The race weekend started off with me being sick as a dog, but it was such a good one that I almost forgot about the coughing, sneezing and snottiness by Sunday night (almost).  We started off by taping 2 more shows for ESPN2 from the Mazda pits at the Long Beach Grand Prix on Friday and then Kenny and I flew to Texas for the remainder of the NASCAR weekend in Dallas.  Whew, what a whirlwind!

So in case you haven't caught yourself up yet on all the happenings, here it is in a nutshell for ya:

First, the MyRacer.com pick of the week… it has to be this video (and as one of my friends pointed out, 'nice poodle':
http://www.myracer.com/community/video/video.do?method=videoDetail&sort=0&page=&categoryId=&svideoId=k0Nj

NASCAR
OK, if you missed the NASCAR Nextel Cup race in Texas, you missed the best one of the year.  And the ratings so far prove the same as it was the highest sporting event of the weekend and up 13% from last year's TMS race (I'm not sure, but is that the only NASCAR race so far in '07 that has enjoyed an increase in ratings?).  Oh was the drama high… here are the major stories (a lot, folks!)
 Jeff Gordon basically ran away with the race from the start (qualifying was tornado'd out,
  so positions were based on points, with JG on the pole) and the first half of the race seemed
  a bit hum-drum.
 Oh yeah, there was a goofy wreck at the close of the first lap, too… causing Rudd to lift
  up over the Ragan mobile in the front grass.
 Slowly but surely, Dale Jr. caught up to Jeff Gordon and made it a fun duel to watch before,
  during and after his pass for the lead with 150+ laps to go.
 A little farther back, it was fun to watch bad-boy Juan Montoya charging through the field,
  and then battling for a few laps with Tony Stewart.
 Then Juan got side by side with Mr. Stewart and well, let's just say he still doesn't under-
  stand the ill handling of these heavy stock cars when they are side by side.  He got loose
  and wrecked Tony Stewart. Oops.
 A few laps later, after a few Stewart car repairs, Tony seemed to be just fine.  By this time
  the lead had changed again and was exciting to watch as several other cars were driving as
  fast as Jeff and Dale.  Jimmie Johnson, Kyle & Kurt Busch and Jeff Burton had closed… and
  Kurt Busch was the new leader! 
 Tony pit again and came out just fine… so much so that even though he was a few laps down,
  he thought he could race with leader Kurt Busch, but instead he lost aero and had a smoky spin
  out of Turn 4.
 In the smoke, Dale Jr. (2nd) let off the gas, but Kyle Busch (3rd) didn't… Kyle rear-ended
  Dale somewhere in the smoke and wrecked them both out of the race.  Or so we thought…
 Dale's car was being repaired via pit stops, Kyle's was no where to be seen (in the garages). 
  Suddenly Dale's car dropped a lake full of oil and the yellow flew again.
 When this yellow flew, leader Kurt Busch was caught out in the pits (routine stop) and went a
  lap down. Ouch.
 Green flag… new leader… Jeff Gordon.  But the Silent Killer (as we are calling him) Matt
  Kenseth was right behind him.  Matt just watched everything unfold in front of him, much as he
  did the day before in the Busch race, and when the time was right, he was up front.
 Jeff Gordon brushed the wall with less than 20 to go and then there was a terrific battle
  between Matt Kenseth and Jeff Burton for the lead. 
 Burton kept on Kenseth’s butt and finally made the pass successful in the last turn of the last
  lap to take the checkered flag!  Whew, what a race…

But wait, there’s more!

Remember that Kyle Busch – Dale Earnhardt Jr. wreck?  As it turned out, Kyle Busch’s car wasn’t AWOL after all and was indeed in the garages, being fixed by his crew.  But Kyle Busch himself was AWOL!  When the car was drivable, with around 20 laps to go, there was no driver to sit in the seat, so the crew searched for an able body to pilot the machine… first driver asked was Dale Jr. (he happens to be friends with the #5 crew) and he said YES!  So, with competing sponsors on the side panels and a completely different team owner, Dale climbed into the car that took him out of the race and drove the last 9 laps to the flag.  WHAT? 

