Racing world responds to death of Carroll Shelby

   The following statements were released Friday regarding the death of legendary auto racer and car designer, Carroll Shelby:

   Edsel B. Ford II, member of the Board of Directors of Ford Motor Company and great-grandson of Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company:
   “Today, we have lost a legend in Ford Motor Company’s history, and my family and I have lost a dear friend. Carroll Shelby is one of the most recognized names in performance car history, and he’s been successful at everything he’s done. Whether helping Ford dominate the 1960s racing scene or building some of the most famous Mustangs, his enthusiasm and passion for great automobiles over six decades has truly inspired everyone who worked with him. He was a great innovator whose legend at Ford never will be forgotten. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.”

   Bruton Smith, Speedway Motorsports Inc. Chairman:
   “Carroll was one of the best friends I ever had. He was known all over the world as an icon in the automotive industry and one of the greatest names in the history of motorsports. He was a great Texan and a great innovator with a style of his own. I’ll never forget how he would climb out of that sports car with bib overalls and a cowboy hat. Ford will do all but close the company because of his passing. I admired him a great deal and will miss him greatly as a friend and a business partner.”

   H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, former president of Charlotte Motor Speedway:
   "Perhaps in the history of auto racing Carroll Shelby was the most unique character rivaling Bill France, Sr., Enzo Ferrari, Smokey Yunick, Barney Oldfield and even Juan Manuel Fangio. It was not what Detroit taught him but what he taught Detroit, Akron and the other capitals of automobile performance. He could see the future of performance better than anyone I ever knew. He told me in 1965 when he was a major Goodyear distributor and I was with Firestone racing that there would be only two owners at Indy -- those two companies! In two years he was right because they financed everyone of the 33 cars.
   "His contribution to performance was so varied. First was his amazing Cobra that stormed Europe like Patton. Then Henry Ford 11's Ford GT-40 that smashed past Ferrari at LeMans. Also he was such a people person he left Ford and helped Chrysler develop the Viper and then came back to Ford! How many guys could do that.
   "With his heart  and subsequent organ transplants he told me he felt like a parts house and then said he was working on getting new eyes. I learned so much from him about
how to just keep going and at the same time developing new projects. He was a humble man who treated everyone the same."

   Chris Powell, president of Las Vegas Motor Speedway:
   “All of us at Las Vegas Motor Speedway are saddened by the passing of Carroll Shelby. Mr. Shelby was a true pioneer in the automotive industry as well as a very accomplished sports car racer. His Shelby Cobra is one of the iconic automobiles in our country’s history. We were honored to be associated with his company for two years as the sponsor of our NASCAR Sprint Cup event, and to have him serve as grand marshal for our races in 2009 and 2010. He leaves a lasting legacy and will be missed by all who knew him. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Cleo, his family and his legions of fans."

   Tom Compton, president of the NHRA:
   “The automotive industry has lost a pioneer and the motorsports world a legend with the passing of Carroll Shelby. He and our founder Wally Parks were very good friends and Carroll frequently attended events at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California.  On behalf of everyone at NHRA, our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.”

   Brian France, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France:
   "Carroll Shelby was a giant in the motorsports industry and the automobile industry overall. Known primarily as an innovative automotive designer, he started building his legacy as an outstanding driver. Along the way, his name became iconic.
   "On a personal level, he was simply a good friend to so many of us. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family."

   Richard Petty:

   "Carroll Shelby was a visionary for performance and speed for the Ford Motor Company. It was his ideas that helped push the Cobra and most recently the Mustang brand to the American people. He was an innovator of his time and helped Ford become a leader in the racing and performance world. The entire Petty family sends their prayers to the Shelby family.”

Dale Junior: It's not just me

   Dale Earnhardt Jr. takes issue with the idea his current career-worst winless streak and lack of winning a Sprint Cup Series title are reasons why some tracks are still dealing with attendance problems.

   As Earnhardt has reiterated in the past, he believes economic factors still greatly affect race fans - many of whom travel long distances to the races they attend.

   "I don’t really think (TV) viewership and attendance is directly tied to the success of our team. We do have a great fan base and a loyal fan base that I think watches the races regardless of how we’re running. I just think it’s challenging financially for the demographic to afford to come out to a race," the sport's most popular driver said.

