Some quick glances at assorted snippets of NASCAR news and/or nonsense:

• Jimmie Johnson has announced he'll be participating in his first Craftsman Truck race.  At Bristol.  Driving for Randy Moss' team.  The former indicates his hidden frustration at having been born too late to participate in figure-eight racing during its heyday (does Chandra know about this?).  As to the latter, given how I am a Raiders season ticket holder anything vaguely resembling objectivity concerning any activities by Mr. Moss is a biological impossibility, so I'll politely pass on commenting.
• NASCAR's vice president of competition Robin Pemberton has done what many thought NASCAR was incapable of doing: make no excuses for what went down, namely the rubber not being laid down, this past Sunday at Indianapolis.  Read the full transcript of his teleconference yesterday addressing the subject and other topics here.  Given how there's so much 24/7/365 ripping of NASCAR by those who proclaim themselves industrial strength fans yet blast every everything without end, I'm thinking maybe it's time to stop the snark and properly acknowledge a stand-up moment.
• Reports are the Nationwide series will not return to Mexico City next year.  Sounds like more of a cost-cutting move than anything else, for which all Nationwide teams will breathe a sigh of relief.  It's tough enough being #2 without massive jaunts to a road course.  It would be interesting to see more road courses within the continental United States on the schedule.  If the series is supposed to serve as a de facto minor league to Sprint Cup, wouldn't it behoove all concerned to set it up to where drivers could get a grip on turning right as well as left so when someone graduates to Living The Dream Land they don't embarrass themselves at or sit out Infineon and Watkins Glen?
• Sign o'the times: only 44 entries for this weekend's Sprint Cup race at Pocono.  Money is tight everywhere, folks.

NASCAR Teleconference Transcript - Robin Pemberton

An interview with:
ROBIN PEMBERTON
 

DENISE MALOOF: Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Video Teleconference ahead of Saturday's NAPA Auto Parts 200 presented by Dodge, the NASCAR Nationwide Series Road Course at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada, and Sunday's Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono raceway.

Our guest today is NASCAR Vice President of Competition, Robin Pemberton. Robin, welcome.

ROBIN PEMBERTON: Thanks for having me.

Q. We're just a bit past halfway in the 2008 season. What are your thoughts on the competition this far?

ROBIN PEMBERTON: Well, I think we can get to that. But I think the first and foremost it's probably on everybody's mind right now is what went on with the tire situation this past weekend at Indianapolis.
 
I'd like to just, you know, get out in front of that and, you know, let everybody know that we're going to work on it. We've had a call with Goodyear this morning, talked to Joie Chitwood this morning about some things.

You know, I can't say enough how sorry we are, and you know, it's our responsibility being NASCAR that we don't go through this situation again. We've already got after it, and we're moving forward with a plan to get ahead of the situation so we don't go through this again.

Once again, you know, I think it deserves to be said that the race didn't come off like we had hoped. The fans didn't get what they exactly wanted, and we'll do everything in our power and it won't happen again, I can tell you that much. So we're going to put a lot of effort towards it and get a better plan moving forward.

I just want to let everybody know and get ahead of that and try to put this behind us and we'll work hard, all us that are involved at Indianapolis - from the tire manufacturer to NASCAR, to Indianapolis Motor Speedway. That being said, let's get on with the rest of the show.

DENISE MALOOF: Questions for Robin Pemberton.

Q. I was wondering with the Brickyard issues, obviously, does that help the cause for NASCAR to take some more responsibility in testing the new car and testing the tire? I know there had been some talk previously about forming an official Goodyear tire test team?

ROBIN PEMBERTON: You know, that's been something that's been done in the past, a Goodyear tire testing. But one of the things that we have learned, we need to test the current cars, the cars with the current engines, the best horsepower, and you need to test with the best drivers that you can.

So having substitute drivers, I know it's been kicked around, but I think the examples are Darlington where we had Jeff Gordon, we had Greg Biffle and Ryan Newman there to conduct a test. They did a great job, and we got good information. We came out of Darlington with a great tire.

So we probably need to do a better job at testing different racetracks obviously, offer different challenges with their services. Indianapolis probably gave us the most trouble we've seen in recent history.
 
Nothing wrong with the service, we've just got to do a better job with testing and come out of there with a better position on our tires.

