RaceDriven.com

History of Motocross

2013-06-06T07:34:00.002-07:00

Grab your helmet, goggles, boots, body armor and your riding equipment. This race is like no other. Motocross racing is not only intense but it’s a type of motorcycle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits. This sport can be done in all weather conditions.

Motocross first started in the United Kingdom from motorcycle trial competitions like the Scottish Six Days Trial that began in 1909. In the United Kingdom, the races were known as scramble racing but during the 1930s, the sport grew in popularity and the competitions became known internationally as motocross racing. In countries such as Belgium, Russia, France, Sweden and Italy, Motocross racing is still an obsession as well as an active sport.

In 1966, Motocross was introduced to the United States. A Swedish champion named Torsten Hallmanhad rode an exhibition event against the top American TT Riders at the Corriganville Movie Ranchin Simi Valley, California. The year after, Hallman was joined by other motocross stars as they dominated the event placing their lightweight two-stroke engines into the top six finishing positions. During this period in time, Motocross began to grow rapidly in the United States. Some of the most popular states for Motocross racing are Florida, California, Michigan, Texas, and Georgia.

The top five best and trickiest bikes to use for Motocross racing are KTM450SX-F, Suzuki RM-Z450, Kawasaki KX250F, Yamaha YZ250F, and Kawasaki KX450F. The KTM dirt bikes have dominated two-strokes over the last three years equipped with severe duty brake pads and heavy duty bike parts. All of these dirt bikes are excellent vehicles to use in the dirt!

Looking for parts for the Top Motocross Dirt Bikes?

KTM 450SX-F

Suzuki RM-z450

Kawasaki KX250F

Yamaha YZ250F

Kawasaki KX450F

Find them at Race-Driven.com

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International Motocross Racing

2013-05-08T08:55:00.000-07:00

We are in the midst of racing season for international motocross racers. With upcoming races in Germany, Italy, France and many other international locations, riders are finishing one race, preparing to fix up their bike and travel to another location.

UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL MOTOCROSS RACES:

DATE GRAND PRIX LOCATION

19 May	BRAZIL	Beto Carrero
26 May	MEXICO	Guadalajara
09 June	FRANCE	Ernée
16 June	ITALY	Maggiora
30 June	SWEDEN	Uddevalla
07 July	LATVIA	Kegums
14 July	RUSSIA	Semigorje
28 July	GERMANY	Lausitzring
04 August	CZECH REP.	Loket
18 August	BELGIUM	Bastogne
25 August	GREAT BRITAIN	Matterley Basin
08 September	TBA	tba

If you are a rider looking to improve your race, maintaining your motorcycle with the highest quality parts is a great place to start. Performance is not all about the rider, in fact it starts with the quality of your motorcycle. Regardless of whether you live in the United States, Europe, or other international areas, you can increase your motocross performance with the highest quality brakes, chains, or sprockets.

A Special Thank You From Dan Kujala

2013-03-27T06:31:00.001-07:00

We would like to share a thank you letter written from our sponsored racer Dan Kujala as his Ice Racing season comes to an end, giving his gratitude to everybody who has helped this season!

"Hello Everyone!

First of all I would like to thank each and every one of you for the support and everything that you have done for me, my team, and this sport! Every year I try to help out more and more riders in need that have potential but I could not do the extra for them or my program without your help! THANK YOU so much! It was a great season for Team Kujala as not only for myself but my team riders as they performed well with great finishes. As for myself, I won the 450 Studded Quad and the Open Studded Quad for the Coca Cola Zero Great Lakes Ice Racing Series ( Big thanks go to http://www.binksbeverages.com/) and the AMA 2013 Ice

Race National Grand Championship in the 450 Studded Quad and the Open Studded Quad Class! Rider and daughter Taylor Brunette finished 3rd place in the Junior 1 Bike Class her first year out! Angela Tuyls, also first year studded quad rider, finshed 2nd in the womens class and several respectable sportsman studded quad finishes(most of which were guys), Kyle Meiers and Joe Williams teamed up on my non stud 450 and had a fun season sharing the quad and getting a mixture of finishes! I am thankful for everyone's support and I would like to say thank you to some sponsors that were extremely detrimental to the performance of my quad/my person on a weekly basis. I would like to start out with my friend Brian from http://www.race-driven.com/.

Thank you so much my friend for your top quality photos and video so that I can keep all of my sponsors up to date and for your help at the track when needed! Please check out his attached photos and feel free to post them as long as you give credit to http://www.raceononline.com/! http://www.fxrracing.com/ Unbelievable gear! Thank you so much for helping me and my team out with dry/warm/classy gear! Your X-Cross boots rock! It's tough to find a warm good looking boot that fits under my shifter and keeps me dry and warm! Thank you! Your support for our season banquet with all the gear you send is priceless! Thank you also for that! http://www.amsoil.com/ And Walt Patterson, Thank you for the help with all of my synthetic oil and lubricant products! This is one of the most important parts of a dependable motor and chassis. Larry Strangfeld, Big compliments go to both of you for providing the right tire/screw combination and the best hookup a guy can get on ice! Strangfeld Tires have really taken me to a new level of competition!

