More and more people are entering into the exciting world of remote control racing. Today it is very easy for those who want to become RC racers to get started with RC cars or trucks. The RC cars of today are extremely high-performance machines loaded with powerful, sophisticated engineering. RC Racing can be as simple as kids fooling around in the parking lot or as sophisticated as the professional races organized by the IFMAR Worlds Championship. But beware – it can be very addictive!

One of the most popular types of R/C cars is the Off-Road Buggy. The Off-Road Buggy with its Big tires with “knobby” spikes, it’s full-travel suspension parts and a high ground clearance hauls the off-roader to almost anywhere. Most RC Buggies are 2WD or 4WD and they can reach speeds as high as 40-45 mph.

The On-Road cars have lower ground clearances, slicks tires, aerodynamic bodies, and are capable of higher speeds. A miniature engine that burns a special glow fuel powers the Nitro cars. Some of these cars can reach speeds of over 75 miles mph. The Electric cars use rechargeable NICd battery packs for power. They are able to stay running ten minutes, can be charged up in fifteen minutes, ready to race in no time. Many people who enjoy the hobby of racing these miniature power-houses also like to build them. Nitro Toyz offers kits that you can use to build the cars and trucks of your choice. You can take great pride in putting together your RC Kit and racing it.

For many of us who do not have much time but still like to race RC vehicles, there are many pre-built or Ready to Run cars on the market. The RTR models let you start driving just as soon as you open up the box. Most RTR vehicles come with a power plant and radio system already installed.

Kristie McDonald is an accomplished writer who specializes in the RC hobby and eCommerce industry. For more information on the most popular RC cars and trucks available, visit us at Nitro-Toyz.com.

Nitro Toyz carries a wide selection of high quality, affordable models that will accommodate the novice and provides a range of choices that are perfect for the professional. Nitro Toyz is a great place to get started in building and racing your car. They are noted for their helping hand in what you’re building, they keep their stock up to date so you have access to what is new and best of all they offer the product at a highly reduced price.

Although there are numerous NASCAR races being held all over the year and in various parts of the United States, there are just times that these events are simply not enough to satisfy your craving for dizzyingly fast cars and the thrill of watching a high-pressured competition. During these times, only one other thing besides an actual NASCAR race can make you feel complete: Arizona NASCAR memorabilia.

How to Obtain Arizona NASCAR Memorabilia
With Arizona NASCAR memorabilia, you’ve got something concrete on your hands that can instantly make you travel back time and relive those glorious moments of unforgettable NASCAR races.

This type of memorabilia can be acquired by various ways. Firstly, you can purchase them outright from well-established stores and shops that sell sports memorabilia of all sorts. You can also purchase them from sports enthusiasts like yourself. These are often sold or auctioned off in various websites, forums, and online shops as well. And lastly, Arizona NASCAR memorabilia can be purchased by plain old working: finding a way to reach your favorite NASCAR driver and having him sign whatever it is you want to serve as your memorabilia.

If you wish to make your own autographed memorabilia, you can do this either by watching any of the races live and hope that you get close enough to your favorite NASCAR star or you can just tune in to the news and find out which places are considered hot by the NASCAR elites.

Types of Arizona NASCAR Memorabilia
NASCAR memorabilia can be any object possessing an authentic signature of any famous NASCAR driver. The term is also used to refer to products that bear the NASCAR logo such as checkbook covers, key chains, collectible coins, pins, die cast products, plaques, figurines and bobbleheads, refrigerator magnets, trading cards, street signs, wall graphics, stuffed toys, wallets, tankards, and money clips.

Tips for Purchasing Autographed Arizona NASCAR Memorabilia Online

Avoid purchasing anything that you can’t see firsthand. If this however proves unavoidable, always ask for a warranty wherein you can return the object for a 100% refund as long as no damage has been made to the object.

Always check the condition of the memorabilia thoroughly before paying anything.

As this is an autographed Arizona NASCAR memorabilia, make sure that it carries along a certificate of authenticity to provide evidence that the signature is indeed real and original.

Don’t buy the first thing you see. Browse around slowly and patiently to ensure that you’re paying the lowest price possible for the memorabilia. Bargain as much as you can.

Always check the feedback provided by other clients or buyers for a particular seller. This will give you an idea of what to expect from the seller, but remember to take every word with a grain of salt as well lest you become too affected.

