2009 NASCAR running thread

I didn't want to be the one to say it. Especially since she's the only one to say "NASCAR claims" meaning if NASCAR actually said that others would have had it too.

 

Sudden outbreak of common sense:<blockquote>CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- NASCAR is moving to more standardize start times for Sprint Cup races in 2010 with East coast races starting around 1 p.m. ET, West coast races around 3 p.m. ET and night races around 7:30 p.m. ET.<blockquote>2010 NASCAR schedule
Feb 14: Daytona 500, 1 p.m. ET
Feb. 21: Auto Club, 3 p.m. ET
Feb. 28: Las Vegas, 3 p.m. ET
March 7: Atlanta, 1 p.m. ET
March 21: Bristol, 1 p.m. ET
March 28: Martinsville, 1 p.m. ET
April 10: Phoenix, 7:30 p.m. ET
April 18: Texas, 1 p.m. ET
April 25: Talladega, 1 p.m. ET
May 1: Richmond, 7:30 p.m. ET
May 8: Darlington, 7:30 p.m. ET
May 16: Dover, 1 p.m. ET
May 30: Lowe's, 5:45 p.m. ET
June 6: Pocono, 1 p.m. ET
June 13: Michigan, 1 p.m. ET
June 20: Infineon, 3 p.m. ET
June 27: New Hampshire, 1 p.m. ET
July 3: Daytona, 7:30 p.m. ET
July 10: Chicagoland, 7:30 p.m. ET
July 25: Indianapolis, 1 p.m. ET
Aug. 1: Pocono, 1 p.m. ET
Aug. 8: Watkins Glen, 1 p.m. ET
Aug. 15: Michigan, 1 p.m. ET
Aug. 21: Bristol, 7:30 p.m. ET
Sept. 5: Atlanta, 7:30 p.m. ET
Sept. 11: Richmond, 7:30 p.m. ET
Sept. 19: New Hampshire, 1 p.m. ET
Sept. 26: Dover, 1 p.m. ET
Oct. 3: Kansas, 1 p.m. ET
Oct. 10: Auto Club , 1 p.m. ET <b>... make that 3 p.m. ET</b>
Oct. 16: Lowe's, 7:30 p.m. ET
Oct. 24: Martinsville, 1 p.m. ET
Oct. 31: Talladega, 1 p.m. ET
Nov. 7: Texas, 1 p.m. ET
Nov. 14: Phoenix, 3 p.m. ET
Nov. 21: Homestead-Miami, 1 p.m. ET</blockquote>The lone exception will be the Coca-Cola 600, which will keep its 5:45 p.m. ET start time on Memorial Day weekend. Actual green flag times will be 15-20 minutes after the top or bottom of the hour.

NASCAR chairman Brian France and executives from ESPN, Fox and TNT announced the change at a Wednesday afternoon news conference. Next season, 28 races will begin at 1 p.m. ET.</blockquote>http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/cup/news/story?id=4539808&campaign=rss&source=twitter&ex_cid=Twitter_espn_4539808

Surprised Fox Sports went along, given that I'd been told David Hill actually wanted start times pushed even later (see also: Daytona 500, finally moving from 3:30ish back to early afternoon where it belongs) so Sunday races would finish between 7 and 8 p.m. to set up a seamless weekly transition into Fox's Sunday prime time schedule.

EDIT: Garish typo in original story fixed for our purposes.

 

What difference does it make? - weather will make those start times moot for at least a quarter of the races. Half the time I tune in to watch NASCAR it's either a) the pre-race show b) a caution c) a weather delay.

 

Now if the powers that be at IRL follow suit and move the Indy 500 start time back up, it'll be all good. Or at least better.

 

Bill France's grandson in some legal trouble, as is his half-brother.

Code:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news?slug=ap-francearrest&prov=ap&type=lgns

Some highlights, courtesy of the half-brother:

Speaking of which, whatever came of that "thorough investigation" the Daytona police were going to do into Brian France's little drunk driving episode a couple of years back?

 

Don't know if this is a d_b or not since I haven't gone through all 40 pages.
But this is my favorite auto race - featuring Count Billy Bob Von Count ("Kyle Busch eat your heart out ")

 

To his credit, he decided to man up during the TV interview and take the blame.

 

Any idea how many will make the inaugural class?
I'm guessing six...
My picks
Bill France Sr.
Richard Petty
Earnhardt
Jr. Johnson
Pearson
Lee Petty

 

Nominees:

http://www.nascar.com/promos/hof/