hamlin was running second. The leaders pitted, and Hamlin’s crew definitely made their last stop count. Taking two tires and fuel, Hamlin was first off pit road and was in the lead for the restart. In the closing laps, he held off a hard charging Matt Kenseth to earn his first victory in the 2011 season. The win moved him up to 9th in the standings.

My notable drivers to watch at Michigan finished: Brian Vickers (10th), Joey Logano (18th), and Mark Martin (9th).

--------------

Last week was the first time I had ever tried doing any kind of predictions before a race. Sure, I'm participating in multiple NASCAR fantasy leagues, but I never give those as much thought as I did last Friday's "Whit's Picks" top 5. Since 4 of the 5 I picked to win led laps and one actually did win, I guess I didn't do too bad! Keep an eye out on Thursday for my top 5 picks for Infineon Raceway!

And of course, congratulations to Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 team on their victory at Michigan!

Whit's Picks: Michigan International Speedway

2011-06-17T13:33:00.000-04:00

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Brooklyn, Michigan this weekend. So far this year, we've seen two first time winners, unbelievably close finishes, and even seen a fan favorite lose a race due to fuel mileage. And at Michigan International Speedway, fuel mileage will no doubt play a major factor once again. In June 2009, Greg Biffle was bit by fuel mileage when his car coasted to the finish as it ran out of fuel on the last lap, and Mark Martin brought home the win.

New fuel cans were implemented in the Sprint Cup Series at the start of the 2011 season. The fuel cans, which were already being used in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, were meant to be easier to use and eliminated the need for a crew member to use a catch can. Still, some Cup teams have struggled with getting enough fuel in the cars. With fuel mileage on every driver's mind, teams will have bring their A-game for the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400.

But it'll take more than just making sure the car has enough fuel in it for a driver to win on Sunday.

One can't think of Michigan and not immediately think of the Ford drivers. The area is home to the headquarters of Roush Industries and Ford Motor Company. Ford has 31 victories at MIS. Five drivers (Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards) have earned 11 Sprint Cup Series victories at MIS for Jack Roush.

Bottom line: Keep an eye on the Ford drivers this weekend. So...just who do I think will win on Sunday? It should come as no surprise that the RFR drivers take up 4 of my top 5 picks.

1. Carl Edwards -- No. 99 Aflac Now Hiring Ford

With an average finish of 6.3 and a driver rating of 110.5, he takes the top spot on my list. Edwards has 2 Sprint Cup Series wins at MIS and has earned 8 top-5 finishes and 11 top-10 finishes. Edwards has an average running position of 8.1, which is second-best in the series. Edwards has also been to victory lane once (August 2008) at MIS in the Nationwide Series.

So far this season, Edwards has racked up one win (Las Vegas), 7 top-5 finishes, 10 top-10 finishes, and two poles (Phoenix and Bristol). Plus, he's currently the points leader, and after an equipment failure took him out of contention last weekend at Pocono, Edwards will no doubt do all he can to win on Sunday to try and extend his points lead.

2. Matt Kenseth -- No. 17 Crown Royal Ford

Kenseth has already been to victory lane twice (Texas and Dover) in 2011, and now the team's headed to one of his favorite tracks. At MIS, Kenseth has won twice (June 2002 and August 2006) in 23 starts. He has 10 top-5 finishes and 14 top-10 finishes for an average finish of 9.8 at MIS. Kenseth has a driver rating of 101.2 at MIS, which is second-best overall.

For a driver who has already earned one pole (Las Vegas), 4 top-5 finishes, and 7 top-10 finishes in 2011, Kenseth will more than likely be a contender for the win on Sunday. Entering the weekend, he is 7th in the standings, 44 points outside of first.

3. David Ragan -- No. 6 UPS Ford

Ragan has 8 starts at MIS, and has earned 1 top-5 finish and 2 top-10 finishes for an average finish of 17.5. He has finished on the lead lap in all but 2 of his 8 starts at the track. At MIS, Ragan has a driver rating of 77.6, which is 17th overall. He has an average running position of 17.8.

Just a few weeks ago, Ragan earned his career-best finish of 2nd during the Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The good news for Ragan is that both his primary chassis and backup chassis for this weekend have won races. His primary is the one he won the Sprint Showdown in at Charlotte in May and went on to finish 8th in the All-Star Race later that night. The backup is the same chassis that Carl Edwards drove to victory lane at Phoenix in November 2010. He heads to MIS 16th in the standings, 121 points outside of first.

4. Greg Biffle -- No. 16 Red Cross Ford

Biffle has two wins (August 2004 and June 2005) at MIS and has an average finish of 12.3. He has racked up 7 top-5 finishes and 10 top-10 finishes in 16 starts. He has a driver rating of 104.8 at MIS.

