Bloggin' is Racin'

Good morning from 'Dega

Almost 11 a.m. at Talladega, about two hours before the green flag is scheduled to drop. I say scheduled because there's rain in the forecast. So far it's holding off.
Fans in the parking lot here are busy cookin' and drinking ... and drinking. Actually they probably never stopped drinking. Saturday's Nationwide Series race was fun, but way longer than it should have been, thanks to Kevin Lepage. The veteran, who should have known better, came off pit road in a less-than-competitive car and "blended" into traffic right when the entire pack of leaders was going into turn 1 at about 190 mph. A huge wreck collected most of the better cars, leaving Tony Stewart, Dale Junior, Mike Wallace, David Stremme and Greg Biffle to fight it out. Stewart won it.
Not around at the end of the race was rookie Dario Franchitti, who was unvolved in an earlier wreck and broke his ankle. No word on when he might return.
We tailgated after Saturday's race and listened to the Truck race from Kansas on the radio on the drive back to Birmingham. Ron Hornaday Jr. won that one.
I'll try to post some more 'Dega observations after today's race. As they say here in Daledega, GO JUUUNIOR!!
-- Michele Vincze

Stewart rumor growing more legs...

NASCAR Sprint Cup Silly Season has been such an unpredictable beast these last few years. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was THE story last year and it appears Tony Stewart might be the big headline this season. After two Internet reports Wednesday revealed the two-time Cup champion is looking to leave Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota, several other sites are chiming in with stories and opinions. A sampling:

Yahoo! Sports motorsports writer Bob Margolis weighs in here
Associated Press motorsports writer Jenna Fryer has the story covered here
David Newton at ESPN.com has the Gibbs angle covered here
Steve Kaminski at the Grand Rapids (Mich.) Press thinks Stewart may return to IndyCar racing. Huh? Not sure Smoke could fit in one of those cars anymore. Read Kaminski's opinions here.
FOX Sports NASCAR analyst Jeff Hammond is in a state of disbelief. Read his opinions here
Tom Jensen at speedtv.com shifts the focus to the talented group of drivers who, unlike Stewart, are seeing their current contracts end after this season.

On a similar note, keep an eye on these "message board" rumors as the season progresses:
1. Martin Truex Jr. to Hendrick: Very hot, rumored to be a done deal which means...
2. Casey Mears is looking: It's a shame this kid can't catch a break.
3. Carl Edwards to the Richard Childress fourth car: General Mills, who will be the primary sponsor for this No. 33 car, loves the guy....but what sponsor doesn't, really? General Mills and Childress also supposedly like Ryan Newman for this car.

-- Michele Vincze

TMS billboard in Indianapolis?

Texas Motor Speedway is in the billboard business again, and this time it’s out-of-state. Beginning Monday, TMS will tout the Bombardier Learjet 550 night race June 7 on a 14x48-foot billboard in the Crawfordsville Road area heading toward the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The theme, as espoused by TMS president Eddie Gossage, reads: Indy Traditions ... milk ... bricks and ... Texas Motor Speedway. TMS is paying $10,000 for a month’s worth of promotion Gossage believes is good for his track, the 92nd Indianapolis 500 and the IndyCar Series. “There’s nothing but good meant by that billboard,” said Gossage, who informed Indy Racing League founder and IMS chief executive Tony George of the buy a couple of weeks ago. “This is part of our aggressive promotional activity. They’ve got fans coming from all around the globe to the Indy 500 and we’re wanting to tell them, ‘Don’t forget there’s another great race on the schedule.’ The billboard is a compliment to Indianapolis.”

-- John Sturbin