Q. Is it the high center of gravity and the roll or the decrease in downforce that's putting so much stress on these right side tires? And also knowing that you had an unknown quantity with the new car and the entire package this year, why didn't you go into this year and allow more testing on track-specific testing?

ROBIN PEMBERTON: We followed suit with last year's test policy. As you know, we allow the teams to pick as a group where they thought they needed to go test.

This car does have a little higher center of gravity. The track is a little bit wider. That does help make up for that with a lot of the safety features on this car, this car winds up having more of an even balance of weight from left to right, which, therefore, does load the right side tires a little bit more.

So taking the things that we have learned this year with our test policy and things of that nature, I'm sure - and I'll tell you now, we're taking a good look at it. We're probably in the 80% range on our test policy for next year.

We look at giving the teams more of an opportunity to test at places that they feel like they need the most help. So you won't see the big test that we've had in the last two or three years that we go and conduct and manage. It will be more of a team-specific type outing with the proper tires from Goodyear.

So that moving forward, moving forward will probably, I can almost guarantee that almost every track next year will have some sort of activity with a private test leading up to the race at some point in time.

Q. How much are the teams changing their set ups as they learn about the Car of Tomorrow? And how is that impacting the tires? In other words, if you tested in April at Indianapolis, are all the set-ups now totally different?

ROBIN PEMBERTON: Yeah, I think that's a very fair question. You look in the past, and we've all said it, you know, we were on a 25-year history with basically the same chassis and body style. The car evolved, and as competition drives the car, the teams take and they perfect it and they get their advantages.

So I think the change in car from a team's perspective is probably, there's probably greater changes in shorter periods of time with this new car.

We haven't been to every racetrack yet. It was obviously the first time at Indianapolis. We've got Kansas City coming up. So I think if you couldn't take last year's set-ups and run them this year, I think the teams have evolved that much.

You know, we are forced and we'll have to do a better job at staying ahead of the curve on some of these issues as it comes to the teams and the tires and things like that. So to answer the question in short, I think six months is an eternity on car improvement from the team's side.

Q. I just want to get your reaction to Tony George's comments that this is NASCAR's problem not Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the track won't be changed for next year if you guys want to come back.

ROBIN PEMBERTON: Well, I didn't get a chance to see that comment. It's obvious that we don't go there with the right car/tire combination. We raced them on that surface the last four years and realized we wouldn't ask them to change that surface. We've got to do a better job.

I didn't read Tony's comments. A few of the people have told me what they were. You know, we haven't asked the Speedway to make any such changes. We're just going to move forward and do a better job leading into the race when we get there next year.

Q. My question is that fans called in and said why not drag tires around the track? They would have been up all night if you could run cars around the track. Is there anything you could do overnight or could have done to get the track to come in and rubber in and still not have had a problem?

ROBIN PEMBERTON: I think when you look back on the weekend, you know, Goodyear followed suit on their tire test in April like they have those past two or three years. And we know that it takes the track a while to rubber in.

You know, our best guess at it or Goodyear's best guest is it is going to take the same path that it did in previous years. It looks like it was headed in that direction on Friday. Friday was not much different than past Fridays at Indianapolis.

But Saturday it didn't rubber in, and we were left with tires that only lasted ten laps. Now the fans that wrote in and said why didn't you drag tires? We didn't realize until race time that the track wasn't going to be in tip-top shape at lap 40 like it was a year ago.

At the end of the day, you look at it, and we ran a 400 mile race there with 43 competitors and at the end of 400 miles, the track wasn't even rubbered in.

I don't think there's anything we could have done given the circumstances that could have gotten us over the hump and gotten the track rubbered in. It never did all day on Sunday.

Q. Do you think it's too late to adjust the schedule for the year? You mentioned Kansas, could you schedule some type of a test at Kansas before that race?

ROBIN PEMBERTON: When you look at the racetracks, there's a lot of them that are very similar, you know. Chicago, we just had a great race there. We've had the race at Charlotte and Atlanta.

So I think when we move forward, we've got one more test left that would be at Charlotte before the end of the year. So I think we should be in good shape as far as the testing goes.

We have added a test this year. We added the spring Charlotte event in hopes that that was going to help all of our mile-and-a-half to almost two-mile racetrack. So next year will be a different set of circumstances, and the test policy will be a little more wide open where teams can hit the places they need to hit. But right now we're not going to change where we're at.

