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Week of 1/1/06
Pre Season Thunder - Jan. Testing - Monday
Pre Season Thunder - January Testing at Daytona begins on Monday, starting with Session I - Odd-Numbered Car Owner Point Standings as of July 13, 2005. Just some of the drivers scheduled to test are: Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Ryan Newman, Matt Kenseth, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Check out the full list below.
Drivers attending next week’s session include Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet), who finished fifth in the 2005 Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup; sixth-place finisher Ryan Newman (No. 12 Alltel Dodge), seventh-place finisher Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Power Tools Ford), and ninth-place finisher Jeremy Mayfield (No. 19 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge).
Also scheduled to participate are four-time series champion Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet), former series champion Bobby Labonte (No. 43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge), Elliott Sadler (No. 38 M&M’s Ford), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet), Jeff Burton (No. 31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet), Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge), Ken Schrader (No. 21 Little Debbie Ford), Bill Elliott (No. 36 Centrix Financial Chevrolet), Greg Sacks (No. 13 Dodge), and Scott Wimmer (No. 4 Aero Exhaust Chevrolet).
Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidates, Martin Truex Jr. (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet), Reed Sorenson (No. 41 Target Dodge) and David Stremme (No. 40 Coors Light & Lone Star Steakhouse Saloon Dodge) also are scheduled to test. January 5, 2006
Terry has 10 more races
Hendrick Motorsports announced Terry Labonte's 2006 schedule which will be his final year in NASCAR. Terry's 'Shifting Gear's' lineup is bookended with both Texas races, plus Darlington, both Charlotte events, both Pocono's, Chicago, the second California race, and Kansas. January 5, 2006
Crawford's team on 'Extreme Makeover' this weekend
Be sure to check out Extreme Makeover: Home Edition this Sunday on ABC, as it will feature Rick Crawford's team from the Craftsman Truck Series. Sears is heavily involved with the show, and they own Craftsman Tools, so you see how this came together. January 5, 2006
Bill Elliott to run Shootout & 500
MB2 Motorsports has enlisted the services of Bill Elliott to drive their #36 car for both the Bud Shootout on February 11th, and the Daytona 500 on the 19th. Of course Bill did not win a poll last year, but is automatically in the Shootout from winning that event in 1987. Frank Stoddard will be the crew chief starting next week at Daytona testing....yes I said next week! January 4, 2006
R. Gordon has Dakar setback
Robby Gordon is playing catch up at the Dakar Rally after having transmission problems. Those issues are fixed and he has moved from 69th up to 45th overall in the latest stage of the race. Robby was running top 10 before the problems. January 4, 2006
Rolex 24 again has NASCAR drivers
The Rolex 24 at Daytona will see a bunch of NASCAR drivers taking the wheel this year on the road course. They include Cup Champion Tony Stewart, retired Rusty Wallace, Scott Pruett, Casey Mears, Adrian Fernandez, Michel Jourdain, and Wally Dallenbach. The race takes place on January 28-29th. January 4, 2006
Stewart to become hockey coach
Tony Stewart will become of all things, a hockey coach tomorrow. Okay, technically, he'll be the "Honorary Assistant Coach" of the Indiana Ice, as they take on the Sioux Falls Stampede. January 4, 2006
NASCAR's Bodine goes bobsledding
Bobsledding anyone? The Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge takes place this week in Lake Placid New York. The event is to raise funds to take his sleds to the next level, Geoff provides his sleds to the U.S. Olympic Team using NASCAR technology. Drivers listed to appear some even competing include Ken Schrader, Todd Bodine, Kenny Wallace, Dick Trickle, Steve Park, Randy LaJoie, Kevin Lepage, Boris Said, Joel Kauffman, and Stanton Barrett.
More details can be found right here:
Geoff Bodine's Website
http://www.bodynbobsled.com
Schedule:
The pilots will race twice Jan. 7 — at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. — after qualification on the afternoon of Jan. 6.