We Freaks were one of the first on the scene when Dale hopped into the #5 car (usually driven by Kyle Busch) and actually drove the last 9 laps!  NOT in his Budweiser #8 car!  NOT driving for Ms. Teresa Earnhardt and DEI (of which many of you know is another entire soap opera drama fest regarding contract negotiations and team ownership)!   Where was Kyle?  Why didn't Kyle hop back in his own car?  I mean we've heard of relief drivers before, but NEVER in a situation such as this one!  Was this retaliatory for Dale Jr.?  He claims no, but… is he being facetious?  What about those contract talks?  Was Dale auditioning new team operations?  Yeah right… but it’s at least fun to talk about.

So anyway, the drama will continue throughout the week on the Dale Jr. – Kyle Busch super-sub scenario… stay tuned to espn.com for all the updates and quotes!  And will the question ever be answered… Dale, how was it finishing behind yourself in the TMS race?

Regarding Dale’s contract talks with DEI, Dale’s sister Kelley isn’t as optimistic as Dale is about it all happening as they need it to.  Here’s a link to the current status:  http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?seriesId=2&id=2836606

Joe Gibbs Racing will apparently have a car ready for Dale for 2008 (according to sources close to Tony Stewart) and possibly he would be the replacement for JJ Yeley who isn’t expected to return to the team.  Could Hendrick Motorsports be another option?  Rick Hendrick and Kelley Earnhardt have some close ties.  And obviously we all know that Richard Childress Racing would welcome an Earnhardt back to the camps… could the #3 reappear?

Who says silly season is just for the fall time?

Up until this weekend, Tony Stewart was 'extremely impressed' with Juan Montoya (listen here)… I wonder if that vibe has changed?

Oh yeah, there was a Busch race, too… also a pretty exciting 150 lapper!  With the win coming down to a duel between Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth, and Matt being the victor.

Need more scoop on stock cars?  nascar.com and jayski.com should get you your fill…

Formula One
As if the drama wasn’t enough in NASCAR, F1 had a bit of its own.  Felipe Massa held off standout rookie Lewis Hamilton for the win and now there is a 3-way tie for the championship, which is quite an oddity in F1.  Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso and Hamilton are each tied with 22 points. Race winner Massa is just five points behind the trio.  Also, Hamilton’s 2nd place finish made him the first F1 driver in history to score 3 podiums in his first 3 races.  NICE!  For all race and weekend updates, check out Formula1.com and for the humorous buzz, hit redbulletin.com (you’ll love that one!)

Champ Car
After a miserable finish in the season opener in Las Vegas, Sebastien Bourdais made a large rebound to dominate the Long Beach Grand Prix weekend, taking the pole and leading almost every lap.  However the nature of the championship changed earlier in the weekend when rival Paul Tracy crashed into the T1 wall and broke a vertebra in his lower back.  He apparently was walking around his garage back in Las Vegas by Sunday, and will eventually be able to return to competition, but doctors told him recovery time is about three months.  For the final verdict, PT will fly to Indy this week for further evaluation by Dr. Trammel.  And, according to some sources, it was the FALL, not the hit with the WALL that caused the damage to his vertebra… the fall (a piddly couple of inches) downward after the nose of his car hit the wall and was elevated slightly upward.  Just strange.

Tracy's sub, Oriol Servia finished in 2nd with the Vegas winner Will Power in 3rd.  For some good LB CC scoop, hit champcar.ws and follow their overall web links.

Atlantics
Soon after the big boys ran, Ralfy Matos dominated the Atlantic race about as much as Seb ran away with the CC race.  Link: Mazda Atlantics

Long Beach Celebrity Race
14 time X Games Medalist, BMX Rider Dave Mirra sat on the pole, took the lead at the green, and with a little help from George Lucas and Annamarie Dean, held on to win the street bash!

Drifting
With a little help from the fans (a first I believe), the "Fast & Furious 3" drift team of Rhys Millen, Tanner Foust, Rich Rutherford and Sam Hubinette, won the inaugural LB Team Drift Challenge (how could anyone else win against THAT group… seriously!)

ALMS
Well looky here you SpeedFreaks!  Those Porsche’s did it, even in the wake of a protest!!  They ended the Audi dominance of ALMS overall wins!  Penske’s Porsche duo finished 1-2 and the Dyson team crossed the line in 3rd.  What might be confusing to some, is that was the LMP2 class finish, but also the overall rank.  What is generally the mightier class, LMP1 was won by the Audi R10 diesel, but due to a late race fuel stop and a braking issue, their overall position was 7th. 