Q. I wanted to ask there has been some talk about Goodyear possibly making a radical change to the wider tire. So is that possible without changing the car and the body of the car? I mean having a much larger tire made forcing a change in the car?

ROBIN PEMBERTON: I'm going to answer that the best I can, your phone was breaking up. We had a bad connection there. We're working with Goodyear. As far as evaluating a wider tire, a tire that is a larger circumference that allows it to have a larger volume of air in there and helps its durability. I think part of your question was about the tire width and size versus the body. I think I got that out of it.

If we come to a place that Goodyear needs to be to help the performance help the tires and help the feel as far as the body goes, and the sheet metal, those type of things can be changed in a matter of days or weeks or months with proper planning.

We're looking at some different things with Goodyear. You know, we'll follow their lead on what they need to help the performance and durability of the tires.

Q. You talked about moving forward, what does that mean? What kind of things will you start doing from this point on?

ROBIN PEMBERTON: Well, moving forward, I don't know what specifically you're getting at. I think that until we get through a full round of testing and at least a full round of races on on this car, I think we have to go in and probably go the extra measure of- I think it refers to the fact that we've thought Indianapolis was going to take a normal path for us like it has in past years.

I think what we'll have to do is just put the extra effort forward and make sure that we do get everything, everything covered as it relates to what we're all talking about today which is tires and car. You know, I think the test policy moving forward for next year will be a little bit more liberal and will help us do that.

Q. Eight years it's been building, researching and developing the Car of Tomorrow. Where was Goodyear in all the process? How involved did you guys let them get?

ROBIN PEMBERTON: Well, Goodyear has been involved right along. I mean, their tire tests, they have been running load sensors at all their tire tests comparing last year or the old car compared to the new car. So they've been getting plenty of information on what it takes to develop a tire that's a little more durable and will handle the loads.

But when you look at Indianapolis, it's, yeah, the car loads up a little bit harder on the right-hand side. But at Indianapolis, the tire handled the load. The tire just could not handle the wear rate, and that's a little bit of a different situation.

Q. Just two quick things, ultimately, was it a lose-lose situation in regards to fans when you guys throw the competition caution, they don't like that racing. If you guys were to let them race and blow tires, again they'd be upset with that.

ROBIN PEMBERTON: Repeat the question again?

Q. Regarding the competition cautions being thrown. If you guys throw the cautions, the fans are upset. If you don't and tires get blown, the fans are upset at that as well

ROBIN PEMBERTON: Yeah. I mean, our goal - we have to run the race and we have to run the safest race possible. When we're in situations that we think we have to take control under adverse set of circumstances, that's what we do.

At the end of the day it's about safety. I think that if we allowed the race to just run and have a caution fall naturally every time somebody had a tire issue or whatever it wound up being, I think you would have wound up with more cautions.
You'd have probably wound up with more caution laps just to clean up the debris, as you've seen from Matt Kenseth's car and the extra debris that came from that and Juan's car.

To get ahead of it and to have the safest route possible, we had to take control and we had to do what we did. Let them run 10 or 11 laps at a time and let the caution fly.

Q. We all saw that, obviously, the track didn't rubber up and the tires turned into a very fine powder. Do you guys know specifically why that happened or what happened that was different from in years past?

ROBIN PEMBERTON: Yeah, that's where we're confused. We had an extensive call this morning with Goodyear, quite lengthy. They're looking into things to see if there is something. Right now the right sides - it's the same compound. I was assured that it was the same compound that we had run there the last three races, basically. The left side was softer to help the driving part of the car and the construction was a little bit different.

It is something we have seen in the past, but I don't think we've seen the powder to that extent. We're still working on on it. We're trying to find out what was different, if anything, but everybody's pointing towards the fact that the rubber looked to be a little bit drier or a little bit dustier look. So we're going to look into it and find out, you know, exactly what it is.

Q. I am curious, are you worried as you go forward? Are you worried about Kansas?

ROBIN PEMBERTON: No, no, not at all. We've had good success with our mile-and-a-half race tracks. You know, I don't think we have any concern whatsoever. We haven't had any tire problems at any of our tracks this year.

