I'm Baaccckkkk

Hey everyone. Sorry i haven't posted a blog in quite a while. College is a little crazy, but i have been writing articles for the newspaper! I definitely haven't stopped writing about the sport, just haven't been able to write as much as i would like to!

A lot has happened since my last couple of blog posts. There is now only one race left of the 2010 season. What can i say? This year has been wild, to say the least. So much has happened this year and it's impossible for me to recall and write everything in one blog. As we all know, Denny comes into this weekend 15 points ahead of Jimmie, and 46 points ahead of Kevin; not where Denny wanted to be coming into Homestead, but it's better to be ahead then behind.

You may be wondering, who are YOU picking for the championship? Even if you aren't, i'm going to tell you. LOL Sometimes i'm unbiased in what i post, sometimes i get very opinionated... and yes, this is one of those times.

My pick to win the championship is Denny Hamlin. Why? He has been the most dominate driver this year with 8 wins. He had the ACL surgery back in what, March? And look what he has been able to accomplish. I admire Denny for his accomplishments and his success this season, and in my opinion, i believe he should win it. Plus, i'm really sick of Jimmie winning. "Oh, you're just upset because he's the best," his fans would say to me. Well, i'm sorry to say this Jimmie fans, but his drive for 5... is going to end on the last lap of the 2010 Ford 400. His reign is over, and it is time to welcome a new champ.

On a side note, Jimmie Johnson winning all these championships is NOT, i repeat, NOT good for the sport. For those of you who think so, why do you think the ratings have dropped over the past couple of years? Please, answer this to the best of your ability without saying the cause is Jimmie Johnson. In any sport, it's not good for just one driver, one player, or one team to dominate. Another turn off for fans: his arrogance. Yes, so you've proven to us that you're a good driver... (either that or a damn good cheater). But you seriously wonder why fans dislike you. It's a little thing called common sense. Ever heard of it?

Kevin Harvick. What can i say? He's been up in the top of the points all year. He's my second pick to win the Cup. Why isn't he my first? Well, those of you who know me, know that i'm a Joey Logano fan and i'm still not happy about what happened between Joey and Kevin earlier this summer at Pocono. Again, in my opinion, i think Kevin crossed the line with punting him the way he did. He even had multiple run-ins with Joey BEFORE Pocono... why? Who knows. Maybe it feels good to drive dirty the way he does. Honestly, only he knows. It would definitely feel a hell of a lot better if he won the championship instead of Jimmie, but i'm still going to pull for Denny.... all day every day!

"Lug" Notes:

~Kasey Kahne as we all know was released from RPM and finishes out the season with Red Bull Racing in the #83. He's on the pole for Sundays race. Congrats, and good luck

~19 year-old Trevor Bayne made his Cup debut at Texas, with a 17th place finish. Congrats Tbayne, can't wait to see you full-time in Cup!

~Brian Vickers will be back in the #83 in 2011, and i can tell you that i'm definitely excited. This season wasn't the same without him, but he'll come back strong next year. Also, i can't wait to see him and Kasey as teammates. Ever since both of them came to Cup in '04, i've always wanted them to be teammates. Yep, it's a dream come true even if it is only for a season.

~Fights include, but are not limited to: teammates and competitors on the track, and also a physical altercation between the two Jeffs.

~Joey Logano's past 5 finishes: 7th, 6th, 5th, 4th, and 3rd. Plus, if he made the Chase, he'd currently be sitting 3rd in points. I can guarantee that he will kick ass next year.

I'm sure i'm leaving out a lot of headlines, but like i said, this season has been pretty exciting both on and off the track. The races might not have been the best, but this season has.

Until next time, I'm Steph Piech for The Finish Line

Department Shake Up?

It was announced today that NASCAR would be upgrading their Communications department. This comes after a four-month study showing that there was a void in NASCAR's marketing efforts.

"It's going to change the way we do business," Brian France said.

With this change, NASCAR could fill 20 more positions to it's already 25 person media relations staff.

The creation is centered around making an integrated marketing communications department, which will help regulate all of the public relations and communications functions of all of NASCAR's racing series.

The department will essentially be split up into 7 smaller units: competition, stake holder relations, digital and social media, brand/consumer marketing, corporate marketing/licensing, NASCAR media group/ entertainment, and public affairs/ crisis communication.

What does this mean for NASCAR? Well, NASCAR seems to be struggling with the attendance ratings each and every week at the racetrack. Attendance has been down the past couple of years, but we really haven't seen such a drastic change until this year. This move could help bring in creative marketing, strategical thinkers, and others who can help improve NASCAR's image as a company.

This news is particularly interesting to me. I'm a Communication major and a marketing minor; these two things go hand-in-hand. My goal: is to work in NASCAR, either as a reporter/journalist, or in the marketing department. This announcement, has me looking forward to my future, and who knows, i might just end up in the new Communications department!

Until next time, I'm Steph Piech for The Finish Line

(Courtesty of Scenedaily.com)

Loose-ing His Cool

On lap 148 in turn 4 at Michigan International Speedway, it would seem like Joey Logano has another enemy to add to his Shit list in his very short NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career.

Ryan Newman.

Going into turn 4, Logano's car got loose, and slid into the #39 Tornados Chevrolet of Newman's left rear quarter panel. Completely a racing accident. But, after the race, Newman didn't consider it to be. Nascar.com has released a transcript of the confrontation between the two drivers:

"Give someone an inch, man," Logano said.

"No, I gave you the whole race track," Newman said.

"I was on the bottom and you door-jammed the crap out of me," Logano said. "There's six lanes up top."