Tom Carlson, my friend and one of the best power sports engine builders in history, thank you for always providing me with a fast dependable engine package and constant contact throughout the season for support! www.vpracingfuels.com/ Thank for the added horsepower and always providing a great running hard hitting race fuel! http://www.team-rpm.com/ Your aluminum light weight axles and hubs are by far the lightest and the best in the industry! The thing that I love the most about the RPM Aluminum Axle is that is looks like a any high grade aftermarket cromoly axle! http://www.elkasuspension.com/ Thank you for providing a smooth suspension in the roughest conditions! As you can see from the photos, even though it is flat track ice racing it doesn't mean it's always smooth and free from obstacles!

http://www.radioresultsnetwork.com/ Thank you for helping my team and the racing series with constant support on the radio and the professional recorded ads that play non stop throughout the season! Mike Daniels, Mike Junior, and Jack Hall are always prompt on getting things done to help promote the sport!

Thank you to Dustin Waeghe for helping our team in the garage almost every day and at the track! Jay Kelly and Mike Tuyls are also always willing to help no questions asked when something is needed! Thank you to all of you!

~Dan Kujala"

Tell Us How You Like to Ride!

2013-03-05T11:00:00.002-08:00

Do you enjoy riding ATV's, snowmobiles, or motorcycles? We want to know your favorite places to ride! Whether you like the icy trails of up north or the sandy gusts of the desert. Tell us about your most exciting riding experience. Share great trails/roads you have discovered, or great places to stop on your trip!
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Ice National Grand Championships

2013-02-14T07:50:00.004-08:00

With the Ice National Grand Championships coming to an end this past weeked, we are proud to anounce our Race- Driven sponsoree Dan Kujala of Team Kujala Racing took home two National Championships in Cadillac, Michigan. His championships were won in the 330 2-Stroke/ 0 to 450 4-Stroke Studded Quad Class and the Open Quad Studded Class.

We want to thank everyone for the support they have given troughout the Ice Racing season!

Photo Courtesy of www.Raceoneonline.com

Sponsorship Opportunities

2013-01-07T09:43:00.000-08:00

As we start a new year, there are many ATV and Motocross racers who open up yet another season. Many of whom are seeking sponsorship opportunities, but are unsure where to start. I want to share a few steps to take in helping with your search for a sponsor.

The first step in finding a sponsor is research. Making sure you find a company that is financially able to sponsor you is very important. You don't want to knock on the door of a struggling business and ask them for money, most likely they will say no. Being able to show the business owner that you are knowledgeable about their company is very important, knowing their products and goals will show that you are serious in representing their company.

When you speak to your first potential sponsor, understand you will be "working" for them. You will want to propose ideas that will help their company. This may include passing out coupons for them at your events, giving out samples of new products, or passing out towels, hats, or other gear with the companies logo on it. Always have a plan that is achievable and mirrors the company's objectives.

Giving the business owner a polished hard-copy of your resume, a powerpoint, or video is also a great idea. You may not get a definite yes or no when you go to speak the business. With a hard-copy, they can refer back to it in their decision making process if they are on edge. You never want to rush the owner in making his decision, give time for them to think.

There are many companies out there who are looking for racers to sponsor. Race-Driven being one of them, is already sponsoring a few successful racers. If you are interested in becoming sponsored by Race-Driven, please contact us at 1.906.420.8009.

Please click the links below to view information on some of Race-Driven's current sponsors:

Jordan Phillips
Dan Kujala

High Performance CZ Chains

2012-12-04T10:34:00.000-08:00

Many race enthusiasts will spend hours a day out in the garage making sure their ride is clean, maintained, and has the best quality parts. One of the most important parts when racing your motorcycle or ATV is the chain. Without the chain you will not go very far at all. You may be asking, what type of chain is best when it comes to high-performance? Well your answer is CZ Chains.

CZ is a European company based in Strakonice. They have been providing us with high-quality chains since 1929. With a special design consisting of specially chromized layered pins, high quality rollers, and precise seamless solid bushings, they will outlast other brands of chains. When each chain is assembled,they are lubricated with a “high-performance lubricant”. Thus ensuring when you remove your brand new chain from the packaging, each link will move smoothly without friction. CZ chains are X-Ring chains which offer excellent sealing with less drag than O-Ring chains.

If you are looking for style as well as high-performance, you are in luck. CZ chains offers more than just the standard charcol colored chain. They have a fashionable gold chain that will provide your motorcycle or ATV with a nice, classy look.

So, the bottom line is, if you are searching for a chain that will provide you with high-mileage, high-performance, and good looks, CZ chains are perfect for you!

If you are interested in special promotions or discounts for your racing needs please join us on Facebook!

Roll Bars vs. Roll Cages

2012-11-20T08:41:00.000-08:00

Racing is all about speed, who can make it to the finish line first, right? Speed isn’t just about who can give their car the most gas. There are a lot of factors that can impact how fast you can make it from start to finish. One of the most important features of your car that will affect just how fast you will go is weight. A requirement on all racing vehicles is a roll cage or roll bars which just add more weight. Depending on what type of racing you participate in, there are different requirements when it comes to roll cages or roll bars.

The purpose of roll bars and cages is to add structure to your car allowing more protection to the driver in the unfortunate event of a roll-over. It also stiffens the chassis, which is the framework plus the guts, including your engine, transmission, braking system, etc... . For cars up to 3500 pounds, the most common material used for roll bars or roll cages is DOM mild steel, or Drawn Over Mandrel. Finding roll cages or roll bars made of DOM steel can range anywhere from $80- $2500.