Don’t reveal anything beyond what you know you need to like your shipping details. If you are paying by credit card, make sure that the payment handler is secure and accredited.

Double check the details of your transaction prior to the date of payment and delivery. Know when the expected date for you to receive your memorabilia is and what concessions the seller is prepared to make for delayed shipping.

Arizona NASCAR memorabilia always make a wonderful collection, but if you’re not interested in starting one, they can always serve an excellent gift for any soccer enthusiast you know!

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For more information about authentic autographed sports memorabilia and collectibles, visit http://www.sportscollectionz.com . Read articles from contributing writers in our blog site at http://sportscollectionz.wordpress.com

NASCAR racing has become one of the most popular sports today viewed by millions of fans from around 150 countries all over the globe. It ranks second to the National Football League as far as television ratings in the United States are concerned and an overwhelming 75 million NASCAR racing fans and brand loyalists are being estimated to purchase more than $2 billion worth in annual sales of licensed NASCAR products. Here are a few reasons why people love NASCAR racing:

NASCAR racing is a thrilling sports game. The thrill that can be taken from watching the race in television is far surpassed when one sees the game real and live. There is a gush of excitement everytime the sound and sight of cars of different colors, sponsors and hues go out in the field to race against each other in a game of speed. If one who sees the race on television wonders why fans go ecstatic in every lap, it is largely due to the feeling of excitement everytime one’s bet is either being overtaken by another car or is leading the race.

There is a gush of fear and excitement in every NASCAR race. The thrill of watching NASCAR race is being fueled all the more by the excitement of watching cars speeding against each other in verge of danger. There is a thrill caused by fear of possible crashes, smashing cars and injuries which can happen at anytime and which actually occur in this racing game. This aspect of NASCAR racing adds more color and drama to this speed racing sports.

NASCAR racing events are vibrant and exciting. NASCAR racing is also not only about cars as it is also an event marked with colorful sceneries and loud sounds of cheering fans. It is awesome to see different people of varied preferences cheering for their bets yet having an air of camaraderie with other NASCAR fans. There is an also an air of liveliness and vibrancy in host cities as thousands of NASCAR “pilgrims” make themselves at home for the game and are being entertained by the host cities and track organizers. The merchandises and goods sold during NASCAR races are also best gift ideas that can be given on any occasion. They also serve as wonderful souvenirs most especially when a shirt of sweatshirt is being printed with a favorite driver’s image and name on it.

Here are just among the few reasons why people love NASCAR racing. If you haven’t had any of these experiences yet, go and see the NASCAR race and feel the excitement and fun experienced by thousands of NASCAR fans.

Jeffery Dodd is an accomplished writer who specializes in sports and recreations. For more information on nascar schedule, just visit us at nascarschedule.thesportstar.net

Next stop on the Nextel Cup Schedule is Phoenix International Raceway

Next week, NASCAR gears up for the ultimate test for the new Cars of Tomorrow as the teams head to Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) for the Subway Fresh Fit 500. This year’s spring race at Phoenix will mark the first time the new Car of Tomorrow has ever seen the unique one mile, low-banked, sun soaked asphalt track nestled in the desert hills outside of Phoenix.

That’s right! To date, no test sessions have been run with the new COT’s at Phoenix. Unlike previous COT races at Bristol and Martinsville where teams had an official test session before actually racing at the track, drivers and crews enter next weekend blind to how the new COT’s will react to the challenges posed by PIR.

What’s even more discomforting to teams is that Phoenix is truly a unique track. Most tracks on the Nextel Cup circuit have similar tracks where teams can go and perform tests. However, there is no other asphalt track in the US similar enough to Phoenix that will allow teams the chance to practice with their new cars.

Typically at this point I would give you a list of drivers to watch based on historical results. However, given the huge unknowns for next week’s race, I’ll give you my gut feeling. Expect the top teams, Hendrick Motorsports and Roush Racing, to do the best at Phoenix. The COT project for most teams has been overwhelming. But both Roush and Hendrick have more manpower devoted to developing their COTs. More man power in the shops translates to more horsepower on the track come Sunday.