Newman would have none of it.

"I was six lanes up, and I steered up and tried to miss you, because you couldn't control your damn race car," he said.

"Because I was freaking sideways because you were on my freaking door," Logano said. "All right, I'll door-jam you every freaking time I get around you."

The two traded shoves, and that's when the officials stepped in.

"I'm good," he said. "I'm just trying to teach the little kid how to drive."

Apparently, from this report, Logano gave the first push. I looked back at the video, Joey didn't 'push' him. He barely touched Newman, and that's when he flipped out saying, "Don't touch me." Call me crazy, but i don't consider a 'touch' generally a 'push.'

Getting back to the on-track incident. Joey's car got loose. Simply a racing deal. Newman has been around long enough in the Cup Series to understand this. But, he hasn't seen the replay before Joey went over to talk to him. Joey was just trying to explain what happened from his view, and it looked like Newman was too frustrated to even consider hearing Joey out.

Yes, Newman was racing hard because, unfortunately for him, he's 103 points out of the chase. And the accident with Logano, doesn't help that matter. I can see why Ryan is upset, but he needs to be upset for the right reason. From my point of view, pushing Joey like that was a little uncalled for; and to see that behavior from a veteran like Newman? It's kind of disappointing. Yes, i love to see how passionate the drivers are for their sport, but that's being over-passionate.

Some comments that i've read, have placed all of the blame on Joey. My perspective: everything from the previous 23 races have led up to where Newman is currently in points. Yes, he's had other encounters with Joey on the track this year. But stuff like engine and parts failures, you can't help.

You could say i'm a little biased in my thoughts, because everyone knows i'm a Logano fan. But what happened out on the track was purely a racing accident. Everyone knows that. Once Newman looks back at the replay, he'll see that, and will hopefully see things from Joey's perspective a little bit.

Hard racing? Yes, it was hard racing. You've got to race every lap, like it's the last. Joey does have to learn that some of the veterans will make his Cup career difficult; they didn't get this far by letting other people go around them, and give away positions.

So, we all have our own opinions on this situation, and this is mine!

Until next time, i'm Steph Piech for The Finish Line

Equal Opportunity For Manufacturers

He started his career driving a dodge in 2004. He's been driving a Ford all season. He's driving a Toyota for 2011. And, he's driving a Chevy in 2012.

There was much speculation as to where Kasey Kahne would end up for next season; whether he would be with Hendrick Motorsports right away, or whether he would go to Stewart-Haas Racing. He signed with HMS in early April to take over the #5 Chevy for 2012, which is currently being driven by Mark Martin. But now that speculation can be put aside. It was announced today that Kasey Kahne will be heading over to Red Bull Racing for the 2011 Sprint Cup season.

The current RBR drivers include Scott Speed and Brian Vickers. Vickers has been out of the car since May, due to blood clots in his legs. There is suspicion to think that Speed is out of the #82 car next year; some critics think this is due to his lack of performance on the track. Jay Frye, RBR's general manager, will determine Speed's future by the end of August. It won't be known, either, if Vickers will be able to get back in the #83 next year until November.

Kasey will probably become one of the first drivers to drive for all of the NASCAR manufacturers. This is a great opportunity for them, in my opinion. Ever since Kahne burst on the Cup scene in '04, everyone involved in NASCAR was marketing him as the next superstar. The past few seasons, he hasn't been able to rack up the big stats, but has a bright future ahead of him. He's made NASCAR history, and there's more history to be made.

Until next time, I'm Steph Piech for The Finish Line.

NASCAR Raps... by ME! :)

Ok... some of you know that i've made a couple of NASCAR Raps. Here they are!


NASCAR is awesome, NASCAR is sweet
Every once in a while,
Our favorite driver gets beat!

Wherever you are,
Wherever you may be,
You can always find us,
Makin' a little bit of a fuss.
Who are we? NASCAR NATION!

Joey Logano,
Has many Paisano's.
He is pretty great,
He's from my home state,
Of Connecticut;
He'll never quit,
He's had enough,
And he's got the stuff,
To get it done,
While having some fun!

NASCAR fans are pretty great,
Some root for the eighty-eight.
Others like Jeff, Jimmie or Kyle,
But some are still in denial,
About who is the best,
Who will beat out all the rest.
Every weekend we unite,
To see which driver puts up the best fight!

Trevor Bayne has quite the smile,
It has to be at least a mile.
He is a rising star,
And drives the #99 car.
Give him more time,
And he will shine.

Kasey Kahne,
Is pretty plain.
He has the prettiest blue eyes,
Of all the guys,
In NASCAR.
He is a star.
He shines bright,
Even in the night.

Driver Profile

There will be no driver profile this week.

Driver Profile: Jamie McMurray

The 2010 NASCAR season has been a year full of teammate rivalries, domination, and especially, a year of firsts. We've seen great racing action and hard fought battles on the track each and every week. We've even said adios to the wing, and brought back the spoiler. We've even seen the young and talented Joey Logano break out of his shell and confront Kevin Harvick after a late race punt for a top 5 position.

But we all know that. This past weekend at Indianapolis will be one for the history books. Chip Ginassi becomes the first ever owner to win the biggest 3 events in motorsports: the Daytona 500 in February, the Indy 500 back in May with driver Dario Franchitti, and the Brickyard 400 this past weekend. Jamie McMurray has been the driver to give Chip 2 out of those 3 major wins. It might sound trite, but 2 out of 3 ain't bad!


Jamie McMurray started his Cup career in 2002 with Chip Ginassi as the replacement driver for Sterling Marlin, who injured his neck in a pretty bad crash at Kansas Speedway and was unable to finish the season. In only his second start, McMurray went on to win his first race: the 2002 UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowes Motor Speedway.

