Get ready for a Sunday full of race action
Today is the day for the serious race fan to sit back and enjoy 1,100 laps of racing.
Hopefully all the ?honey do?s? are done, snacks are made and the cooler is full. The day starts off at noon with the 91st running of the Indy 500. Sadly, actor-entertainer Jim Nabors will not be on hand to sing ?Back Home Again in Indiana.? Due to an illness, he is at home in Hawaii, but will address the crowd via video and ask them to sing the song in his place.
This year, there will be three female drivers in the starting field. Danica Patrick starts eighth, Sara Fisher starts 21st and Milka Duno starts 29th. Good luck ladies.
Roger Penske must be feeling good. Helio Castroneves, a Penske driver is on the pole for the Indy 500. Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch, both Penske teammates, are on the front row for the Coca-Cola 600.
Baring any weather problems, the Indy 500 will be over in time for the start of the NEXTEL Cup race. The Coca-Cola 600 is the longest race on the NASCAR circuit. Our own Governor, Phil Bredesen, will be the grand marshal and Senator John McCain will be the honorary starter. Looks political to me.
Lowe?s Motor Speedway officials have permanently banned those Talladega beer chuckers from attending any Lowe?s Speedway event. Good luck enforcing that one.
We are only 12 races into the Nextel Cup season and some interesting changes are already developing. The No. 21 Wood Brothers/JTG Ford team, has signed Bill Elliott to run some races for them. Elliott is next in line for the Past Champions provisional and therefore guaranteed a starting spot for at least 6 races. Since the No. 21 is not in the top 35 in owners points, this is a chance for them to move up. With the provisionals in hand, they will be able to concentrate on race set-up. Elliott did not need the provisional today since he qualified 22nd on speed.
As we follow the Dale Earnhardt Jr. situation, I saw that 106 fans voted and that over 50 percent of you think that RCR would land Earnhardt?s services. I was surprised that about 35 percent thought he would start his own team. Dale?s sister, Kelly Earnhardt Elledge, is working with her brother to find the best option for him, and although many rumors are out there, she says all options are still on the table. Rick Hendrick stated ?there?s no room at the inn? for Jr., since his four drivers are signed up through at least 2008. Hendrick has offered his support if Jr. was to form his own team. Ways he could help is with the engine program and in the Car of Tomorrow, which has been approved for the full racing season in 2008.
Some special paint schemes will be used to honor our military. Earnhardt Jr?s No. 8 has been painted in camouflage and Jeff Green?s No. 66 Best Buy Haas CNC Racing Chevy will carry a special paint design to raise awareness for Fisher House. The Fisher House Foundation establishes ?comfort homes,? facilities built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers, to provide lodging for families of hospitalized military members.
Enjoy the races.
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(For more on today?s NASCAR race and the Indy 500, see page 5-B.)