ESPN will televise a one-hour program at 5 p.m. ET Jan. 29, while SPEED Channel will provide two hours of coverage on Feb. 4 at 2 p.m. ET Feb. 4. January 2, 2006
R. Gordon 8th at Dakar Rally
Robby Gordon is again running the Dakar Rally in Europe and Africa this year. He's driving a Hummer H3 and is currently running 8th overall, after a 5th place finish in stage 2. Robby is spending his birthday doing what he loves to do...racing. January 2, 2006
Stewart wins USAC event in Indiana
Champion Tony Stewart took the win on Friday Night running in the USAC 60-lap "Rumble in Ft. Wayne" Tony started 8th, rocketed to 3 in one lap, then took the lead on lap 7th, and led the rest of the way to the checkered flag. After the race Stewart said "This is pretty cool" January 2, 2006
Stewart's Indy win top 2005 story
Tony Stewart's win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in August was voted as the top story of the 2005 season as voted on by motorsports media. (myself included) Second was Carl Edwards weekend sweep in Atlanta in March, and 3rd was Tony Stewart again capturing the Nextel Cup. January 2, 2006
Driver Review: Tony Stewart
#1 Tony Stewart - The Champion
Our review of the top 10 drivers continues, and the 2005 Nextel Cup Series Champion is Tony Stewart from Columbus Indiana, driver of the #20 Home Depot Chevrolet. The start to Tony's season was pretty rocky, posting only 7 top 10's in the first 15 races. Then the afterburners really kicked in at the first Michigan race where he picked up a second place finish. A week later the 20 teams first win of the season came at the road course at Infineon, in California's wine country where Tony led the most laps.
Tony followed up that commanding performance, again leading the most laps at the Pepsi 400 in Daytona. A quick 5th place at Chicago, and then he was back to his winning ways at New Hampshire
His season stats are truly remarkable...check this out: 17 top 5's, 25 top 10's, 3 polls, 5 wins, only 1 DNF, and he pockets a record $13.5 million in winnings.
Yesterday we took a look at Tony's wins at Infineon, Daytona, and New Hampshire. But the most emotional and most memorable win came at Tony's home track...Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Stewart has wanted this win more than any other for his entire life One week later at Watkins Glen, Tony followed up his Indy win, with a road course victory.
That concludes our recap of The Top 10 Drivers of 2005.....with The Final Lap.
January 2, 2006
Driver Review: Greg Biffle
#3 Greg Biffle
Our review of the top 10 drivers continues, and at #2, from Vancouver Washington, driver of the #16 National Guard Ford, it's Greg Biffle. At the start of 2005, it looked as though Greg was going to run away with the championship easily posting 5 wins in the first 15 races. Greg's stats show why he's second this year: 15 top 5's, 21 top 10's, 6 wins, and only 1 DNF (did not finish)
Biffle's first win came at the second race, California Speedway.
Race #10 was at Darlington, where he led the most laps, and conquered The Lady in Black.
Greg won the season closer at Homestead Miami Speedway, leading just 9 laps and edging out his teammate Mark Martin.
Greg Biffle is the 2nd place driver for the 2005 season
Tony Stewart is next as we Recap The Top 10 Drivers of 2005 January 2, 2006
Driver Review: Carl Edwards
#3 Carl Edwards
Our review of the top 10 drivers continues, and at #3, from Columbia Missouri, driver of the #99 Ford for Roush Racing, it's Carl Edwards. Although not technically rookie since he ran over 7 races in 2004, this was Carl's first full-time season in the Cup Series. Essentially he has raised the bar so high for himself, but other first year drivers as well. These stats are unbelievable for even a veteran driver, let alone someone like Carl....13 top 5's, 18 top 10's, 2 polls, 4 wins and only 1 DNF. His total winnings for the season is $6.8 million
Carl's first career Cup win came at Atlanta, just 4 races into the 2005 season.
He also had a win at the second Pocono race, and then he completed the season sweep at Atlanta How about 2 wins in a row the next week at Texas?
Carl Edwards is the 3rd place driver for the 2005 season
Greg Biffle is next as we Recap The Top 10 Drivers of 2005 January 2, 2006
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