In 2003, McMurray won ROTY honors; 37 points over Greg Biffle even without winning a race that year. He would stay with Chip Ginassi and the #42 from 2003 until 2005. From 2006-2009, McMurray drove for Jack Roush and Roush Fenway Racing. Unfortunately, McMurray didn't excel at RFR.

A couple of years ago, all NASCAR teams were told that they were only allowed to have 4 drivers and teams; those with more, would have to find another team to race for. RFR was one organization that was put into this predicament. The driver who was the odd man out for the 2010 season was: Jamie McMurray with the #26 crew needing new jobs.

Since Martin Truex Jr had announced he was leaving Earnhardt Ginassi Racing at the end of last season, McMurray jumped at the chance to work for his old owner again in the #1 Bass Pro Shops/Mcdonalds Chevrolet.


McMurray has won 5 career Cup races including his 2 major wins at the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 this year; he also won the Amp Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in '09, the Pepsi 400 at Daytona in '07, and as previously mentioned, the UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowes Motor Speedway in 2002.

If i do say so myself, Chip Ginassi and Jamie McMurray is a match made in NASCAR heaven. After being away from Chip for a couple of years, Jamie is back to his winning ways. At age 34, I believe McMurray's career can only go up from here. Yes, he's won 2 of the most prestigious races in NASCAR, but he hasn't and probably wont stop there. Congrats Jamie on the awesome year you are having. You're a great racecar driver.

Oh, and how could i forget. CONGRATS ON BECOMING A FATHER IN THE NEAR FUTURE!

Until next time, i'm Steph Piech for The Finish Line

Racing for the win, or Have at it boys?

"Have at it boys" NASCAR's words at the beginning of the year, telling the drivers that they will be able to police themselves. Have the drivers taken it a little bit too far, perhaps?

We've seen so much hard racing this year, it seems to me like it's more that usual, even between some of the best racers in NASCAR; Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon, which started at the very beginning of the season. But the most memorable rivalry/fued has been between, you guessed it, Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski. No matter whether they are racing in Cup together, or Nationwide, you can bet there will be some beatin' and bangin' between the two.

Last night at Gateway International Raceway was no different. It seemed that fuel was added to the fire when Carl and Brad were racing hard with two laps to go, and Keselowski got into Carls left rear quarterpanel, almost spinning him out. Brad was able to steal the lead from Carl, but he charged back hard coming to the finish line. Carl got right on Brads right rear quarterpanel and spun him out in front of the field. Keselowski was hit hard by another car; he was t-boned hard on the right side and his car was obliterated.

You could say that his rivalry started when he wrecked Carl goin' for the win at Talladega... and Carls car was demolished. We all saw that 3,400 pound car flying through the air like a hot wheel; like it weighed nothing. There was controversy about this incident for a while... and it seemed to have died down a little bit.

Until the Sprint Cup circuit made its way to Atlanta Motor Speedway, where the roles became reversed. Brad got behind Carl, and tried to pass (cough cough) wreck him. Well, Carl let Brad pass him, and on the next lap, spun Brad. But, did Carl intend for Brads car to fly in the air like it did? Probably not. Did Brad expect Carls car to fly through the air like it did? Maybe not.

And it all heated up again last night. So, whether you're a Edwards fan or a Keselowski fan.... i'm sure we can all agree that these two guys race hard, and they race to win. Almost everytime they have come in contact with each other, it's always a battle to get into Victory Lane.

Whose side do i take on this seemingly on-going fued? Well... i take Carl Edwards side. I have to be honest... this whole thing wouldn't have started if not for Keselowski. Keselowski wrecked him pretty hard at 'Dega. Keselowski is the one out there almost every week making enemies, not friends. I know racing isn't about who has the most friends out on the track, but you race clean, and that's how you'll get raced back. You must race your competitors with respect. Race others the way you want to be raced. Did Carl intentionally wreck Brad at Gateway? To me, yes he did. But Brad needs to give respect in order to get respect.

And another issue that needs to be discussed: Bob Keselowski. Really? You really think Carl is going to kill your son? It's all Carls fault? C'mon now... didn't you see the Talladega race last spring? Didn't you just watch the final two laps of the race you're commenting on?? And yet, NASCAR doesn't go after you for your comments, but they go after Tom Logano (Joey Logano's father) for wanting to protect Joey. They criticized him up and down pit road. Not saying that what Tom did was right, but i think Bob should be scrutinized the same way. Brad could've killed Carl at Talladega, Bob. Think about it.

NASCAR is a very passionate sport. And the moment the passion is gone, it's time to hang up the helmet. Both Carl and Brad, as they have showed over the past year and a half, show their passion each and every week.

Final thought: Is it racing for the win or have at it boys? From my perspective... it's a little bit of both.

Until next time, i'm Steph Piech for The Finish Line

Off-weekend plans?

Ok, so well all know that the Cup series is off this weekend before they head to Indianapolis and the Brickyard 400. The drivers like to do some crazy stuff during the little bit of time that they have off, and here are just a few drivers who've planned something (source: jayski.com)

-Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski, and Reed Sorenson are all entered into Saturday's Nationwide Series Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 at Gateway International Raceway. For the fourth year in a row, Edwards has planned a charity bike ride from his hometown of Colombia, MO to Gateway, which is a 200 mile journey. Keselowski is scheduled to run a short track race at Oxford Plains Speedway in Maine on Sunday.

