From Erik Tomas, Raceline Radio Network
Our Quebec NASCAR Sprint Cup duo watched this year's 50th anniversary Daytona 500, the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup opener, the same way most of us did. On the sidelines or on TV as Ryan Newman scored Roger Penske's first stock car 500 win.
Nice race! The new car works perfectly. The final 250 miles were superb. Close to 40 lead changes, and with a mere seven cautions, the race was done in three hours!
So close for frequent Raceline Radio/FAN 590 guest Patrick Carpentier. In the second twin 150 mile Daytona 500 qualifier, Patrick told his Gillett-Evernham crew on the radio his # 10 Dodge had developed a vibration. Patrick bravely kept his foot into it, high enough in the running order and fast enough to make the 500 to write another page in Canadian racing history. But with only 5 laps to go, the right front tire explodes, and Patrick's Daytona 500 hopes to kick off the NASCAR portion of his career wind up against the wall!
Earlier in the same race, Formula One, CART champion and Indy 500 winner Jacques Villeneuve had a nastier time of it. Bouncing in and out of the transfer spot to make the 500, Villeneuve's tapped by John Andretti and the #27 Bill Davis Racing Toyota, collects people on his way to the wall, and JV's NASCAR debut winds up in a smoldering, bent and broken Camry.
It got worse afterwards. Bill Davis announced Villeneuve would come out of the car until JV found some money. A sponsor. Benson and Skinner take over the ride on a race-by-race basis.
It's not a good start for Villeneuve. Better but not perfect for Carpentier. But Patrick is the new darling of the NASCAR set. Despite stinging disappointment, he's been competitive while staying out of the way. Carp's always smiling on TV. He's in good spirits with the media and the fans. They like this guy and that's important too. Do nice guys always finish last? Not any more. Let Montoya be the former open wheel villain.
Hopefully, Villeneuve can find some money. Carpentier still has to race his way into the first few with Valvoline, but if his up-beat attitude means anything, he'll shrug off his Daytona cloud, makes some fields, finish a few and maybe even pilfer a top 10.
Carp and JV are just 2 reasons why this year's NASCAR Sprint Cup war is going to be one of the most interesting in years.
Ryan revelation! Newman developed his race craft on dirt tracks, and highly educated, has a degree in mechanical engineering. Connected to his roots? Earlier in the weekend, Newman was running a UMP Late Model at the Dirt-Nationals at Volusia Florida. He then headed to Daytona, put on his asphalt hat and won the biggest stock car race in the game. That's why we LOVE this sport.
Silence is NOT Golden!
Amid rumours of bankruptcy, ChampCar has been silent about what's happening for 2008. You know the story by now. A badly needed merger with the IRL was on, then off, then supposedly on again. Schedule juggling, second-guessing, what's happening with the three Canadian races? Who's in charge of it? We still won't know for sure.
On Raceline and other media, ChampCar officials claim every time rumours leak and we try and probe what's happening, it means set backs for a merger.
But having fans, event managers and the media in the dark is very damaging at this point. Uncertainty kills credibility.
ChampCar needs to tell us if 2008 is a go or not and RIGHT now.
The very latest: Not a whole lot more than we know already. IRL boss Tony George and ChampCar boss Kevin Kalkhoven have been in England attending weddings and family functions. From both sides, the message is reunification talks continue. Quietly and privately.
George: "talks carry on, but it's a delicate and complicated process. "
Kalkhoven: "We know the advantages in a merger with the IRL, but we are more than content to go it alone. Right now, we're going ChampCar racing."
It's believed ChampCar and The IRL have finally reached that illusive agreement in principle to work together. But a long list of critical issues hang in the balance and there is virtually NO time left to get this bricked together for 2008.
I know I have been telling fans to support the three Canadian ChampCar shows until their status changes, but that only lasts so long before it seems like ChampCar doesn't care. Faith only goes so far.
I feel for the people running and promoting these races. It's cruel. They have nothing to tell their customers.
But, for the time being, nothing's changed from my stand point. Until they tell me to stop, The 2008 ChampCar season and the three Canadian dates are green and go. And I will cover them best I can while not really knowing what the heck is going on!
COMING UP: Sunday February 24th, 2008
Ryan Newman, winner of the 50th anniversary Daytona 500… and 17 year old Canadian racing phenom Daniel Morad.
BROADCAST SCHEDULE:
AM 900 CHML Hamilton FLAGSHIP LIVE Sundays 8:06 PM Eastern
The FAN 590 Toronto Mondays 7:06 PM Eastern
The FAN 960 Calgary Sundays 11:06 PM Mountain
CJOB 68 Winnipeg LIVE Sundays 7:06 PM Central
780 KIXX Halifax Saturdays 10:30 AM Atlantic
105.1 THE RIVER Niagara Falls Mondays 9:06 PM Eastern
AM 800 CKLW Windsor LIVE Sundays 8:06 PM Eastern
TEAM 1040 Vancouver Sundays 12 Midnight to 1 AM
TEAM 990 Montreal Mondays 7:06 PM Eastern
TEAM 1260 Edmonton Sundays 11:06 PM Mountain
KHJ Fredericton NB Tuesdays 9:06 PM Atlantic
AM 1220 Cornwall Sundays 5:00 PM Eastern
KHJ-One Oromocto NB Tuesdays 9:06 PM Atlantic
KHJ-Two New Maryland NB Tuesdays 9:06 PM Atlantic
CAT 99.5 FM Truro NS Tuesdays 9:06 PM Atlantic
Country 105 FM Peterborough Mondays 10:06 PM Eastern
AM 790 CIGM Sudbury Mondays 7:06 PM Eastern
AM 1070 CHOK Sarnia LIVE Sundays 8:06 PM Eastern
AM 570 News Kitchener Mondays 7:00 PM Eastern
Our Quebec NASCAR Sprint Cup duo watched this year's 50th anniversary Daytona 500, the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup opener, the same way most of us did. On the sidelines or on TV as Ryan Newman scored Roger Penske's first stock car 500 win.