Next Week’s Schedule:

Nextel Cup: @ Phoenix International Raceway (all times PST)
04/19/07 - 05:10pm NASCAR Nextel Cup Qualifying - SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500
04/20/07 - 04:50pm NASCAR Nextel Cup Practice - SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500
04/21/07 - 05:30pm NASCAR Nextel Cup SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500

Busch Series: @ Phoenix International Raceway
04/19/07 - 06:45pm NASCAR Busch Series Practice - Bashas’ Supermarkets 200
04/20/07 - 02:35pm NASCAR Busch Series Qualifying - Bashas’ Supermarkets 200
04/20/07 - 06:30pm NASCAR Busch Series Bashas’ Supermarkets 200

Craftsman Truck Series off until April 28th at Kansas Speedway

Burton Sets the Course for Richard Childress Racing!

Last year we saw a resurgence in Richard Childress Racing. Not since the days of Dale Earnhardt, have we seen a driver from RCR be a contender not just for a race, but for a championship.

Some skeptics thought last year was an anomaly. No team could compete with the likes of Hendrick Motorsports and Roush Racing in the new age of NASCAR. Even the man who won six championships with Dale Earnhardt, Richard Childress, could no longer do it.

Hopefully, Jeff Burton’s win yesterday in the Samsung/Radioshack 500 at Texas Motor Speedway proved the RCR doubters wrong. In just five races this year, RCR has won a combined 2 Nextel Cup events, the Daytona 500 and yesterday’s race. Only one other team, Hendrick Motorsports, has done better.

Here Mikey, Mikey, Mikey!

If you were a marketing representative for NAPA Auto Parts, what would you do? Your main spokesman, Michael Waltrip, who you’ve paid millions of dollars to showcase your corporate name on the race track, has failed to qualify for every race this year except Daytona. Oh, and don’t forget that Daytona had a bit of negative publicity associated with the whole cheating thing.

It seems that in trying to do the unthinkable, field three Nextel Cup teams along with using equipment from NASCAR’s newest auto manufacturer, Toyota, Michael Waltrip has stretched himself and his organization thin. In doing so, could he be jeopardizing the other quality sponsors, such as UPS, currently signed up with his race team?

For Michael’s sake, let’s hope that he can correct his current course! And if he asked, I would strongly suggest that he let a younger, talented driver take the reigns of the NAPA ride while he took care of managing the business. What’s the famous saying; either crap or get off the pot? I think it’s time for Michael to get off the pot.

Samsung/Radio Shack 500 at Texas Speedway Recap

Going into the Samsung/Radio Shack 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, no NASCAR Cup driver had ever won more than one race at Texas. That all changed yesterday as Jeff Burton went on to win for the second time by passing Matt Kenseth on the final lap. Winning ten years ago at the inaugural NASCAR race in Texas, Burton celebrated the track’s 10th anniversary with yet another win, 19th of his career.

Ten years of racing at Texas has yielded ten separate winners. Not included in that list of winners is four time champion, Jeff Gordon. Starting on the pole at the start of the 500, Gordon held on to the top position for much of the race leading 173 of 334 laps. By not winning, Gordon ended a four race winning streak that saw a Hendrick Motorsports driver take the checkered flag.

After missing the last two races while deciding to run a limited schedule in 2007, Mark Martin finished in 3rd place in just his 5th race of the year. The 3rd place finish moved Martin up to 12th in points. Over the five races that Mark has participated in this year, his average finish is 5th.

If the Chase for the Championship were to start today, Martin would be a qualifier. That brings up an interesting scenario for NASCAR, could a driver race a limited schedule and still qualify for the Chase? Mathematically it is possible. But it never could have happened under the old system.

Other drivers to note:

Tony Stewart suffered yet another unfortunate accident when Juan Pablo Montoya pushed up the track going through a turn and rubbed against Tony Stewart. The bump sent Tony Stewart spiraling out of control. Stewart was never able to recover and finished the race in 25th place. He now sits 9th in points.

Dale Earnhardt Jr ran up front at times during the race but got caught up in an unfortunate late race incident. Tony Stewart slowed down and forced Earnhardt to brake. That resulted in Kyle Busch ramming him hard from behind and taking him out of the race. The odd twist came at the end when the team of the #5 car had made enough repairs to get the car back on the track. However, their driver was no where to be found. So instead, they asked Earnhardt Jr to run the last few laps of the race in the #5 car, and he obliged.