-Harvick, Keselowski, and Max Papis are also scheduled to race in the Camping World Truck Series' Campingworld.com 200, also at Gateway.

-Jamie McMurray and AJ Allmendinger are scheduled to compete against the best in karting in the SUPERKARTS! USA Summer Nationals in Shawano, WIS from July 16-18

-Ryan Newman and wife Krissie Newman are scheduled to be attending the Hounds for Hospice Charity Dog Walk, July 17 at the Statesville Soccer Complex.

-Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne, and Dave Blaney are scheduled to race at Eldora Speedway during the Kings Royal weekend. They'll be taking on the National Racing Alliance (NRA) Sprint Invaders on friday.

-David Ragan is scheduled to compete in the Legends Million Dollar Race this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend.

-Marcos Ambrose is scheduled to race in a Late Model Pro Stock event at Riverside (Nova Scotia, Canada) International Speedway.

-Kurt Busch and wife Eva are scheduled to vacation in Italy, mainly Rome, Venice, and Tuscany.

-Kyle Busch and Scott Speed are off on a couple's weekend in the Bahamas. Busch's fiance, Sam Sarcinella, and Speed's wife Amanda, will be taping segments for The Racing Chef.

-Juan Pablo Montoya and Jeff Gordon are anxiously waiting for new members of their families to arrive.... anytime now for JPM

-Travis Kvapil will be heading home to Wisconsin to visit with family, have fun, and ride some 4-wheelers.

Some of NASCAR's superstars never stop doing what they love: Racing. It's in their blood; they love what they do, and they don't want to stop. Other's like to get away with their loved ones for a little bit of relaxation. Whatever they choose to do during this off-weekend, they better enjoy it while it lasts. Because before you know, they'll be going GREEN GREEN GREEN at the Brickyard!

Until next time, i'm Steph Piech for The Finish Line

Driver Profile: David Reutimann

David pulled his #00 Tums Toyota into victory lane with tears of happiness rolling down his cheeks. On this night, there would be no rain ruining his parade; just a shower of champagne and coca-cola soaking him.

The "franchise" won his second NSCS race Saturday night at Chicagoland Speedway. He has now proved to all of us in NASCAR nation that he is capable of competing and winning in NASCAR's premier series. I'm sure all of us remember Reutimann's first win... the two-day, rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600 last year.

I wasn't surprised that Reutimann broke through Saturday night. So far this season, he has had 4 top 5's as well as 4 top 10's. Despite a few problems, he's had fairly consistent finishes. This win also came shortly after Reutimann signed a contract extension with Michael Waltrip Racing. Ironic isn't it?

Reutimann made a statement with his win. And if you don't believe it, believe Jeff Gordon, a 4-time NASCAR Cup champion, when he says, "I'll tell you, he's pretty damn good."

This win, in a way, erases the invisible 'asterisk' that was beside his 600 win.

In an article released on nascar.com, "there were weekends in which he slept in his pickup truck, wrote checks for racing tires that couldn't be cashed until he picked up his sparse winnings at the pay window and several weeks he didn't know he was going to make his house payments. And that was when he was 30." (Ty Norris)

I'd say Reutimann has come a long way in just a short amount of time. He's given Michael Waltrip and MWR as a whole, something to be proud of, along with future success.

Until next time, i'm Steph Piech for The Finish Line

Biggest, Baddest, and Meanest: Meet the Intimidator 305

Giga-coaster: Noun- a complete-circuit roller coaster with a height of 300 feet or taller

Think you can handle a giga-coaster? How about the Intimidator 305? Yes you are correct if you think this coaster is named after the late and great Dale Earnhardt.



The Intimidator 305 can be found at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. This is only the second giga-coaster ever built in North America, and it is the fastest and tallest coaster on the East Coast. The highest peak is 305 feet tall where the lift hill meets an 85 degree angle drop and speeds along the tracks clocking about 90 mph! The length of the ride equals approximately 3 minutes. Probably the best (or worst) 3 minutes of your life... depending on how much of a thrill seeker you are.

The ride opened in April of this year. So, if you're anywhere in the Virginia area, or surrounding states, and you absolutely love roller coasters, i think this is one coaster you NEED to ride.

more info can be found at http://www.intimidator305.com/public/ride/

Until next time, i'm Steph Piech for The Finish Line

Driver Profile: Steve Park

How many of us remember... we may have to go and dig into our memory banks... the time period between 1998 and 2003? What makes this time so special and memorable? To me, it was Steve Park.

You might be wondering why i am doing my driver profile this week on Steve Park. Well, this past weekend during the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway, i was shocked to see that Steve Park was actually in the race. I haven't heard his name since he left the Cup series in 2003. What surprised me even more, was his top 15 finish in what i think, was another crazy night race at Daytona.

Another reason why my driver profile is on Steve Park is because some of the newer generation fans may not and haven't heard his name before. If you live in the northeast, then you've probably heard of him. How many of us remember that #1 Pennzoil Monte Carlo for DEI? I know i always will. Him and Michael Waltrip were two of the best teammates at the time. Michael is a great spokesperson for Napa Auto Parts, and Steve was the same exact way with Pennzoil.

His first year in Cup began in 1998, when he battled Kenny Irwin Jr for ROTY honors. Unfortunately, this was one battle he had to put on the back burner due to a crash at Atlanta Motor Speedway, suffering a broken right femur, broken left shoulder blade, left collarbone, and two chipped teeth. Due to this accident, he had to sit out for 5 months of the 1998 season. He came back in 1999, with a new addition to the crew chief position: Paul Andrews. With Andrews on top of the war wagon, Park was able to move from 34th to 15th in the standings.