Nice race! The new car works perfectly. The final 250 miles were superb. Close to 40 lead changes, and with a mere seven cautions, the race was done in three hours!
So close for frequent Raceline Radio/FAN 590 guest Patrick Carpentier. In the second twin 150 mile Daytona 500 qualifier, Patrick told his Gillett-Evernham crew on the radio his # 10 Dodge had developed a vibration. Patrick bravely kept his foot into it, high enough in the running order and fast enough to make the 500 to write another page in Canadian racing history. But with only 5 laps to go, the right front tire explodes, and Patrick's Daytona 500 hopes to kick off the NASCAR portion of his career wind up against the wall!
Earlier in the same race, Formula One, CART champion and Indy 500 winner Jacques Villeneuve had a nastier time of it. Bouncing in and out of the transfer spot to make the 500, Villeneuve's tapped by John Andretti and the #27 Bill Davis Racing Toyota, collects people on his way to the wall, and JV's NASCAR debut winds up in a smoldering, bent and broken Camry.
It got worse afterwards. Bill Davis announced Villeneuve would come out of the car until JV found some money. A sponsor. Benson and Skinner take over the ride on a race-by-race basis.
It's not a good start for Villeneuve. Better but not perfect for Carpentier. But Patrick is the new darling of the NASCAR set. Despite stinging disappointment, he's been competitive while staying out of the way. Carp's always smiling on TV. He's in good spirits with the media and the fans. They like this guy and that's important too. Do nice guys always finish last? Not any more. Let Montoya be the former open wheel villain.
Hopefully, Villeneuve can find some money. Carpentier still has to race his way into the first few with Valvoline, but if his up-beat attitude means anything, he'll shrug off his Daytona cloud, makes some fields, finish a few and maybe even pilfer a top 10.
Carp and JV are just 2 reasons why this year's NASCAR Sprint Cup war is going to be one of the most interesting in years.
Ryan revelation! Newman developed his race craft on dirt tracks, and highly educated, has a degree in mechanical engineering. Connected to his roots? Earlier in the weekend, Newman was running a UMP Late Model at the Dirt-Nationals at Volusia Florida. He then headed to Daytona, put on his asphalt hat and won the biggest stock car race in the game. That's why we LOVE this sport.
Silence is NOT Golden!
Amid rumours of bankruptcy, ChampCar has been silent about what's happening for 2008. You know the story by now. A badly needed merger with the IRL was on, then off, then supposedly on again. Schedule juggling, second-guessing, what's happening with the three Canadian races? Who's in charge of it? We still won't know for sure.
On Raceline and other media, ChampCar officials claim every time rumours leak and we try and probe what's happening, it means set backs for a merger.
But having fans, event managers and the media in the dark is very damaging at this point. Uncertainty kills credibility.
ChampCar needs to tell us if 2008 is a go or not and RIGHT now.
The very latest: Not a whole lot more than we know already. IRL boss Tony George and ChampCar boss Kevin Kalkhoven have been in England attending weddings and family functions. From both sides, the message is reunification talks continue. Quietly and privately.
George: "talks carry on, but it's a delicate and complicated process. "
Kalkhoven: "We know the advantages in a merger with the IRL, but we are more than content to go it alone. Right now, we're going ChampCar racing."
It's believed ChampCar and The IRL have finally reached that illusive agreement in principle to work together. But a long list of critical issues hang in the balance and there is virtually NO time left to get this bricked together for 2008.
I know I have been telling fans to support the three Canadian ChampCar shows until their status changes, but that only lasts so long before it seems like ChampCar doesn't care. Faith only goes so far.
I feel for the people running and promoting these races. It's cruel. They have nothing to tell their customers.
But, for the time being, nothing's changed from my stand point. Until they tell me to stop, The 2008 ChampCar season and the three Canadian dates are green and go. And I will cover them best I can while not really knowing what the heck is going on!
COMING UP: Sunday February 24th, 2008
Ryan Newman, winner of the 50th anniversary Daytona 500… and 17 year old Canadian racing phenom Daniel Morad.
BROADCAST SCHEDULE:
AM 900 CHML Hamilton FLAGSHIP LIVE Sundays 8:06 PM Eastern
The FAN 590 Toronto Mondays 7:06 PM Eastern
The FAN 960 Calgary Sundays 11:06 PM Mountain
CJOB 68 Winnipeg LIVE Sundays 7:06 PM Central
780 KIXX Halifax Saturdays 10:30 AM Atlantic
105.1 THE RIVER Niagara Falls Mondays 9:06 PM Eastern
AM 800 CKLW Windsor LIVE Sundays 8:06 PM Eastern
TEAM 1040 Vancouver Sundays 12 Midnight to 1 AM
TEAM 990 Montreal Mondays 7:06 PM Eastern
TEAM 1260 Edmonton Sundays 11:06 PM Mountain
KHJ Fredericton NB Tuesdays 9:06 PM Atlantic
AM 1220 Cornwall Sundays 5:00 PM Eastern
KHJ-One Oromocto NB Tuesdays 9:06 PM Atlantic
KHJ-Two New Maryland NB Tuesdays 9:06 PM Atlantic
CAT 99.5 FM Truro NS Tuesdays 9:06 PM Atlantic
Country 105 FM Peterborough Mondays 10:06 PM Eastern
AM 790 CIGM Sudbury Mondays 7:06 PM Eastern
AM 1070 CHOK Sarnia LIVE Sundays 8:06 PM Eastern
AM 570 News Kitchener Mondays 7:00 PM Eastern
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