The Best And Worst of 2008

The 2008 NASCAR Season has had its fair share of award-winning moments. It has also had a few that I personally would like to forget. So as I was writing out my Christmas cards and checking my list to Santa one last time to be sure I told everyone on my list just what I wanted, I thought I’d take a minute to recall some of 2008s best and worst moments.


Best:
10. Tony Stewart Forms His Own Team - While Smoke’s departure from Joe Gibbs Racing is quite sad, the idea of him owning his own team is quite a good thing for the sport. For once, a driver was thinking past his own career and took control of his destiny. Stewart nabbed fellow Hoosier Ryan Newman away from Penske Racing, returned to his Chevy roots and adopted his former boss’s work ethic and practices. While I question his decision to join forces with Gene Haas, I do commend Stewart for his vision and wish him the very best of luck with his new venture.


9. Kyle Busch Donates $100,000 To Help Sam Ard - After tying Sam Ard for 10 victories in the Nationwide Series this season, NASCAR’s resident bad boy donated $100,000 towards helping the ailing Ard to aid in making his every day life a bit easier. The moment left me in tears. For all the criticism Busch has drawn from fans, competitors and the media, this moment shows that Rowdy is very human and has a good heart. To Kyle it was nothing major, but to Sam Ard and his wife it was priceless. Racking up 21 victories falls short to the act of kindness that Kyle Busch showed to one of the sport’s finest. Say what you want about the Candy Man, you can’t deny that he is a selfless, caring man who deserves fewer boos and more applause.

8. Reed Sorenson Signs To Drive # 10 GEM Ride- Finally Reed Sorenson will be seen for the true talent that he is. At Ganassi Racing, he was the poster boy for wasted talent. His true abilities have never been realized and he has been overlooked since his 2006 Rookie season. He has been the third in line for equipment, personnel and time, but now that he is joining Gillette Evernham Motorsports, Sorenson will finally get first class equipment and the finest crew members and the attention he deserves. Sometimes drivers get what is due them and Reed Sorenson certainly deserves his chance in the spotlight. I can’t wait to see him shine.

7. David Stremme Gets Sprint Cup Ride - After getting the boot from his full time NEXTEL Cup ride at Ganassi Racing, Stremme was sent back to the Nationwide Series and Rusty Wallace Inc.’s # 64 car. While Stremme was successful there and a great mentor to teammate Steve Wallace, it was clear that Stremme still deserved a ride in the premier ranks. Well, with the decision to go to newly formed Stewart Haas Racing, Ryan Newman paved the way for Stremme’s return to Sprint Cup racing and Penske South’s # 12 Dodge. Patience is definitely a virtue and one that David Stremme proved pays off in a very big way. Welcome back to Sprint Cup David Stremme, you have been greatly missed.

6. Yates Racing Operates Without Full Time Sponsorship - The fact that the once thriving Yates team got to the point that it could not secure sponsorship for its two cars is not a high point. But the fact that both Travis Kvapil and David Gilliland were able to run the full 2008 season and finish in the Top 35 in points with limited funds shows just how talented these two guys are and that while things have changed since Robert Yates’ retirement from the sport, they will be back and better than ever. And with Paul Menard coming on board for 2009, the future looks bright. To Yates Racing and it’s never say never attitude and proving that sponsorship comes with persistence and talent, I must give due props.

5. Joey Logano Makes His Long-Awaited NASCAR Debut - Sliced Bread had been touted as the next best racecar driver. When Logano turned 18 on May 24th, he was finally old enough to enter the big leagues and what he did in his debut season was nothing short of spectacular. He won his first pole award in just his second start in the series and captured his first victory in just his third start. He has taken NASCAR by storm and the heir apparent to the two-time championship winning Home Depot #20 Toyota only promises to get better. For making NASCAR exciting and lighting it up with his angelic smile, a giant Thank You to Joey Logano. Welcome to NASCAR Sliced Bread. We’ve been waiting for you.

4. Carl Edwards vs. Kevin Harvick - Following a crash that effected Kevin Harvick’s finish that was clearly Carl Edward’s fault, Harvick retaliated in the media by calling Edwards a pansy. Apparently the well muscled Edwards didn’t appreciate being thrown under the bus, so he left a note on Harvick’s plane to accentuate the point. The fight that followed in the garage area was spectacular. There was no clear winner but seeing Harvick in a choke hold will forever be one of my favorite moments of 2008. Note to self: Don’t call Carl Edwards a pansy unless you want to find yourself in a death grip.

