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NASCAR Arrives at Indy: Notes From Friday's Practice Sessions

Posted: Jul 24th 2009 9:00PM by Holly Cain (author feed)
Filed under: Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sprint Cup

1 COMMENT

INDIANAPOLIS -- So far, so good.

Two hour-long practice sessions Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway eased the minds of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams concerned with tire wear for Sunday's AllState 400 at the Brickyard.

"It is done, they have created a great tire,'' said four-time Brickyard winner Jeff Gordon, who, following a June tire test, promised fans that Goodyear had fixed the problems that wreaked havoc on last year's race when tire wear forced drivers to pit every 10-15 laps.

More: NASCAR Teams Cautious Concerning Danica

Continue Reading NASCAR Arrives at Indy: Notes From Friday's Practice Sessions

Will Kyle Busch's 'All or Nothing' Attitude Pay Off?

Posted: Jul 23rd 2009 2:50PM by Holly Cain (author feed)
Filed under: Kyle Busch, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Chase for the Sprint Cup

36 COMMENTS

INDIANAPOLIS -- With ESPN taking over the NASCAR Sprint Cup broadcast schedule beginning this week with the AllState 400 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the network's veteran analysts, Dr. Jerry Punch, Andy Petree and Dale Jarrett shared some of their thoughts on the season to date.

In addition to the obvious marquee story lines -- 50-year old Mark Martin winning and Tony Stewart's team a championship contender out of the box -- the ESPN crew was candid about the surprises on the other end of the spectrum, specifically whether three-time race winner Kyle Busch, 24, will even make The Chase.

"Nobody ever would have thought that that he would go in there and not make it,'' said Petree, the late Dale Earnhardt's championship crew chief. "He's struggled when he did get in the Chase the past couple of years, and that's not a surprise. But the fact is he's actually got a chance of not making it, and I think there's trouble brewing over there."

Continue Reading Will Kyle Busch's 'All or Nothing' Attitude Pay Off?

Wheel2Wheel: Indy, Danica & 600

Posted: May 24th 2009 9:52AM by Geoffrey Miller (author feed)
Filed under: Sprint Cup, Wheel2Wheel, IRL

2 COMMENTS

FH writers Holly Cain and Geoffrey Miller are taking part in both major American races this weekend. Here, they go Wheel2Wheel on some major issues facing each sport.

There's been lots of talk about Danica Patrick this week moving to NASCAR. We'll ask again: is this for real?

Holly Cain: While Danica is clearly enjoying her flirtation with NASCAR, I don't think it's a real option - yet as much as a bargaining ploy to land a good IndyCar ride.

Geoffrey Miller: I couldn't agree more, though a move by her would be a tremendous short-term gain for NASCAR in terms of a new character in the garage.

Continue Reading Wheel2Wheel: Indy, Danica & 600

FH @ The Track: Indy 500, Coke 600

Posted: May 20th 2009 11:13PM by Geoffrey Miller (author feed)
Filed under: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Lowes Motor Speedway, Sprint Cup, IRL

0 COMMENTS

Looking to land the best 1-2 punch on American motorsports coverage this weekend? Well don't move that mouse.

From the pageantry of the Indianapolis 500 to NASCAR's longest night in the Coca-Cola 600, FanHouse will be hitting Memorial Day weekend on all eight cylinders as Holly Cain will be checking in with stories from the Brickyard while Geoffrey Miller will be enjoying NASCAR's day-to-night excursion from the fan element.

We'll be Twittering, blogging, live-chatting and any-other-ing you can think of that'll help you take in these jewels of American motorsports from another angle. Got an idea? Leave it in the comments below.

Continue Reading FH @ The Track: Indy 500, Coke 600

After Crash, Andretti Looks to Make 500

Posted: May 13th 2009 10:14PM by Geoffrey Miller (author feed)
Filed under: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, IRL

4 COMMENTS

The first foray for Richard Petty into the world of IndyCar racing came to a nasty, grinding and gut-wrenching halt in turn one of the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday afternoon.

That crash -- check the video later in the post -- kept Petty's No. 43 driven by John Andretti with assistance from longtime IndyCar player Dreyer and Reinbold Racing from qualifying for the 93rd running of the Indianapolis 500.

However, don't expect the hard incident to keep Petty or Andretti from making the 33-car field this weekend at the Brickyard.

Continue Reading After Crash, Andretti Looks to Make 500

Tests Reveal Goodyear Still Not Ready

Posted: May 1st 2009 5:10PM by Holly Cain (author feed)
Filed under: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, NASCAR Testing, Sprint Cup

9 COMMENTS

Less than impressed.

That was pretty much the consensus of drivers following Wednesday's Goodyear tire test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway -- the sixth test since a tire debacle at the track during last year's NASCAR race resulted in no green flag runs more than 16 laps.

"The tires still are not ideal,'' said Ryan Newman, who represented the Chevrolet contingent in the four-car test. "I know Goodyear is still working on that. It is just a tough situation, man."

