Full Throttle

It has been suggested the phrase “it’s not over until the fat lady sings” was the brainchild of the San Antonio TV sports editor Dan Cook who famously used it during a televised basketball game.
It’s true origin is debatable. What’s not is its application to Jimmie Johnson’s dominating performance in the Arizona desert Sunday afternoon/early [...]

Don’t tell Carl Edwards that the chase is over. Pete Pistone joins Lauren Shehadi to see if he still has a shot at catching Jimmie Johnson.

Carl Edwards coaxed his Roush Ford home on fumes ahead of the field after a series of caution flags put him behind when all the top-running cars took two tires while Edwards took four.

Carl Edwards will make his debut in this years Race of Champions to be held Dec. 14th at Wembley Stadium.

In looking over NASCAR headlines since the checkered flew over Jimmie Johnson Sunday you would think Johnson did a re-enactment of Sherman’s drive through Atlanta and his quest for a third Cup was all but awarded.

For the third consecutive week Sprint Cup qualifying has been rained out.
For the third consecutive week points leader Jimmie Johnson starts on the pole and gets his preferred pit selection.
Yepper, three times a charm. Makes you wonder when the “charmed life” will end, if ever.
For those doing the counting, the Weatherman is ahead of Kyle [...]

Red Bull Racing has fired a supervisor and reprimanded several other employees for their involvement in the violation that resulted in major points penalties and suspensions for Brian Vickers’ team, general manager Jay Frye said on Friday.

NASCAR docked Brian Vickers 150 driver points and fined crew chief Kevin Hamlin $100,000 because the Red Bull Racing team dipped its sheet metal in acid to make it lighter than required.

Scene, Martinsville, a/k/a The Paperclip.
Question: What came first the first dude [of Martinsville], or The First Dude?
Well, The First Dude has been just that since December 2006.
However he may have competition as to who holds the naming rights.
Consider: Jimmie Johnson, after his win today can rightly be called Martinsville’s First Dude, and the moniker can [...]

Is your NASCAR going black?
Not black as in “all the sponsors have bailed and France’s toy is destitute.”
Not black as in the normal “color” of the NASCAR rulebook that is so opaque as to render it unusable without a special decoder ring.
No, I mean black as in “we’re from the Gob’ment and we’re here to [...]

“Nice” week for Carl Edwards huh?
In the last seven days he’s had too much right foot that took out more than a few in Alabama. Saturday night he didn’t have enough ignition, fell fifteen laps off the pace early and dropped to 168 off Johnson’s points pace.
Oh, and he also had TOO much “ignition” [...]

As related earlier a shouting match, at the least, occurred between Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick in the LMS garage. Funny stuff, truth be told, but now a mini-controversy has erupted in the aftermath.
Tania Ganguli is a beat reporter for the Orlando Sentinel and along with co-blogger Matt Humphrey write the NASCAR Nuts & Bolts [...]

According to Patrick Carpentier’s website (that happens to be down at time of this writing) he and GEM team director Mike Shiplett engaged in a verbal tussle over Carpentier not qualifying at Talladega Saturday.
“I think it’s a complete lack of respect,” Carpentier wrote. “I never was shy to take the blame when I thought it [...]

A.J. Allmendinger, recently aced out of his Red Bull ride by Scott Speed (presumably), has landed at Michael Waltrip Racing.
Dinger has been handed the keys to the #00 for this weekends event at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Sitting at 36th in owners points Waltrip placed veteran Kenny Wallace in the seat at Talladega (replacing rookie Michael McDowell) [...]

A lot can happen in the 6 remaining Chase events. A lot that can keep Jimmie Johnson from sweeping to his third Cup championship in succession.
But one thing’s for sure, a lot has already happened in his favor including his two wins, and a bundle of luck that saw him eek out a top ten [...]

How about this “pre-Big One” starting line-up?
1. (28) Travis Kvapil, Ford, 187.364.
2. (5) Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 187.295.
3. (8) Aric Almirola, Chevrolet, 187.265.
4. (01) Regan Smith , Chevrolet, 187.181.
5. (15) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 187.141.
6. (33) Mike Wallace, Chevrolet, 186.984.
7. (78) Joe Nemechek, Chevrolet, 186.969.
8. (70) Tony Raines, Chevrolet, 186.739.
9. (83) Brian Vickers, Toyota, 186.707.
10. (1) Martin [...]

So, you wanna be a race driver?
Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson are, and they would LUV to sell you a Corvette ZR-1.
Helio Castroneves is race driver also, a two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 no less. He was apparently doing a “sales job” on the “U.S. Gobment.” “Dancing With the Stars Taxman?”
They ain’t buyin’ it [...]

Robby Gordon is suing McLaren Capital Advisers Inc. over a $1 million fee the Los Angeles-based investment company is seeking for a failed merger with Gillett Evernham Motorsports.
Gordon wants the court to throw out the fee McLaren sought for the deal, which ended with the settlement of a lawsuit last month, according to the complaint [...]

JTG-Daugherty Racing announced it has chosen to field Toyotas in 2009, after forming a technical alliance with Michael Waltrip Racing and Toyota Racing Development.
The JTG-Daugherty #47 Toyota Camry will maintain its current primary sponsors, Kingsford Charcoal, CloroxLaundry and Household Products, and Little Debbie’s Snack Cakes.
The new alliance will see JTG-Daugherty moving its Sprint Cup operation [...]

As long-time readers know I’ve been an advocate of Kyle Petty stepping aside and turning over the the #45 to someone, anyone if truth be known. It damn sure couldn’t hurt.
I’m surprised to have found an ally via Mike Mulhern who provides these Patti Petty quotes regarding Kyle’s status.
“Maybe I’m the only one here willing [...]