RubbingsRacing.com » Christopher Smith

Logano: First Win Comes in Rain Shortened Loudon

Christopher Smith — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:16:24 +0000

Joey Logano gets his first Cup victory at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, making him the youngest driver in NASCAR history to win a race in the premier series. Many people have been complaining that he gets this win due to NASCAR calling the race with only a handful of laps left and Jeff Gordon marching towards the front.

My thoughts, get over it. This is not the first time a driver wins a race due to rain, in fact it’s not the first time this year. If Gordon, or better yet, Dale Earnhardt Jr. got a win this way, ending his losing streak, do you think anyone would be complaining then?

Get over it people. NASCAR did nothing different then they have done in the past. I don’t like rain shortened races, but they are a part of the series, and it is in the rule book. If you want to eliminate them, take a page out of the Formula One book and put rain tires on these guys with wipers and let them go.

Congratulations Joey. I expect this won’t be your last victory!

Over The Wall: Episode 13

Christopher Smith — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:58:14 +0000

Episode 13 of “Over The Wall” is now available. Again all about NASCAR’s Cup series. This week, myself, Chris Smith and Fluid Media’s Cameron Watson discuss Sonoma, RPM’s future as well as who’s in and who’s out in the chase. We also preview New Hampshire.

So please enjoy and comment either here, Twitter or Facebook. We need your thoughts on these topics. Your comments will help drive future shows.

So sit back and enjoy the show.

Topics covered during the podcast were the following:

Sonoma Recap
Kahne Squashing Rumors of RPS to Toyota this Year
Cup Chase Points: Who’s in, Who’s Out
New Hampshire Preview
Song: “Frozen Summer” by 3 Legged Dog Located on the Podsafe Music Network
Intro and Exit Bumpers courtesy of PhilX of Powder PowderMusic.com Link
Be sure to check us follow us on Twitter Link
Be sure to join our Facebook group and leave comments on our wall Facebook Link

Enjoy the podcast. We’ll put a new one up next week. Please let us know how you like it and what changes you would recommend. Again, your comments will drive the content.

Get Involved. Be Heard.

Join in the Conversation

Over The Wall: Episode 12

Christopher Smith — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 23:01:22 +0000

Episode twelve of “Over The Wall” is now available. Again all about NASCAR’s Cup series. This week we welcome back our esteemed panel, Myself, Chris Smith and Fluid Media’s Cameron Watson.

We recap Michigan’s fuel milage race, then move into GM pulling support in the sport and the impact of the COT, then we cover the Jeremy Mayfield situation.

So please enjoy and comment either here, Twitter or Facebook. We need your thoughts on these topics. Your comments will help drive future shows.

So sit back and enjoy the show.

Topics covered during the podcast were the following:

Michigan Recap
GM Pulling out, impact on sport, COT implications, etc
Jeremy Mayfield situation
Feel better thoughts for Johnny Benson
Song: “On My Own” by Granian Located on the Podsafe Music Network
Intro and Exit Bumpers courtesy of PhilX of Powder PowderMusic.com Link
Be sure to check us follow us on Twitter Link
Be sure to join our Facebook group and leave comments on our wall Facebook Link

Enjoy the podcast. We’ll put a new one up next week. Please let us know how you like it and what changes you would recommend. Again, your comments will drive the content.

Get Involved. Be Heard.

Join in the Conversation

Michigan: Martin Gets Win for Chevy

Christopher Smith — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:14:30 +0000

So the first race of the season right after GM announced its removal from the Nationwide and Camping World Series, Mark “The Kid” Martin gives Chevy the win in the backyard of “The Big Three”.

Fuel milage again takes the show. Even though these types of races are not as much fun for the fan, the race yesterday had enough plot twists at the end to make it worthwhile.

Mark Martin was sitting in third spot yesterday when the white flag dropped. That’s when the drama began. First Jimmie Johnson runs out of gas, then Greg Biffle. Martin passes on the last lap and ends up walking away with his third win of the season. This win also cements him in the 17th place overall for wins.