Another option for your roll bars or cages is Chromoly or Chrome-Moly. Although more expensive than the most common DOM steel tubing, it is more light-weight, allowing your car to travel more quickly. Thus, being the most common choice in drag racing. Both Chromoly and DOM tubing meet race standards and are able to be MIG and TIG welded. When welded properly both methods are equally strong.

Now let’s get to the difference between roll cages and roll bars. Roll bars are a basic 4-point system. This includes a main hoop, harness bar, and at least two rear bars. They are good for dual purpose track day cars and mandatory when racing convertible cars. Roll cages are a 6-point system including pillar bars, a windshield bar, roof bar, door bar, dash bar, harness bar, and two rear bars. Both included a diagonal bar for lateral support. You can add more points to your system, although some race classes do not allow them. All bars and cages should fit tightly to the interior of the car touching slightly at all joints.

Before purchasing or building your own roll bars or cages you want to look at your rule book. Different types of races have different rules and requirements. For instance drag racing does not have the same rules as rally racing. It is very important to know what is and is not allowed before hitting the track!

Welcome to the new Racedriven Blog!

2012-11-08T08:57:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the new Racedriven.com blog! My name is Brian, and I am happy to be able to take over and reach out to all of you. I am the owner of Race-Driven, where we are known for our Severe Duty Brake Pads. I have been involved with power sports; ATV’s and motorcycles for the past 20 years, and a lifelong enthusiast. I have raced flat track, moto-cross, and ice racing, so I know what it’s all about!

At Race-Driven, we do more than just sell brake parts; we take pride in working with those who put their heart into racing. We sponsor many racers and programs. One of our largest sponsorships is the Championship Mud Racing Series, which celebrated their 5^th race anniversary this year!

My goal is to keep you informed on what is going on in the racing world. I take pride in racing and am excited to be able to share my enthusiasm with you. I will be sharing racing news, upcoming events, as well as what Race-Driven has to offer you to get the best out your racing experience! Check out what others have to say about Race-Driven!

Power Sports Racing and Parts!

2012-10-26T07:54:00.000-07:00

At Race-Driven.com we are power sports racing enthusiast! It does not matter what brand of atv you choose, Honda, Artic Cat, Bombardier, Can Am, Kawasaki, Polaris, Suzuki, or Yamaha, we enjoy them all!

Sometimes, racing and off-roading can take a toll on your ride, and parts may brake and keep you from enjoying the outdoors. Brakes, rotors and sprockets are common parts that can be replaced easily. Luck for you, the experts at Race-Driven.com carry all the latest and hard to fin parts you need to get you back on the trail.

So don't let so minor maintenance and parts keep you from enjoying the great outdoors. Contact Race-Driven.com today and have your ATV up an running by tomorrow! Another great reason to buy from Race-Driven.com, they have free shipping inside the United States!

Race-driven.com Inc. buys RaceDriven.com including blog, while Blogger Brian Vermette moves on to a new project.

2012-09-26T11:06:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers. Today I'm proud to announce that I have sold RaceDriven.com to Race-driven.com Inc. and that the new owners will continue to use RaceDriven as a blog. The blog will retain all of my old posts/archives so readers can still access those posts.

However at the same time, I (Blogger Brian Vermette) am leaving RaceDriven.com (of course removing the email address brian@racedriven.com) and moving on to a new project. But of course readers can follow me and what I'm doing at BrianVermette.com.

Finally I would like to thank all of my readers, commenters, advertisers and more for a great seven years here at RaceDriven.com and I wish the new owners (Race-Driven.com Inc.) the best of luck with their new in the future. Here's to seven more years of blogging and I hope that the readers of RaceDriven.com will not only read RaceDriven, but continue to follow me at BrianVermette.com.

Thank You. .
Brian Vermette

Replacing Your ATV Brake Rotors

2012-09-10T08:53:00.000-07:00

Seasonal checks on your ATV brake parts should be a given. But, many people are unaware that your ATV brake rotors are one of the most important parts of your ATV braking system. At Race-Driven, we carry only the finest stainless steel Arctic Cat ATV brake rotors, Bombardier ATV brake rotors, Honda ATV brake rotors, Kawasaki ATV brake rotors, Suzuki ATV brake rotors, or Yamaha ATV brake rotors. All of our ATV brake rotors are equal to OEM quality, making sure you get the best out of your riding experience.

Does it seem like you are flying through your ATV brake pads? You’ve replaced them recently but they are already worn out. Your ATV brake pads may not be your problem. When your ATV brake rotors are worn or even slightly bent, they will tear up your ATV brake pads, causing more money to come out of your pocket. But, how do you know if your rotors are worn or warped? Well, there are a couple of ways to find out if your rotors are warped. You can take your ATV brake system apart and lay your ATV brake rotor on a flat surface, such as a glass table. It the ATV brake rotor is not flush with the table, it is warped. Another way to diagnose a warped rotor by not taking your ATV braking system apart is, while you are riding, when you go to brake, feeling a pulsing in the lever is a very good indication that your ATV rotor needs to be replaced.