The year 2000 was a year of firsts for Park. Not only did he get his first Bud Pole Award that year, but he also got his first victory coming in the 90 lap event at Watkins Glen International on August 13. His stats for that season: 13 top 10's, 6 top 5's, and finished the year 11th in the points standings.

Every NASCAR fan knows that 2001 was a tragic year for the sport; we lost one of the greats, Dale Earnhardt. Sometimes i wonder if he would still be racing today if he survived that horrible wreck. But... he's gone and it sucks that we can't do anything about it. I never had a chance to watch him race, but i sure would've liked to.

A week after Dale lost his life, Steve Park won the second Cup race of his career at Rockingham. Park describes his feelings about Earnhardt from victory lane: "Dale was more than my car owner, he was a close personal friend. I learned more than what it meant to be a Winston Cup driver from him, I learned what a friend can be. I will miss him deeply.That was the most incredible emotional roller coaster I’ve ever been on. To be able to fight back the emotions I was feeling in the last five laps and do what Dale had taught me to do and that was just to stand up on that seat and drive the hell out of that race car."

In September of '01, Park was in an accident in the Whelen Busch Series #31. On the lap 20 restart, his car veered uncontrollably to the left. Larry Foyt, who had nowhere to go, struck Parks' car. The car finally came to a stop at the inside wall and he remained in the car for 20 minutes after the crash until track crews were able to cut the roof off and extract him. He missed the rest of the '01 season, as well as some of the '02 season, due to a concussion he suffered during the wreck. His return came in March 2002 at Darlington Raceway where he started 4th, which had been his best qualifying effort of the season. Paul Andrews was replaced with Tony Gibson in the crew chief position. He only had 2 top 10 finishes and and wound up in 33rd in the points. Over the off season, the team made personnel changes which included a new pit crew to get Park back in the right direction.

The 2003-2004 seasons would come as a shock to Park. He was released by DEI on May 5, 2003. When one door closes, another one opens. Richard Childress picked Park up to drive the #30 AOL/RCR cup car which had been driven by Jeff Green previously, and to no ones surprise, replaced him in the #1 Pennzoil car. Steve had no harsh words to DEI, just memories he would remember. "I will always look back on my years of driving for DEI with much happiness. Together the Pennzoil team and I shared many great memories of winning races and pole positions. It will always be an honor for me that I was the first Winston Cup driver for owner Dale Earnhardt."

In September, Richard Childress made an annoucement that Steve would be released, but would finish out the 2003 season at RCR.

In 2004, he had the opportunity to jump into a NASCAR Craftsman truck and drive the #62 Dodge for Orleans Racing, replacing Brendan Gaughan. “It is my privilege to drive for Orleans Racing and Dodge. I enjoy the Craftsman Truck Series. It is one of the most competitive forms of racing. This team is certainly one of the most competitive in the sport, and I look forward to challenging for the championship this year.”

2005
Drove for Orleans Racing in the NCTS- earned a victory at Fontana

2006
Drove for Harris Trucking in NCTS

2008
Drove for NOS Motorsports in NASCAR Camping World East Series

2009
Drove for NOS Motorsports in NCWES- earned a victory at Adirondack; won the series Most Popular Driver Award

This is just a brief overview of Parks career. It would take too long to describe how great a driver he really is. Unfortunately, i feel like that collision in 2001, really kept him from becoming what we all thought he could do in the Cup series. He was able to show us that he was still capable of getting top 15 finishes in Cup this past Saturday night at Daytona. For all the haters, yes i know it was a restrictor plate race and a lot of good cars weren't able to survive the night. But give the guy a break. He hasn't raced in Cup for a while, and he finishes a race in 13th. Congrats Steve Park, you truely deserved it, and you also deserve to be back racing in NASCAR's top division.

Until next time, i'm Steph Piech for The Finish Line

Gettin' Dirty: Lebanon Valley Speedway

Last night i had the opportunity to go to a local dirt track, well, about 1 1/2 hours away in West Lebanon, NY. The track: Lebanon Valley Speedway. I went there a couple of years ago because my friends' brother was entered into a pure-stock race. Purestock is pretty much taking an everyday average car that is driven on the street, and putting a roll-cage inside to make it race-ready.

This year, i kind of wanted to go back to the first ever track i visited. I was able to go back for "Eve of Destruction" which didn't disappoint. There were so many events taking place: the purestock 20 lap race was first followed by the 4-cylinder 20 lap race, reverse race, forward-reverse race, hood-and-trunk race, trailer race, roll over contest, school bus race, a gauntlet race, and to end the night, was the demolition derby.

Also, the first time i went to LVS, the last race was the modifieds. I didn't get to stay for the whole race, unfortunately, because it was breezy and cold. The whole reason why i mention the modifieds was because of this one driver, Andy Bachetti #34. He came to my middle school for a program known as "Minds in Motion" and had his car on school grounds. The car was amazing! One kid actually got to sit in the seat, but i was too scared to touch anything, because i'm a clutz and am known to break anything i touch. To go along with his car, there was a whole session in one of the classrooms about racing and Andy and his modified. But, i didn't attend because i would have been the only girl, and i would have felt really awkward. Yes, i do regret my decision!

At first, we were able to get a seat at the start/finish line, and i'm thinking "wow, this is cool"... until someone comes and pretty much threw us out of that section. So, we went to the seating entering turn 1 and sat there. Bad thing about turn 1: all the dirt and dust comes right at you if you're sitting in the front row. Bad place to be! My clothes, skin, and hair were covered in dirt before the night was even beginning! But, i wouldn't trade it for anything. I love bein' at a track; whether it be a NASCAR track at Dover, or whether it be a "local" dirt track such as LVS.