Not only did this win move Martin up in the overall race win category, but it also moved him up in the Chase points. Before the green flag, Martin sat in 13th spot looking into the magical “Top 12″ standings. When the checkered flag fell, Martin had moved all the way to 8th place.

Hendrick continues to dominate this season with a one-two finish, and in a race that Ford desperately needed to win. Roush/Fenway looked as if they were going to take Michigan again, but came up short when Biffle ran out of gas. Carl Edwards and Biffle finished fourth and fifth respectively.

Gas And Go: Episode 5

Christopher Smith — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 14:00:06 +0000

Welcome back to another edition of Gas and Go, the sister podcast to Over the Wall. It is Tuesday, June 12th, 2009. This week we talk about Smoke’s first points win as an owner/driver. Is “The Franchise” for real? Rowdy going all Pete Townsend on us. Hot topics this week include Michigan’s empty seats, Benson out on the streets, and Mayfield’s ongoing problem….

Topics covered during the podcast were the following:

Smoke wins at Pocono on Fuel Milage
Is “The Franchise” for Real?
Kyle Busch Lives up to Nickname
Mayfield
Benson on the Streets Again
Michigan’s Empty Seats
New Facebook Discussion topics
Music this episode “Drive Away” from Matthew Ebel on the Podsafe Music Network
Exit Bumpers courtesy of PhilX of Powder PowderMusic.com Link
Be sure to check us follow us on Twitter Link
Be sure to join our Facebook group and leave comments on our wall Facebook Link

Enjoy the podcast. We’ll put a new one up soon. Please let us know how you like it and what changes you would recommend. Again, your comments will drive the content. Get in there and join in on the conversation.

Join in the Conversation

Tony Stewart: After Pocono

Christopher Smith — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:50:12 +0000

It would have been a shame to lose it because of fuel milage, so it’s nice to be able to uh, to uh, I don’t know how much we had left, and if I saved enough whether I needed to or not remains to be seen. but um, just to know you can if you have to, that’s half the battle.

Tony Stewart: First Driver/Owner Points Win

Christopher Smith — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:33:38 +0000

Tony Stewart maneuvered the “Tricky Triangle” and survived the fuel milage gamble to win his first points race as an owner/driver.

This is the first of many that I see in his future. With Rick Hendrick funneling parts to him, and the team he has surrounded himself with, this won’t be the last time we see Smoke in Victory Lane.

I personally think this is great not only for Stewart-Haas Racing, but for NASCAR in general. Long gone have been the days of the owner/driver being able to survive, much less sit in the points lead and have victories under their belts. No, Stewart is reviving legends from the past, most notably and most recently, Alan Kulwicki.

Kulwicki was the last owner/driver to sit in the cat’s bird seat, back in November of 1992. His legacy is one of triumph and accomplishment as he drove the “Underbird” to the Championship with calculating precision. Down to the last lap, he knew exactly where he needed to be in order to take home the big trophy.

We will have to wait and see if Stewart’s magical year will end with the same result. Right now he is sitting pretty, but with today’s “Chase”, there is no telling how the final outcome will look.

Johnny Benson: Out on the Streets Again

Christopher Smith — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:12:18 +0000

Johnny Benson is out of yet another driving job. And again, it is not based on skill or competitive nature. It is a lack of sponsorship funding.

Benson, defending Truck Series Champion, is out indefinitely due to sponsorship woes despite the fact that he currently sits 7th in the overall points. Red Horse Racing, Benson’s team has decided to shut down the Number 1 team operations instead of holding tight to one of the best drivers in not only the Truck series, but in all of NASCAR.

It is a shame that it looks like Benson will not be able to run at his own home track at Michigan International Speedway due to the short-time to work out an arrangement.

Benson came up through the ASA circuit winning the championship, then moving to the Nationwide Series where he won the “Rookie of the Year” (ROY) in 1994 and followed it up with the Championship in 1995. Then Benson made the leap to the Cup Series where he again won ROY honors and then seemed to never get a car or team behind him enough for him to make the impact I was sure that he would make.

