A new appreciation for sleep

I have gained a new appreciation for sleep. Really and truly. I spent Friday, Jan. 25 through Tuesday, Jan. 29 in Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital where I took part in a sleep study. As part of that sleep study I was required to stay up for 38 straight hours.

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I didn't think it would ever end. It started Sunday evening when I woke up (7:30 AM) and didn't end until Monday evening (10 PM). Needless to say by the time I finally did get to sleep I was out in around 30 seconds. Look for a nice feature about my trip at some point in the future. For now I did want to show off this really cool photo I shot on the plane ride back home.

Look ma! I'm on top of the world!!!!

Greatest CD release day ever

So I am officially calling Jan. 22, 2008 the greatest CD release date ever. Why is that you might ask? Because two of my top five favorite bands released new studio albums today. The Drive-By Truckers dropped their very anticipated album "Brighter Than Creation's Dark" while the North Mississippi Allstars released their first recording on their own label titled "Hernando." I've been looking forward to this day since sometime in October I think.

The Drive-By Truckers album is an outstanding representation of what modern day southern rock should sound like. "Brighter Than Creation's Dark" features a lot of rock fused with just the right combination of old 70s country and just a touch of soul and blues. Songwriters Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley and Shonna Tucker make you think with the words to their songs, like Hood's "That Man I Shot" which talks about the feelings of a solider who returned home, yet he can't get the face of a man he shot while away at war out of his mind. Another great example of the songwriting skills presented on this album is Cooley's "A Ghost To Most." With lines like "Talking tough is easy when it's other people's evil and you're judging what they do or don't believe," it's hard to argue that the song isn't great.

In regards to the North Mississippi Allstars and their album "Hernando," its a cross between their first album "Shake Hands With Shorty" and their last studio album "Electric Blue Watermelon." It still has a lot of the same Hill Country Blues sound from "Electric Blue Watermelon" but it fuses it with the rock from "Shake Hands With Shorty" to create a sound much more modern but with the same old school blues feel. Song's like the album opener "Shake" makes you want to stomp your feet while tracks like "I'd Love To Be A Hippy" has a distinct blues feel to it that reminds me of the legendary B.B. King. Did I mention I love the blues?

In the end all that really needs to be said is these are two great albums from two great bands. Jan. 22, 2008 is the greatest CD release date, EVER!

Preparing for my sleep study

Shortly after I took my job here at The Star I took a little trip with my twin brother to the University of Pennsylvania Hospital to take part in the first round of a two part sleep study. I know what you must be thinking, and no, I don't have any problem sleeping.

Actually, the study is specifically designed for twins (which I just happen to be) and the folks at the university hospital found our contact information in the Mid-Atlantic Twin Registry and gave my twin and I a call. The entire gig is actually very cool. They pay for the flight up north, the taki ride to the hospital and they feed us the entire time.

Of course its not all milk and cookies so to speak. They hooked up so many wires to me during the first part of the study I looked like I was deathly sick (which of course I wasn't). In any case, the worst part is yet to come.

When I fly back to Philadelphia Friday i'll be walking into what very well may be the worst experience of my life. You see, as part of the sleep study, during the second portion of the study (5 days) they will be keeping me wide awake for a brisk 38 hour period. No caffiene, no video games, no internet, no live tv, no cell phone. All i'll have is DVD's, magazines, board games and light exercise.

My twin has already done the second part of the study and from what he's told me the 38 hours of no sleep is awful. Wow, I feel so much better...

Anyway, we've talked around the office about turning my experience into a feature type story for the paper. Not exactly sure how its gonna work yet but i'm bringing my digital camera, which has a video feature on it, along with a big thick pad of paper for me to write notes on during my time up there. We'll just wait and see what comes of it.

Also, before I forget, for a week prior to the study i'm supposed to wear this thing called an "Actiwatch," which is pictured below. I have no idea what the Actiwatch is or what it does. All I know is i'm supposed to wear it for a week before my sleep study starts. It doesn't even have any buttons on it, so I just straped it on and hopped for the best. Don't worry folks, I have every intention on finding out exactly what i've been strapping to my arm everyday once I get in Philadephia. More updates on this likely long and strange trip as I get them.

Daytona Testing Draft Speeds

So Preseason Thunder for the Sprint Cup boys is finally over and some surprises presented themselves. First, Dario Franchitti really surprised. Not only was he 8th fastest overall in single car tests but he was 4th fastest during drafting testing. The Toyota's also appear to have gotten their act together as they were fast in both single car runs and the drafting sessions. Needless to say the Daytona 500 is gonna be one wild race and hard as anything to predict. One thing I do feel comfortable saying is that MANY Toyota's will likely be qualifying near the front. I don't know how they will race, but I'll bet a Toyota is on the front row of the 500 this year.

Kasey Kahne lead all drivers during the drafting sessions with a best speed of 189.111 (47.591) followed by Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin in Toyota's, Franchitti's Dodge and Regan Smith's Chevrolet.

Cars that will are guaranteed to start the Daytona 500 are listed in bold. Drivers with past champion provisionals available to them will be in italics. Remember, Kurt Busch and Sam Hornish Jr. switched owner points, so Kurt will have to qualify on speed in the first five races of the season or use his champions provisional. He will not miss the first five races however since he is the most recent past champion not already in the top 35 in owner points. His name will appear in bold and italics.

Also note that many of the drivers tested multiple cars, hence why some car numbers have a letter beside them. The speeds listed below are the drafting runs for each driver from all the drafting test sessions at Daytona this week and last.

