2008 NASCAR running thread

I keep expecting to hear that the 99 failed inspection due to the ol' "Gary Nelson fuel line" trick.

 

That was the first thing I thought when he still had gas to get to victory lane.

 

A few rumors ...

Ganassi and DEI allegedly talking merger, per NASCAR.com.

http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/headlines/cup/11/04/ganassi.dei.possible.merger/index.html

The Worldwide Leader reports that Ganassi is talking to both DEI and Petty Enterprises Boston Ventures.

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/cup/news/story?id=3682358

According to today's edition of ESPN2's NASCAR Now, the entire crew for the 8 car will go with the Army sponsorship to Ryan Newman's new ride with Stewart Haas Racing.

Jayski passes on a Yahoo link reporting that, among other things, rumors swirl that Hornish might follow Franchitti back to the IRL next year.

Finally, and speaking of taxes, one that's distinctly not a rumor: Larry McClure, former co-owner of Morgan-McClure Motorsports, has been charged with so many violations of federal tax laws that he's looking at 115 years in prison plus a $2.75 million fine.

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/cup/news/story?id=3669952

Opinions, mine: Dale's ghost is gonna be pissed at Teresa if that turns out to be true. Ganassi plus either adds up to a big team with minimal sponsorship. Hornish going back to the IRL makes sense given that a seat might suddenly have come open at Penske's IRL squad due to a particularly taxing situation. And I wonder if McClure wants to sell the 4 rights to Stewart now?

 

But, but, but ... wasn't "merging" with Ginn Racing going to turn DEI into a super team?

 

The whole Teresa's-not-smart-enough-to-keep-her-stepson-at-home deal kind of worked against them.

 

I suggest they call the merged company Ganetty.

Seriously, taking what started the 2008 season as a four-car team (DEI), a three-car team (Ganassi) and a two-car team (Petty) and ending up with a total of four barely funded cars for 2009 is right up the newspaper industry's alley.

 

fixed.

 

Oh goody, Jimmie Johnson won again.

:

 

Up 141 points with one race left.

The asshat on Fox just said, as the other Double J was getting out of his car, "we are in the presence of greatness."

Somewhere, Cale Yarborough, the first man to win three straight NASCAR championships, is puking his guts out.

 

Can a NASCAR fan answer a question for an F1 snob?

Why the hell does it take 7 or 8 laps behind the pace car for someone to pick up one small piece of bodywork on the track? They had just gone through an extended yellow for a wreck, so no one was going to pit. It just struck me as absurd.

Thanks. I'll hang up and listen.

 

Should the second-place driver in the Chase make a miracle comeback in Homestead to win the Cup title, will the thread be renamed CARL EDWARDS HAS FLIPPED! SUCK IT, JIMMIE JOHNSON!?