Atlanta, we probably overshot them. I think the vast majority of drivers thought that the tire was too conservative there. Goodyear's gone back. I believe it was about a week ago, and they're done doing a test there in Atlanta to get that tire more grip.

So Indianapolis is a one offset of circumstances with the surface being as abrasive as it is, and it just goes back to not doing as a group not doing the best job that we probably could have to have a good tire there at Indy.

When you look at Kansas City, Chicago, and all the other places the rest of the year, there should not be any issues whatsoever.

Q. I noticed on TV on Sunday you were down on pit road. A, is that normal? B, when did you realize that you needed to get actively involved in things?

ROBIN PEMBERTON: A, it was not normal. I'll throw a 1a in there. It's not like I remembered it six years ago when I was stuck on pit road on a toolbox.

But we knew going into the race that I was going to go down when we started on the first competition yellow. And talked to some of the crew chiefs, get a good feel for what they thought the driver comments, things of that nature.

So I was down there at lap 8, and made a couple of visits during the race back up to the tower. Trying to communicate with Mike Helton and John Darby and myself what the crew chiefs were saying, what the drivers were relating to the crew chiefs.
It's not normal. Normally I'm in the tower. It was definitely a different sort of day for me.

Q. NASCAR.com is reporting that Mexico City is off the schedule for next year's nationwide series. What is the reasoning behind that?

ROBIN PEMBERTON: Well, if that announcement's true which it hasn't been confirmed to me just yet. But through the years we go to different places. We've always gone. We've gone to Australia. We've gone to Japan. We've gone to Mexico.

I think Mexico, I don't think we've ever said that we would be there permanently. We went down there to establish, to help establish a new series down there, the Mexico Corona Series. And that series has taken off nicely. They built some new facilities, remodeled some, car counts are great. And their series has really, really gotten a good boost from the Nationwide cars being down there in Mexico City.

I don't think that we've ever been a real - we're not going to be global, you know. But we'll race in and out of the United States occasionally. We've always done that. Done that for 20 years that I know of.

Q. My question is off the tires and on your experience. Can you comment on the impact of engineering and technology, the most important changes on NASCAR racing say in the past decade?

ROBIN PEMBERTON: The changes in technology in the last decade?

Q. Yes, and the influence.

ROBIN PEMBERTON: It's been incredible. And I think it's been the support of the manufacturers. I think when a number of years ago, the manufacturers had all the cool equipment. They had their own wind tunnels. They introduced teams to compliance, KNC rigs, they introduced the teams to Shaker Rigs 7 Posters.

I think as the sport has continued to grow, we've generated a lot of interest with our younger guys and gals coming along that are real car buffs that come along with their engineering degrees. I think they've been instrumental in encouraging their teams and team owners to make budgets available to put a lot of that equipment into or into the race teams and in house.

So many of the teams that you talk to nowadays they own their own 7 Post and Pulldown rigs and KNC rigs. Many of the teams have strong affiliates with wind tunnels.

The Haas Group, they've got their own wind tunnel, which they sell time to over here in Concord. Roger Penske has his own scale-model wind tunnel. I think Red Bull has used its own tunnel in Europe. I know the manufacturers have used many, many test facilities around the country.

So it's something that I think as the sport has grown we've had a really, really big influx of new, young, talented guys and gals out of college that have really taken this sport and pushed it very, very quickly along in the technology world. So it's just been a logical progression over the last ten years. It's grown immensely.

Q. How do you not beat yourself up personally on something like this? Or do you take it personal when an event goes like this?

ROBIN PEMBERTON: That's a personal question, and I'll be glad to answer it. Everybody takes it personal. There's a reason we're here. There's a reason Mike Helton is who Mike Helton is, and John Darby and myself and all the series directors.

You know, I've been in I think next year will be my 30th year in the cup garage. You know, I love this sport. We all love this sport. We take it personal.

I grew up a race fan, and only being able to watch tape-delayed broadcasts on Wide World of Sports or wherever it wound up being. We take it and it hurts us when we have a weekend like we've had.

There is nothing worse than coming away from a race and knowing that the result wasn't even close. It wasn't even close. It wasn't even in the 25 percentile of what we're capable of doing and what we do, week-in, and week-out.

