Kyle Busch Wins at ‘Dega but JR Nation rocks the Stands

Eastern Alabama was rocked by the crowds going wild as Dale Earnhardt JR took the lead from Denny Hamlin at Talladega Superspeedway. JR Nation, a moniker given to Dale Earnhardt JR fans, were on their feet as the driver of the number 88 Amp Chevrolet made the pass to take the lead on lap 39. Forty-three racecars pumping out nearly 800 horsepower each could not mask the sound of JR Nation rocking the grandstands at Talladega. However, the delight was short lived with 17 lead changes following Dale Earnhardt JR’s pass for the lead.  READ MORE

The Perfect Union: Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota?

Just seven races into the NASCAR Sprint Cup season and Joe Gibbs Racing has already led Toyota to Victory Lane twice. Is this just a coincidence or has Toyota finally got a race team that will prove Toyota’s potential on the track? Is it the car, the organization, or the drivers? Maybe it is the perfect combination of all three, only time will tell if this is a trio made in heaven or one made in hell. They must be doing something right. All three Joe Gibbs Racing teams are in the top 10 in points for the NASCAR Sprint Cup series. One thing is for sure, Kyle Busch has been a perfect fit to the Joe Gibbs Racing team. READ MORE

Kyle Busch takes Atlanta by Storm

Kyle Busch takes Atlanta by storm as he takes Toyota to the finish line at two of the three NASCAR races held there this weekend. After a slight rain delay in the morning postponing Craftsman Truck Series practice, Kyle Busch started out by winning the American Commercial Lines 200, Friday Night at Atlanta Motor Speedway. As Busch took the checkered flag at the truck race, Ron Hornaday and Mike Skinner finished behind him in second and third.

At Saturday’s Nationwide Series, Kyle Busch did not fair so well. Busch finished 24^th and 1 lap down after blowing a tire at the Nicorette 300 at Atlanta. READ MORE

Carl Edwards leads the pack at the UAW-Dodge 400

Ford reclaims the NASCAR Sprint Cup reigns as Roush Fenway Racing and Carl Edwards do it again at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Edwards finished first after a soggy and rain delayed start in Fontana, California last week. Today at the UAW-Dodge 400, Edwards in the 99 Dish Network Ford were at the front of the pack most of the day.

The UAW-Dodge 400 had 11 cautions and left just 21 cars on the lead lap. The first caution flag of the race came out on lap 8, when Jamie McMurray spun without hitting anything. On lap 108, Tony Stewart in the 20 Home Depot Toyota, blows a tire and hits the wall sending out the third caution of the day. READ MORE

Rain at Fontana

Rain has been falling at Fontana this week and today ends the chance for a win for the Hendrick Motorsports 5 and 88 car. Casey Mears got loose and collected Dale JR along the way. Sam Hornish JR got wedged under the back of Mears putting the 5 car on its side before the 77 burst into flames.

The cars were off the track for over an hour before Jimmie Johnson and Jeff gordon inspected the track with officials and decided it was time to go green.

Joe Gibbs Racing moves to Toyota in 2008

Well the rumors are done and the decision has been made that Joe Gibbs Racing is switching to Toyota. The formal announcement was made on Wednesday, September 5, 2007 at press conference that was televised by Speed at 11am. Answering questions at the press conference was drivers Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin and crew chiefs Greg Zipadelli, Mike Ford, and Steve Addington. Along with them was President of Joe Gibbs Racing, JD Gibbs; head of the engine building department, Mark Cronquist; vice president of Toyota Motorsports and president and CEO of Toyota Racing Development, USA, Jim Aust; and senior vice president of racing operations for Joe Gibbs Racing, Jimmy Makar. READ MORE

The Start of the 2008 Season

As the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season is now under way, each team expresses their own hopes, dreams and desires on what they want the 2008 season to bring. Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Penske Racing are seeing their dreams come true right before their eyes.

Speed week at Daytona has been a monumental week for the teams. Hendrick Motorsport’s newest team member, Dale Earnhardt JR dominated the track for the Budweiser Shoot Out and the first Gatorade Duel at the Daytona International Speedway. He was left as the only Hendrick car left standing at the Daytona 500 after Casey Mears tried to block Tony Stewart and went crashing into the wall sending out the caution flag with only 6 laps to go.

Joe Gibbs Racing showed the world what they could with a Toyota when Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart Finished one, two at the second Gatorade Duel. At the Daytona 500, Tony Stewart and Kyle Bush finished 3rd and 4th. READ MORE

Changes for 2008 Season

The press conference on September 19, 2007 was just the latest in announcements that have rocked the NASCAR circuit this year. Team owner Rick Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt JR announced that Dale JR would be driving the 88 car in the 2008 NASCAR season. The 88 has previously been used by Robert Yates racing on their Ford Fusion and will now be a Chevrolet Impala owned by Hendrick Motorsports. In the press conference, they also announced that the sponsors for the new car in the Hendrick stable would be National Guard and Mountain Dew. Both of which Hendrick motorsports has had a long relationship with. READ MORE