Car. No, Name, Make, Best Time, Best Speed, Test Session
1. 9 Kasey Kahne Dodge 47.591 189.111 Jan. 16
2. 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 47.662 188.830 Jan. 9 PM
3. 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 47.665 188.818 Jan. 16
4. 40 Dario Franchitti Dodge 47.689 188.723 Jan. 16
5. 01 Regan Smith Chevrolet 47.703 188.667 Jan. 16
6. 12 Ryan Newman Dodge 47.724 188.584 Jan. 16
7. 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 47.747 188.494 Jan. 9 PM
8. 77 Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 47.836 188.143 Jan. 16
9. 43 Bobby Labonte Dodge 47.845 188.107 Jan. 16
10. 20 Tony Stewart Toyota 47.857 188.060 Jan. 16
11. 55 Michael Waltrip Toyota 47.877 187.982 Jan. 16
12. 6 David Ragan Ford 47.888 187.939 Jan. 16
13. 41 Reed Sorenson Dodge 47.894 187.915 Jan. 9 PM
14. 22 Dave Blaney Toyota 47.909 187.856 Jan. 16
15. 26 Jamie McMurray Ford 47.910 187.852 Jan. 16
16. 15 Paul Menard Chevrolet 47.912 187.844 Jan. 16
17. 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 47.914 187.837 Jan. 9 PM
18. 84 A.J. Allmendinger Toyota 47.922 187.805 Jan. 9 PM
19. 1 Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet 47.922 187.805 Jan. 9 PM
20. 34 Derrike Cope Dodge 47.925 187.793 Jan. 16
21. 44 Dale Jarrett Toyota 47.958 187.664 Jan. 16
22. 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 47.992 187.531 Jan. 15 PM
23. 66 Scott Riggs Chevrolet 48.007 187.473 Jan. 16
24. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 48.014 187.445 Jan. 16
25. 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 48.019 187.426 Jan. 16
26. 96 J.J. Yeley Toyota 48.036 187.359 Jan. 8 PM
27. 5 Casey Mears Chevrolet 48.040 187.344 Jan. 9 PM
28. 21 Bill Elliott Ford 48.042 187.336 Jan. 16
29. 2 Kurt Busch Dodge 48.047 187.317 Jan. 8 PM
30. 8 Mark Martin Chevrolet 48.049 187.309 Jan. 9 PM
31. 10 Patrick Carpentier Dodge 48.052 187.297 Jan. 16
32. 38 David Gilliland Ford 48.065 187.246 Jan. 16
33. 16 Greg Biffle Ford 48.075 187.207 Jan. 9 AM
34. 99 Carl Edwards Ford 48.089 187.153 Jan. 9 PM
35. 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 48.090 187.149 Jan. 9 AM
36. 78 Joe Nemechek Chevrolet 48.093 187.137 Jan. 9 PM
37. 83 Brian Vickers Toyota 48.099 187.114 Jan. 15 PM
38. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Dodge 48.107 187.083 Jan. 9 PM
39. 00 David Reutimann Toyota 48.111 187.067 Jan. 9 PM
40. 28 Travis Kvapil Ford 48.118 187.040 Jan. 15 PM
41. 07 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 48.157 186.889 Jan. 9 PM
42. 7 Robby Gordon Ford 48.181 186.796 Jan. 8 PM
43. 27 Jacques Villeneuve Toyota 48.295 186.355 Jan. 9 AM
44. 70 Jeremy Mayfield Chevrolet 48.299 186.339 Jan. 9 AM
45. 19 Elliott Sadler Dodge 48.332 186.212 Jan. 8 PM
46. 09 Sterling Marlin Chevrolet 48.345 186.162 Jan. 15 PM
47. 50 Stanton Barrett Chevrolet 48.429 185.839 Jan. 16
48. 34 Eric McClure Dodge 48.434 185.820 Jan. 15 PM
49. 49 Ken Schrader Dodge 48.456 185.736 Jan. 16
50. 45 Kyle Petty Dodge 48.516 185.506 Jan. 9 PM
51. 08 Carl Long Dodge 48.611 185.143 Jan. 16
52. 87 Jeff Fuller Chevrolet 48.969 183.790 Jan. 15 PM
53. 60 Boris Said Ford 49.225 182.834 Jan. 16
54. 98 Jason Keller Dodge 49.241 182.775 Jan. 9 PM
55. 33 Kirk Shelmerdine Chevrolet 49.304 182.541 Jan. 9 PM
56. 57 Norm Benning Chevrolet 50.171 179.386 Jan. 16

Daytona Non-Drafting Test Sessions Results

I spent sometime today combining the test session results from the last two weeks from the non-drafting sessions at Daytona to see where teams placed. According to what I'm seeing Toyota is gonna be a serious threat for the Pole at Daytona this year, not to mention the Daytona 500 trophy. But of course, the biggest news out of the test sessions is Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his No. 88 team clocked off the fastest non-drafting lap, clocking in at 185.820 MPH (48.434 seconds), beating Dave Blaney's best speed of 185.445 (48.532). Look out Daytona, Dale Jr. has a rocketship. The fastest Dodge was surprisingly open-wheel convert Dario Franchitti who clocked in at an impressive 184.718 MPH. Travis Kvapil was fastest in a Ford, coming home at 184.143 MPH.

Cars that will guarnteed to start the Daytona 500 are listed in bold. Drivers with past champion provisionals available to them will be in italics. Remember, Kurt Busch and Sam Hornish Jr. switched owner points, so Kurt will have to qualify on speed in the first five races of the season or use his champions provisional. He will not miss the first five races however since he is the most recent past champion not alread in the top 35 in owner points. His name will appear in bold and italics.

Also note that many of the drivers tested multiple cars, hence why some car numbers have a letter beside them. The speeds listed below are the fastest single laps for each driver over six non-drafting test sessions at Daytona this week and last. Later this week i'll have complete results from all six drafting sessions at Daytona from the last two weeks (there are still two more drafting sessions left tomorrow).

