NASCAR on TV this week

Truckin’ Thursdays: Miguel Paludo on Chicagoland, Pocono and Paintballing

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Chicagoland was a great race for us. We were just in the wrong place one, two, even three times. But we had a really great truck. We went from 30th to the top 10 after the first problem and even lead or stayed in second for a while. Then we ran up there toward the top 5 but kept having problems. I’m really proud of my team though because we were finally headed the right direction.

The problem we’ve had has been entry into the corners. We’ve always been too loose or too tight, but we changed a rear end housing and used something different. We had been using the same one we used all last season, but with the new one, it gave me a much better feel for what I was looking for. We were actually neutral going into the corners this weekend and that made it easier to drive. Plus Mike (Hillman, Jr., Crew Chief) is getting a better feel for what I like on the track every week and that helps a lot.

Dollars And Sense: NASCAR’s Marketing Switcheroo

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The three other ad agency finalists had either worked with NASCAR or their corporate partners before, not making a strong case for themselves as one of the agencies to take NASCAR in the new direction they seek. After narrowing down to the final four agencies, from what started as 110 inquiries, Young & Rubicam removed themselves from consideration. This left Ogilvy & Mather to compete against just Leo Burnett and McCann Erickson before being chosen as the lead candidate.

“Significant changes in our ecosystem impacted how we deliver our message and position our brand to existing fans while increasing the appeal of NASCAR to new audiences,” explained Kim Brink, NASCAR managing director of brand, consumer and series marketing. “We were thoroughly impressed with the caliber of all three finalists; but Ogilvy’s consistency, creativity and dynamic leadership were the key differentiators. We’re delighted to join the agency’s roster of big consumer brands.”

Mirror Driving: Head Wrench Head Scratchers, Missing IRP And Buescher’s Title Push

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Beth: I wouldn’t mind having that hype, Mike. At least there’d be some excitement for the ten race playoff that (with the exception of last year) hasn’t been all that exciting.
Phil: This isn’t even the longest consecutive race stretch ever. I seem to recall a nasty 20 race stretch at one point.
Amy: Honestly, I think the best plan would be to have one now AND one in September.
Mike N.: Assuming they want to have two breaks, I’d rather see them do one after 13 weeks and another before the Chase.
Amy: I like that idea, Mike.

Childress Keeping Dillon in Nationwide a Smart Move

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On Monday, Richard Childress mentioned in an interview that his grandson, defending Camping World Truck Series champion and current Nationwide Series title competitor Austin Dillon, would remain in the second-tier series in 2013, ending speculation that the young driver might challenge Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. for the Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year title.

Smart move, Mr. Childress.

Of course, it’s unsurprising that Childress would decide to go this way with Dillon. It’s easy to forget that Dillon first drove in NASCAR in 2008, when he ran two Nationwide races and scored a fourth-place finish. Many teams might have thrown such a young talent onto the fast track to success after such a start, but Childress was in no hurry, entering his grandson in six Nationwide and Truck races in 2009 before finally going full-time in a truck in 2010 and 2011.

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Did You Notice? … Silly Season Swung Wide Open By One Bad NASCAR Drug Test

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*Did You Notice?…* That in life, all it takes is one fleeting moment, one spoken word to turn our lives from successful to shattered?

In this case, it was as simple and tasteless as peeing into a cup. A.J. Allmendinger’s life changed forever Tuesday, suspended indefinitely by NASCAR for violating the sport’s drug policy in a decision that plunges his career into chaos. The driver’s “B” sample, tested weeks after the “A” showed no change in result, an unknown substance (rumored to be everything from methamphetamine to a rare stimulant found in an energy drink A.J. was endorsing) the root cause of what has kept him on the sidelines since hours before the July 7th Cup Series race at Daytona.

IndyCar Round Table: Push to Pass, More Ovals, and Ending Under Yellow

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*The push to pass feature has returned. What are your thoughts on it–happy to see it, didn’t miss it? And also do you like the way they have been doing it this time around, giving a total number of seconds a driver can use?*

Toni: I actually got on my soap box on this a few weeks ago. I don’t like it. I think it’s too gimmicky and didn’t really miss it when we didn’t have it. It also particularly annoyed me when I was watching the end of the Edmonton race and it came down to who had more push to pass left, Castroneves or Sato. I also thought it was kind of pointless; so they would both lay on the button and it renders itself useless.
Huston: Ha. You used my word, gimmicky. I thought it was too much like a video-game feature. Kind of like getting added powers or the like, but I’ve changed my stance on this one. After watching the F1 races, and their DRS (drag reduction system), I think it adds a different element of strategy.

Beyond the Cockpit: How NASCAR Helps Jeremy Burnett Promote Millbridge Speedway

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_Promoting a local short track is no easy feat in today’s tough economic times. Add in the challenge of trying to grow a form of racing that is popular elsewhere but in its infancy in the region where the track is located, and the difficulties multiply. Jeremy Burnett promotes Millbridge Speedway with his wife Ashly and help from anyone who is willing to pitch in and try and make the 1/6th mile dirt track between Mooresville and Salisbury North Carolina a success. This is the second season under the Burnetts’ leadership and the track has undergone some improvements, with more planned in the future. New lights, a new retaining wall and new dirt recently added to the surface are all helping to entice more competitors and fans to visit the bullring every other Wednesday throughout most of the year._