So far, 2011 has been an up and down season for Biffle. He started the year off with a DNF in the Daytona 500 and it's been like an uphill battle so far. His best finish so far this season is 4th (Texas). He has earned just that one top-5 finish and 5 top-10 finishes in the first 14 races this year. While he might not look like the driver to beat at MIS this weekend, Biffle does have the same thing going for him that his three teammates have...a Ford powered engine.

5. Denny Hamlin -- No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota

Hamlin went to victory lane at MIS last June to earn his first win at the track. In his 10 starts at MIS, he's racked up 4 top-5 finishes and 6 top-10 finishes for an average finish of 10.9.

It's been a very uncharacteristic year for Hamlin. Just last year, he won 8 races, easily made the Chase, and was a major contender for the championship. This year? Not much noise has come from the No. 11 team. Fourteen races into the 2010 season, Hamlin had already racked up 4 wins. So far in 2011, no wins and his best finish has been 2nd (Richmond). There have been a few races this year where he has really shone, but he just hasn't quite been able to get it all together in the end.

He comes into the weekend 12th in the standings, 84 points behind leader Edwards.

Notable drivers to watch: Brian Vickers, Joey Logano, and Mark Martin.

I'd love to hear from you! Who are your picks to win at Michigan? Comment below and share who you think has the best shot to win on Sunday!

------------
Note: "Whit's Picks" will be posted every Thursday before each Sprint Cup Series race. (I had a bit of a late start with it this week.) The Monday following each race, there'll be a "Whit's Picks: (track) Results" post where I'll briefly recap how my 5 picks did during the race.

Much More Than 'Just A Race'

2011-01-16T03:52:00.002-05:00

To those in the NASCAR community, the month of January may seem to stretch out to the edge of forever despite the action it is leading up to. Teams are busy getting back into the swing of things as they prepare for Speed Weeks in Daytona and the start of a new season. Drivers look to improve from the previous season, and keep up with all of the new rule changes. Team owners scramble to find sponsorship for the drivers who need it. Drivers who were released the season before work hard to prove they can earn a spot on a team.

The anticipation for the beginning of a new NASCAR season can be felt across not only the United States, but also over many foreign countries where fans anxiously await the drop of the green flag at the Great American Race—the Daytona 500—to officially start the season. Fans from all walks of life will set in front of a television and those lucky enough to watch from the stands gear up for what is sure to be a wild race.

To an outsider, it may seem silly. They may wonder why so many people will gather on the weekends to watch men (& women) strap into a NASCAR stock car to drive in circles for hours. A few times I’ve heard non-NASCAR fans say something along the lines of “NASCAR isn’t a sport. It can’t be that hard to drive a car in circles.”

It takes true talent and nerves of steel to get behind the wheel and drive close to 200mph every race where the tiniest mistake can end in disaster or lead to the biggest upset as a another driver takes advantage of the other’s slip-up to win a race. However, a driver alone cannot win races.

Team chemistry is just as important in NASCAR as it is in the NFL or the NBA. One person can make or break the team. A pit crew member’s mistake during a stop can cost the team valuable positions during a race. A bad call by a crew chief can cost the team the victory. The spotter must be alert and quick to help a driver avoid trouble on the track. If any of them mess up, it could result in the team heading home with a finish toward the back of the pack.

Now, just where do the fans come into all of this? Without them, NASCAR probably wouldn’t exist. No matter what happens, fans support their favorite drivers and the sport. From buying a driver’s gear to spending money at a driver’s sponsor to attending races, fans help keep the sport going. But there’s more than money that keeps NASCAR fans following the sport.

To me, the one thing that I think sets NASCAR fans apart from other sports is the sense of community and family. Go to just one race and you’ll see what I mean. Campers as far as the eye can see. Tailgate parties going on all hours of the day and night. Fans who meet by chance suddenly become best friends and meet at the track every year, and I speak from experience when I say that. Fans will argue over who’s driver is better. Some will literally fight about it, but in the end, it doesn’t matter who a fan’s favorite driver is.

Fans attend races for more than just a reason to see their favorite driver. It’s the excitement that hangs in the air as the grand marshal gets ready to give the command to start the engines. It’s the side by side racing, the post-race confrontations, the short tempers, the smell of burning rubber, and the chance to see history be made. In all actuality, it’s all of those things plus so many more that keep fans coming back year after year.

To some fans, it’s a passion in life. To others, it’s a sport they hope to become a part of some day. It is the reason so many people gather with family and friends for those 36 weekends a year to argue and cheer right along side each other to see whose favorite driver will come out on top. To every NASCAR fan, each weekend is truly more than 'just a race'.