   "I think hotel prices are really high and gas is really high and just trying to get here and enjoy yourself has become quite expensive. A lot of people are not willing to make that sacrifice. They can sit at home and either watch it on TV or mow the lawn -- I don’t know. I think that it will cycle around and things like this always do kind of have a cycle. It will improve over time. When the confidence is gained in the consumer to come back out and spend that kind of money.”

  

New exhibit at NASCAR Hall of Fame

    The NASCAR Hall of Fame kicks off a new exhibition in the Great Hall, "Grassroots Racing: Where NASCAR Heroes are Born" on Monday. The exhibition is included in general admission.

   "Grassroots Racing: Where NASCAR Stars are Born" tells the story of hometown racetracks, affectionately called “grassroots,” where many NASCAR drivers began their careers racing every Friday and Saturday night.
  
   “It’s a vital part of our mission to preserve, uphold and be a resource for the sport and its history," said Winston Kelley, executive director of the facility. "This is the eighth new Great Hall exhibition since opening in May 2010 and it is with these exhibitions the Hall continues to present new chapters in the history book" of NASCAR.

   The exhibit explores four race tracks historically known and recognized to be the beginnings of NASCAR racing – Greenville Pickens Speedway in Greenville, S.C., Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C., Hickory Motor Speedway in Hickory, N.C. and South Boston Speedway in Boston, Va.

   Highlighting the exhibition are historic race cars – David Pearson’s Ford Modified (1937), Richard Childress’ Plymouth Modified (1937), Dale Jarrett’s Busch Series Pontiac LeMans (1986) and Denny Hamlin’s Late Model Chevrolet (2003).

   Tickets to the NASCAR Hall of Fame can be purchased by calling 877-231-2010 or at NASCARHall.com.

Mark Martin has one fear in racing

   It's a good bet Mark Martin doesn't eat Lucky Charms for breakfast.

   Nothing he’s encountered has ever unnerved the 53-year-old Batesville, Ark. native who’s made 40 trips to Victory Lane in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series. But, there’s still one thing in racing that makes his skin crawl. 

  "It's good luck charms,” Martin says. “I don’t like them at all.”

   To this day, Martin immediately hands off anything that most consider “lucky.”

    “I try not to insult fans when they give me something,” he said. “I try to be nice and say thank you, but I can’t get rid of them fast enough.”

  

   That’s unusual in a sport where some drivers carry a rabbit’s foot in the car, tape verses to the dashboard or put lucky coins in their uniform pockets. Martin said he has good reason to shun the supposed bringers of good fortune.

   His dim view of good luck charms dates back to one Sunday afternoon in 1993 at North Wilkesboro Speedway. A well-meaning fan gave Martin a four-leaf clover he taped to the dash of his car. 

   “I got hit in the back right after the green flag came out,” Martin recalled. “I got hit so hard it destroyed my car and ruined our race. We got all tore up.”

   That was the end of good luck charms for Martin. “I have been anti-lucky charm ever since," he said.

Eric McClure released from hospital

     NASCAR driver Eric McClure, injured in a violent wreck in Saturday's Nationwide Series race at Talladega, Ala., was released from UAB Hospital in Birmingham, Ala., on Monday.

   Team spokeswoman Emily Brandt said McClure suffered a concussion in the accident and mild internal bruising. She said he is expected to make a full recovery.

   McClure was airlifted to the hospital by helicopter after having to be cut from his car by track safety workers after striking the inside wall of Turn 3. The multi-car accident involving McClure's No. 14 Toyota brought out a 19-minute red flag.

 Brandt said McClure will be take part in a news conference Friday at Darlington Raceway, S.C.

Sarcastic Tony Stewart at his finest

   Tony Stewart took a sarcastic tone to his post-race interview Sunday. Here is what Stewart had to say following Sunday's Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway:

   ON TODAY'S RACE

   "We didn't quite crash half the field which is what we normally look to do here. I was excited about it. I thought it was a pretty good race. I made it further than I thought I would before I got crashed. I call it a successful day."

   A LOT OF TEAMS WERE HAVING TROUBLE WITH FUEL INCLUDING YOURS. WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THAT?
   "I wasn't sure to be honest. I'm not quite sure what the fuel issue was. The racing was awesome. It's fun to be able to race and have to watch the gauges at the same time. It makes us as drivers have to do so much more. Being able to make yourself run on the apron and everything else to try to get clean air, it makes it fun. I'm sorry we couldn't crash more cars today. We didn't fill the quota for today for Talladega and NASCAR."