Like i said previously, the first event was the purestock

race. This race was pretty intense, with multiple crashes. The #41 car was involved in numerous accidents, i'd say about 5!!! The winner of this race was Ray Hall Jr, who apparently, has been on a winning streak lately, and has a pretty good record at LVS.

The second event was the 4-cylinder race. The #31 car won the race with Steven Loomis at the wheel. Before the race even started, i saw the #31, and i was like "that car is going to win". I just liked the lime green number on the side! Did the car start on pole? Nope. He started mid-pack, and was able to work his way towards the front and avoided all the "carnage" and "collisions" to cross the stripe first.






Hood and trunk race winner: Don Curley









Reverse race winner: Shawn Perez




Roll Over Contest winner: Frank Sorrento

Trailer race winner: Robin Pough


School Bus Race winner: Todd Goldstein












Forward/Reverse: ???? Because all 4 pairs of cars broke apart before the 4 laps were completed!

Demolition Derby winner: Craig Westerfield

Also, a car was dropped by a crane with a stunt guy inside. The car had no roll-cage or any other safety equipment that isn't included in a street car right off the assembly line. Once the car was released, it landed in a pre-made "bed" of cars to take some of the impact away from hitting the ground head-on. The car landed straight up in the air. The stunt guy inside was okay.

There was so much more that happened, but it would take me forever to begin to tell everything. Did i have a good time? You bet. It was just so crazy there... they had to go to standing room only because so many people showed up! If you ever get a chance to go to a local dirt track or a track near you, GO! It's a really cool experience you won't ever forget!

Until next time, i'm Steph Piech for The Finish Line

Driver Profile: Bradley "Reed" Sorenson

This weeks profile features Reed Sorenson. He's a Peachtree City, Georgia native who also grew up with some other NASCAR stars including David Ragan and rising star, Joey Logano. Today, he took over the reins of the #83 Red Bull Toyota for Brian Vickers who is out for the rest of the season due to blood clots in his legs and chest. You may remember reading my driver profile from last week which featured Mattias Ekstrom, who also filled in for Vickers at Infineon.


You may ask: well why are you doing a driver profile two weeks in a row on one team? Well, my answer to that is because both of these drivers have filled some big shoes. Vickers, in my opinion, is an awesome driver. What Mattias Ekstrom did last week was amazing; but it all went down the drain when Brad Keselowski ruined it. Todays Sprint Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway was a good one for Sorenson as well. He came home with a 24th place finish, 1 lap down. There was a little controversy surrounding Sorenson this afternoon, after a late race run-in on lap 289 with the #42 Target Chevy driven by Juan Pablo Montoya. Before the run-in, Montoya was having a skirmish with the #24 of Jeff Gordon. It seems like everyone is out to get Gordon after last weeks aggressive driving, dont ya think? First David Ragan, then Martin Truex, Elliott Sadler, Clint Bowyer, and the list goes on.

Well, that's in the past now.

If you recall, Reed has been in the Cup series since 2006 when he had a ride with Chip Ganassi in the #41 target dodge. He was only 19 when he made his first cup start in 2005 at his home track at Atlanta, where he finished a dismal 41st.

Unfortunately, he left Ganassi racing 3 years later with only 13 top-10 finishes. Last year, he took over the famous Petty #43 car. Many people do not know that Reed raced more than half of last season for free! FREE! They sat down and had a meeting with him and said, "You either quit or you race for free" to put it in simple lamens terms. Well, Reed's a racer. He's not going to quit racing because he has to race for free. Plus, he cared about his crew. He wasn't going to stop racing because if he did, his crew would become unemployed. He did the only thing he could; he raced for free.

Now he looks at the opportunity of filling the seat in the #83 Red Bull Toyota as one that will hopefully get him a full-time cup ride. He says, "This is something that I've been looking forward to happening this year. I took a step back running the Nationwide car with Braun Racing. That's been really good this year. That was the right move to make. We've been really good over there and I think that's helped my confidence and I think that will be the biggest help more than anything. Things happen every year and people move around and weird things happen during the season. It's been able to give me an opportunity to go out there and run some more Cup races with a great team."

On friday,he said that he and Brian are a lot alike. "I really don't think we're too much different from each other. As far as what we want out of the car compared to a lot of other drivers that have been around, I think it's pretty close. I talked to Brian the other day and asked him if he has any advice or any help to help me out and he said he'd be here this weekend. So hopefully, he'll help me out if I need any and we'll just work the best we can together."

It's tough for drivers who don't have a full-time ride every week. "You're always auditioning, no matter what you're doing. Even just being in the Nationwide car this year, it matters how you do. If you're out there running bad and wrecking and things like that, I probably wouldn't get an opportunity to be in the garage this weekend. These three races are huge, not only for more races in this car, but maybe for something else down the road in the future. After this three-race deal, hopefully it can turn into something longer and that's my goal."

And to think, Reed is only 24. He has so much more to prove to fans, other drivers, and other teams. His career is still just beginning! C'mon team owners, other drivers, and fans. Give Reed a chance. He deserves to be in a Cup car! He is currently the youngest ever pole winner at the Brickyard. If he gets a team and sponsor after this 3 race deal with Red Bull Racing, he'll be making more history. Maybe not right away. But he has what it takes to win, if given the right equipment. But that's just my two cents of input this week.

Until next time, I'm Steph Piech for The Finish Line

Can You Believe It?