When purchasing your Arctic Cat brake rotor, Bombardier brake rotor, Honda brake rotor, Kawasaki brake rotor, Suzuki brake rotor, or Yamaha brake rotor, you want to make sure that you get the longest ATV brake life possible. Making sure you are choosing the correct ATV brake rotors for your make of model of ATV is very important, you don’t know what to put Honda ATV brake rotors on a Kawasaki ATV, which would call for Kawasaki ATVbrake rotors.

Putting old ATV brake pads on new ATV brake rotors can created early problems for your ATV brake rotors, by prematurely scoring your ATV brake rotor. The best thing you can do when replacing your Yamaha, Arctic Cat, Bombardier, Honda, Kawasaki, or Suzuki ATV brake rotors, is to replace all of you ATV brake parts. This includes your ATV brake rotors and ATV brake pads. Race-Driven will ensure that you get the best quality ATV brake pads and ATV brake rotors for your Arctic Cat, Honda, Bombardier, Suzuki, Yamaha, or Kawasaki ATV.

To get on your way to superior braking power, contact Race-Driven, to get free shipping on your ATV brake rotors or ATV brake pads.

RaceDriven.com turned 7 last week and now celebrates its 1000 posts with a looking back at the top 5 most popular posts.

2012-03-18T22:20:00.000-07:00

Last Monday (March 12, 2012), RaceDriven.com turned 7 years old, and now just one week late, RD celebrates with its 1000th post. So with this amazing accomplishment, I take a look back at the top 5 most popular articles over the last 7 years.

1. American Chopper: The Build-Off - Paul Jr. Designs beats out Jesse James and OCC to win Build-Off.: There's no doubt about it, the TV Series American Chopper are some of my biggest posts here on RaceDriven.com. But this article itself was posted on Dec. 6th 2011 and it has over 10,000 page views.

2. TV Spotlight: American Chopper's Sr vs Jr. Production bikes and the Go Daddy bike. UPDATED: Another American Chopper article.

3. 800hp biodiesel 1965 Chevy Impala created on Pimp My Ride is worth a second look.: A dream ride in my book that I would love to own.

4. Kevin Harvick unveil 2011 Budweiser paint scheme, that's cool!: This one was unveiled and within minutes, the pictures was posted on Twitter and then I posted it here on RaceDriven.com.

5. 1970 Road Runner "The Hammer" hammered down at $175,000 at 2010 Barrett-Jackson Orange County.: One hell of a dream ride that was also the star of a movie.

Wild card: Photography: SEMA 2011: Justin Bieber’s Batman-Themed Cadillac CTS-V Coupe.: I couldn't resist posting this wild card considering I like watching Inside West Coast Customs on TV and I thought this modern ride was build just like I would love it myself if I had it built...all blacked out.

Well RaceDriven readers, that's 1000 posts in just over 7 years of blogging, what an adventure. Thanks to all of my readers for coming to RaceDriven.com and being a part of this incredible and challenging journey. See Yeah!

12 Hours of Sebring celebrates 60 years with exciting finish; No surprise, Audi wins in R18.

2012-03-18T15:23:00.000-07:00

Shared link: 12 Hours of Sebring celebrates 60 years with exciting finish | Autoblog.com

"My Take" While the 12 Hours of Sebring is one of the biggest races of the 2012 Motorsports season, I couldn't really tell you what happened because the race was only televised on ESPN3.com and since I didn't want to sit in front of my notebook, I didn't watch the most of the race period. Of course that would be a different story if the WatchESPN app for Android worked, but Charter wasn't on the list. No surprise there. But thanks to the Autoblog.com, they posted a good detailed article with a lot of photos. Thanks Autoblog and congrats the Audi on winning the 12 hours of Sebring in a space ship looking R18.

(Photo by Rick Dole/Getty Images via Autoblog.com)

NASCAR: Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. were the headlines from the Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas.

2012-03-14T14:21:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday's Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the third race of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wasn't much to write home about. However while the race didn't give us those moments for a highlight reel, there were three headlines or drivers' in this case that stood out to me during the course of this race.

1. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Anyone surprised with that didn't watch the race. Dale Jr. lead basically from the drop of the green flag for a total of 70 laps on Sunday before a pit stop of four tires put him back in dirty air. For some reason or another, he just couldn't make his way up through the field to regain that top spot and ended up finishing in 10TH spot. Its another good run for Dale Jr.,

However it was the incident between Dale Jr. and Mark Martin during the race that have some screaming foul. Personally, its the exact same deal that happened to Dale Jr. back at Michigan when he and Mark Martin were teammates. Dale Jr. was running the high line and Mark Martin was trying to make the pass, but crowded him and one driver would end up in the wall. Dale Jr. was right to hold his line and in this case it was Martin who paid the price. Its unfortunate, but its something everyone is blowing up while these two just need to deal with themselves.

2. Jimmie Johnson: Despite the fact that the #48 Hendrick Motorsports team and Chad Knaus lost their first appeal yesterday in the fist round of the media circus, I don't think it's going to matter as Jimmie Johnson and the #48 team are showing why they are still the team to beat. Right now even with the 25 point penalty and finishing 42ND at Daytona, Johnson and his team have racked off a 4th place finish at Phoenix and a 2nd place finish last Sunday at Las Vegas. And now finds himself 23rd in points, -64 points behind leader Greg Biffle.

One writer asked, how many races before Jimmie Johnson is back in the top 10 in the point standings? My answer was before the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in last May. But I wouldn't be surprised if it was sooner.

