October 21, 2007
By Connie Felix

Team Orders Afterall

Friday at Martinsville Speedway, Kyle Busch stated, he has been given orders on three occassions to let Jeff Gordon by on the track. Lowe's Motor Speedway, three years ago in the fall race, Kyle was instructed to come into the pits and wait two laps so Jeff Gordon could advance from 32nd to 30th gaining a few valuable points. When Casey Mears No. 25 National Guard Chevrolet allowed Kyle Busch to pass at Dover International Speedway, Kyle made sure the media understood that Casey was ASKED and that it was his decision in the end. Jeff Gordon wanted Mears to let him by at Kansas Speedway recently, it didn't happen. According to Busch, "We had a team meeting about it and he (Mears) talked about it and we (Kyle) agreed with him that it's not necessarily the best thing for him to do because he's battling a points deal too. He's trying to get to 13th."

Safer Walls Leak

Martinsville Speedway was drinched in rain most of Friday, NASCAR Nextel Cup Series and the Craftsman Truck Series all managed to practice and NNCS qualifying was completed, all with numerous rescheduling and delays for track drying. At one point when drying was thought to be completed the safer walls going into turn one started to leak underneath, alot. It took six men with leaf blowers, brooms and even mops down in the individual sections of the safer barrier to end the situation, allowing race vehicles back on the track.

Don't Count Bowyer Out

Clint Bowyer, No. 07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet driver is in third position in the Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup Championship going into Martinsville Speedway, Subway 500 race this weekend. Yet, Bowyer is given little credit for this feat, for example Jimmie Johnson driver of the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet, stated he felt Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart were the only ones still in the Chase.

Geoff Bodine Uninjured

Veteran NASCAR driver, Geoff Bodine, started Bo-Dyn Bobsleds in 1992 after watching a poor showing of the U.S team during the Winter Olympic Bobsled runs. The 2006 Bodine Bobsled Challenge at Lake Placid, NY, was held with numerous NASCAR drivers participating. Turn 18 became the "Trickle Turn" after Trickle rolled his bobsled twice in the same spot. Sunday, October 14, Geoff Bodine was testing equipment at Lake Placid when he crashed on his first trip down the course, in the famous "Trickle Turn". The runners were changed on the bobsled and the final two runs were uneventful, Bodine walked away unhurt.

Politics and Sponsors

Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Casey Mears all donated money this week to Republican Presidential Candidate, Rudy Giuliani. When asked, Johnson didn't feel it was a problem for any of their sponsors who may or may not have the same political belief. Jeff Burton, admits he donates to political candidates, but felt it should be kept private stating, "You have to be careful in your public opinions of political views because you are representing a lot of Corporations and a lot of people and I don't think it is fair to my sponsors to pull that into political affairs."

38 Entries

Charlie Spratt, Air Traffic Controller at Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Georgia, entered and won a recent Atlanta Motor Speedway website contest. Spratt will spend the day at the races plus announce the starting field for the Pep Boys Auto 500 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Race. This wasn't just a draw from the hat, his script and recorded introduction had to be GREAT, but did you notice only 38 entries. If this teaches us anything it's that you have to enter, you just may be surprised.

Hot Rod Hero

Lowe's Motor Spreedway has named NASCAR legend Buddy Baker the October 26-28, "Hot Rod Hero" during the 14th annual Goodguys Southeastern Nationals. Baker will sign autographs at 11 A.M. on Saturday, October 27, for fans. The event features over 3,000 pre-1972 hot rods, street rods, customs, classics, muscle cars and trucks.

Step Toward NASCAR's Big League For Tiffany

The fifth annual Drive for Diversity Testing & Evaluation Combine took place October 15th and 16th at South Boston Speedway in Virginia. Over 200 drivers applied for the 24 allotted spots to test their skills behind the wheel and in front of the camera. Tiffany Daniels, 22, was selected and did so well she was put back on the track to help out the other competitors by scuffing tires, which gave her even more experience. It will be awhile before final results are announced, but Daniels will return to South Boston Speedway in South Boston , Virginia on Saturday, October 27th for the “SoBo 300” Late Model Stock Car event.

Lifetime Ends 2010?

Jeff Gordon, Driver of the No.24 Dupont Chevrolet, stated at Martinsville Speedway, "2010 is when our contracts are ending." What happened to his 'Lifetime Contract' with Hendrick Motorsports

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