Continue Reading Tests Reveal Goodyear Still Not Ready

Petty's 500 Entry No 'Publicity Stunt'

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 1:18AM by Geoffrey Miller (author feed)
Filed under: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, IRL

50 COMMENTS

FanHouse's Holly Cain first jumped on the news Friday from the IRL IndyCar Series season-opener in St. Petersburg, Fla., and Monday NASCAR's 'King' officially announced his entry to open-wheel's highest affair.

Latest IndyCar Photos

** AUTO RACING PACKAGE FOR APRIL 8 AND THEREAFTER ** In this Friday, April 3, 2009, photo, Sam Hornish Jr. helps push his car up pit road during qualifying for the NASCAR Samsung 500 auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. It almost reads like a misprint: former IRL star Sam Hornish Jr. is without a top-10 finish in 43 Sprint Cup starts, the equivalent of more than a year in NASCAR's top series. It's true, and it's not that much of a surprise, even to Hornish. He knew it would be a tough transition competing every week against the likes of Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Richard Petty looks over the car that John Andretti will drive for next month's Indianapolis 500 after an announcement at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, April 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Richard Petty, right, and driver John Andretti laugh during an announcement on their participation in next month's IRL Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, April 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Richard Petty, right, and driver John Andretti talk about their participation in next month's Indianapolis 500 after an announcement at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, April 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Richard Petty, right, and driver John Andretti pose next to the car that Andretti will drive for next month's Indianapolis 500 after an announcement at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, April 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Indie folk-rock artist Melissa Ferrick performs at the Canal Club in Richmond, Virginia, Friday, December 5, 2008. Her latest release, "Goodbye Youth" (Right on Record), serves up her most introspective material to date. (Chuck Myers/MCT)

MCT

Indie folk-rock artist Melissa Ferrick performs at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C., Friday, March 6, 2009. Her latest release, "Goodbye Youth" (Right on Record), serves up her most reflective material. (Chuck Myers/MCT)

MCT

ST. PETERSBURG, FL - APRIL 05: Tony Kanaan, drives the #11 Team 7-Eleven Andretti Green Racing Dallara Honda down Bayshore Dr. during the IRL IndyCar Series Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on April 5, 2009 on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tony Kanaan

Getty Images

Continue Reading Petty's 500 Entry No 'Publicity Stunt'

Richard Petty to Enter Car in Indy 500

Posted: Apr 3rd 2009 3:37PM by Holly Cain (author feed)
Filed under: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, IRL

0 COMMENTS

ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. -- IndyCar Series sources said Friday that Richard Petty Motorsports, in conjunction with Dreyer and Reinbold Racing, will field a car for John Andretti in this year's Indianapolis 500. A formal announcement is set for Monday at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

A news release was issued Friday saying only that it would be a NASCAR team owner and NASCAR driver setting off speculation in the IndyCar paddock as teams prepare for this weekend's season-opening Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

Continue Reading Richard Petty to Enter Car in Indy 500

10 from '08: The Brickyard's Big Blowout

Posted: Dec 3rd 2008 3:00PM by Geoffrey Miller (author feed)
Filed under: Jimmie Johnson, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sprint Cup

0 COMMENTS

With NASCAR's awards banquet on Friday, Dec. 5 (stop by for the live blog!), here's a look at 10 from '08 -- 10 of the NASCAR season's best moments.

NASCAR Sprint Cup racing was graced with one of the most beautiful weekends Central Indiana could offer with mild temperatures and crystal clear skies during the final weekend of July.

The sanctioning body, and its tire supplier (who's problems earlier in the season caught a little bit of Smoke, if you will) Goodyear, though, managed to turn one of the most-consistently awesome Brickyard race weekends in to a total mess.

As I'm sure none of you will soon forget, the July's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard -- also known as the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway -- was marred by a complete failure of the tire compound brought by Goodyear for one of the season's crown jewel events.

Indy was one of three races that yours truly had the chance to cover first hand, and following the final Saturday practice while standing behind Kurt Busch's No. 2 car, I noticed something I had never seen before. Black powder, or rather granulated rubber, was sticking to the rear quarter-panels and trunk cover after less than a handful of laps turned around the 2.5-mile oval.

That powder, it turns out, was a direct foresight into what NASCAR fans were about to experience the next day.

Continue Reading 10 from '08: The Brickyard's Big Blowout

Friends Don't Let Friends Ditch NASCAR

Posted: Jul 28th 2008 5:13PM by Geoffrey Miller (author feed)
Filed under: Jimmie Johnson, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sprint Cup

34 COMMENTS

Sunday's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard was not what any NASCAR fan paid to see or tuned in to see. It wasn't what my father expected when he bought our tickets for the event months ago. It wasn't what any of the fans in my annual Brickyard home -- Turn four's Stand J -- wanted to see.

But let's face it, not a sole in the garage area whether it be NASCAR, Goodyear, the race teams, the power-tripping IMS yellow shirt security guards, and not even an absent Tony George wanted to put on a race like the one that happened Sunday at America's most legendary place of speed.

Continue Reading Friends Don't Let Friends Ditch NASCAR