So I don't feel real good about it right now. I think if you had talked to anybody that's been around me the last 48 hours, they'll probably back me up on that. It's difficult, it's hard. We do beat ourselves up.

But, you know, that's what makes us one of the best Motorsports in the entire world. We take it personal. When we see things we know we can fix, we're going to go fix them. That's what we're going to set out to do. We're going to put this behind us. When we go back to Indianapolis next year, we'll probably have the best brickyard race we've ever had.

DENISE MALOOF: Robin, thank you very much for your time this afternoon.

ROBIN PEMBERTON: Appreciate it.

Liz Clarke from the Washington Post, author of One Helluva Ride which ought to be on the top of every NASCAR fan's agenda for gift-giving should anyone on their Christmas say anything along the lines of "I don't get this NASCAR thing" between now and December twenty-fifth has penned an excellent article detailing the challenges NASCAR faces in any attempts to go green.

While placing the terms 'NASCAR' and 'environmental awareness' in the same vicinity tends to immediately arouse the ire of those viewing such statements as an attempt to PC stock car racing, nothing could be further from the truth.  NASCAR is already investigating moving to some form of alternative fuel.  This duly noted, its rate of progress in this area is currently being lapped by seismic creep on the average inactive fault line.  Read the story for more info.

Referring back to the cries of political correctness whenever the subject is broached, an Irish protest song from the late eighteenth century comes to mind... well, a slightly modified version anyway:

O NASCAR dear, an' did ye hear the news that's goin' round?
The ethanol by law forbid to run on Sprint Cup ground;
This corn-bred fuel we shall not keep, its colour can't be seen,
For there's a cruel bias agin the burnin' o' the Green.

O I met with France and Helton, and they took me by the hand
And they said 'How great our NASCAR is, and how proud she stands!'
She's the most beloved race league this world has yet to see
Don't you bother men and women there with burnin' o' the green

And if Sunoco fuel we must use puts us in the red,
It serves but to remind us of all the gear that we have shed,
So take the old 8 from your hat and cast it in the sod,
But never fear, our plan is clear, though under foot 'tis trod

It's not PC to take a stand for letting nature grow,
And here's a way to make all say let ethanol now flow,
It's good enough for Junior's car, its color plainly seen,
We wear it, we can use it -- let's have burnin' o' the green!

Or something like that.

The things you get in press releases...

NASCAR(R) Driver Kyle Busch Scores Another First - His Face on M&M'S(R) Chocolate Candies

New MY M&M'S(R) Kyle Busch Blend Features Busch's Face, Autograph, Number and Encouraging Message; Promotion Will Support Kyle Busch Foundation

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J., July 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Mars Direct Inc., a division of Mars Snackfood US, announced today a new blend of MY M&M'S(R) Chocolate Candies featuring Kyle Busch, NASCAR'S hottest young driver for the No. 18 M&M'S Racing team of the NASCAR(R) Sprint Cup Series.

The new MY M&M'S(R) Kyle Busch Blend features yellow, brown, red and white M&M'S(R), the signature colors of M&M'S(R) Racing. The chocolate candies are printed with Kyle's face, autograph, car number (#18) and an encouraging message ("Go Kyle!"). Busch fans can race to purchase their Kyle Busch Blend exclusively online at mymms.com/racing.

Kyle Busch, the driver of the No. 18 M&M'S(R) Toyota, is a familiar sight in victory lane this season. With seven Sprint Cup Series wins under his belt, plus 10 top-five finishes, Busch and the M&M'S(R) Racing Team have held the number one spot in points for the NASCAR(R) Sprint Cup Series for the majority of this season.

"Kyle Busch is having an unbelievable season and is clearly one of NASCAR'S(R) hottest young drivers," said Jim Cass, vice president and general manager, Mars Direct. "The MY M&M'S(R) Kyle Busch Blend allows all NASCAR(R) fans to celebrate Kyle's great races in a fun and tasty way."

In support of Busch's charity, MY M&M'S(R) will donate $5,000 to the Kyle Busch Foundation, whose mission is to assist children's homes that foster a safe environment for children to live, learn and challenge themselves as well as provide assistance for day-to-day needs.

"It's been a great season with this whole M&M'S Team," said Kyle Busch. "It's pretty cool to have my own blend of M&M'S and to be able to share these with our fans. Now, all these fans have another way to help cheer us on as we get closer to the Chase and hopefully closer to a championship."

