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It’s back to work for NASCAR’s elite, as drivers ramp up for the Great American Race: the Daytona 500. Team Harvick, meanwhile is getting a new addition, but NASCAR has lost a pioneer.
FOX News Radio’s Marghiee “Trackside” Teshineh has this week’s “FOX in the Fast Lane”:
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DRIVER CLINT BOWYER HAS GOT A NEW HOME AT MICHAEL WALTRIP RACING, PARTING COMPANY WITH RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING. AND WITH A NEW TEAM, CLINT SAYS HE’S GOT A LOT TO REMEMBER
(BOWYER) “NEW SPONSOR, NEW NUMBER, NEW ORGANIZATION, NEW MANUFACTURES…JUST A LOT OF NEW, AND A LOT OF GETTING TO KNOW EVERYBODY AND THE SWING OF THINGS.”
KASEY KAHNE, TAKING OVER FOR MARK MARTIN AT HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS, IS HOPING TO START WINNING SOON FOR HIS NEW BOSSES.
(KAHNE) “YOU KNOW WITH THE NEW TEAM AND BEING IN THE #5 CAR, AND THINGS HOPEFULLY WE GET ONE PRETTY QUICK ONCE THE SEASON GETS STARTED. “
THIS WEEK, FRIENDS AND FAMILY PAID TRIBUTE TO DOCTOR JOSEPH “DOC’ MATTIOLI, WHO DIED AT AGE 86. ONE OF NASCAR’S PIONEERS, MATTIOLI AND WIFE, ROSE, FOUNDED THE POCONO RACEWAY IN THE 1960′S AND RAN THE FAMILY-OWNED RACEWAY UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT LAST YEAR.
AND KEVIN HARVICK IS ON THE FAST TRACK TO FATHERHOOD! HE AND WIFE DELANA ARE EXPECTING THEIR FIRST BABY THIS SUMMER.
FOX IN THE FAST LANE, I’M MARGHIEE TESHINEH, FOX NEWS RADIO.
I am extremely excited about the new racing season and the Daytona 500. Nascar rules.
Last year I really began to question the ethics of Nascar after several incidents. For one, the pit lane issue at Bristol, then the Menard, "do we need a caution right now" issue. I could tell what was going on, at times it seemed that Nascar could not, and I came very close to swearing off of Nascar several times. What changed my mind? After a slip of the lip by Knaus, Nascar said it would inspect Johnson's car for each of the remaining races of the chase. Not sure if anyone noticed or not but after that announcement, Johnson's performance for the rest of the chase was very different than before. And Kyle Busch, everyone thought what he did was so terrible, so he has a temper, who doesn't. Anyone remember the first complete race covered on CBS many years ago? They had tempers too, and it put Nascar on the map. Whether they want to admit it or not, Nascar needs tempers. I understand what happened to one racers champ hopes, but Nascar needs tempers.
While I have noting against Casey Kahne, I don't believe he is going to do any better in the #5 than he has done in the past. Mark Martin was once a great driver and is still a good driver, but no longer a great driver. Jeff Gordon who is my favorite is also getting long in the tooth. If Kyle Bush could keep his cool about himself, he would be a much better driver and a real champion in the end. Jimmy Johnson has had his day in the sun, I don't look for him to repeat at winning again.