Angie
Stock car racing has always been a team sport. Each person in the organization plays a key role in the success of the team. One minor mistake can ruin a driver’s day and the smallest thing can often make the biggest impact.
Just ask Doug Taylor.
After a brief career in the Air Force that taught him electronics, Taylor was looking for a new direction when he heard that 2-way radios were being used in Indy and stock cars. He began to focus on developing a better system for in-car communications.
At first only a few drivers were interested but through word of mouth advertising, more and more seemed to take notice. In 1974 things began to come together when Junior Johnson became his first customer.
You might recognize a few of the legendary names he has worked with in his 25-year long career. They include A.J. Foyt, Benny Parsons, Darrell Waltrip, the Woods Brothers, Paul Newman and many more. Continue reading →
Angie
Image by Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway via Flickr
Carl Edwards won Saturday night’s Nationwide Series race at Gateway International Raceway in spectacular fashion.
An ongoing feud reared its ugly head when Keselowski bumped Edwards going into Turn 1 after a restart on lap 199. In a move that Edwards later admitted was retaliatory, he sent Keselowski into the wall on the final lap of the race. Edwards captured the win and the debate began.
For some fans, the issue is simple. If Brad Keselowski is your favorite driver then you’re on his side. On the other side are the fans of Carl Edwards who feel their driver was justified in taking the action he did.
There’s also been a lot of talk about the “driver mentality.” Drivers have long memories and when someone takes them out of a race their initial response is to return the favor. This is the way it has always been in a process that teaches drivers to give and gain respect.
Let’s not forget that many fans asked for less oversight and begged NASCAR to let the drivers be themselves. Fans wanted to see the individuality and passion of the drivers.
Racing is, after all, a dangerous sport and crashes are an inevitable part of it.
For many others, the line between right and wrong is somewhat blurred. Continue reading →
Angie
An exclusive interview with Trevor Bayne to discuss his new full-time Nationwide ride and his future.
Trevor Bayne was born in Knoxville, TN and like many young boys played all kinds of sports including t-ball and football. His life took a different direction at the age of five when he began racing go-karts and discovered his true passion.
Since then, this talented eighteen-year old has accumulated 22 championships.
He spent eight years on the go-kart circuit and achieved three World Championships, 300 feature wins and 18 State and Track Championships combined.
The next stop was the Allison Legacy Race Series where at 13 years of age, Bayne became the youngest to win the Top Rookie award. In 2005, he became the series National Champion. Continue reading →
Angie
Corey LaJoie began his career racing go-karts on a track behind his father’s shop when he was four years old. His education started early, “beating and banging” with his father and his father’s friends, beginning to hone his skills at a young age.
He’s the 18-year old son of two-time Nationwide Series champion Randy LaJoie and grandson of New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame member Don LaJoie.
When Corey first asked his father what he thought of his plan to race, he didn’t get the response he was expecting.
“Play golf,” his Dad told him, with a grin. Continue reading →
Angie
Mike Wallace and his 21 year-old daughter, Chrissy, are set to make history by competing against each other at next week’s Mountain Dew 250 Fueled by Fred’s, at Talladega Super Speedway. Mike is excited to continue the Wallace tradition in NASCAR and Chrissy is looking to make a name for herself.
After an impressive run in the truck series last year, she was hoping for a full time ride this year but has been sidelined due to a lack of sponsorship. It’s been a frustrating year but she’s thankful for the opportunity that Rick Ware Racing has given her to compete in at least two races for them this season.
Chrissy looks forward to racing her Dad and is grateful for the chance to showcase her talent in front of other drivers and owners.
“Racing against my dad, it’s something that we’ve always wanted to do,” she said. Continue reading →
Angie
This past Sunday during the Sprint Cup Series Pricechopper 400 at the Kansas Speedway, NASCAR officials reportedly cautioned Brad Keselowski about racing Chase contenders, namely Juan Pablo Montoya, too aggressively.
Since then, there has been a heated debate about whether NASCAR was out of line for issuing such a warning. Continue reading →
Angie
When I first learned that Trevor Bayne had agreed to an interview, I began doing all the research. I gathered all his stats, read anything ever written about him and was satisfied that I knew all there was to know. If truth be told, I even had my opening paragraph written before our interview began. But preconceptions can be a dangerous thing as I quickly learned.
My first question to Trevor Bayne, one of NASCAR’s rising stars, was how he got into racing. I knew that one grandfather raced cars and another raced boats so I assumed that he grew up surrounded by a family of racers who encouraged him to go in that direction. Trevor was quick to set the record straight. Continue reading →