Car. No, Name, Make, Best Time, Best Speed, Test Session
1. 88B Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 48.434 185.820 Jan. 15 AM
2. 22B Dave Blaney Toyota 48.532 185.445 Jan. 14 PM
3. 55 Michael Waltrip Toyota 48.555 185.357 Jan. 15 AM
4. 83A Brian Vickers Toyota 48.568 185.307 Jan. 14 PM
5. 44A Dale Jarrett Toyota 48.572 185.292 Jan. 14 PM
6. 20A Tony Stewart Toyota 48.624 185.094 Jan. 14 PM
7. 48A Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 48.706 184.782 Jan. 7 AM
8. 40 Dario Franchitti Dodge 48.718 184.718 Jan. 14 PM
9. 5B Casey Mears Chevrolet 48.761 184.574 Jan. 7 AM
10. 11B Denny Hamlin Toyota 48.766 184.555 Jan. 14 PM
11. 27B Jacques Villeneuve Toyota 48.792 184.456 Jan. 8 AM
12. 28B Travis Kvapil Ford 48.875 184.143 Jan. 8 AM
13. 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 48.896 184.064 Jan. 7 PM
14. 84B AJ Allmendinger Toyota 48.900 184.049 Jan. 8 AM
15. 96B J.J. Yeley Toyota 48.951 183.857 Jan. 8 AM
16. 38A David Gilliland Ford 48.957 183.835 Jan. 14 PM
17. 24A Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 48.964 183.809 Jan. 8 AM
18. 12A Ryan Newman Dodge 49.027 183.572 Jan. 14 PM
19. 00A David Reutimann Toyota 49.043 183.512 Jan. 7 PM
20. 21A Bill Elliott Ford 49.071 183.408 Jan. 14 PM
21. 1A Aric Almirola Chevrolet 49.082 183.367 Jan. 7 PM (will not be attempting Daytona)
22. 87 Jeff Fuller Chevrolet 49.100 183.299 Jan. 14 PM
23. 9B Kasey Kahne Dodge 49.127 183.199 Jan. 14 PM
24. 1A Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet 49.142 183.143 Jan. 8 AM
25. 6B David Ragan Ford 49.160 183.076 Jan. 15 AM
26. 10C Patrick Carpentier Dodge 49.194 182.949 Jan. 15 AM
27. 43A Bobby Labonte Dodge 49.196 182.942 Jan. 15 AM
28. 34A Eric McClure Dodge 49.228 182.823 Jan. 14 PM
29. 42B Juan Pablo Montoya Dodge 49.250 182.741 Jan. 7 PM
30. 66H Scott Riggs Chevrolet 49.253 182.730 Jan. 15 AM
31. 26A Jamie McMurray Ford 49.262 182.697 Jan. 14 PM
32. 17B Matt Kenseth Ford 49.265 182.685 Jan. 8 AM
33. 60B Boris Said Ford 49.268 182.674 Jan. 14 PM
34. 15A Paul Menard Chevrolet 49.276 182.645 Jan. 14 PM
35. 70A Jeremy Mayfield Chevrolet 49.287 182.604 Jan. 7 PM
36. 19A Elliott Sadler Dodge 49.292 182.585 Jan. 7 PM
37. 01B Regan Smith Chevrolet 49.302 182.548 Jan. 14 PM
38. 16B Greg Biffle Ford 49.316 182.497 Jan. 8 AM
39. 78A Joe Nemechek Chevrolet 49.331 182.441 Jan. 8 AM
40. 98A Jason Keller Dodge 49.337 182.419 Jan. 8 AM
41. 8A Mark Martin Chevrolet 49.344 182.393 Jan. 8 AM
42. 7A Robby Gordon Ford 49.344 182.393 Jan. 8 AM
43. 45A Kyle Petty Dodge 49.362 182.326 Jan. 8 AM
44. 07A Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 49.362 182.326 Jan. 8 AM
45. 41A Reed Sorenson Dodge 49.380 182.260 Jan. 8 AM
46. 31A Jeff Burton Chevrolet 49.403 182.175 Jan. 15 AM
47. 99A Carl Edwards Ford 49.403 182.175 Jan. 7 PM
48. 2B Kurt Busch Dodge 49.408 182.157 Jan. 7 PM
49. 50A Stanton Barrett Chevrolet 49.409 182.153 Jan. 15 AM
50. 77A Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 49.430 182.076 Jan. 15 AM
51. 29A Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 49.467 181.939 Jan. 14 PM
52. 33 Kirk Shelmerdine Chevrolet 49.551 181.631 Jan. 7 PM
53. 49A Ken Schrader Dodge 49.661 181.229 Jan. 15 AM
54. 09B Sterling Marlin Chevrolet 49.758 180.875 Jan. 15 AM
55. 49A John Andretti Dodge 49.930 180.252 Jan. 14 AM
56. 08A Carl Long Dodge 50.410 178.536 Jan. 15 AM
57. 57A Norm Benning Chevrolet 50.889 176.856 Jan. 14 PM

NASCAR Odds and Ends

Here are a few odds and ends from the world of NASCAR:

-First and foremost Morgan-McClure Racing announced Friday they were closing up shop due to lack of sponsorship for the 2008 season. I won't say much about this here, but feel free to check out my column on the subject in today's paper or online at this link.

-Ken Schrader and BAM Racing have come to an agreement that will allow BAM Racing to enter Schrader in its No. 49 entry in the Daytona 500.

-After testing for Richard Childress Racing in its No. 33 entry, Kirk Shelmerdine has been named the driver of the car for the Daytona 500. Some might remember Shelmerdine from the 2006 Daytona 500 when he got the last spot in the field on speed and ended up finishing 20th. And oh yeah, he is a former championship winning crew chief for Dale Earnhardt.

-It looks like former Ginn Racing sponsor Principal Financial will be joining Dale Earnhardt Inc. as a sponsor for Regan Smith's No. 01 entry. Principal Financial will likely be a primary sponsor on the car for a limited number of races while remaining an associate sponsor for the rest of the schedule.

-Furniture Row Racing is sending another car to Daytona testing this week. Last week they sent the No. 78 entry driven by Joe Nemechek to the first round of Daytona testing. This week Rick Fuller and the No. 87 entry will make the trip to Daytona for the second round of testing. It is not yet known if Furniture Row will field both cars in the Daytona 500.

-Wood Brothers Racing and JTG Racing have decided to split up their duel operation. They will still work together in a large capacity, just not to the extent that they had been. Bill Elliott is slated to run all of the Speedweeks events at Daytona (and likely some others, though none are announced as yet) in the No. 21 with Little Debbie on the hood, Jon Wood will drive nine races in the car with sponsorship from the U.S. Air Force, and Marcos Ambrose will drive the car in most of the other races with Little Debbie as the sponsor.

