STOCK CAR PIT PASS - Race News Without A Restrictor Plate

July 31, 2007

Sweet Kiss for Tony
Making the Grade-Indianapolis Motor Speedway
By Dennis Michelsen
There is something magical to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Maybe the racing from lap one to lap last is not as great as some tracks, but the majesty that is the Brickyard 400 makes up for that! Yes racing purists…full-bodied stock cars do belong at Indy. This amazing monument to speed deserves more than one big event every season. Thanks for another great show old lady and we will see you again next May!

Nextel Cup- Indy

1. Tony Stewart
2. Juan Pablo Montoya
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Kyle Busch
5. Reed Sorenson
6. Mark Martin
7. Kevin Harvick
8. Jeff Burton
9. Dave Blaney
10. Matt Kenseth

F for Jeff Green
In baseball they call going 0 for 5 wearing the horse collar. I suppose the NASCAR equivalent is Jeff Green's box score at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. On lap six Green slaps the wall. On lap seven he pits under green for repairs. On lap eight he returns to pit road to answer the black flag for speeding on pit road. Lap fourteen he blows a rear tire and hits the wall hard ending his day.

D for ESPN
The much hyped return of ESPN to NASCAR racing fell a little short of the mark. Despite having more cameras and people there than ever before they consistently missed details of the race unfolding in front of them. The new "Draft Track" showed us colors changing but added nothing to the show. Tim Brewer gave us a reason for the fire on the No. 48 car's crash that didn't fit with the equipment the team was running. The old ESPN made you feel like you were at the track and that is what most race fans want.

C for Ward Burton
A fourteenth place finish is not huge for a guy that has won five times at the Cup level including the Daytona 500. But this team should be proud of this finish since other teams with much more funding went home on Friday!

B for Juan Pablo Montoya
A rookie finishing second at the Brickyard 400 is a big deal! Montoya's season has not lived up to the amazing rookie class of last year, but this is a driver with only three starts in full-bodied stock cars before his rookie season started! If there was any doubt that Juan Pablo Montoya is one of the greatest drivers of this era they have should be silenced after Sunday's performance at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway!

A for Tony Stewart
Give another hard earned win to one of the real guys in the sport! No driver has a bigger love affair for a racetrack than Tony Stewart has for the Brickyard. The thrilling door-to-door battle for the win gives the fans one more reason to appreciate this great driver. When Tony kisses the bricks you know he really means it! Toss in some extra credit for Tony speaking his mind after his win too.

Tuesday on Race Talk Radio
8 pm Eastern-ASALMS Radio and Down on the Farm-Each week the best in minor league racing is profiled including the news from the cars and stars of the ASA Late Model Series. Host Dennis Michelsen interviews the drivers, series promoters, and others making news at local short tracks all over the country.

9pm Eastern-Inside the ARCA RE/MAX Series-Host Mike Harper brings you the news from inside the ARCA RE/MAX Series. Since 1953 the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) has featured some of the best stockcar racing in the country! Meet the drivers making news in the ARCA RE/MAX series every Tuesday night.