3. Sam Hornish Jr Assists Ryan Newman Back To Pit Road - After spinning out and struggling to get restarted, Ryan Newman was stranded on the race track. Then came teammate Sam Hornish Jr, who thinking not of himself but of his fellow driver, got behind Newman and pushed him to pit lane. It was the ultimate act of selflessness and sportsmanship and simply left me humbled. If only more men took a page from his book perhaps this sport would be quite different. Sam Hornish Jr, a gentleman and a total class act.

2. Kyle Busch Antagonizes Junior Nation - After causing Dale Earnhardt Jr’s early demise from a race, Busch drew the ire of every member of Junior Nation. From then on, when he won a race, and that was often, he did his now signature bow to the crowd just to infuriate them further. For his guts and class, I salute Kyle Busch. It takes a real man to stand up to the sport’s most popular driver and his legion of followers. Kyle Busch, my hero.

1. Brad Keselowski vs. Denny Hamlin at Lowe’s - During an on-track dispute between Hamlin and Keselowski, Keselowski drove up underneath Hamlin and raised his wheels up off the track. Hamlin then retaliated by hitting the #88 car in the left front fender, causing slight damage. This infuriated team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr, who took it upon himself to retaliate and hit Hamlin from behind. But it was the action after the checkered flag waved that makes this my favorite moment of 2008. Keselowski’s entire crew swarmed Hamlin the second he climbed out of the car and the brawl was classic. When interviewed, Hamlin said that he would have preferred to talk to Brad face to face instead of dealing with the crew. Instead of coming off like a hero, the NAVY driver looked more like a princess afraid to face the dragon alone. Then came the best quote ever. “If you throw a rock I’m going to throw a concrete block back” Thank you Denny Hamlin for making 2008 the BEST season EVER!

Worst:
10. Denny Hamlin Spends Night In Hospital After Talladega Crash - Undoubtedly the scariest moment in a Denny Hamlin fan’s season, seeing the Fed Ex Toyota driver grimacing while being put onto a stretcher, and then hearing of his overnight stay in an Alabama hospital is one moment I hope to never repeat again. Thank God for the COT car, safety equipment, safer barriers, and safety workers. Good riddance to crashes, equipment failures and all the like for Denny Hamlin and the JGR Fed Ex team.

9. Michael McDowell’s Terrifying Crash At Texas - The relatively unknown McDowell made quite a name for himself following his death defying tumble during qualifying at Texas. Miraculously, McDowell emerged from the wreck unscathed and even had a smile on his face during the interview. Welcome to NASCAR Michael…it’s a rocking good time.

8. Carl Edwards Makes Runner-Up A Theme - Coming up short is never easy. But doing it twice in both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup series has got to burn a little. I can’t help but think that had it not been for that 100 point penalty early in the season would things be different? Edwards has nothing to be ashamed of and the way he handled both situations shows what a class act he truly is. I would be proud to see him as the 2009 Champion for both series. He is the epitome of sportsmanship and is a gentleman in every sense of the word.

7. Mark Martin Signs Deal With Hendrick Motorsports - I’ve heard of taking dinosaurs out for display, but some are best left in the museum. Mark Martin is making one last run at a Championship before he finally retires. The only bright spot is that Casey Mears was relieved of his shadow duties in the No. 5 car at HMS for greener pastures at RCR. The fourth team at Hendrick Motorsports hasn’t been successful well, ever, and to think that Mark Martin is going to find success in the shadow of Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr, the sport’s three biggest egos, is simply tragic and laughable. It gives a whole new meaning to Silly Season.

6. Sprint Cup Series Banquet Broadcast on ESPN Classic - For some reason NASCAR felt it best to broadcast the much anticipated Sprint Cup series banquet on ESPN Classic and then replay it on ESPN2. In my town, no one even has ESPN Classic and the only way to get it is to subscribe to the highest tier of programming. I love my NASCAR but my love has a limit and it also has a price tag. NASCAR needs its fans and they need them to be happy. Put the banquet, which is after all for me, on a channel that I can easily get.

