Rick Hendrick's Prized Hat



Owner, Rick Hendrick, prior to the NNS race at Daytona



There are many things that NASCAR owner, Rick Hendrick could value.

For a man that owns one of the most successful teams in NASCAR's history, Rick Hendrick has had the chance to come across many prize possessions over the years.

From car collections, to car dealerships, to oh yeah...racecars, Hendrick seems to have it all.

What more could he desire to possess?

A man that seems to have it all, it appears that Rick would be content with his current possessions, but this is not the case.

Rather than show off his collection of cars or his many trophies, he’s waited over 5 months to flaunt one of his biggest treasures.

A baseball cap.

Since the October race at Kansas Motor Speedway in 2011, Rick has held on to this particular cap.

His company, Hendrick Motorsports, has won a total of 199 races in the Sprint Cup Series. The cap is to be worn for its next win.

Rick cherishes many things, but if he could get the 200^th win for HMS in Martinsville, Virginia this weekend, it would make the accomplishment even more gratifying.





In 2004, Rick, and the entire NASCAR community, was devastated when a plane, traveling to a race at Martinsville Speedway, crashed and 10 lives were lost. Amongst them were Rick’s son, Ricky, and his brother and 2 nieces.

Their memories will forever be cherished, not only by the Hendrick family and organization, but also by millions of supporters throughout the NASCAR community.

If Hendrick Motorsports can get win number 200 this weekend, the treasured baseball cap could have an everlasting memory.

The win will be special regardless of the track, but if I know Rick Hendrick [figuratively], then you better believe that if one of his teams wins at Martinsville, he’s ready to flaunt his prized baseball cap, valued around $25.

Given the team’s success at this track, we could be in store for something special this weekend.

After all, this is the track where HMS has an all-time average finish of 12.5, in 174 starts. Add in Johnson’s 6 wins, Jeff Gordon’s 7, competitive cars of Earnhardt and Kahne, and one would think that HMS will be more than excited to get Mr. H. the win at this track.

Since Johnson’s win at Kansas, there hasn’t been a Hendrick car in victory lane. Could it be fate that brought the drought to Martinsville this weekend?

So, for a man that could own pretty much anything on the map, a 200^th victory Sunday, would give Rick Hendrick another prize possession to add to his collection, a cap.

The only thing that would make it better as a fan of the sport would be seeing him wear that cap backwards.

That would give us all a memory to cherish.

 Send comments to Twitter, @Dontae_Allen

*Race statistics obtained from racing-reference.info

Will "the real" Jeff Gordon Please Stand Up?



 For years, Jeff Gordon was a person that many owners, drivers, and especially the fans, loved to hate.

Gordon, nicknamed “The Wonderboy,” by the late Dale Earnhardt, was a fierce competitor, who like Earnhardt, had his own way of being an intimidator.

No, Gordon will never be “The Intimidator,” as there is only one. However, Gordon in his early years, seemed like the bully that intimidated many drivers in the garage, including Earnhardt.

It has been over a decade since Gordon last won a championship (2001). Questions have been raised for several years about Jeff’s desire and if he still has that passion to race, like he did during his earlier years of success.

We know that the desire is still there, but Jeff needs to ignite the fire again.

How does he do that? He steps into the time machine and becomes the old bully he once was, not taking crap from anyone.  

Growing up as an avid Gordon fan, I loved the fact that Jeff was one of the most hated drivers in NASCAR. I never understood why people hated him, because we all know his resume’ speaks for itself: 4 championships, 3^rd in all time wins, and the list goes on.

While successful, Gordon managed to piss off a lot of fans with his winning and his style, drivers too, but with his words and actions.  

“Well I’ll slam you straight into the wall the next time you’re anywhere near me.”

Those were the words that Gordon shouted at fellow driver Tony Stewart after the two voiced their displeasures with each other after a race at Watkins Glen in 2000.

“I owe you now buddy,” said Gordon.



Gordon vs. Kenseth at Chicagoland Speedway



That intensity is the reason I became a Gordon fan. He didn’t take any crap and would show you either to your face or by using his front bumper on the track.

So far in the 2012 Sprint Cup season, I have been highly disappointed with Jeff on two occasions for not showing that ferocious mentality he once had.

Early in the race at Phoenix he came on the radio and complained about how Juan Pablo Montoya was racing him. Rather than taking care of it himself, the message was relayed to the 42 team that Gordon wasn’t happy.