Share Your Racing Knowledge

Aside from purchasing the new MY M&M'S(R) Kyle Busch Blend, fans can also share well wishes and words of wisdom with Kyle by posting them to mymms.com/racing. Each week, select fan's words of wisdom will be highlighted on the site.

Ordering Kyle's Blend M&M'S(R)

MY Team M&M'S(R) can be ordered online at http://www.mymms.com/racing or by calling 888-696-6788 (MY M&M'S). They are available in 7-ounce bags (minimum order: 3 bags) for $12.99 per bag, in a classic red candy dispenser for $59.99 (with 3 bags), or in a 5-pound bulk box priced at $140.

About MY M&M'S(R):

MY M&M'S(R) is the personalized brand extension of M&M'S(R) Chocolate Candies, which is owned by Mars, Incorporated, one of the world's leading food manufacturers. The personalized printing option officially launched in 2005. MY M&M'S(R) are available in 22 different colors. Seventeen colors can be customized with personal message in a variety of fonts. MY M&M'S(R) can be ordered online at http://www.mymms.com/ or by calling 888-696-6788.

About Mars Snackfood US:

Mars Snackfood US is the United States snack operations of Mars North America. With more than $7 billion in annual sales in the United States, Mars North America includes food, snack and pet care segments, which are a symbol of excellence for quality brands. Headquartered in Mount Olive, N.J., Mars North America employs more than 12,000 associates in the United States, with 54 facilities nationwide. Mars Snackfood US, headquartered in Hackettstown, N.J., includes some of the world's favorite brands such as DOVE(R) Chocolate Brand, M&M'S(R) Brand, MILKY WAY(R) Brand, SKITTLES(R) Brand, SNICKERS(R) Brand, STARBURST(R) Brand, 3 MUSKETEERS(R) Brand, TWIX(R) Brand and more. Additional popular brands in the petcare and food segments for Mars North America include UNCLE BEN'S(R) Brand, PEDIGREE(R) Brand Food for Dogs, and WHISKAS(R) Brand Food for Cats. Please visit http://www.mars.com/.

About the Kyle Busch Foundation:

The Kyle Busch Foundation is dedicated to providing essential tools for less fortunate children throughout the country. We want to help organizations that foster an environment of a safe place to stay, the opportunity to explore, and the supportive environment for learning as well as other vital needs for all children. Please visit http://www.kylebuschfoundation.org/ for more information.

Source: Mars Direct Inc.

Silly, silly me.  Here I am taking a few days off to rest and relax, enjoying some quality vacation time and generally embracing a move toward mellow, getting far far FAR away from it all, thinking I'm having a good time...

... and the moment I check the Internet to see what's happening in the world what's the first thing I see?

The Danica Patrick vs. Milka Duno towel toss.

Maybe they could have a contest before the next race to see who can throw one the farthest and hardest.

Probably get that before we get the assorted infantile sports babblebloggers to stop drooling like the hormone-saturated junior high locker room boys they are.

C'mon, people.  Athletes in competition with each other get into arguments all the time.  Because this one involved two women all of a sudden it's prime time material?  Get over it and get real.  While you're at it, grow up.

I'm going back to my vacation now.  And looking forward to the Brickyard this coming weekend.

(This is a cross-post from my personal blog Goldfish and Clowns.)

We are a society inured to death.  It is filler for the back page, a faceless news item quickly scanned and responded to with clucked tongue and mumbled expressions of what a shame even as the names involved are forgotten, the actual persona forever an intentionally unexplored mystery.  Some reach out with the open hand of compassion and concern; but many, so many, are their own private island fortress, clinging to the sanctuary of isolation.  When it is their turn for the dark angel's visit they angrily mourn, bitter over the absence of shared grief they themselves are unwilling to show.  It is then time to once again retreat behind castle walls, reaching for solace in solitude.

Adherence to this philosophy of avoiding shared sorrow via hiding away is a wish upon a fool's star.  We are all interconnected; we are all part of the whole.  This is truer in NASCAR than any other sport, a place where every driver knows not only do their fortunes in performance lean heavily on the support team behind them who build the cars and oversee all other elements of the race along with the drivers surrounding them and their support teams, but life itself.