-Carl Long & E&M Motorsports are going to attempt this years Daytona 500 in the No. 08 Dodge with sponsorship from Millstar and Rhino Energy Drink. Long will also drive the car at the spring Bristol event.

-Valvoline appears to be returning to the No. 10 operation that will be driven in 2008 by Patrick Carpentier, though its unlikely they will be returning as a fulltime primary sponsor. They will be on the hood for a few races according to recent rumors (and a paint scheme recently made public).

NASCAR 2008 Team Capsules, Part 4

I've gone ahead and finished up the team capsules today. This last group contains the No. 44 UPS Toyota all the way to Carl Edwards and his No. 99 Ford. Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Car No.: 44
Driver(s): David Reutimann (31 Races)/Dale Jarrett (5 Races)
Sponsor: UPS
Car Make: Toyota
Owner: Michael Waltrip Racing
Chase Outlook: Slim to None
Summary: This is a team in transition. With Dale Jarrett set to retire in 2008 after 32 wins and a championship in 1999, Reutimann will step in and take over this ride. Jarrett’s goal is to hopefully race the car well enough to get it into the top 35 in owner points the first five races of the year, then allow Reutimann to step in and finish out the schedule. I, for one, hope this works out for Reutimann, who didn’t have much to smile about last season as a rookie.

Car No.: 45
Driver: Kyle Petty
Sponsor: Marathon Oil/Wells Fargo/PVA.org/NTB/Tire Kingdom/Olympia Steel Buildings
Car Make: Dodge
Owner: Petty Enterprises
Chase Outlook: Slim to None
Summary: Kyle Petty returns once again for another season behind the wheel of the No. 45 Petty Enterprises Dodge. Coming with him are about a million primary sponsors (several of which we probably don’t know about yet). It is believed that Petty, much like 2007, will step out of the car for about five races and into the announcing booth for TNT. The question is who will replace him in the car during those five races. Chad McCumbee, who drove the car at the first Pocono race last year for Petty, is the likely answer.

Car No.: 48
Driver: Jimmie Johnson
Sponsor: Lowe’s
Car Make: Chevrolet
Owner: Rick Hendrick
Chase Outlook: Highest
Summary: The two-time reigning Sprint Cup Champion is back and he is as good as ever. Don’t expect two straight championship seasons to spoil Johnson, who last year picked up a series leading 10 victories. This guy is turning into the next Jeff Gordon, which is strange because Gordon isn’t even close to hanging up his helmet. The duel between Gordon and Johnson in the coming years should be one for the ages.

Car No.: 49
Driver: John Andretti
Sponsor: Unconfirmed
Car Make: Dodge
Owner: BAM Racing
Chase Outlook: Slim to None
Summary: This team is just hoping for a little bit of luck in 2008. After parting ways with Ken Schrader to bring in Brent Sherman (who brought with him sponsorship from Serta) it’s been all downhill for BAM Racing. They are hoping 2008 changes that. They’ve hired veteran John Andretti to drive the car and are looking for a sponsor to help bring them back from the edge of dead race teams.

Car No.: 55
Driver: Michael Waltrip
Sponsor: NAPA Auto Parts
Car Make: Toyota
Owner: Michael Waltrip Racing
Chase Outlook: Mild at best
Summary: 2007 couldn’t have been a worst year for Waltrip. The season started with a cheating scandal at the Daytona 500 and he only made 14 races all season long. He has got to be thinking that 2008 couldn’t be worse then that. Frankly I’d have to agree, though I don’t see him breaking out and winning 10 races, I think making a modest 25-30 races would be a good start to getting this team back on track. I’ll even throw in a top 10 or two just to be nice.

Car No.: 66
Driver: Scott Riggs
Sponsor: Unconfirmed
Car Make: Chevrolet
Owner: Haas CNC Racing
Chase Outlook: Mild at best
Summary: So long Jeff Green. Hello Scott Riggs. This trade off confuses me. Why would you fire a man who has consistently gotten your team into races for a man that struggled to even make races in 2007? Maybe that’s why Best Buy jumped ship and went to the former home of Scott Riggs, Gillett Evernham Motorsports. Recent rumors all but confirm that State Water Heaters will be joining this team as its sponsor. While not nearly as big as Best Buy, its better to have some sponsor rather then no sponsor.

Car No.: 70
Driver: Jeremy Mayfield
Sponsor: Atlas Copco Compressors (1 Race)/Unconfirmed
Car Make: Chevrolet
Owner: Haas CNC Racing
Chase Outlook: Fair
Summary: I gave this team a "Fair" Chase Outlook only because I feel like Mayfield is the better of the two drivers at Haas CNC Racing. While his last few years haven’t exactly been impressive, he did make the Chase in 2004 and 2005 plus he has five career wins. I can only hope Mayfield’s past success will help this team improve on its 2007 season when Johnny Sauter was behind the wheel.

Car No.: 77
Driver: Sam Hornish Jr. (ROTY)
Sponsor: Mobil 1
Car Make: Dodge
Owner: Roger Penske
Chase Outlook: Mild at best
Summary: The last of the new open-wheel converts to join the NASCAR ranks, Hornish didn’t exactly light the world on fire last year in the few races he ran. That might be why, as a safety precaution, Roger Penske swapped the owner points from the No. 2 to the No. 77 to make sure Hornish made the first five races of the season. Lets just hope he can put together a decent string of finishes and gain some experience this year.

Car No.: 78
Driver: Joe Nemechek
Sponsor: Furniture Row
Car Make: Chevrolet
Owner: Furniture Row Racing
Chase Outlook: Slim to None
Summary: Another field filler that is in desperate need of some help. Furniture Row owns and supports this team directly out of the company’s own pocket, which just can’t be done in this day and age. If this team wants to be a serious competitor in the NASCAR world it might be best served to turn this team into a Nationwide Series team and gain some experience there first before coming back to play with the big boys again.