Personally this is entertaining to watch.

3. Tony Stewart: As a Tony Stewart fan myself, normally at this time of the year, Smoke is still warming up for the summer time where he starts to win races, with the exception of 2011 where he wanted until the chase to gets his five wins on the season.

But not in 2012, Tony Stewart is picking up where he left off in 2011 after winning the Cup Title by winning at Las Vegas just 3 races into the season. This win was key for Smoke considering he finished 2ND in Las Vegas last year and has rebound this time around.

Its kind of fitting that he does it with his new crew chief Steve Addington. Of course his former crew chief Darin Grubb won last weekend at Phoenix with his new driver Denny Hamlin. I have to say its great to see both crew chiefs winning already in the season. This should be a cool rivalry (at least in the media's eyes) to watch play out for the rest of the 2012 NASCAR season.

Now that Las Vegas is behind us for yet another year, its off to Thunder Valley and the day race at Bristol Motor Speedway.Personally any race at Bristol Motor Speedway needs to be under the lights. I hate this race being in the daytime and so early in the year. It just doesn't pack the grandstands and add the same excitement that the August night race. But its still a short track race and it still should be good.

And Brian Vickers will be in the #55 Toyota at Bristol, does the words "oh brother" or "fireworks" come to mind? I'll leave it at that.

5 things to take away from the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix including Denny Hamlin, NASCAR, and Jimmie Johnson all rebound while “You Can’t Fix Stupid”.

2012-03-04T21:39:00.000-08:00

After last week’s Daytona 500, I said on ThinkingBrian.com (my lifestream) "goodbye Daytona, hello to the real start of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season at Phoenix" and I was dead on with that one. The Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway was one hell of a race to watch and fans saw the return of some good old fashion short track racing on the 1 mile unique track.

But in watching the Phoenix Cup race, I noticed a theme if you will, the word “rebound” seemed to come up pretty often as well as “EFI”. So here are 5 things to take away from the race.

1. “You can’t fix stupid!” What a great saying because it’s so true and unfortunately for Jeff Gordon who asked his spotter to ask the #42-Juan Montoya’s spotter if this is really how the #42 is going to race him and the spotter responded back with I’m standing right next to him and I’ll try, but “You can’t fix stupid”. (Not exact quote, except “You can’t fix stupid” part)

2. NASCAR rebounds. Last Sunday-Monday-Tuesday’s Daytona 500 was a complete nightmare for so many from a two-hours red flag for Montoya hitting the jet dryer, several wrecks, the #48 penalty and more, but the Subway 500 was a complete 180 degree turn around where fans saw the return of good old fashion short track racing and a good battle for the victory. Believe me when I say it, I was entertained and the grandstands were 80-90% full and that’s a good sign.

3. Denny Hamlin rebounds from a hard hitting 2011. I mean what can you say, after 2011, JGR made changes within the #11-Denny Hamlin including bring on a new crew chief in Darin Grubb. This combination so far is working well after a good speedweeks at Daytona and now a victory at Phoenix.

4. Jimmie Johnson rebounds. Jimmie Johnson came in with somewhere around negative 23 points in the Cup point standings because of a 42nd place finish at Daytona and that still pending 25 point penalty form the C-Post deal at Daytona. But on Sunday, Johnson rebounds to finish 4th after running well all day long. But I will stress to say that Johnson does have a long road back to the top 10 in points.

5. EFI. This new Electronic Fuel Injection or EFI for short is still a work in progress and while some teams have figured it out, others including the #14-Tony Stewart haven’t after Smoke found out that when he shut the engine off to save fuel, he couldn’t turn the engine back on. I believe it was the kill switch and it needed a reboot is what the explanation was. It’s a work in progress ladies and gentlemen.

Now all that is left to say is, NASCAR teams leave Phoenix in the rearview mirror and travel about 400 miles up to Las Vegas for next Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway…

Why Jimmie Johnson's #48 Cup car Daytona penalty may not be as cut and dry as NASCAR thinks.

2012-03-03T18:03:00.000-08:00

Every since not only February 17th, when NASCAR announced that they had found the C-Posts on the #48-Jimmie Johnson's Lowe's Chevrolet Impala SS illegal and made the team replace them. But earlier this week when NASCAR handed down there standard penalties for COT infractions (crew chief gets six race suspension, probation, 100k fine and docked 25 driver and 25 owner points), I have have been thinking about the illegal parts and whether or not the #48 Hendrick Motorsports team can win there appeal.

I mean let's think about it for a moment:
- NASCAR didn't eject Knaus right after they found the illegal parts. In previous infractions at Daytona, NASCAR has ejected the crew chief at least three different times, but nothing this time.
- NASCAR made there ruling on based on just a visual inspection, not a template inspection too.
- NASCAR didn't impound the racecar and make the team go to a backup. Of course the #48 hadn't even been presented for inspection yet. The racecar was just in the garage area.
- Rick Hendrick's comments that this is the same racecar that Jimmie Johnson raced several times last season including when he won the Spring Talladega Cup Series race and that the car had just been repainted.

In looking at everything, I think that once the appeals board hears the appeal, I believe that besides the media circus that will be happening outside of the building especially if Hendrick has to appeal all the way up the chair like RCR did with the #33 car after New Hampshire in 2010, I see either these penalties being cut in half or thrown out completely. Cut in half seems more likely, but you never know. Just a thought.

