What Dale Junior thinks about the No. 3 in the NASCAR Cup series again

   In Daytona on Thursday, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was asked about the possibility of Austin Dillon moving to the Sprint Cup Series next season and driving the No. 3 made famous by his late father.

    Here was Earnhardt's response:

   “I think it will be great. It was an iconic number for my father and it means a lot to a lot of his fans. This sport doesn’t really retire numbers and all the numbers have history tied to them for several different reasons. The No. 3 is no different. I think that for Austin (Dillon) a kid like Austin in this regard any kid that wants to come up through the ranks and he drove the No. 3 in dirt racing and he drove the No. 3 in his Truck series and Nationwide series. He has earned the right to run that number as long as he wants. It could have been anybody, but it’s Austin. It could have been any kid coming up through the ranks that had ran that number and that’s his number. Maybe he’s not even an Earnhardt fan maybe that is just his number. He wants to run it I think it’s not really fair to deny somebody that opportunity. I’m okay with it. I know that might not be the way a lot of people feel or some people feel, but I’m sure it’s the minority that feels that way. I think that a lot of people will be telling Austin positive things about it.”

Sports Car Club of America convention coming to Charlotte in 2014

 

   Sports Car Club of America and National Trade Productions have announced a new, unique event: MSX, the North American MotorSports Expo, launching March 7-9, 2014 at the Charlotte Convention Center, in Charlotte, N.C.

   SCCA has partnered with NTP to create a conference and expo expanding the annual SCCA National Convention and Hall of Fame Induction. Targeted toward SCCA’s 60,000 membership base, national car clubs and associations, as well as enthusiasts from around the country, MSX will provide educational programs and seminars for current and potential participants in SCCA competition and an exhibit hall devoted to racing parts, equipment, safety and technology.

   “We frequently hear that our members would like more content geared toward building, maintaining and driving competition cars at our National Convention,” SCCA President & CEO Jeff Dahnert said. “Likewise, there has never been a show to specifically cater to the programs that SCCA offers—road racing, autocross and rally. Our partnership with NTP gives us the opportunity to provide that for our current and potential members.”

   Located in Charlotte to provide easy access to the largest concentration of SCCA members and motorsport enthusiasts in the country, MSX will provide product and performance solutions for those that buy and drive in all forms of SCCA competition.

   “Charlotte’s longstanding history and culture within the motorsports industry makes it the perfect location to stage an event for the best amateur racing organization in America,” NTP Chairman and CEO Robert E. Harar said. “In addition to the MSX and SCCA Convention activities, the SCCA Hall of Fame Induction is a special event that makes the entire weekend a can’t miss event for motorsports enthusiasts.”

   MSX will feature world-class exhibitors, racing legends, technical seminars, show floor demonstrations, banquets and special events.

Charlote Motor Speedway ready to celebrate the Fourth on Tuesday night

  Charlotte Motor Speedway will celebrate the birth of our nation with a dynamic fireworks display during Round Five of the 20th annual Jack in the Box Summer Shootout Series on Tuesday night.

    The spectacular Fourth of July fireworks extravaganza is one of the first in the area and will start immediately following the conclusion of an exciting night of Legend Car and Bandolero racing. The evening will also include the Little Luggies 600, a Power Wheels race for children ages 4-7.

   More than 35 competitors are registered to race their battery-powered vehicles, from Barbie Jeeps to miniature Mustangs, down the frontstretch at Charlotte Motor Speedway at blistering speeds near 5 mph. Each night of the Jack in the Box Summer Shootout Series features a full slate of the nation's best Legend Car and Bandolero racing on the frontstretch quarter-mile, as well as appearances by the World's Fastest Mascot, Lug Nut, and tons of family fun.

   Tuesday marks the halfway point in the 10-round series with drivers in each division battling for crucial points in search of a season championship. Families are also welcome to come get a cool down from Charlotte Motor Speedway's fire truck, Engine 343, as it sprays water into the grandstands. The Charlotte Motor Speedway Play Zone will be open and will feature bounce houses, face painting and interactive games at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Fan Van.

   Tickets for the Summer Shootout Series are $7 for adults and are available in advance at the speedway ticket office or at Gates 4 and 5 the night of the event. Kids 13 and under get in free. Spectator gates open at 5 p.m. with preliminary action starting at 5:10 p.m.

   Opening ceremonies are at 6:45 p.m. and feature races are scheduled to conclude by approximately 10 p.m. Racing will be televised on the Fox Sports South network, with a recap show airing each Monday following the event at 6 p.m. and a re-air on the following Saturday. Fans should check their local listings for more information.

   For tickets to the Summer Shootout Series, call the Charlotte Motor Speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267) or visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick defend Danica Patrick

   A day after Speed and TNT announcer Kyle Petty raised eyebrows with his comments about Danica Patrick being more of a "marketing machine" than race car driver - a claim he has made on many occasions to be honest - some of Patrick's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competitors came to her defense.

   Said Dale Earnhardt Jr.:
    “I have to disagree with Kyle (Petty). I think she is a tough competitor and she works really hard at what she does. She has run some really good races. On every occasion she is out running several guys out on the circuit. If she was not able to compete and not able to run minimum speed or finish in last place every week I think you might be able to say Kyle has an argument.  But she’s out there running competitively and running strong on several accounts.  I think that she has got a good opportunity and a rightful position in the sport to keep competing and she just might surprise even Kyle Petty.”

