by | Feb 25, 2013 | TV Times
Jimmie Johnson was the surprise winner of the Daytona 500 to everyone but himself
By Lou Modestino
The Daytona 500 became another coup for Jimmie Johnson, his second 500 win. “We had a great fast car and our game plan worked very well. So now everyone can buy a Chevy!” he exclaimed sporting a wide grin in victory lane. JJ also wished all fans who were injured by flying debris at the finish of Saturday’s Nationwide event “a speedy recovery.” Sunday’s win for JJ was his 61st Sprint Cup victory.
Johnson’s crew chief Chad Knaus was all smiles too when he said, “The Daytona 500 is a great thing for us. Being able to do this race today pleases me. Not bad for a guy from Rockford Speedway (Illinois)!” Meanwhile Fox color analyst Darrell Waltrip seemed surprised at JJ’s performance. “He had limited practice at Daytona. You just can’t ever count out the strategy of Chad Knaus.” And Hollywood Hotel announcer Chris Myers quipped, “The Hendrick Team is tops!” (more…)
by | Feb 20, 2013 | Media, TV Times
Sprint Cup drivers trying to adjust to the G6 cars
By Lou Modestino
Saturday night’s Sprint Unlimited didn’t really answer any questions about the new G6 car. As a matter of fact, we may not know what the verdict is until after the Thursday Duels and Sunday’s 500. In the meantime, Kevin Harvick seemed to have it all down pat, for now at least, when he held off Greg Biffle coming down to the end of the Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway.
Harvick had this to say in victory lane: “I was nervous about the 20 and 14. Rather than talking about being a Lame Duck at RCR, my guys want to win all of the time.” Harvick will leave the RCR Team at the end of the season. In the process, Harvick gave RCR it’s 8th win in the Sprint Unlimited event. Let’s see if he can carry it over into Thursday’s Duels or better still into Sunday’s 500. By the way, Kevin had to be pushed to victory lane because something happened to the car when he was doing those victory donuts! (more…)
by | Feb 7, 2013 | TV Times
By Lou Modestino
NASCAR fans are going to get their first 2013 racing fix when the flag officially drops on FOX Sports’ 2013 Speedweeks coverage with the newly named SPRINT UNLIMITED AT DAYTONA. It will be live and in prime time on Saturday, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. ET, followed by live coverage of DAYTONA 500 QUALIFYING, Sunday, Feb. 17 at 1 p.m. ET.
There’s a prevailing feeling that the 2013 NASCAR season is going to pivotal year for the Daytona based sanction. The person doing the steering at the helm of NASCAR is Brian France. To date Brian has reversed all of the changes that he made, over the years. It’s now back to square one and pretty much what we had before the shopping bag of changes took place. We have to give Brian some credit for making those changes that the fans complained about the most. In the process, France had to reverse just about everything he thought would grow his product. (more…)
by | Jan 30, 2013 | Media, TV Times
by Lou Modestino
The 2013 racing season is off and arunnin’, yet we’ll have to wait until the Super Bowl is over before we see any NASCAR action. When Bill France, Sr., erected Daytona International Speedway in 1958 for stockcars, he also had built an infield road course. His intention was to host world class road races for drivers and cars from all industrialized nations, hence the 24 Hours of Daytona now known as the Rolex 24 which was just held. The late Bill France, Jr., continued along the same course.
Senior was a man of vision. Over the years, this particular road race has developed into a 24 hour endurance event, and, true to his vision, famous drivers from all over the globe have participated in this annual race. Now with the American LeMans Series merging with Grand Am in 2014, the 24 Hour grind should be really something next year. Thanks to the efforts of Jim France, Bill, Jr’s., brother, this race continues to make further strides on the world racing front. (more…)
by | Jan 24, 2013 | TV Times
ROLEX 24 at DAYTONA kicks off the 2013 auto racing season
The 51st Rolex 24 at Daytona takes place this coming weekend, once again pitting top drivers and teams against one of the toughest challenges in endurance motor sport. The 24-hour race at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. EST this Saturday, January 26. When the green flag drops, 59 cars are expected to cross the start line. This event officially starts the Daytona Speedweeks.
Grid positions for the race will be determined on Thursday. Official race practice sessions take place in the morning and early afternoon, before qualifying begins at 3::40 p.m. for the Daytona Prototypes (DP) and at 4:10 for the GT and GX classes. A night practice session then gets underway at 6 p.m. just after sunset. The final practice opportunity is on Friday morning.
During the three days of testing at the Roar Before the Rolex 24 earlier this month, several markers were laid down. Defending champion in the DP class, Michael Shank Racing #60, set the fastest lap time of 1:42.918 (an average speed of 124.526 mph) on the first day of testing with one of the team’s 2012 winning drivers, Anthony ‘AJ’ Allmendinger, at the wheel. Then, on the third day, Michael Valiante, driving the team’s second car #6, set the fastest lap for the entire weekend with a time of 1:42.058 (125.576 mph). (more…)
by | Jan 8, 2013 | Media, TV Times
By Lou Modestino
Will NASCAR and the other sanctions ever get back the fans they once had?
Knowledgeable sources in the motor racing community here in the USA and elsewhere think that motorsports has seen its best days behind it. It appears that racing, NASCAR in particular, which set the best trend in both TV ratings and paid attendance, may never fully recover what they had prior to the economic downturn of 2008. Flying high in 2008, NASCAR TV ratings and attendance were still “hot”.
But shortly after that, the fall off started. In fact, there were already indications of an erosion beginning even prior to that, if one was able to see the signs. Ticket sales began to tank, and at the same time, TV ratings indicated a major displeasure by hard core NASCAR fans. And fickle fans left for brighter pastures. (more…)