   JEFF GORDON SAID HE THOUGHT THEY SHOULD OPEN UP THE GRILL OPENING FOR WHEN WE COME BACK HERE AND POSSIBLY DAYTONA IN JULY. DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE?
   "I think they need to close it down. Honestly, I think if we haven't crashed at least 50 percent of the field by the end of the race, we need to extend the race until we at least crash 50 percent of the cars because it's not fair to these fans for them to not see any more wrecks than that and more torn up cars. We still had over half the cars running at the end and it shouldn't be that way."

   THE WRECKS WEREN'T CAUSED BY THE OVER HEATING?
   "No, not at all. I don't think any of the wrecks were an overheating issue. That is why I say I think we ought to just tape them off solid and run them until they blow up anyway. I think it would make it a lot more exciting for the fans."

   WOULD THIS BE BETTER IF IT WERE A SHORTER RACE?
   "I don't think it really matters. I think if you made it 20 laps we would all still crash with five to go or eight to go. If we did that we would be able to fill the time that the fans deserve. I mean they deserve to see us run 500 miles. Like I said if we don't crash half of the field by the end of the race they really need to extend it because that is what the fans want they want to see that excitement. I feel bad that as drivers we couldn't do a better job of crashing enough cars for them today."

   I CAN'T FIGURE OUT IF YOU ARE HAPPY OR YOU ARE UPSET WITH YOUR TONE...
   "I'm upset that we didn't crash more cars. I feel like that is what we are here for. I feel bad if I don't spend at least a 150,000 dollars in torn up race cars going back to the shop. We definitely have to do a better job with that."

   WHY DO YOU HAVE THAT IMPRESSION THAT IS WHAT THE FANS ARE LOOKING FOR?
   "Well, I don't know that is what they are looking for, but I feel like that is the show we deserve to give them. That is what has made Talladega, Talladega."

   DID YOU HAVE FUN OUT THERE?
   "Absolutely. I had a blast. It would have been a lot more fun if I could have gotten caught up in one more wreck. If I could have done that it would have been perfect."

   DID YOU HAVE THE ISSUE OF RUNNING OUT OF FUEL AT ANY POINT?
   "I didn't wreck because I ran out of fuel, but I ran out of fuel twice."

   THE RADIO GUYS WERE SAYING THAT MAYBE (GUYS RUNNING OUT OF FUEL) HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE EFI (ELECTRONIC FUEL SYSTEM) HAVE YOU NOTICED A CHANGE IN YOUR FUEL MILEAGE SINCE YOU WENT TO THAT ENGINE PACKAGE?
   "I mean we have only ran two restrictor plate races so it is hard to say. There were definitely guys that were running out of fuel today ahead of where they thought they would."

   IS IT SAFE TO SAY THAT YOU PREFER THE PACK OVER THE TANDEM DRAFTING?

   "I think we ought to make it a figure eight. I mean if we could make it a figure eight it would be perfect. It would absolutely be perfect here. It would be better than what we have. That is going to be my vote next week is that we make it a figure eight and/or we can stop at the half way make a break and turn around and go backwards the rest of the way. Then with 10 to go we split the field in half and half go the regular direction and half of them go backwards."


   To listen to Stewart's whole interview, click here.

New car means no C-Post issues for No. 48 team

   The main reason Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team had no issues with inspection on Friday at Talladega Superspeedway, and more specifically the C-Post areas of the car, is because the team brought a completely new car to the track this week.

   The car which raised the ire of NASCAR inspectors at Daytona had been run by Johnson in five consecutive superspeedway races, including the 500. The team received stiff penalties by NASCAR for unapproved changes to the C-Post areas, the area of the car from the roof to the top of the rear quarter-panel.

   On appeal, most of the penalties were rescinded except for a $100,000 fine to crew chief Chad Knaus and probation for Knaus and car chief Ron Malec.

   Johnson's team maintained they did nothing wrong. NASCAR President Mike Helton said he expected his inspectors would confiscate the C-Posts again if the same thing showed up at Talladega.

   Instead, the No. 48 team decided to bring a whole new car. 

   The Daytona 500 car wasn't worth saving as a backup, either. This week's backup  chassis for the No. 48 team is No. 482. The car which Johnson used in the previous five plate races was chassis No. 628.