5. Denny Hamlin’s Media Massacre - After his brawl with Brad Keselowski’s NAVY crew at Lowe’s, Denny Hamlin became public enemy number one for tangling with the NNS’ golden boy, or atleast the wanna be golden boy. Then when he criticized his crew and declared that he didn’t deserve to be in the Chase after a poor finish at Michigan, the fire began to burn a lot hotter under Hamlin’s feet. Kyle Petty, who had his own conflict with Hamlin in 2007, began crucifying the Fed Ex driver at every turn, declaring Denny Hamlin a spoiled brat who didn’t deserve to be in a race car. With his 8th place finish in the Chase, Hamlin proved that not everything you hear in the media is true. And with Kyle Petty’s departure from NASCAR for a lesser racing series, it just goes to show that Karma is cruel and sometimes it is better to just keep your opinions to yourself. Sometimes lessons are learned a little too late.

4. Kyle Busch Finishes 10th In Chase - After dominating the first 26 races of the season, NASCAR’s resident bad boy fell flat to equipment failure and then became his own worst enemy when he let frustrations get the better of him. Everyone falls but it’s those who are able to rebound that show their true grit. Fortunately Rowdy Busch is still young and has plenty of time to learn from this mistake.

3. Joe Gibbs Racing Crew Chiefs Caught Cheating - Talented and extraordinary crew chiefs Dave Rogers and Jason Radcliff were caught cheating following a test of the horse power of the Toyota engines. Due to near-dominance of the Nationwide season, NASCAR held a test and both crew chiefs were caught with magnets on the gas pedals of their cars. The two were then suspended indefinitely. It was an incident that did not slow down the JGR drivers as they went on to further success with interim crew chiefs on top of the pit boxes.

2. NASCAR Changes The Bud Shootout Format - In an unprecedented act of ignorance, Brian France announced that there would be major changes to the Budweiser Shootout for 2009. Previously, the Pole Award Winners from the previous year and former winners of the Shootout were automatic entrants in the season’s kick off race. Now Pole Awards hold no merit and the top points holders for each manufacturer will be in the race. A very poor choice and one that has destroyed the qualifying process and the race that once drew great attention. If it isn’t broken, why does Brian France find the need to fix it?

1. The Tragic Loss of Brienne Davis - The NASCAR Community lost one of its own this year when NASCAR Inspector Brienne Davis was killed in a single car crash. It left a void in the hearts of those who knew her and even those who didn’t know of her until they heard of her tragic death that will never be filled. She paved the way for women everywhere to find their place in the sport of kings and left a legacy that will never be forgotten.

The 2008 NASCAR season was without question an amazing one for all three series. Johnny Benson narrowly edged out Ron Hornaday for the very last NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Title, Clint Bowyer won the Nationwide Series Title and Jimmie Johnson won a historic third NASCAR Sprint Cup Title. Carl Edwards finished second in two series and Kyle Busch schooled every driver in the sport with his impressive 21 wins. 2009 promises to be another for the record books.

Share your best and worst memory from the 2008 season. I can’t wait to see what you all remember that I may have forgotten or not even noticed.

D Ham in the ATL

Martinsville is a distant memory and D Ham is heading for the bright lights of the ATL and Atlanta Motorspeedway. He came away with a solid Top 5 finish that helped boost his confidence and proved that once again you can't keep the Virginia boy down at his home track.

When I talked to Denny on Monday, he had some pretty interesting questions to answer for me and I want to share those with you. I have to keep the wheel man on his toes and this week I certainly did just that!

Becca: What happened with the car? I heard mention that the car was really loose in practice and that perhaps the team tightened it up just a bit too much. Please tell me about that.
Denny: Well yes the car was loose during practice and it was just to free for us. The crew tightened it up for us but it was just to tight and hard for us to turn the corners. We finally got it adjusted the way that we needed it during a pit stop.

Becca: Rain once again cancelled qualifying and cost valuable practice time. What are your thoughts on that?
Denny: We were pretty disappointed that it rained out most of practice and qualifying. We felt we could have gotten a better starting position and we just feel like we were robbed of that because of weather.

Becca: What is your favorite TV Show?
Denny: I don't really get much time to watch tv but when I do I like to watch CSI and Family Guy.

Becca: What is your biggest pet peeve? For me it's people who are late...what's yours?
Denny: I would have to say people that are rude.