Related Articles:
- Why isn't anyone talking about Rick Hendrick defending the #48 car penalty and that this is the 2011 Talladega win car that is being penalized | ThinkingBrian.com

7 things to take away from Speedweeks 2012 including the Daytona 500: Danica Patrick, Hybrid racing, a blaze, a tweet picture, Biffle playing blocker and NASCAR vs. #48 team.

2012-02-29T13:48:00.000-08:00

One word to best describe the 2012 NASCAR Speedweeks at Daytona is “vicious”! Glad there is only four restrictor plate races a year period. With that said, I can summarize Speedweeks 2012 in by these 7 things:

1. Danica Patrick. What a rollercoaster two weeks Danica had from grabbing the pole for the Nationwide Series race to getting wrecked in her Duel race with a hard hit to the inside wall, getting wrecked by her teammate Cole Whitt during the Nationwide race and getting caught up in a lap 2 wreck in the Daytona 500. But she did gain some experience by getting back out in the Daytona 500 to complete laps, the pole and now hopefully a return trip to Phoenix will be a good one for her.

2. Hybrid racing is here to stay throughout the 2012 restrictor plate season. During the off season, NASCAR said that they were trying to get rid of the two-car tandem racing and from what I saw in all of the racing, NASCAR has actually created hydrid racing – it was a mix of pack racing for most of the race and two-car tandem racing. It’s a mixed bag for sure with most fans saying they enjoyed, but not me. Sorry I’m just not a restrictor plate racing fan period.

3. Two first time winners are crowned at Daytona. In Friday night’s Truck race, it was rookie John King who would pick up his first Truck Series victory and in Saturday’s Nationwide Series race, a last lap crash results in, James Buescher capturing his first Nationwide Series victory. Both victories were a good moment after two vicious races.

4. Brad Keselowski gives fans on track pix during red flag of Daytona 500. The main stream media is a huge buzz over this one tweeted picture that Brad Keseloski took with his iPhone in his racecar during a red flag period in the Daytona 500. What some may not understand is, Brad took the picture and tweeted it during a red flag period, not under caution or green flag racing. And as I heard yesterday, thankfully NASCAR wouldn’t penalize Brad for taking the tweet and for now will allow drivers to have their cell phones in their racecars. I wonder how long that will last? But what a great picture, thanks Brad. (Photo Credit: Brad Keseloski's Twitter Account.

5. Racecar meets Jet-dry: Under caution, Juan Montoya’s racecar breaks something in the rear end and sends Montoya out of control and into a jet drying which resulted in a major blaze. But thankfully both Montoya and the jet dryer driver from Michigan walked away and was checked out and released from the care center.

However while some are quick to blame Montoya, I’m not going to. Montoya was following NASCAR rules under caution and was safety trying to caught up to the field when something broke on his car. Once that part broke, he was just a passenger along for the ride. But I would expect NASCAR to review its policy and see what they could do to prevent this freak accident from happening in the future.

6. The final two laps and Greg Biffle trying to win the Daytona 500. Since originally writing this article and publishing it, I have been thinking about it and I'll admit it, I though that Greg Biffle was blocking for his teammate Matt Kenseth to win the Daytona 500 by holding off Dale Earnhardt Jr. because Biffle wasn't making any moves in the final two laps, instead he just stayed his teammate. I'm not saying he wasn't trying to win the Daytona 500, but he didn't make any moves in the final laps to go for the win.

Since then, I have written article on my lifestream ThinkingBrian.com called "I'll admit, after the 2012 Daytona 500, I thought Greg Biffle was blocking for his teammate Matt Kenseth to win the 500...", so I conclude Biffle just couldn’t get their to win, but it would have been better if he had did something of a move a few times to try. And now I say goodbye to the Daytona 500, hello Phoenix and good racing.

7. NASCAR vs. the #48 Cup car of Jimmie Johnson. Yes once again, here were are and for life of me, fans are not getting the full story here as NASCAR is being NASCAR over penalizing the #48 Cup car over C-Posts that might have been raced several times last season with another six race suspension for Knaus, a car chief suspended, 100k fine, and 25 driver and 25 owner points being docked – As a result, Hendrick pays to appeal. I just hope that we don’t see another RCR vs. NASCAR in the appeals, what a nightmare that was.

With all that said, I’ll say it once and I’ll say it again…I’m just glad there are only four restrictor plate races a year period.

Please note on 3/1/2012, I have updated my thoughts on #6 including changing the title and adding a link to some insight on why I think this way.

2012 NASCAR: Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth win Gatorade Duel races at Daytona while Kenny Wallace, Michael Waltrip and more DNQ for the Daytona 500.

2012-02-23T14:33:00.000-08:00

(Photo Credit: Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR)

With single-car qualifying last Sunday and the Duels at Daytona in the record books, we now know the 43 starters for the 2012 Daytona 500 and we also know who is out of the Daytona 500 as well.

In the Duel #1, it was Tony Stewart beating Dale Earnhardt Jr. to win the first Duel race, while three separate wrecks would claim several drivers including sending Juan Montoya, Danica Patrick and more to a backup call. And Michael Waltrip will miss the 500 after wrecking off turn 2 going from the apron to the main racing grove. Damn what a hard hit Danica Patrick took on the back straightaway, when she got send flying into the inside wall. She did get out and wall away. I guess her open wheel experience helped her as she took her hands off the steering wheel just before the crash.