One of the earmarks of NASCAR is that while its members are in open competition with and ofttimes snarl at each other, there is a bond of family.  Even if this alone was the only reason, the passing of NASCAR technical director Steve Peterson deserves far more notice than a sidebar or slightly reworded press release.

We know the public basics about the man, how he worked for NASCAR starting in 1995 and was instrumental in the implementation of such safety items as the SAFER barrier, head and neck restraints, and the overall mesh of driver protection elements in the new car.  But what of the man?  Doesn't he deserve something more than a recitation of professional accomplishments?

A man who knew Steve Peterson back when he worked at Roush before signing on with NASCAR graciously shared his memories with me yesterday afternoon.  Peterson was a glue guy, someone who holds everything together without being out front of it all.  Regardless of job title, he would do whatever task was required -- work on shocks, analyze computer data, anything necessary to prepare a car for a race.  He was understated and patient, a relaxed kind of man who owned a sparkling dry sense of humor.  He was someone with whom you looked forward to the next conversation, someone with whom you relished time spent together.  Peterson didn't seek the spotlight; he sought to create one shining on the car, the driver, the ability of that driver to walk away when something went wrong instead of being tomorrow's headline for all the wrong reasons.  He shone in the edge of that spotlight, unseen and often unknown.  But without him, there would have been no light.

It is neither flippant nor disrespectful to call Steve Peterson NASCAR's WALL·E, the one with a good heart who did his job no matter what.  His death is a deep loss to NASCAR.  He was that rare breed of man whose love of cars and racing led him to be not a talker, but a doer.  Even as far too many in and around the sport attempt to make his life and accomplishments little more than a snippet with which to occupy space online or in print, those who with heavy hearts will attend his funeral know the true measure of his worth.  Not only was Steve Peterson in and of himself a man whose life had value and meaning, what he did during his tenure on this planet has ensured, is ensuring, and will ensure the question following a hard crash being directed at the driver involved asking what happened as compared to asking what one should wear to said driver's memorial service.

To the surprise of exactly no one, Ryan Newman is leaving Penske after this year, in all likelihood to cast his lot with Tony Stewart at Stewart Haas.  This brings together one of the Gillette Young Guns with Stubble Boy, which is about the only aspect of this story yet to be beaten to death.  But give it time.

Newman, being a known fan-friendly face, will help (if he hasn't already) snag a high profile sponsor or two.  Preferably two in these sour economic times, which given the expected scorched earth policy GM is expected to announce tomorrow is pretty much going to be a necessity.

Stay tuned for the next driver and/or sponsor announcement.  Probably won't have long to wait.

"Hey, Bugsley!"

"Yeah, Mugsley?"

"Ya know what dis Saturday night is?"

"Da kickback awards banquet at da union hall?"

"Other den dat, ya knucklehead!  Dem NASCAR boys are gonna be in town."

"On da Saturday night?  I thought dem boys only came here in da daytime on Sunday."

"Naah.  Dey got dem fancy lights now at da track."

"So we're gonna shake down da power people so da lights stay on?"

"Naah.  I gots a better plan.  While da race is going on, we're gonna do dat bank job."

"Gee, Mugsley.  Ya tink dat's a good idea?"

"Course it is, ya knucklehead!  It's da perfect time to use da... da... whaddya call dem tings, anyways..."

"Da boom boom sticks!"

"Dey called dynamite.  Anyways, with all dem race cars going round, dey make so much noise nobody hears us when we use da dynamite, see?"

"Yeah, dat's a good plan Mugsley.  But what if someone see us?"

"No one sees us.  I got dat all figured out.  See, da race is at da track here in Joilet, see?  Which is why dey call it Chicagoland cuz no one hear of Joliet."

"Yeah?"

"See, I been doin' some readin' on da Internet.  Da track is what dey call da cookiecutter."

"Dey gots cookies dere?  Oh boy oh boy oh boy!  I loves cookies!"

"No, ya moron!  Dey calls it da cookiecutter cuz its one of da tracks that's likes da one and a half miles long and ain't gots a lot of what dey call banking."

"Is day whys we ain't gonna go there?"

"Whaddya talkin' about, Bugsley?"

"We ain't goin' dere cuz dey ain't gots a lot of banking so dey don't gots much money?"