Maybe Jeff understood that’s just Juan, but not sending Joey Logano a stronger message in Vegas last weekend, showed that the fire is going out.

 “There’s going to be a caution soon if this dumb f***** doesn’t get out of the way,” said Gordon, as Logano seemed to be holding up the faster car of Gordon during the race.

Years ago, rather than relay messages, Gordon would have let his front bumper do the talking, moving drivers out of the way or sending them for a spin.



The famous bump and run, by Gordon 
 to Rusty Wallace with 3 laps to go in  2002
 at Bristol Motor
Speedway



Drivers like Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth, Rusty Wallace, and others can testify to that. Insert your story here….

Jeff Gordon had his own way of intimidating drivers by letting them know that he was the wrong driver to make angry on the track. He’d do that by force on the track or he’d get in their face and truly let them know.

 Jeff Burton can attest to this, as the two had a physical skirmish following a wreck in 2010 at Texas Motor Speedway.

We all know that Jeff Gordon is a talented driver and can be a threat to win any week, but the intimidation factor seems to have worn off a bit. The scuffle with Burton was evidence that Gordon still has it in him, but it’s hidden deep inside.

Now I know that bullying is wrong, but if bullying is wrong, Gordon doesn’t need to be right.

When will those days return? The days when Gordon, not a Busch brother, is the most booed driver during the prerace introductions at most tracks. The days when he made drivers fear him on the track for what he may do. Simply put, the old days.

For the flock of Gordon fans throughout the world, we have been waiting for the 24 team to rise up and be the force they once were. The hope is still there, but we’re running out of time.

Dale Earnhardt was “The Intimidator” who won 7 cups. Jeff Gordon was once an intimidating bully, so will the real Gordon please stand up.

This weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway seems like the perfect place to start. As we know, some of Gordon’s best stories seem to happen there.

Send your comments using Twitter   @Dontae_Allen

Is this Kahne's Week?

The start if the 2012 NASCAR season in the Sprint Cup series has been everything but exciting for Kasey Kahne’s and his new team at Hendrick Motorsports.

After dismal finishes of 29^th at Daytona, and 34^th at Phoenix, Kahne finds himself 30^th in the points standings and in need of a strong finish heading into this weekend's race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Once the dust and smoke cleared from the Daytona 500, Kahne’s team had high hopes entering Phoenix International Speedway last week.

That optimism quickly ceased when Kahne lost control of his car early in the race and smacked the wall, putting him in a bigger hole to start the season.

“I made a mistake,” said Kahne, speaking of his misfortunes in Phoenix.

He also attributed his bad luck to his excitement of his new race team and needing to calm down a bit inside his new racecar.

Kahne could have not calmed down at a better time than during today’s Sprint Cup qualifying in Las Vegas.

Traveling almost 200mph into the turns at Las Vegas is not only breath taking, but it is also treacherous. For Kahne, it seemed like a calm stroll in the park.

Kahne piloted his #5 Farmer’s Insurance Chevrolet around the 1.5 mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway today and claimed his first pole of the season, 23^rd of his career, while setting a new track record with an average lap of 190.456mph.

For Kahne and his team, this could be the weekend they finally get things going their way.

In 8 starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Kahne only has an average finish of 14.9, but if the track conditions on Sunday are similar to Friday during qualifying, the competition better watch out.

“I like it when tires fall off. I think that’s when our best races are,” said Kahne after his pole run. “Tires will fall off on long runs.”

As history has shown on mile and a half racetracks, Kahne likes it when the tracks are hot, slippery, and have multiple racing grooves

Tracks like Atlanta, Charlotte, and Texas are similar to Vegas and are tracks where tire fall off leads to drivers searching all grooves of the track. Oh yeah, these are also similar tracks that Kasey has won at before.

Track position is always important, but for Kahne, track conditions will play an ultimate role in his chances for this weekend’s race in Vegas.

Kahne, with HMS crew chief, Kenny Francis

Sunday could be Kahne’s chance to get his season going in the right direction.

Friday’s effort was only the calm, let’s wait until after the race Sunday to see is Kasey can finally survive the storm.

If you are a gambler and in Las Vegas, I would consider investing in the #5 team, because weather conditions for Las Vegas on Sunday are 75 degrees and sunny……..going to make for a slick-groovy track.

Whoop There It Is....NASCAR is back so where you at?

If the start of the 2012 NASCAR season has taught us anything, it is that in NASCAR racing, nothing is for sure.