But in Duel #2, it was Matt Kenseth in a late race charge to win the second duel in what was a boring race until two laps to go. Interesting seeing the teammates of Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth slice and dice for the lead, but I know that once Kenseth was left out to dry by Biffle early on, Kenseth wouldn’t run with him late in the race. Plus Kenseth really wanted that win and a tip of the hat to Jimmie Johnson, who pushing Kenseth up to the front to contend for the victory.

DNQ: 09-Kenny Wallace 40-Michael Waltrip 97-Bill Elliott 37-Mike Wallace 23-Robert Richardson and 49-JJ. Yeley

Final thoughts: Very interesting set of 150 mile qualifying races at Daytona with the first race being action packed, while the second race being well boring until the final two laps. But at the end of the day, this was a happy day for some, while others it was the end of chasing Daytona 2012 including fan favorites Kenny Wallace and Michael Waltrip. Both drivers will have to watch from the side lines at the racetrack. Now its time for Sunday’s Daytona 500, let’s go racing.

2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Preview: Off season movers and shakers and top 10 contenders.

2012-02-21T14:34:00.000-08:00

After a very busy off season and with the official kick off to the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, The Daytona 500 is just days away. NASCAR fans and media are still trying to get use to all of the names and faces that moved around during the off season as well as who are the top 10 contenders to watch in 2012.

The biggest movers and shakers was lead by Kurt Busch. Busch found himself out of a ride after being released by Penske Racing. But in 2012, he will go back to basics and move to a single car team, the #51 James Finch Chevrolet that has Hendrick Motorsports support.

The vacant #22 Shell-Pennzoil Penske Racing Dodge was rumored to be going to several drivers, however it would be A.J. Allmendinger who went from RPM and the #43 to Penske Racing and the #22 Dodge. 2012 does mark as sort of a make it or break it season for the dinger. But personally I think he will rise to the challenge and win his first Cup Series race later this season.

That left the #43 RPM Ford open and it would be a Nationwide regular to be called up to the elite series, Aric Almirola.

Michael Waltrip Racing make headlines not only during the end of the 2011 season, but during the off season as well as they would release David Reutimann, change the #00 to the #15 and add the former RCR driver, Clint Bowyer and 5-hour energy to the seat in a multi-year deal. MWR would also give Mark Martin what he wanted in a part-time 25-race schedule driving the #55 Aaron’s Dream Machine along with Michael Waltrip himself and a few other drivers filling in the remaining races.

But the biggest mover had to be the long awaited driver Kasey Kahne finally joining Hendrick Motorsports to pilot the flagship #5 Chevrolet. Kahne brings his long time crew chief with him.

And of course it isn’t just drivers that are on the move as two big named crew chiefs found new roles as well. Darian Grubb moves for SHR to be Denny Hamlin’s crew chief and Steve Addington takes on a new driver, Tony Stewart at SHR. This should be two very interesting pairings. Addington has his work cut out for him with Stewart, but they have already been jelling after a 2nd place finish in the Shootout.

The Top 10 contenders to watch in the 2012; (In no particular order)

1. Jimmie Johnson: The five-time Cup Champion is looking to rebound in 2012. Of course Johnson finished 6th in the final 2011 point standings. Predictions: 3 wins, making the chase and a top 3 finish in the final point standings
2. Tony Stewart: Stewart is looking to follow up from his 2011 Cup title and 5 wins and with another good season. But he will have to do it with his new crew chief Steve Addington. Prediction: Making the chase, 2 wins in the chase and a top 10 finish in the final point standings.
3. Kevin Harvick: Over the last few seasons, Harvick has been a huge threat for the Cup title as he has finished 3rd in the final standings in last two seasons now. But in 2012, he has a new crew chief and a good team behind him. Prediction: Making the chase, a few wins and another top 5 finish in the final point standings.
4. Kasey Kahne: Despite the fact that Kahne hasn’t made the chase in a while, he is now driving for Hendrick Motorsports driving the #5 Chevrolet and comes with his long time crew chief. But after winning a race for the now bought up Red Bull Racing team, he is poised to win races and make the chase in 2012.
5. Denny Hamlin: Coming off of a bad 2011 season not only for Hamlin, but all 3 JGR cars, 2012 comes with new engines, a new championship winning crew chief in Darian Grubb and no curse. I see Hamlin winning 2 races and making the chase in 2012.
6. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Junior comes off an impressive 2011 season after making chase and contending for wins several times. And in 2012, I believe Junior will continue with his success by again making the chase and winning at least 2 races this season.
7. Brad Keselowski: 2011 was a very impressive season for bad Brad after winning 3 races, making the chase and finishing 5th in the final points standings and in 2012, I see him building on that by winning races, making the chase and contending for the Cup title.
8. Jeff Gordon: It’s the drive for 5, what else can you say.
9. Matt Kenseth: The quite one that is the best chance Roush-Fenway Racing has to win the championship this season and the most consistent. I never really know what to think of Kenseth, he isn’t on the radar, but by the end of the season, Kenseth will be a contender for the Cup title just like he was in 2011.
10. Kyle Busch: The most outspoken one. 2011 showed that Busch needs to change after even NASCAR decided they had enough with him and parked him at the fall Texas race because of a dangerous incident between him and Hornaday Jr. in the Friday night Truck race. As for 2012 and after winning last Saturday Night’s Budweiser Shootout, it would be a good year for Busch if could just stay out of trouble.