Kasey Kahne had an uneventful and quiet day. He finished the race in 20th place and now sits 33rd in points.

Article is provided by http://everythingstockcar.com/ which is owned and operated by Everything Sports, Inc.

Business travel can be a grind, But for NASCAR drivers and race teams who are on the road for 36 races per year travel is unavoidable.

If these teams had to rely on commercial airline schedules travel would be a nightmare, if not a logistical impossibility. That’s why most of the top tier drivers own private jets, and race teams operate fleets of small aircraft to transport pit crew members and team executives to the racetrack each week.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. owns a LearJet 60, which is the top of the LearJet line, and their largest jet. It’s a business jet that can seat up to 10 passengers.

Thanks to the jet Earnhardt can leave his home in North Carolina and be at the racetrack in Daytona or Texas a couple of hours later — about the time it would take to drive to a major airport and clear security.

NASCAR rookie and former Formula One driver Juan Pablo Montoya also owns a LearJet 60. 2006 champion Jimmie Johnson owns a Learjet 31A, and Jeff Gordon owns a British Aerospace Hawker 800.

Most of the drivers leave the flying to professional pilots, but Mark Martin is a licensed pilot who often pilots his own Cessna Citation. Martin lives in a unique community near Daytona Beach called Spruce Creek. It’s a fly in community with it’s own airport. Residents have aircraft hangars in the yard where most of us have garages. Martin can literally park his jet in the garage.

The race teams operate larger planes to ferry the pit crews and team executives to the track. Roush Racing operates a fleet of planes, including a Boeing 737 and several smaller business jets. Dale Earnhardt,, Inc. flies it’s pit crew on an Embraer 120, a mid-size turbo-prop that seats 30 passengers.

While cars have vanity license plates, NASCAR teams have vanity aircraft registration numbers. Dale Jr’s Learjet is N8JR, and Jeff Gordon’s Hawker is N24JG. The corporate Embraer at Dale Earnhardt, Inc. is N500DE.

NASCAR has come to rely on private jet travel so much that many tracks are located right next to airports. Daytona International Speedway is located right next to Daytona Beach International Airport where private jets and commercial flights arrive daily.

While most tracks are not located so close to a major international airport, some tracks have built their own airports. Right next to Atlanta Motor Speedway sits Tara Field, a small general aviation airstrip that sees little traffic until race week, when more than 600 planes descend on this tiny airfield.

However, some tracks are not as convenient, but when that happens expect the NASCAR drivers to come up with a solution. When NASCAR descends on a track like Dover Delaware some drivers like Dale Earnhardt bypass race traffic by flying from the airport to the racetrack in a chartered helicopter, landing directly in he infield.

Some people consider private air travel a luxury, but with the hectic schedule of today’s drivers it is a necessity. Following a Sunday afternoon race a driver can hop on his jet and be home by Sunday night. This means they can meet with the crew chiefs and team owners Monday morning to review the previous race, and develop a strategy for the following race. During the week drivers are often on the jet again, meeting with sponsors, shooting TV commercials, making public appearances, and testing. Without a jet this schedule would be impossible. Most drivers agree that having a private jet gives them one to two days per week of productive time, or just allows an occasional day off.

You can see pictures of these jets at JetJit.com and get more detailed information on each airplane.

See photos of these jets and more at http://JetJit.com

It seemed to me that it would be a huge jump from Club Super Sprints to racing and I wondered if there was a slightly “softer” way to make the transition. I had heard about the AROCA 6 Hour Relay Classic held each year at Eastern Creek (AROCA stands for Alfa Romeo Owners Club Australia). It is a relay race which means that a team of drivers (a minimum of three and a maximum of six) and their cars compete for either a line honours or a handicap win.

The race was 6 months away and I didn’t give it much thought and besides, I didn’t feel that I was anywhere near ready to race. As the months passed, lap times were starting to come down but more importantly they were beginning to show signs of consistency.

A month before the event, I sent an email to a couple of club members who seem to be up for anything when it comes to the track - AK and IP. Both AK and IP came down to Phillip Island a few months before. We were all complete rookies when it came to racing and after a short email exchange, we had our three driver minimum. I thought that if I were to go the effort of putting a team together then we needed to at least try to finish on the podium. I did some research into the race and discovered that a Lotus team had won it the year before (2005) having completed 177 laps on a dry to wet track and that the average lap times of each car were between 1:46 – 2:10. As I went back through the Natsoft archives, I could not see a Porsche team win since 2002 when JK and TK (together with DG) won the race having completed 191 laps. I thought that if no other Porsche teams turn up, we could win!!!