WHAP!

"Now why'd ya hits me on the head, Mugsley?"

"For bein' stupid!  Banking ain't da bank!  Banking is da slope of da track!  Da more banking, da faster dem race car boys can go and da closer dey stays to each utter!  But Chicagoland ain't gots a lot of it, so dem race car boys get spread out all over da track!"

"Do theys have cookies in da spread?"

WHAP!

"Dat hurts, Mugsley."

"Listens up, knucklehead!  When da race car boys gets spread out all over da track, da fans gets bored and falls asleep cuz it's Saturday night!  So when dey asleep, no one can see us pull da bank job!"

"Yeah, dat's a good plan Mugsley.  But what if da fans don't all go to sleep?"

"I gots it all worked out.  Slugsley and Wugsley are gonna go through da stands singing da pretty lullaby songs so everyones guaranteed to go to sleep."

"Yeah, dat's a good plan Mugsley.  Just don't send Ugsley in the stands.  He scares da kiddies when dey sees him."

"He scares everyone."

"Yeah.  Just one ting."

"What's dat?"

"What if dat Dale Junior guy goes ahead?  Den all dem peoples wake up and cheer and stuff."

"Naah.  I gots it worked out.  Gots a little deal with da racetrack officials peoples so if he gets ahead dey throw da cautions right away so peoples don't get too excited."

"Gee, Mugsley.  Dere's lots of dem racetrack officials peoples.  How ya gonna makes sure dey all cooperate?"

"I makes dem offer dey can't refuse."

"What's that, Mugsley?  Ya gonna put a horse head in dere bed?"

"Naah.  I uses da positive approach."

"What's dat?"

"I gots all da boys waiting in line for dem for da new iPhone."

Courtesy NASCAR Media:

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 8, 2008) - NASCAR has issued penalties, fines and suspensions to the car No. 1 team that competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, as a result of rules infractions found last week at Daytona International Speedway.

The car driven by Martin Truex Jr., was found to be in violation of Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used do not conform to NASCAR rules); and 20-3.8A (roof of the car does not conform to the specifications) of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rule book.

As a result, Truex Jr. and car owner Teresa Earnhardt have been penalized 150 championship driver and 150 championship owner points, respectively. Both the crew chief, Kevin Manion, and the car chief, Gary Putnam, have been suspended from the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events, suspended from NASCAR until Aug. 27 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31. Additionally, Manion has been fined $100,000.

The infractions were discovered July 3 during opening day inspection.

Wonder not if, but how this will affect Truex's decision whether to re-up with DEI.

(With apologies to the 1985 Chicago Bears)

We are the NASCAR sponsorship crew
Run a million ads; doin' it for you
We aren't here to cause some trouble
We're just here to do the sponsorship shuffle!

We're UPS -- been here for a while
Riding around in our big brown style
Worked with DJ but he since has retired
Our ads with him we know you've all long admired
Time to think of a new market plan
That's hip clip and flip -- that leaves out you, Reutimann
We've gotta go in with a win here and now
So who will it be for the big brown cash cow?
Some say Ragan, but we're not quite sure
Looks like our man is the Clint Bowyer
He's young and happening, don't call him a square
We might have to do something with that hair

We're Office Depot, a sponsor scorned
Didn't see it coming and we never were warned
Thought we had it good, but then ran out of luck
As our boy Carl went to hang with a duck
Taking care of business is still our style
Need to find a driver that'll give us a smile
Bring in some fans with their quick winning ways
'Cause every single burnout equals notice that pays
We're thinking ol' Smoke on board would be so neat
Lining up attention?  He just couldn't be beat
Strong business sense, this ain't no fly by night caper
And on his off days he could stock pens and paper!

We're Budweiser, man -- they call us the king of beers
'Though this time last year we shed some copious tears
We had a good thing with our good buddy Dale
'Til things with stepmom became way more than stale
He called it his right, she went and called it defiance
Wound up with him creating a new alliance
With Mountain Dew AMP and the National Guard
It'd be fair to say we took it all pretty hard
We needed someone to carry on the Bud brand
A rugged macho rough and tumble he-man's man's man
A weatherbeaten street survivor laughing at pain
Someone who... oh, wait, we've got it!  Yes!  KASEY KAHNE!