Car No.: 83
Driver: Brian Vickers
Sponsor: Red Bull Energy Drink
Car Make: Toyota
Owner: Red Bull Racing
Chase Outlook: Fair
Summary: I really should list this team’s Chase Outlook as "Slim to None" but I feel generous here. Vickers is a proven competitor who I think just got caught up in a new manufacturer’s first year on the job. Once Toyota gets this Sprint Cup racing thing figured out, and they will, I’d be afraid to get in the way of Brian Vickers and this Red Bull Racing team.

Car No.: 84
Driver: A.J. Allmendinger
Sponsor: Red Bull Energy Drink
Car Make: Toyota
Owner: Red Bull Racing
Chase Outlook: Slim to None
Summary: I don’t feel bad at all listing this team as a "Slim to None" when it comes to making the Chase. Allmendinger’s 2007 was an awful start to his stock car career and I can only hope that 2008 is better. However, I did find myself rooting for Allmendinger to make races last year, if only to watch him race around 36th place throughout the day. The only thing that can help Allmendinger is experience, experience, experience and the only way to get that is to qualify, qualify, qualify.

Car No.: 88
Driver: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Sponsor: Amp Energy Drink/National Guard
Car Make: Chevrolet
Car Owner: Rick Hendrick
Chase Outlook: Higher
Summary: The story of 2007 could be the story of 2008 depending on how well Dale Earnhardt Jr. does this year. If he makes the Chase, all will be well in the land of Dale Jr. If he doesn’t and has another dismal year, then Rick Hendrick might look like the sucker of the decade. I’m betting on the first choice though. Everyone else had better watch out, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is going to be the man to beat at Daytona, you just wait and see.

Car No.: 96
Driver: J.J. Yeley
Sponsor: Texas Instruments DLP Products
Car Make: Toyota
Car Owner: Hall of Fame Racing
Chase Outlook: Fair
Summary: Yeley left Joe Gibbs Racing, but not really. The No. 96 team is a satellite team to Joe Gibbs Racing so in reality Yeley’s jump to the No. 96 wasn’t a big one. He’ll still have a lot of the same quality equipment he had in the No. 18 but it’ll just be a different bunch of guys working on the car. And oh yeah, his car is now a Toyota just like his former Joe Gibbs team. Making the Chase is probably not gonna happen, but a few top 5’s and top 10’s could be on the horizon.

Car No.: 99
Driver: Carl Edwards
Sponsor: Office Depot/Aflac (8 Races)/Lumber Liquidators
Car Make: Ford
Car Owner: Jack Roush
Chase Outlook: Highest
Summary: Edwards looked like a championship winning racecar driver last year. Now all he needs is the trophy to prove it. Edwards took home the Busch Series (now the Nationwide Series) trophy last year and I’d have a hard time betting against Edwards to win it all in the Sprint Cup in 2008. He’ll be among the drivers to beat for the title.

NASCAR 2008 Team Capsules, Part 3

Here are the next set of team capsules for the 2008 NASCAR season. This set runs from Jeff Gordon's No. 24 to Bobby Labonte's No. 43.

Car No.: 24
Driver: Jeff Gordon
Sponsor: DuPont
Car Make: Chevrolet
Owner: Rick Hendrick
Chase Outlook: Highest
Summary: Probably the most frustrated man at the end of the 2007 season was this man. Gordon dominated the 2007 Sprint Cup campaign, notching a modern era record 30 top 10’s and six victories, yet he still came home second to teammate Jimmie Johnson thanks to the Chase points system. All that does is motivate Gordon to come out and dominate again in 2008 and frankly I wouldn’t bet against him.

Car No.: 26
Driver: Jamie McMurray
Sponsor: Crown Royal/Irwin Tools/Sharp AQUOS
Car Make: Ford
Owner: Jack Roush
Chase Outlook: Fair
Summary: McMurray had a fairly decent season in 2007. He picked up his second career win in dramatic fashion at the Pepsi 400 and notched nine top 10’s while coming home 17th in the points standings. With just a little more consistency and patience I wouldn’t be shocked to see this man fighting it out in the Chase in 2008.

Car No.: 27
Driver: Jacques Villeneuve (ROTY)
Sponsor: Unconfirmed
Car Make: Toyota
Owner: Bill Davis Racing
Chase Outlook: Slim to None
Summary: Welcome to the world of stock cars Jacques, prepare for a bumpy ride. The 2008 season is not going to be an easy one for this career open-wheel racer, who in 2008 begins his first full season in NASCAR. I can’t imagine this team, formally the No. 36 driven mostly by Jeremy Mayfield in 2007, will be that competitive even with Villeneuve behind the wheel next year. Lets not forget that this team also lacks a sponsor, so that could put a major damper on Villeneuve’s first full season.

Car No.: 28
Driver: Travis Kvapil
Sponsor: Unconfirmed
Car Make: Ford
Owner: Yates Racing
Chase Outlook: Mild at best
Summary: Formally the No. 88, this is a former championship winning team. However, the years of Dale Jarrett and the blue and red No. 88 are long gone, and so are this teams championship and Chase hopes. Kvapil returns to the Sprint Cup series after spending most of 2007 driving a Roush owned Craftsman Truck. All this team can really hope for is a decent season, with a handful of top 10’s, and a decent sponsor to come along and help these guys out. Otherwise this could be the swan song for a once mighty NASCAR franchise.

Car No.: 29
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Sponsor: Shell/Pennzoil
Car Make: Chevrolet
Owner: Richard Childress
Chase Outlook: Higher
Summary: The 2007 Daytona 500 champion is back, and he isn’t gonna take it anymore. Ok, enough of the bad song references. Harvick and his No. 29 team have something to prove in 2008. After winning the Daytona 500 last year they didn’t win another race all year. While some would say if they had to win one they won the right one, being competitive in NASCAR is about more than just one race. So if Harvick really wants to be a stronger threat for the championship, he’d better start picking up a few more victories.