I pumped up the team’s hopes with a couple of enthusiastic emails and then set out to fill the remaining team spots. I figured that we would need an experienced racer to clean up the mess made by the rookies and a number of names were put forward and subsequently contacted. We ended up the following team:

Team Manager: WJ.

Radio: JR and AJ.

Driver A: DJ – ’04 GT2

Driver B: DR – ’04 GT2

Driver C: AZ – ’04 Turbo X50

Driver D: IP – ’04 GT3

Driver E: AK – ’03 GT3 Cup Car

Driver F: DR – ’03 GT3 Cup Car

The team manager advised us to “cross-enter” DR in two cars with a view to having him both start and finish the race for the team. We were able to do this as we had five drivers instead of the allowed six maximum.

Qualifying for the race consisted of merely driving six laps of the circuit on the Saturday. Once all drivers in our team had completed their minimum six lap qualifying stint, we (together with the team manager) then nominated our own minimum lap times for the race. The race rules stated that no car is allowed to go under their own nominated lap time or 98 seconds (1:38) – whichever is the greater. If a driver goes under this time, a one lap penalty applies. Another reason for nominating a lap time is to allow handicap placings to be determined. A couple of our drivers needed more practice on slicks than their six laps provided for and they were ordered back out until their lap times came down. IP almost ran out of fuel getting accustomed to the new tyre.

Our team manager had instructed us to be at the track nice and early the following morning before the race. The 10 am start came around very quickly and we were off and racing before we knew it. DR had gained a 40 second lead within the first 20 minutes of the race however the safety car was called out and our lead was wiped away. Our team enjoyed the lead for most of the day however “Team 20 Something” took the lead briefly in the 2nd hour of the race. I spent most of the day interfering with the team manager’s job and in the minutes before each driver went out, telling each driver not to spin under any circumstances. Naturally, I was the only one who spun. I won’t make excuses however if anyone is thinking of running Cup Car tyres (with different front – back rolling diameters) on anything but a Cup Car then forget about it! I managed not to hit anything however the unfortunate incident cost the team around 15 seconds.

There are some drivers who say that Super Sprints are tougher than racing because each lap in a Super Sprint is like a qualifying lap. I can testify that the nervous energy associated with the drama, excitement, anxiety and cost of your first race will make a Super Sprint feel like a Sunday drive.

Every one of the rookies put in personal best Eastern Creek lap times during the race and it was only during the last hour of the race that our all Porsche team started to show signs of a clear lead. The final 15 minutes of the race seemed to take forever with the entire team huddled around the small timing screen hoping that DR would bring home a win without any dramas.

The chequered flag finally fell at the six hour mark and we had won the race! Our team had completed 194 laps – three laps ahead of the next team (Team 20 Somethings) and four laps ahead of the team after that (Lotus by Jeff).

We were all thrilled with the win and there was a small presentation after the race. When I got home that evening, I paraded around the house flexing my biceps declaring that I knew what it felt like to be Schumacher. This feeling of elation lasted for well over a week and when reality finally returned, it began to dawn upon me just how difficult it would be to repeat our performance in 2007.

David Jellins
E: david.jellins@trackcorp.com.au
W: http://www.trackcorp.com.au

If you find yourself about to take a trip to Calgary and you are a go kart enthusiast there are a couple of different choices of go karts in Calgary. There are many things to take part in and go sight seeing in Calgary however, the city also offers a very exhilarating option to take part in go karts in Calgary. Sadly, there are only a couple of option and the requirements are sometimes strict but it also paints the picture of a very well kept place that isn’t damaged or run down.

Locations in Calgary To Go Kart

If you are not familiar with Calgary and have arrived in the city by air, you are in luck because there is actually one of the best go karts in Calgary business that is relatively close to the international airport. It is a beautiful indoor track that has the marvelous Rocky Mountains in the backdrop that you can actually see as you get to the go karts in Calgary hot spot. This Go Kart Racing track is located in the northeast of Calgary and is often very busy so it is best to call and see if you need to make reservations to ensure you don’t arrive and get disappointed.