   And from Kevin Harvick:
   “That is a loaded gun right there. I think this is hard to do. You see there is really no good training ground for it anymore in the Nationwide and Truck Series because of the lack of horsepower. It is really hard to understand what you need to drive these cars, and to be able to drive them fast. It is just not something that is going to happen overnight. I don’t know that I would go as far as calling her not a racer because she has raced her whole life, and I think on a continuous learning curve. She’s obviously dedicated at what she does to try and get better, and knows she has a lot of hurdles to overcome in a short amount of time.  

    "She’s fortunate to have a sponsor that is willing to back her, and take those learning experiences with her. Hopefully as the weeks progress, she gets better and better. In that aspect, I think you look at that, and you try to put all that in perspective. I couldn’t imagine just coming in here and having two-and-a-half years of stock car experience, and expect to come here and be competitive knowing what all this entails. It’s hard. And it’s not going to get easier. I think that is why over the years you’ve seen less and less new drivers come into the sport because the cars have become harder to drive. There’s just nowhere to figure out how to drive them other than being on the race track on a Cup Sunday or Saturday that we race. Because they are just hard to drive.”

Kyle Petty on Danica Patrick: 'She's not a race car driver'

Part III of Matt Clark's sit-down with NASCAR on Fox/Speed analyst Kyle Petty was a candid one. Petty, a regular analyst for NASCAR RaceDay, was quite open with his thoughts on NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star Danica Patrick.

Matt Clark: What's your take on Danica Patrick?

Kyle Petty: I've said it from the very beginning; she's just a marketing machine. That's a fact, Jack.


Clark: She's hot...

Petty: Yeah, she's hot. She's a hot commodity and rightfully so. In a market where everybody that crawls into a race car on a Sunday afternoon in Cup racing is male; she's the female. I don't have a problem with her being a marketing machine - more power to her.


Clark: Where's she at as a driver?

Petty: That's where I have a problem. Where fans have bought into the hype of the marketing, to think she's a race car driver. She can go fast, and I've seen her go fast. She drives the wheels off it when she goes fast.


Clark: ...but has she learned to race?

Petty: She's not a race car driver. There's a difference. 'The King' (Richard Petty) always had that stupid saying, but it's true, 'Lots of drivers can drive fast, but very few drivers can race.' Danica has been the perfect example of somebody who can qualify better than what she runs. She can go fast, but she can't race. I think she's come a long way, but she's still not a race car driver. And I don't think she's ever going to be a race car driver.


Clark: Why?

Petty: Because I think it's too late to learn.


Clark: Then what makes a difference between a good driver, and a great driver?

Petty: If I knew, I'd be a great driver. I was not a great driver, and I'll be the first to admit it. I was a journeyman driver. Just like in the NFL or any sport, there are journeyman players. ...

Danica Patrick is seen before a practice session on June 14 for the Quicken Loans 400 auto race at Michigan International Speedway. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Only one NASCAR driver made Forbes' Celebrity 100 list

   Danica Patrick was the only NASCAR driver to make this year's Celebrity 100 list put out by Forbes in its annual measurement of money and fame.
  
   The Sprint Cup Series rookie and former IndyCar series fan favorite was ranked 91st. She was 95th in 2007, 96th in 2010 and 2011.

   Here's how Forbes describes it's list: "Our annual Celebrity 100 takes a stab at measuring that most ephemeral of riches: fame. Yes, we factor in celebrity earnings over the last 12 months, but we also tally how often each celebrity is mentioned in print and on TV, and gauge the strength of their Internet presence and how they’re viewed by a critical constituency: American consumers."

   You can see the whole list here.

Kyle Petty: Jimmie Johnson is 'arguably the greatest driver ever'

NASCAR Race Hub's Matt Clark sat down with fellow NASCAR on Fox/Speed analyst Kyle Petty to talk about the many topics currently shaping the sport's landscape.

Among the topics, five-time champion Jimmie Johnson. Considering his father, 'The King' Richard Petty, and what he accomplished, Kyle might be one of the more unique voices to talk about Johnson's eventual place in history.

Clark: Why do people consider him, or don't consider him, a powerhouse?

Petty: He may be the most underrated driver, ever. Now, on the other side of that coin when you flip it over, he's arguably the greatest driver ever, when you look at it. I don't know why, I think when you go back in the history of the sport, and when you look at those early years, it was all about the driver. When you talk Richard Petty, you just talk Richard Petty. When you talk Dale Earnhardt, Sr., you just talk Dale Earnhardt, Sr. Nobody mentions Jimmie, without mentioning (crew chief) Chad (Knaus) or (car owner) (Rick) Hendrick.

Clark: I think thats', I don't want to say Jimmie's fault, but it's a good characteristic. He's a blue-collar guy that bought into the team concept and said, 'Hey, my team, my crew chief, the owner, it's all of us.'

Petty: He's preached the team concept so much, and people bought it from him so much, that now he can't escape that. We'll always think about Jimmie as, 'Jimmie and Chad and oh yeah, Hendrick, was a powerhouse during that time.' That's why he's won so many races. No. He drives the wheels off that thing. That's why he wins the races.

Clark: It will be 20 or 30 years before people sit back and see what he did was amazing.

Petty: Yeah. I can't believe that Jimmie Johnson's five championships in a row was not a bigger deal in the sports world than what it was