Next, the 2012 Daytona 500 on February 26th, 2012.

The VW dog and Best Buy commercials are my winners for best 2012 Superbowl game day commercials.

2012-02-05T17:25:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week, I posted two Superbowl game day commercials. The first one was "The Dog Strikes Back: VW Commercial", which was a preview to the big game and the other one was the 2011 Superbowl commercial winner, "The Force: VW Commercial".

Well after watching all of the game day commercials, I liked two of them the best:

1. "The Dog Strikes Back: VW Commercial"

This commercial is funny to watch, but its also could be inspiring for some people to get up off the couch (including me) and exercise and diet, get fit and run for our dreams. Yeah I know, a little much, but its still funny and it works for me.

2. "Phone Innovators: Official 2012 Best Buy Game Day Commercial"

I liked the Best Buy commercial from the poking fun at Airlines vs. Alex Baldwin over Words with Friends, I invented instagram and more. Of course that is a little surprising to me considering my feelings on Best Buy aren't all that good and I'm putting it loosely. I've just had a few bad experiences with them, of course that was with the Geek Squad and warranty service. But in this case, Best Buy actually came up with a good commercial and since I still do shop their when needed, I posted the game day ad here.

Now, what's next!?

Will any of the 2012 Superbowl game day commercials beat last years best "The Force" Volkswagen Commercial

2012-02-02T13:04:00.000-08:00

Earlier today I thought I would have a little bit of fun ahead of game day this coming Sunday, I published the latest Volkswagen Commercial, "The Dog Strikes Back in latest 2012 Volkswagen Game Day Commercial...but what's with the bar scene?". However I wonder after last years Volkswagen hit commercial called "The Force" (posted below) that was really cute and the best one, can anyone beat that commercial during the 2012 game day?

The Force: Volkswagen Commercial

By the way advertisers, not all commercials have to be terrible, take a hit, the above VW "The force" commercial is funny to watch and might sell cars.

The Dog Strikes Back in latest 2012 Volkswagen Game Day Commercial...but what's with he bar scene?

2012-02-02T12:51:00.000-08:00

A pretty funny Volkswagen commercial with the dog getting fit, but the extension with the bar scene has a lot to be desired. Frankly, VW should have just stayed with the normal version of the dog getting fit to chase the more slimmer VW down the street.

By the way, Go New England Patriots.

Note: Besure to check out my latest project ThinkingBrian.com v3.0: My Lifestream for more of my insight.

#60 Michael Shank Racing Ford with A.J. Allmendinger, Ozz Negri, John Pew and Justin Wilson wins the 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona.

2012-01-29T14:27:00.000-08:00

(Photo Credit: Daytona International Speedway Facebook Page)

What battle for the lead it was during the final 2.5 hours between the #60 Michael Shack Racing Ford driven at the time by A.J. Allmendinger and the #8 Starworks Motorsport Ford driven at the time by Allen McNish that was then turned over to Ryan Dalziel for the final two hours for the race. These two beat and bang on each other, swapping the lead between the two of them several times. But in the end, it was the #60 Michael Shack Racing driven by A.J. Allmendinger with co-drivers Ozz Negri, John Pew and Justin Wilson that captured the overall victory in the 50th (2012) Rolex 24 at Daytona. Hell of a job to Michael Shack Racing and the drivers. And also, great job to second place #8 Starworks Motorsport Ford with co-drivers Dalziel / Luhr / McNish / Popow / Potolicchio.

In GT, it was Andy Lally, John Potter, Richard Lietz and Rene Rast in the No. 44 Magnus Racing Porsche over the #67 TRG.

What an interesting race, but just one question, a family member asked me why do they run the Rolex 24 at Daytona with really nobody in the grandstands? Personally I really didn't have an answer for him other than made for television. These 24 hour races don't normally have people in the grandstands, but instead fans attend these races using their campers/RV's. Of course the Rolex 24 at Daytona doesn't draw as many fans as the 12 hours of sebring and especially the 24 hours of LeMans.

NASCAR changes policy and now will publicly disclose fines in 2012 - Fans and media cheer.

2012-01-25T14:38:00.000-08:00

Earlier today, NASCAR issued a statement on how fines will be disclosed to the public beginning this season:

NASCAR will no longer issue fines that are undisclosed. We looked at this issue from every angle and gathered feedback from the industry. While there are always sensitivities related to sponsor relationships and other leagues may continue issuing disclosed and undisclosed fines, NASCAR has decided that all fines moving forward will be made public after the competitor or organization that has been penalized has been informed. (Read Statement at NASCAR.com)

As a NASCAR fan, I have seen this sport change over the years from its stars to its policies and while the "Boy's Have at it" policy hasn't changed that let's drivers wreck each other at will if they see fit, at least NASCAR is making the effect to make changes as needed in the sport and today's statement that NASCAR will now publicly disclose fines in 2012 is a good step forward.

Basically as one NASCAR fan commented on this article on NASCAR.com, "There is no secrets in the garage anyhow. It always gets out." And to that I give you the examples of Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski, they are received secret fines.