The other location to enjoy go karts in Calgary is on the outskirts of town on the Trans Canada Highway to the west of the city. This track is only open in the summer and is located on the verge of the Rocky Mountains and is incredibly busy in the summer. It is slightly more expensive than the indoor go karts in Calgary however it is well worth it because the setting is breathtaking as well they have much longer tracks than the indoor go karts in Calgary.

Restrictions For Go Karting In Calgary

There is an unbelievable amount of paperwork it seems that is involved with go karts in Calgary as it seems like they need your birth certificate, drivers license as well as other sensitive personal information. The indoor go karts in Calgary have a policy that one cannot even operate a go kart within their facility if they don’t hold a drivers license so if you are from outside of the country make sure you call and find out what the restrictions would be for your particular situation.

The go karts in Calgary that are located on the outskirts of town offer you the outdoor atmosphere at a higher cost but they also don’t have many restrictions aside from children under 14 years old.

If you want to learn more so you can clutches for go karts please visit our site which is free to the public. You’ll find the best tips on everything to do with racing go karts

CITGO Racing is sponsoring the Venezuelan female race car driver Milka Duno as she competes in the upcoming 2007 season of IndyCar Series. Milka Duno is notable for being the first ever woman driver and first Latina to win a major international sports car racing in North American by obtaining the overall win at the Grand Prix of Miami at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2004.

This time, Milka Duno will enter the 2007 IndyCar Series and will compete in the 91st Indianapolis 500 along with other nine racing events this 2007 season under SAMAX Motor sports team. She will go behind the steering wheel of the No. 23 CITGO Racing/SAMAX Motor sport Dallara/Honda/Firestone race car equipped with fuel filters like VW fuel filters from VW Motor sports.

“This is a dream come true for me. I’ve always wanted to race in the Indianapolis 500 and in the IndyCar Series, and I can’t begin to thank CITGO for continuing to support my racing, as well as everybody at SAMAX Motorsport,” says Milka Duno. “The SAMAX team brings a lot of open-wheel experience to the IndyCar Series and I’m hopeful that will make my transition into the series a bit smoother. To make this announcement in my hometown of Miami with my family and friends and fans around me is terrific.”

Félix Rodríguez CITGO President and Chief Executive Officer said:
“I am very proud of Milka’s accomplishments as a member of the great CITGO family and as a fellow Venezuelan. We certainly look forward to her continued success in this new phase of her career.”

Meanwhile, Peter Baron, Team Pprincipal of SAMAX Motor sport also commented:
“I would like to personally thank CITGO and Milka for their continued support and faith in our program. We know this effort, with a new sponsor, driver and team will not be easy, but we are thrilled to have this opportunity and will work our hardest to give Milka the necessary tools to succeed on track.”

Milka Duno started her racing career in Venezuela and eventually moved into the U.S. She has already competed in some of the most prestigious racing events including American Le Mans Series, 24 Hours of Daytona, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Grand American Rolex Series. Some of the greatest achievements of Milka Duno in her racing career include 3 wins, 7 podium appearances, 10 top five finishes, and 26 top-10 finishes.

For more about your VW fuel filters needs like , visit your trusted online source.

Benjamin Hudson works as a supervisor at one of the top engineering firms in the business district of Louisiana. He is also a freelance journalist and has passion for anything automotive.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

No, okay, it was pretty much just the best of times.

After getting shut out at the Daytona 500, for me the race in Fontana two weeks ago was a breath of fresh air: Matt Kenseth held on for the outright win, and Greg Biffle did his part by toppling Casey Mears in a head-to-head match-up. Kenseth’s win gives us a nice big bankroll heading into a Vegas race that should be crazy.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway used to be a flat track: low banking in the turns, so brakes were extremely important. Now LVMS has been completely changed: it’s got 20 degrees of banking in the turns, and eight degrees in the front and back stretches. These factors, plus a slick racing surface, should combine to make Sunday’s race both incredibly fast and a crash-fest. Will Vegas now be the fastest track in Nextel Cup racing? It could very well be. In terms of configuration, the new Vegas is a lot like the new Homestead, and setups on these cars will be kissing cousins with the high-torque setups at Bristol and Dover. We should look at results from all those tracks (especially Homestead) when making our picks this week. Let’s get to it.