Domination did continue in the GT1 and GT2 classes, however.  GT1 was brought home again by the Ollies (Oliver Gavin and Olivier Beretta) and their Corvette and GT2 was won again by the Ferrari of Mika Salo and Jamie Melo. 

americanlemans.com

World Challenge (Sports Cars – SCCA sanctioning)
Eric Curran won his second traight of '07 on those same streets of Long Beach, driving by Freaks Fav (and polesitter) Ron Fellows with just 8 to go!  scca.com 

For ALL the Long Beach Grand Prix goings-on (Miss GP, ALMS, World Challenge, Celebs, Drifting, Champ Car, and MORE), check out longbeachgp.com

Koni Challenge (Sports Cars – Grand Am sanctioning)
After starting from the rear of the field, co-drivers Tom Nastasi and Ian James swept a 39-car field and crappy weather to win the 400k at Homestead.  grand-am.com  But how about that pole by Valerie Limoges!!

NHRA
Las Vegas baby… the scoop?  Well, how about Top Fueler Doug Kalitta failing to qualify, ending a 164-run streak, the 2nd longest in the sport.  Then the longest streak in the sport was also cut off… John Force unfortunately ended his 395 consecutive race qualifying streak by not making the Funny Car field.  Couple these two streaks’ endings with Brandon Bernstein ending his qualifying run LAST week in Houston, and the 1-2-3 longest qualifying streaks are suddenly gone.  Hmmm…

As noted by one of my friends earlier today, “It was great seeing John and his team back at the track this weekend, although it’s hard adjusting to a subdued John Force (after the passing of his teammate Eric Medlen). But I'm sure that in time the excitement will come back to his voice. At the beginning of the broadcast, ESPN showed how they still set up Eric's pit for the fans to come by and to show that they are still a team. I had tears in my eyes.”

And then how great for the Force team to come away with a win on a bittersweet return to the series!  Funny Car driver Robert Hight, teammate to John and Ashley Force and Eric Medlen, won the emotional Wally!

And for the second race since the tragedy, one of Eric’s best friends, one of the ‘Brat Pak’ won in Top Fuel Dragsters… Brandon Bernstein!!  This BP member was also quite emotional at the top end as he dedicated his trophy to Eric’s Mom, too.

In Pro Stock, Greg Anderson’s 6.72 bested Jeg Coughlin’s 6.75 to take the win.  Damn that class is close!

World of Outlaws
Rain washed out the Saturday race, but Friday's Eldora event, the first since the track resurfacing, was a gooden.  Jason Meyers was the fastest all day and was able to hold off a charging Donny Schatz and Jason Sides on the last lap to secure the win… but he was barely able to complete his victory lap and needed a push to do so.  Why?  Well after crossing the line, a car in front of him shredded a tire and caused him to wreck… thank goodness it was AFTER the checkered flag.  For the complete story, check out racingone.com 

Two Wheel
No 2-wheel action this weekend, but MotoGP, Supercross and AMA Superbikes all relieve their kickstands again this coming weekend, so stay tuned!

Skip Barber
With a 3rd and a 4th place finish at the season finale in Daytona this weekend, Ricky Taylor, the 17 yr. old son of sports car champion Wayne Taylor, won his first car racing championship, The 06-07 Skip Barber Southern Series.

Other News
Mr. ‘Bad Luck’ Michael Waltrip allegedly fell asleep at the wheel of his personal car on Saturday (the 7th) at 2 a.m.  A passer-by thought no one had survived the wreck until she saw Michael crawl out of the window and then barely acknowledge her as he walked home shoeless.  He was ticketed later in the afternoon for reckless driving.  Is there something else suspicious to you about this story?

SpeedFreaks' set-up was finally announced this week… Supercross star Jeremy McGrath will indeed race in 10 late model affairs for Dale Earnhardt Jr.  SpeedFreaks’ President Kenny Sargent introduced the two for this opportunity through our mutual partnerships in American Racing Wheels and Budweiser back in November.  Jeremy tested one of Dale’s cars in December and was pleased at that point… negotiations have needed to be cleared since then to make this cool announcement.

Comments, suggestions?  Feel free to email me or do so at my blog:  Freakin' Fodder

CrashG@SpeedFreaks.TV