Car No.: 31
Driver: Jeff Burton
Sponsor: AT&T Mobility
Car Make: Chevrolet
Owner: Richard Childress
Chase Outlook: High
Summary: I sense bad things on the horizon for this team and driver. He’s got that Mark Martin aurora about him. Nice guy, good team, but never quite enough to take home the big paycheck at the end of the season. He’s come close, but he’s never quite got there. I suspect 2008, much like 2007, will be a decent enough season with a win or two and a probable Chase berth. The championship, however, may just be a bit to far for Jeff Burton to reach.

Car No.: 34
Driver: Unconfirmed
Sponsor: Unconfirmed
Car Make: Chevrolet
Owner: Front Row Motorsports
Chase Outlook: NONE
Summary: Say hello to the ever-present field filler. Problem is, the Sprint Cup has way too many fulltime teams as it is. With that being said, this team, which lacks a driver and a sponsor, would probably be best served to just shut down and focus its efforts elsewhere, like the Nationwide Series. They are at least planning to field a car for Eric McClure in the 2008 Daytona 500. Odds of them making the race? 1 Billion to 1.

Car No.: 38
Driver: David Gilliland
Sponsor: Unconfirmed
Car Make: Ford
Owner: Yates Racing
Chase Outlook: Mild at best
Summary: This is Yates Racing best hope for survival in the future. David Gilliland has all the skills to become the future of this race team and he just needs the equipment to get it done. He showed last year he could race with the big boys, sitting on the pole and finishing 8th in the Daytona 500. I wouldn’t put it past this team to pull of a huge shocker and steal the Daytona 500 from some of the more established teams.

Car No.: 40
Driver: Dario Franchitti (ROTY)
Sponsor: Unconfirmed
Car Make: Dodge
Owner: Chip Ganassi
Chase Outlook: Fair
Summary: NASCAR welcomes the 2007 IndyCar Series Champion to the Sprint Cup in 2007 and if any of the open-wheel converts is going to have success in 2008, Franchitti is the one. He’s got years of experience racing on several of the same tracks that NASCAR has seen for years and he is certainly no slouch behind the wheel. The only question at this point is sponsorship, which has yet to be announced. Rumors have several groups, including Canadian Club, Energizer and Tums coming on as the sponsor but none have come even close to being confirmed.

Car No.: 41
Driver: Reed Sorenson
Sponsor: Target
Car Make: Dodge
Owner: Chip Ganassi
Chase Outlook: Fair
Summary: The funny part about the three Chip Ganassi drivers is Reed Sorenson, the youngest driver of the three employed by Ganassi, is the most experienced in a stock car. Reed however is still struggling to find an identity on a team chock full of open-wheel experience. Reed’s come close to some big ones in the last year or two, is 2008 the year he finally breaks out and creates his own legacy?

Car No.: 42
Driver: Juan Pablo Montoya
Sponsor: Texaco/Havoline
Car Make: Dodge
Owner: Chip Ganassi
Chase Outlook: Fairly High
Summary: If anyone on the Chip Ganassi team is going to make the Chase, Montoya is the man to do it. The biggest obstacle is going to be his lack of experience on the oval tracks in a stock car though. Before he can even dream about making the Chase he has got to improve his oval finishes. Winning both road course races does not a champion in the Sprint Cup series make (just ask Robby Gordon).

Car No.: 43
Driver: Bobby Labonte
Sponsor: Cheerios
Car Make: Dodge
Owner: Petty Enterprises
Chase Outlook: Fair
Summary: I want to like this team. I really do. The biggest problem is the more seasons that go by the less likely it seems, to me at least, that Bobby Labonte is going to return Petty Enterprises to the dominance that it once saw years ago with Richard behind the wheel. While I won’t put it past Bobby to pick up a win somewhere, maybe Atlanta or Martinsville, I don’t expect him to turn this team into the monster that it once was. At least, not anymore I don’t.

NASCAR 2008 Team Capsules, Part 2

Here is part two of my NASCAR 2008 Team Capsules. This batch runs from Denny Hamlin's No. 11 to Dave Blaney's No. 22. Enjoy!

Car No.: 11
Driver: Denny Hamlin
Sponsor: Federal Express
Car Make: Toyota
Owner: Joe Gibbs Racing
Chase Outlook: Higher
Summary: This team looked to be in championship form entering the 2007 Chase but fizzled out and ended up taking home 12th place in the standings, a far cry from where many experts expected him to finish. Denny is hoping that 2008’s finish is drastically better. Lets not forget that all the Gibbs Racing teams have switched to Toyota in 2008, which could be a major storyline to watch. Will JGR struggle with the new manufacturer on board or will they be the first Toyota team to pick up a win in NASCAR’s elite series?

Car No.: 12
Driver: Ryan Newman
Sponsor: ALLTEL
Car Make: Dodge
Owner: Roger Penske
Chase Outlook: Fairly High
Summary: When is Ryan Newman going to break this dry spell? He hasn’t won a race since the 2005 season and one would imagine that’s got to be eating at him by now, especially after winning 12 races in his first four seasons in the series. With any luck 2008 will be the season he breaks his unlucky streak and returns to victory lane and maybe even the Chase.

Car No.: 15
Driver: Paul Menard
Sponsor: Menard’s
Car Make: Chevrolet
Owner: Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
Chase Outlook: Mild at best
Summary: The most underachieving driver on DEI’s roster returns for his sophomore season in NASCAR’s top series. Menard, who struggled to make races last year until he was given a gift during the Ginn/DEI merger, the owner points from one of Ginn’s cars, will need to really up his performance in 2008 if he expects to continue driving a DEI Chevrolet. I’d say anywhere from five to eight top 10’s will be a victory for him this season with a top 5 or two thrown in there to even things out.

Car No.: 16
Driver: Greg Biffle
Sponsor: 3M (23 Races)/Unconfirmed
Car Make: Ford
Owner: Jack Roush
Chase Outlook: Fairly High
Summary: Greg Biffle hasn’t exactly had a good season in awhile. The man many expected to become the first driver to win a championship in each of NASCAR’s three top divisions (he already has Nationwide and Craftsman Truck titles) has stumbled the last two years, managing finishes of only 13th and 14th in the standings. This is another driver who really needs to up his performance if he expects to stay in the quality equipment he is currently driving. Sponsorship is mostly covered for this team with 3M sponsoring the car in 23 races, but that still leaves 13 races with no colors on the car, at least not yet.