Last Week: Kenseth’s win at +1656 (and Biffle’s H2H win at -180) made up for our Daytona failings. For the year, then, we sit at a positive net 1.48 units, on three total units wagered; that’s a return of 49.3% on the young season.

Take Jimmie Johnson (+650), 1/6th unit. The #48 car was coming two Sundays ago, but Johnson made a rare mistake by speeding on Pit Row, and could never quite get back up front at the race’s end. As it was, J.J. finished third at Fontana, signaling that his cookie-cutter program is alive and well. I’ve said this many times, but there’s no better driver/chief combo than Johnson and Chad Knaus when it comes to adjusting that day’s car to maximize a finish. Add to this mix the fact that Johnson has been very strong at the reconfigured Homestead (a second, a third, a ninth and a crash-induced 40th), and he’s a great bet for Sunday.

Take Kasey Kahne (+500), 1/6th unit. Kahne was super-fast at Fontana, as befitting his status as the current king of the downforce tracks. Unfortunately, his engine exploded not even halfway through the race, giving him a terrible 38th-place finish. This Friday, Kahne was back to his old tricks at a downforce track, practicing fastest and then qualifying on the pole. You have to believe that the week off came at a good time for the #9 bunch; they went back to the shop, figured out what went wrong with the engine program at Fontana, and will go on from there. There’s been some speculation that the changeover from leaded to unleaded fuel was somehow to blame for Kahne’s woes, but that seems far-fetched. I think the Evernham engines hold together this week, and finish strong.

Take Kevin Harvick (+1200), 1/6th unit. Don’t undervalue Happy. He probably should have two race wins already this year; he won at Daytona, of course, and he was tracking down Kenseth at Fontana with a faster car when a red flag came out, whereupon he suffered a flat tire and finished just 17th. Don’t discount the value of momentum, and the Richard Childress cars have a ton of it. I also look at the #29’s recent past at Homestead, Bristol and Dover, and see a pattern of excellence. At Homestead, Harvick has the second-best finishing average of any driver since the reconfiguration (behind only Greg Biffle (+2000)); he’s finished second, fifth, eighth and 10th in those four events. He didn’t look great in the first practice or qualifying, but his teammate Jeff Burton (+1200) did, and perhaps the #31 shares some notes with Happy. I still like this bet.

Brian Gabrielle is a documented member of the Professional Handicappers League.
Read all of his articles at http://www.procappers.com/Brian_Gabrielle.htm

Next stop on the Nextel Cup Schedule is Atlanta Motor Speedway

Next week NASCAR heads to the fastest track on the NASCAR Nextel Cup circuit, Atlanta Motor Speedway, for the Kobalt Tools 500. The 2007 races at Atlanta will a new change to contend with compared to 2006 races held there. NASCAR has mandated an 18 gallon fuel cell instead of the standard 22 1/2 gallon cell typically used.

What effect will a smaller fuel cell have? For starters, it will require more pit stops to cover the 500 mile race. More stops on NASCAR’s fastest track means that the pit crews and the driver’s ability to have a clean pit stop will become even more critical. Have a bad stop, and a team could find themselves a lap down in a heartbeat.

Of the current drivers who have raced more than 2 races at Atlanta, Dale Jarrett has had the most success. In 20 starts, Jarrett has an average finish of 10th place. Of course, Dale’s success at Atlanta came during his years at Yates Racing. Let’s see if he can maintain his dominance with his new team, Michael Waltrip Racing.

Other drivers to note:

Carl Edwards - Average finish of 11th
Jimmie Johnson - Average finish of 11th
Dale Earnhardt Jr - Average finish of 11th
Greg Biffle - Average finish of 12th

Next Week’s Schedule:

Nextel Cup: @ Atlanta Motor Speedway (all times EST)
03/16/07 - 06:40pm NASCAR Nextel Cup Kobalt Tools 500 Qualifying
03/17/07 - 01:20pm NASCAR Nextel Cup Kobalt Tools 500 Practice
03/18/07 - 02:00pm NASCAR Nextel Cup Kobalt Tools 500

Busch Series: @ Atlanta Motor Speedway
03/16/07 - 02:15pm NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Nicorette 300 Practice
03/17/07 - 11:05am NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Nicorette 300 Qualifying
03/17/07 - 03:00pm NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Nicorette 300

Craftsman Truck Series: @ Atlanta Motor Speedway
03/16/07 - 05:15pm NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series American Commercial Lines 200 Qualifying
03/16/07 - 09:00pm NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series American Commercial Lines 200

Johnson Captures First Win of 2007!