The car came to a halt on the backstretch of Bristol Motor Speedway a little after 12:41 in the morning on June 24th. The car: 2011 Ford Mustang. The challenge: Go 1,000 laps at Bristol on one tank of fuel. Was this feat accomplished? Yes, and with many more laps to spare.

David Ragan and Ford engineers full-filled this challenge. 17 hours 40 minutes and 1,457 laps later, the car stopped dead in its tracks.

Ford set out to show consumers that the new Mustang V-6 could complete 1,000 laps which equals 533 miles on a tank of fuel. This is the first car to have 30 mpg with 305 horsepower. However, during the 1,000 lap challenge, the Mustang averaged 48.5 mpg over the 776.5 miles that were logged in this session.

At about 7:26 on June 23rd, Ragan passed the 1,000 lap mark, and the car didn't seem like it was even sputtering; there was plenty left in the tank.

51,000 Ford customers entered guesses about how many laps the Mustang would run. One lucky customer who guessed 1,457 will be drawn from all the other correct entries and will have a chance to win their own 2011 Ford Mustang V-6!

Until next time, I'm Steph Piech for The Finish Line

NASCAR broadcasting in 3D? Holy $#*!

NASCAR.com came out with an article today saying that the July 3rd Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International will be broadcasted in 3D, exclusively through and only on nascar.com with TNT Racebuddy and DirecTV. Crazy huh?

I was kind of shocked when i saw the headline on the website's main page. But what i thought the article was about before i read it, was that TNT was going to broadcast it in 3D as well. But, in order to watch the race in 3D, you will have to have a 3D television (which is a no-brainer) or a 3D PC display with 3D glasses.

If you dont have a 3D television, no worries. On July 3rd, you can go to www.nascar.com/racebuddy3D to get more information as well as the equipment you will need to view the online 3D production.



The production, via DirecTV and nascar.com, will feature two new and custom racing feeds produced only for 3D. Cameras will be strategically placed around the racetrack to provide quite a unique view of the racing action and to maximize the 3D effect. The second stream will bring pit crews to life in an unforgettable three-dimensional experience.

Jay Abraham, chief operating officer of NASCAR Media Group comments in an interview with nascar.com, "One of our goals here in NASCAR is to continuously explore ways to improve the viewing experience for our fans. Offering the Coke Zero 400 in 3D on nascar.com and select television distributors is a great example of that consistent exploration. Our fans have been asking us about 3D for several months so we're excited to deliver that to them for the first time ever in what will likely how NASCAR is consumed moving forward."

The race will be televised @ 7:30 on TNT, with the Countdown to Green beginning @ 6:30

(More information can be found on NASCAR.com)

Until next time, i'm Steph Piech for The Finish Line

Driver Profile: Mattias Ekstrom

Each week there will be a spotlight on certain drivers from the past weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

This weeks driver profile focuses on Mattias Ekstrom. This past week at Infineon Raceway, he was the substitute driver for Red Bull Racing's #83 car for Brian Vickers. As well all know, Vickers has been out of the racecar since he was diagnosed with blood clot in both his legs and lungs back in early May. Casey Mears has been the replacement driver for the past couple of weeks, but an accident that happened last weekend at Michigan International with his teammate, Scott Speed, had him seeking other options if he wanted to continue racing on the Cup circuit.

Moving on, Mattias had an awesome run going at Infineon... until it was ruined by a late race run-in with the #12 Penske Dodge driven by Brad Keselowski. I'm pretty sure Ekstrom would have gotten a top 15, if not a top 10 finish in his first ever NASCAR race. He also became the first Scandinavian driver to race in NASCAR.

Mattias was born on July 14, 1978 in Falun, Sweden. Since 2001, he has been competing in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters for Audi.

CAREER

He was the DTM champion back in 2004. Before that, he had finished 4th in 2003, and 3rd in 2002. In the 2005 season, he finished 2nd behind Gary Paffett. He was also the Swedish Touring Car champion in 1999. Ekstrom is also active in rallying and the World Rally Championship.

In 2006, Ekstrom won the Henri Toivonen Memorial Trophy and earned the title Champion of Champions at the 2006 Race of Champions, by winning over Sebastien Loeb in the individual event finals.

He won his second DTM title in 2007 and went on to win the 2007 Race of Champions, beating Michael Schumacher in the individual finals. In 2009, he won the Race of Champions once more beating the seven time world champion in the final.

Now you know a little bit more about Mattias Ekstrom. Hope he comes back to Cup racin' in August for Watkins Glen!

Until next time, i'm Steph Piech for The Finish Line

Bucyrus 200

Yesterday, Carl Edwards won the Bucyrus 200 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Some of you may be wondering what, exactly, is Bucyrus.

Bucyrus International Inc. produces and manufactures high quality mining equipment for surface and underground mining. The underground equipment is used mainly for mining coal, while surface equipment is used for mining coal, copper, iron ore, oil sands, and other minerals. Bucyrus' main headquarters is located in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

HISTORY

-The Panama Canal was completed in 1914, which made it the largest excavation projects of the early 20th century. Bucyrus equipment made this possible.

-Mid 1970s- Bucyrus began working with Siemens Energy and Automation with the goal of creating the most cost-effective electric drive system available. As a result, the first all AC drive electric mining shovel was commissioned in 1990.

PHILOSOPHY

-Safety

-Integrity

-Quality

-Reliability

-Customer Focus

-Sustainable Development

-Continuous Improvement

-Drive for Results

(All information can be found at http://www.bucyrus.com/)

Now you know a little bit more about the sponsor of yesterdays race!