Car No.: 17
Driver: Matt Kenseth
Sponsor: DeWalt Tools
Car Make: Ford
Owner: Jack Roush
Chase Outlook: Highest
Summary: A staple of the Chase since its inception and a threat to win the championship every year since he won it in 2003, Kenseth had another good year in 2007 (not to mention an outstanding close to the season). This year could be another great year or a major struggle for Kenseth, depending on how well he adapts to the Car of Tomorrow. Easily Ford’s best threat for a championship, looking past Kenseth is going to be hard to do in 2008.

Car No.: 18
Driver: Kyle Busch
Sponsor: Mars Foods (30 Races)/Interstate Batteries (6 Races)
Car Make: Toyota
Owner: Joe Gibbs Racing
Chase Outlook: High
Summary: A new era begins in 2008 for Kyle Busch and his new team over at Joe Gibbs Racing. Gibbs is hoping that Kyle will be able to bring this former championship winning team back to the same form that Bobby Labonte had it in when he picked up his lone Cup Championship in 2000. Mars Foods (M&M’s, Snickers, Pedigree Dog Food) comes on board as primary sponsor for most of the schedule while Interstate Batteries will stick around for six races. Of course, Toyota comes on as manufacturer over at the Gibbs house, making this car one to watch in 2008.

Car No.: 19
Driver: Elliott Sadler
Sponsor: Best Buy (15 Races)/Stanley Tools (?? Races)
Car Make: Dodge
Owner: Gillett Evernham Motorsports
Chase Outlook: Fair
Summary: Elliott Sadler returns to the seat of the No. 19 Dodge in 2008 with some new colors on the hood courtesy of Best Buy, who jumped ship from Haas CNC Racing. Sadler, who always seemed to be good in qualifying in 2007, didn’t always race well, resulting in a 25th place finish in the standings. While a Chase berth is probably out of the question, this is one of those sleeper teams that with the right amount of skill and luck could sneak in and still a race win at some point during the season.

Car No.: 20
Driver: Tony Stewart
Sponsor: The Home Depot
Car Make: Toyota
Owner: Joe Gibbs Racing
Chase Outlook: Highest
Summary: Tony Stewart, the man, the myth, the legend, continues to be one of the best drivers in NASCAR today. 2008 should be no exception for this former Sprint Cup and IndyCar Champion, who came home 6th in the 2007 standings. The only major question is how well he will do with Toyota on the hood of his car rather then the familiar bow tie of Chevrolet. Only time will answer this question. But here is a different question: Can we really expect a team with drivers like Stewart, Hamlin & Kyle Busch to go an entire season without winning?

Car No.: 21
Driver(s): Marcos Ambrose (12 Races)/Bill Elliott (1 Race?)/Unconfirmed
Sponsor: Little Debbies (18 Races)/Unconfirmed
Car Make: Ford
Owner: Wood Brothers Racing
Chase Outlook: Slim to None
Summary: Oh how far the mighty have fallen. The once dominant Wood Brothers Racing team is struggling to keep its head above water in these modern times. The team used a number of drivers in 2007 to help gain some stability (which made no sense to me) and will continue to do so starting with Bill Elliott at the Daytona 500. Marcos Ambrose will start 12 races in the famous No. 21 and its likely Elliott will start several more as well. The question marks are Jon Wood and Ken Schrader, where do they fit into the picture? Also, with Little Debbie only sponsoring the car in 18 races, who will step up and sponsor the car in the remaining 18?

Car No.: 22
Driver: Dave Blaney
Sponsor: Caterpillar
Car Make: Toyota
Owner: Bill Davis Racing
Chase Outlook: Mild at best
Summary: This team was easily Toyota’s most successful in 2007, coming closest to victory (3rd at Talladega in the fall) and was the only Toyota team to end the season in the top 35 in owner points. However with Joe Gibbs Racing joining the Toyota camp, the power will shift to them, making you wonder just how good this team is going to be in 2008.

NASCAR 2008 Team Capsules, Part 1

Its January and you know what that means. Less then two months from now America's favorite motorsports series will be taking to the high banks of Daytona to see who has the guts to take home the Daytona 500 trophy. Because of this, I felt it was time to start cranking out my 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Team Capsules. I've been planning this for a few weeks but I finally sat down today and wrote the first dozen. I'll keep doing 12 teams at a clip until I make my way through the entire roster of teams and drivers. This first capsule starts with Car No. 00 and ends with Car No. 10. Don't forget, if you have any thoughts or comments email me at adamfenwick@shelbystar.com!

Car No.: 00
Driver(s): David Reutimann (5 Races)/Michael McDowell (31 Races) (ROTY)
Sponsor: Aaron’s (5 Races)/Unconfirmed
Car Make: Toyota
Car Owner: Michael Waltrip Racing
Chase Outlook: Slim to None
Summary: This team is going to be one of many faces in 2008. David Reutimann will start the season with this team but after the first five races he will be jumping ship to take over the No. 44 UPS Toyota that Dale Jarrett is leaving. Michael McDowell, a MWR Developmental Driver, will be taking over the driving duties after Reutimann leaves. Sponsorship is a big question at this point because as it stands now Aaron’s is only sponsoring the first five races. Domino’s Pizza isn’t returning and Burger King may not be either. Odds of this team finding Chase glory are slim.

Car No.: 01
Driver: Regan Smith (ROTY)
Sponsor: Unconfirmed
Car Make: Chevrolet
Car Owner: Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
Chase Outlook: Mild at best
Summary: The car that Mark Martin drove to a second place finish in the 2007 Daytona 500 is getting a major facelift in 2008. Martin leaves to be the co-pilot of the No. 8 Chevrolet vacated by Dale Earnhardt Jr. while Regan Smith, whose contract was acquired by DEI during the Ginn/DEI merger, takes over the No. 01. Sponsorship is still up in the air but rumors continue to float around saying Coors Light will join this team to become primary sponsor. I expect mild success from this team but the odds of a Chase berth aren’t very good.