Jimmie Johnson learned last year that the best way to win a championship is to come out early swinging. In the 2006 season, Johnson started by winning the Daytona 500, finishing 2nd at California, and by winning Las Vegas.

With the exception of Daytona, Johnson’s results in 2007 are eerily similar to 2006. A 3rd place finish at California last week followed by a win in Vegas this week, the 150th for the Hendrick Motor Sports organization. What’s next? A 6th place finish next week at Atlanta?

While Johnson’s poor finish this year at Daytona left fans guessing if he could repeat, there is no doubt now that the #48 Lowe’s teams is still the force to be reckoned with in NASCAR!

Las Vegas Not Impressive in Bid to Get 2nd NASCAR Race

Las Vegas Motor Speedway desperately wants a 2nd race Nextel Cup race. The track wants it so bad that it was willing to spend millions to raise the 11 yr old turns an additional 8 degrees to bring faster paced action for the fans. It is also in the planning phases of building trackside luxury condos like never seen before at a race track.

So what’s the problem you ask? The problem is not necessarily the track’s fault. The recent restructuring of the track, a new track surface, and the promise of increased speeds made Goodyear play a conservative hand in the tires they formulated for UAW Daimler Chrysler 400. The left side Goodyear tires were very hard and capable of withstanding higher pressures than typical tires. Along with the modified left side tire, the air pressures in the right side tires were regulated and teams were not allowed to adjust as needed during the race.

The end result was the race had a higher number of captions than any other Vegas race. Most drivers complained of icy conditions on a slick track that claimed numerous cars. For NASCAR to award a 2nd race to Las Vegas, both the track and Goodyear will need to get on the same page and provide a track along with a suitable set of tires that produces some serious racing!

UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Recap

The newly revamped Las Vegas Motor Speedway made for dicey racing conditions on Sunday in the UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400. As Tony Stewart predicted after Saturday nights Busch race, the Sam’s Town 300, the UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 would claim many cars by race end.

During the off-season, Speedway Motor sports Inc, owners of Vegas, spent millions of dollars raising the banking in the turns from 12 degrees to 20 and resurfaced the entire track. Always one to make the safe bet, Goodyear specified a harder left side compound to guard against tire failure. Ask any driver, and they will tell you that a harder left side tire on a newly paved track is extremely slick!

And slick it was yesterday. In the first 40 laps, there were 4 cautions that claimed numerous cars. One team, Hendrick Motor sports, was seemingly immune to the track conditions. Two of their drivers, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon finished 1 & 2 respectively while Kyle Busch finished in 9th. The win was the 150th in Hendrick Motor sports history!

For Jimmie Johnson, the win at Vegas was his 3rd consecutive victory at the same track, and bolstered him to 4th in the standings. Johnson’s win didn’t come easy though. Jimmy had to overcome a pit road penalty and a small scrape with the wall. The reigning champion bounced back by leading 89 laps and winning the race.

Jeff Gordon, meanwhile, bumped up to 2nd in the standings still trailing the leader Mark Martin. The 4-time champion led 111 laps in the race only to falter after a late race tire problem. Gordon still trails Dale Earnhardt by one win in NASCAR all time victories.

Jeff Burton seemed poised to make a sweep of Las Vegas after winning the Busch race on Saturday. The South Boston, VA native lead late in the race before engine trouble doomed his chances of a sweep. Burton finished 15th.

Other top drivers faired as follows:

Tony Stewart followed up his 8th place finish at California with a 7th in Vegas. The former champion now sits in 13th place.

The darling of NASCAR, Kasey Kahne, was involved in a late race wreck and finished 35th. The 35th place dropped Kahne to 36th in points. It seems the #9 Dodge team is still reeling from the suspensions handed out at Daytona.

Carl Edwards had a strong 7th place finish to help correct a 2007 season that has completely started off on the wrong foot. The finish boosted Edwards to 17th in the standings.

Juan Montoya is learning his way around the oval tracks. The former F1 star finished the race in 22nd.

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