Becca: What is your favorite number? (Mine is 11..hmmm....wonder why? HA HA)
Denny: haha I don't really have a favorite number but I guess I would have to say 11 too. It is the best number ever made right? haha

Becca: Atlanta is next in the Chase, what is your track record at Atlanta? How do you feel about your chances there?
Denny: I feel that we are pretty good there. Depending on how the weather treats us this weekend and how the car handles I say we will get a decent finish.

Becca: If you could ask ME 2 questions what would you like to ask me?
Denny: Why you think I'm so special and How did you end up knowing so much about NASCAR?

~Alright D Ham...here's the answer to those two questions....

1. Why do I think you're so special? Because as a rookie in 2006, you won the Bud Shootout against NASCAR's fastest and finest. You came back from being laps down at Pocono to win your first race, you don't wreck race cars or crash people to win and you're a gentleman. You have talent that impresses me and you drive for the best owners in the sport. On the personal side, there isn't a kinder, more thoughtful, genuine man on this planet let alone in the sport of NASCAR. I don't need to tell you my reasons lately because you already know them, but when I look at you I see your heart and the man behind the race car driver. I really like that... it's rare and quite valuable.

2. How did I end up knowing so much about NASCAR? Well, I've watched racing since I was 7 years old. Cars are my passion and I thirst for knowledge about them. I read books, watch TV shows, listen to Tim Brewer who has become my new best friend, I can't listen to him enough, and I just pay attention. I ask a lot of questions, when I don't understand something I search it on the internet or ask someone who would know. I eat, sleep and breathe racing. I can't drive a race car but that doesn't mean I can't know about them. It's my love.

Becca: Who was the driver I followed just before your Rookie season when I became your biggest fan?
Denny: There you go testing my memory! You know my memory is horrible haha. Umm.....lets see..I gotta think about this.....Elliot Sadler. haha

Now my D Ham is in the ATL and he's running a Craftsman Truck Series race in the # 15 Toyota. Billy Ballew Motorsports officials said Monday that Sprint Cup driver Denny Hamlin will drive the team’s No. 15 Toyota in this weekend’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Hamlin has driven in two Truck series races for Ballew, including one earlier this year at Martinsville, where he started second and finished 21st.

“I consider Billy a good friend, and this is a home race for him,” Hamlin said. “I’ve watched the trucks at Atlanta, and it’s a wild race. I’ve actually watched it from Billy’s suite at the track, and it just looks like fun, so when he asked if I was interested, I jumped at the chance. “I’ve been in the trucks before, not many times, but enough to get a feel for them and to know this will be a totally different race from what I’ve done before. I raced trucks at Texas, but that was four years ago, so I am sure it will take a couple of laps to get back in the swing of it. After that, it’s just trying to find the comfort level and be competitive."Hamlin, who drives Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 11 Toyota in the Cup series, has made eight Truck starts, with a best finish of eighth at Martinsville two years ago.

Rain set into Atlanta and once again forced NASCAR to cancel qualifying and set the field according to points. Hamlin will roll out 11th and should have a really good shot at a good finish. I just finished watching NCTS practice and Denny was way too tight and the team will need some adjustments before race time. Regardless, I am excited to see Denny in a Truck at Atlanta. He will start 20th next to Donny Lia after their qualifying was also rained out. NASCAR elected to make the qualifying session a much needed practice time which was in my opinion, one of the wisest choices they have made in quite a while.

I'm growing ever so tired of rain and truly believe NASCAR needs to make a change to their qualifying rules. But then again, since the pole position no longer matters, there really isn't much of a point to the whole thing. When NASCAR changed the Bud Shootout rules it made winning a pole position pointless, literally and figuratively. As a die-hard race fan, I want to see the cars on the track as often as possible. And with the amount of money race teams are putting into simply attempting to make a race, something has to change. But I've lost my focus and I need to rope this back in and talk about Denny Hamlin.

Atlanta is very special to me and I am excited about seeing my hero race there this weekend. But it is also kinda sad because the season is rapidly winding down and then I will have the long, cold winter without my favorite driver every weekend. But I guess even Superman needs a rest. Made of steel or not, Denny Hamlin deserves some time off. But not quite yet.... Boogity Boogity Boogity....Let's Go Racing Boys!!!!