Car No.: 07
Driver: Clint Bowyer
Sponsor: Jack Daniel’s
Car Make: Chevrolet
Car Owner: Richard Childress Racing
Chase Outlook: High
Summary: Clint Bowyer is coming off a career year in 2007 that included one win, five top 5’s and 17 top 10’s. Oh yeah, he finished 3rd in the final standings. Expecting a repeat of that kind of a season from Bowyer would be asking a lot, but odds are he will deliver a strong performance all season and be a threat for victories and his second berth in the Chase.

Car No.: 1
Driver: Martin Truex Jr.
Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops
Car Make: Chevrolet
Car Owner: Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
Chase Outlook: High
Summary: Another drive coming off a career year in 2007, Truex picked up his first career Cup win in 2007 along with seven top 5’s and 14 top 10’s. His 11th place finish in the standings doesn’t really indicate the kind of year he had, despite former teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s issues last year. I expect Truex to have another strong year with maybe another win or two coming his way. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him fighting it out for a spot in the Chase come Richmond in the fall.

Car No.: 2
Driver: Kurt Busch
Sponsor: Miller Lite
Car Make: Dodge
Car Owner: Roger Penske
Chase Outlook: Higher
Summary: Kurt Busch and his No. 2 team had a strong year in 2007 racking up two wins along with a 7th place finish in the standings. The only major change that could hurt Busch in 2008 is Roger Penske swapped out Kurt’s 2007 points and gave them to Rookie of the Year candidate Sam Hornish Jr. to make sure he was going to start the first five races. Lucky for Kurt he is a former series champion, meaning he is guaranteed to make the first five races as well. Lets just hope he doesn’t run into a wall of bad luck.

Car No.: 4
Driver: Unconfirmed
Sponsor: Unconfirmed
Car Make: Chevrolet
Owner: Morgan-McClure Motorsports
Chase Outlook: Slim to None
Summary: This former Daytona 500 winning franchise might be on its last ownership leg. With sponsor State Water Heaters apparently jumping ship to join Haas CNC Racing and Ward Burton apparently not returning its not a question of if, but when, will this team finally close up shop. Forget the Chase, just surviving the 2008 season is going to be a race all by itself.

Car No.: 5
Driver: Casey Mears
Sponsor: Carquest/Kellogg’s
Car Make: Chevrolet
Owner: Rick Hendrick
Chase Outlook: Fairly High
Summary: Another driver with a breakout year in 2007, Casey Mears shocked the world when he won the 2007 Coca-Cola 600 by using a little math. This year Mears moves to his fourth team in four years (2008, No. 5, 2007, No. 25, 2006, No. 42, 2005, No. 41) and you know by now he (along with his merchandise buying fans) must be hoping that this change sticks for at least two seasons. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this car, which made the Chase in 2007 with Kyle Busch, make the chase again, but Mears is going to have to do a little bit extra to get it there.

Car No.: 6
Driver: David Ragan
Sponsor: AAA
Car Make: Ford
Owner: Jack Roush
Chase Outlook: Fair
Summary: Ragan, coming off a decent rookie campaign, will look to avoid the traditional sophomore slump and break out in 2008 much like Clint Bowyer did last year. Ragan was actually the only Roush driver that didn’t pick up a Cup win in 2007 and he is likely hoping to change that in 2008. Odds of a Chase berth are slim, but I’ll bet money he makes his way into the top 10 a bit more often in 2008 and he may even surprise a few people (like he did at the fall Richmond race last year coming home an impressive third).

Car No.: 7
Driver: Robby Gordon
Sponsor: Jim Beam/Menard’s/Mapai/Camping World/More
Car Make: Ford
Owner: Robby Gordon
Chase Outlook: Mild at best
Summary: Always a threat to win on a road course, Robby Gordon needs to find a way to make this team competitive elsewhere if he ever wants to break the mold of a road course driver trying to make it in an oval series. Victories at Infineon or Watkins Glen wouldn’t shock anyone, but a victory at California or Michigan would blow the doors off everyone in the garage, including Robby.

Car No.: 8
Driver(s): Mark Martin (24 Races)/Aric Almirola (12 Races)
Sponsor: U.S. Army
Car Make: Chevrolet
Owner: Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
Chase Outlook: Slim to None
Summary: The car formally known as the red No. 8 will now be driven by Mark Martin and Aric Almirola with sponsorship coming from the U.S. Army. I suspect this team will be highly competitive in 2008, with a victory or two not out of the question for either Martin or Almirola. Of course due to the fact that this team has two drivers its highly unlikely that this team will be in any position to make the Chase. That doesn’t mean however they can’t go after the Owner’s Championship though.

Car No.: 9
Driver: Kasey Kahne
Sponsor: Budweiser
Car Make: Dodge
Owner: Gillett Evernham Motorsports
Chase Outlook: Fairly High
Summary: Budweiser only had to move one number up the dial to find its new home, selecting Kasey Kahne’s red No. 9 as the new home for its NASCAR sponsorship. Good news for Kahne, bad news for everyone else, because Budweiser doesn’t like to lose. I expect to see a resurgence from Kahne in 2008 to make up for the awful 2007 campaign which saw him pick up only one top 5 and seven top 10’s.

Car No.: 10
Driver: Patrick Carpentier (ROTY)
Sponsor: Unconfirmed
Car Make: Dodge
Owner: Gillett Evernham Motorsports
Chase Outlook: Mild at best
Summary: The first of several open-wheel drivers making the fulltime jump to NASCAR in 2008, Patrick Carpentier is going to have a rough first season in this stock car sport. While Carpentier was impressive in the few starts he made in 2007, it’s a far cry from running the full schedule. Let’s not forget that this team has sponsorship questions. Valvoline is probably not going to be returning and rumors have Komatsu Equipment coming on to replace them, but at this point nothing has been confirmed by anyone within the organization.