Until next time, i'm Steph Piech for The Finish Line

This Weekend: Road Racin'

This weekend, the NASCAR Sprint Cup & Nationwide series travel to some famous road racing venues: Infineon Raceway in California and Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

This will be the first time that the Nationwide Series has been to Road America. This track is 4 miles long... the longest track on the whole NASCAR circuit. The race length for Saturday's Bucyrus 200 presented by Menards is 50 laps, equaling 200.4 (approx.) miles. You might be sayin' ...50 laps? that's all? Well... it's 4 miles with 14 turns... left, left... left, right, left .......

Road America is a replacement for once raced at Mexico City track. That was a fun road course race to watch. I think the main reason NASCAR moved from Mexico City was because of the main straightaway... i remember, NASCAR had made "turns" on the straight out of cones because the cars were carrying too much speed into the turn. I think it was Carl Edwards, who totaled his car because he carried way too much speed and when he tried to turn through the man-made cones, his car turned head-on into the wall (don't quote me on this... but i know something happened along those lines).

I don't think Saturday will be a let down. I've never seen a race at Road America, and im excited to see what will happen. These NASCAR drivers are used to turnin' left; some of them have never seen Road America before, so this race will be quite an unknown factor to both the drivers and fans. Who knows what will happen...

Sunday, the Sprint Cup Series returns to Infineon Raceway. Last year, Kasey Kahne got his first ever road course victory coming at Infineon. Can he do it again? Who knows... im sure the road course "ringers" will have something to say about it though.

Gentlemen, Start Your Engines

Until next time, I'm Steph Piech for The Finish Line

Drivers Full Names

I thought i would have a little fun, so... here are some of the drivers full names! Enjoy :)

David Carl Allison
Gregory Jack Biffle
David Lee Blaney
Michael Duane Bliss
Kurt Thomas Busch
Kyle Thomas Busch
Jeffrey Tyler Burton
Richard Allen Craven
Kerry Dale Earnhardt
Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr
Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr
Carl Michael Edwards III
William Clyde Elliott
Jeffrey Michael Gordon
Charles Robert Hamilton IV
Charles Robert Hamilton V
Kevin Michael Harvick
Virgil Ernest Irvan III
Kenny Dale Irwin, Jr
Dale Arnold Jarrett
Jimmie Kenneth Johnson
Kasey Kenneth Kahne
Matthew Roy Kenseth
Alan Dennis Kulwicki
Travis Wade Kvapil
Robert Allan Labonte
Terrence Lee Labonte
Randy Joseph Lajoie
Kevin Paul Lepage
William Ashton Lewis, Jr
Sterling Burton Marlin
Mark Anthony Martin
Jeremy Allan Mayfield
James Christopher McMurray
Casey James Mears
Juan Pablo Montoya
Joseph Francis Nemechek III
Ryan Joseph Newman
Kyle Eugene Petty
Floyd Anthony Raines
Scott Russell Riggs
Richard Lee Rudd
Elliott William Barnes Sadler
Johnny Andrew Sauter
Kenneth William Schrader
Bradley Reed Sorenson
Anthony Wayne Stewart
Martin Lee Truex Jr
Brian Lee Vickers
Kenneth Lee Wallace
Michael Steven Wallace
Russell William Wallace, Jr
Michael Curtis Waltrip
Scott Alan Wimmer
Jonathon Edward Wood
Christopher Beltram Hernandez Yeley
Joseph Thomas Logano :)

My First Ever Blog

Hello to everyone! This is my first ever blog, and i'm really excited about it. I know a lot of people who have made blogs or are making them, and i've heard it's pretty fun. So now, it's my turn to try it out and see how it goes!

So... most of my friends know that i'm a NASCAR fan, to say the least. Apparently i'm "obsessed"... but to those of you out there who are fans (or better known as 'fanatics') understand how the whole obsession thing works for us.

"What's so exciting about drivin' around in a circle for hours on end?" Doesn't every non-racing fan say that to us fans? I think i've gotten that line, and other variations of it, at least 100 times over the time period that i've been watching the sport. If it wasn't exciting, would millions of people be watching it? ... i mean... last time i heard the number it was about 75 million! 75 million people watching something that isn't considered a "sport" to some people? That the drivers in stock cars aren't "athletes"? c'mon now... there's more to racing than just crashes and endless turning left.

I love those old NASCAR commercials i used to see on television... "it's a way of life". That's what NASCAR is. Traveling across the country for 36 weekends (not counting the All-star race and other events) must be a thrill of a lifetime. Friendships are made. Rivalries grow. Adrenaline pumps. The smell of gasoline and burnt rubber fill the air. What's not to love?

The first ever raced i watched, was the 2001 Daytona 500. Sadly, as all fans know, this was the race in which we lost a legend: The Intimadator, Dale Earnhardt. My family was helping a friend move, so the only thing left to pack was the television. We sat down to take a break, and the only channel that was available was FOX. Ever since that day, i've been hooked!

I watched through the '01 season, as well as 2002 and 2003. I really didn't start watchin' it hardcore, though, until 2004.

As you probably already know, my blog is about NASCAR! I'm excited to share with you guys what i feel about this season, and anything else that's happenin' on and off the track.

This season isn't even halfway through, and we've had so much "drama" if you will... the Daytona pothole, teammate rivalries- Jeff Gordon & Jimmie Johnson, Juan Pablo Montoya & Jamie McMurray, Kasey Kahne & A.J. Allmendinger, as well as Casey Mears (subbing for Brian Vickers) & Scott Speed this past weekend at Michigan; as well as Denny Hamlin's seemingly domination over the field this year. Who knows what's to come...

Until next time, i'm Steph Piech for The Finish Line