Coming into its third week of the season, NASCAR is giving its current and new fans a lot to talk about.

The Prelude

The 2012 season got started with a weird, but exhilarating speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway.

In a wreck filled race for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, newcomer John King was able to survive a wild night and grab his first truck series win in the series biggest race.



 The excitement continued into the next day as all of the attention turned to Danica Patrick and the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Danica’s day didn’t end well, as she was taken out by her JR Motorsports teammate, Cole Whitt, early in the event.

James Buescher survived multiple late race cautions to claim his first Nationwide victory in thrilling fashion for his Turner Motorsports team.

 Buescher’s NNS win was impressive, but Danica and the ultimate event, the Daytona 500, is what everyone was talking about afterwards.  

Sorry Buescher fans, but his win was a bit overshadowed.

Setting fire to the rain

Finally we get to the day of NASCAR’s most prestigious race and Mother Nature lapped the field.

For the first time in history, the Daytona 500 was postponed until Monday due to rain.

We all know what happened. Matt Kenseth won his second Daytona 500 and Juan Pablo Montoya made his own history by wrecking into a jet dryer under caution, causing a massive fire that delayed the race for a little over 2 hours.

Grammy winner, Adele, wasn’t at the Daytona 500 on this Monday night, but her hit song “Set fire to the rain” will forever remind me of the 2012 Daytona 500 because that was something we have never seen in the sport.

Let the real season begin

Many people in the NASCAR community consider the race after Daytona to be the start of the season.

While Daytona is a points paying event, most teams believe  a non restrictor plate track like Phoenix gets the season started.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series continues its season March 31, in Martinsville, Virginia, but the boys and girls of the NNS and the NSCS were in action this past weekend at Phoenix International Raceway.

Finally, “the real” 2012 season was underway.

For Elliot Sadler and Denny Hamlin, the second race of the season got started with a bang.

Sadler was able to win the NASCAR Nationwide race, ending a 14 year winless drought in the NNS series and perhaps opening doors to get back into the cup series one day.

I honestly can’t grasp why he isn’t there full time already. Who is his competition for a full time ride: Ragan, Almirola, Allmendinger, Menard, Montoya, etc.  #enoughsaid

For Hamlin, he showed signs of why his #11 FedEx team almost won the championship in 2010.

Hamlin was able to hold off a charging Kevin Harvick, until Harvick ran out of fuel and Hamlin cruised to the victory.

For Hamlin fans, his team gave you plenty to be excited about.

It seems the 11 team is back. Can they carry the momentum into next week? Only time will tell.

I know it’s too early in the season to give the title to anyone, but the competition may want to keep an eye on this team, because they started the Daytona season and “the real” season better than any of us (and perhaps themselves) ever thought.

The honeymoon is over. So what have we learned so far?

NASCAR is perhaps the hardest sport to predict.

As we have seen from Daytona and Phoenix, anything is possible.

If anything, the start of this season has taught me that this will be another exciting season and there is absolutely no way to predict what will happen next.



Danica Mania prior to the NNS race at Daytona International Speedway

 The start to the 2012 season in NASCAR’s top 3 premier series has been anything but normal and I see this being a continual theme for the year.

From  Danica mania, rain, fire, wrecks, Danica, NASCAR primetime, fines, suspensions, negative points, a new understanding of C-posts, tweeting and driving,, Danica, Jr. porta potty races,  manufacturer changes,  belly dancing, and of course DANICA mania again, NASCAR seems to be in mid-season form.

Since we are only entering the third week of the season, I’d say that we are in store for one hell of a season.

The next stop for the NASCAR circuit is at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right? Wrong, because NASCAR is in town folks.

Adele, nor Hollywood could not have written script as intense and wild like the start of the 2012 NASCAR season. But I am confident that after this weekend’s races in Vegas, NASCAR will give us another thrilling chapter in its showing of the best 43 drivers in the world.

We haven’t learned much after 2 races, so there’s no reason to have shame, tune in this weekend to watch NASCAR racing, because according to David Higdon(managing director in NASCAR), “EVERYTHING ELSE IS JUST A GAME!”

Now set fire to that!

This article was written by Dontae Allen, an avid NASCAR fan. Everything above is strictly my personal opinion and those opinions are not shared by NASCAR or any of its affiliates. I love and want all types of feedback (positive, negative, the whole 9 yards). I can be reached through this blog post or you can find me on Twitter @Dontae_Allen   . Thanks for reading.