His big break appeared to come when he was pulled into the Rousch Racing team, but his years at Rousch didn’t fare well for him. I believe he was the testing car, given experimental parts to work out the kinks, for the top drivers in that organization. And all other teams he has driven for have been either start-ups, floundering, or downright bad organiztions.

Once Benson moved to the Truck Series, he has been a solid competitor and last year won the Championship outright.

Why Benson has had such a rocky road with sponsorships, owners, etc. is beyond me. He has great charisma, is well-versed and performs on the track. What more can you ask for as an owner or sponsor.

Johnny B Good….. We are pulling for you. You’re one of the good guys.

Danica Patrick: Could She Make it in NASCAR?

Christopher Smith — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 01:00:14 +0000

Well every year right after the Indy 500, it becomes a big topic to talk about, will Danica Patrick make the leap to NASCAR. There is a part of me that just wants this discussion to go away, but alas, I have no control over that, so let me add to the discussion.

NASCAR’s facebook page has put the question out there, “Do you think Danica Patrick can survive in NASCAR?” Well, here is my opinion in the nutshell….no.

Now that is not to say that Patrick is a bad driver, she’s not. Right now she sits in 4th place in the overall Indy points.

That’s also not to say that she can’t handle the pressure and the limelight. She had proved that she can by being on the cover of just about every magazine out there and been on the celebrity circuit without even flinching.

And, that’s not to say that her whinning will keep her out. NASCAR has plenty of whiners in the sport already, so that wouldn’t be an issue should she make the move.

No, Danica won’t survive in NASCAR for the same reason that so many other Indy drivers who have tried to make the leap to NASCAR…. They are two different sports with completely different demands and totally different mindsets.

First of all, Indy cars are completely different in the fact that you can do things in an Indy car that you can not even dream about doing in a stock car. Now I don’t need to rehash “Days of Thunder”. If you don’t know the reference, then I am surprised that you are even listening to our show.

Second of all, Indy drivers are only required to race in 17 races each year. NASCAR has a much more grueling schedule with 36 commitments per year, and forget about testing, not only will you have no more testing for three weeks at a track before you actually have to compete, but now you won’t have testing at all.

And finally, you have the fact that qualifying becomes much more important in NASCAR. There are only 35 drivers in the Indy Car series, so if you are a driver, you are guaranteed a spot, where you have up to 60 drivers who at any given time are qualifying for a spot in the crown jewel of NASCAR. Just ask Kenny Wallace how many go or go homers there are each and every week.

No, it’s not that seats wouldn’t be filled if Patrick made the move, but I just don’t think it would be successful. If she had a multitude of years in modified racing, I would say her chances would be improved, but only slightly.

Make sure you check out the latest “Gas and Go” to hear this discussion as well as many others. You can pick that show up right here.

Gas And Go: Episode 4

Christopher Smith — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:06:33 +0000

Welcome back to another edition of Gas and Go, the sister podcast to Over the Wall. It is Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009, I am your host Chris Smith, managing editor at RubbingsRacing.com.

Well, “The Franchise” has two big weeks in a row, “Smoke” does something that hasn’t been done in over 16 years and you get my take on the latest hot topics.

Topics covered during the podcast were the following:

“The Franchise” wins the 600 and follows with Pole at Dover
Tony Stewart does something that hasn’t been done in 16 years
Tony Eury Jr. out, what this does for Earnhardt Jr.
Would Danica Patrick survive in NASCAR if she made the move
The latest NAACP action and how this benefits Bruton Smith
New Facebook Discussion topics
Music this episode “Mark My Words” from Granian on the Podsafe Music Network
Exit Bumpers courtesy of PhilX of Powder PowderMusic.com Link
Be sure to check us follow us on Twitter Link
Be sure to join our Facebook group and leave comments on our wall Facebook Link

Join in the Conversation